California - 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide and Travel Planner - (Page 15) 12 oct perfect beaches! spend a year along california’s coast january Piedras Blancas. This rookery lets you see massive elephant seals up close and personal. where: 4 miles north of San Simeon. info: 805/924-1628 february Point Lobos State Reserve. Glorious coastal hiking among rocky outcroppings; fantastic tidepooling and scuba diving among the same. where: 3 miles south of Carmel. info: 831/624-4909 march Torrey Pines State Beach. Watch, or try, the hang gliding at Torrey Pines Glider Port and admire the rare Torrey pines. where: Between La Jolla and Del Mar. info: 858/755-2063 april Limantour Beach. Wild beaches, great for birdand whale-watching; plus a pristine estuary with trails; Point Reyes National Seashore. where: 9 miles west of Point Reyes Station. info: 415/464-5100 may MacKerricher State Park Beach. Along a stretch of rocky coast, this rare gem has 6 miles of beach, complete with a horseback riding trail. where: North of Fort Bragg. info: 707/964-9112 dec june Mission Beach. The long San Diego strand is a blast for kids; everything from a cement boardwalk for skating to a roller coaster (at the foot of Ventura Street). where: Pacific Beach. info: 619/236-1212 july Santa Monica Pier. A Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, arcades, cotton candy, jugglers, and the new “Crazy Cruiser,” a wild 360-degree bicycle race. where: Santa Monica. info: 310/260-8744 august Santa Cruz Beach. Everything that’s fun about the beach—volleyball, rides on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, world-class surfing at Steamer Lane. where: Santa Cruz. info: 831/423-5590 mar september Crystal Cove State Park. Savor the sunset; rent one of 14 gloriously out-of-touch (no phone, TV) cottages on the beach. where: North of Laguna Beach. info: 949/494-3539 october San Elijo State Beach. Oceanfront camping doesn’t get any closer. Snare a site at the bluff ’s edge above the Pacific. Plus, an on-site surf school. where: Cardiff-by-the-Sea. info: 760/753-5091 november Butterfly Beach. Stroll these gorgeous, sun-glazed sands—popular with Santa Barbara’s hip young crowd—near sunset. where: Santa Barbara. info: 805/966-9222 december Gold Bluffs Beach. Look for Roosevelt elk grazing in meadows just back from the dunes. In Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. where: North of Orick. info: 707/465-7347 KEN MCALPINE Enter L keyword in Search box at visitcalifornia.com 15 http://www.visitcalifornia.com
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