This Saturday, November 19, we begin Phase 2 of our nomadic adventure.
The goal for Phase 1 was to explore as many of the northern areas on our list as we could before Winter set in. That meant long and frequent drives. And far too much packing and unpacking…
But it was worth it. We were able to experience most of Montana, British Columbia, Vancouver Island, Washington, and Oregon. All in roughly five months. What an incredible experience!
Now, after an amazing month in Bend, we’re about to hit the road again, kicking off the next phase of our adventures 🥳
Phase 2 features us exploring the Pacific Coast Highway (affectionately known as the “PCH”). From Bend, we head all the way down to Leucadia, my favorite spot in all of Southern California.
In addition to eating fresh fish tacos every day, and surfing the secluded beaches of Leucadia, I’m especially excited to see the Redwoods of Northern California again (specifically, Muir Woods). The waves at Big Sur. The sunsets in Malibu. And to soak in the charm of San Luis Obispo and chill surf vibes so stereotypical to all of SoCal.
From mid November 2022 through early March 2023, Phase 2 of our adventures has us leaving Bend to explore northern California and the coast as we make our way down south to spend the winter in Leucadia.
Phase 2 features us exploring a variety of areas throughout California. Though many of the neighborhoods we’re staying in aren’t well known, they offer convenient access to the highlights.
Bend ➡️ Redding ➡️ Vallejo (e.g. Napa) ➡️ Paso Robles (e.g. SLO CAL) ➡️ Topanga (e.g. Malibu) ➡️ Carlsbad ➡️ Leucadia (e.g. Encinatas / San Diego)
Redding, our first stop, is an ideal waypoint on our drive south from Bend, Oregon. If the weather holds, we’ll stop at Crater Lake and Klamath Falls on our way. I’m also hoping to take some time to explore Mendocino and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park while we’re here.
Next, we head to Vallejo, where we’ll be just south of Napa and near-ish Muir Woods. Then we’re off to Paso Robles, which is part of the beautifully branded “SLO CAL” area. I’m excited to explore nearby San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach, and though it’ll be a few hours drive, I can’t wait to see Big Sur and Monterey (and the Hearst Castle!).
After a week in SLO CAL, we head to Topanga where we’ll spend the week mainlining sunsets. Every photo of our Airbnb for here is dripping with atmosphere. I can already feel the vibes! 😛
From Topanga we head to Carlsbad for two weeks before settling in to our final destination. While we aren’t making it to Baja California (as had been an idea we once entertained), we’re excited to spend three months this winter in Leucadia!
