Central Coast - Horsing Around In LA

By Erin

Whenever I travel up the coast of California to the Pismo Beach and Central Coast area, there is one very special stop that I always have to make, which is to the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. When I was there this past October to visit and stayed up in Cambria at the beautiful Blue Dolphin Inn I just had to make sure we got to make a stop here! We were about a month early of when the butterflies return, but when I saw THIS at the Blue Dolphin Inn where we were staying at, I was very hopeful that we would see many more there at the Butterfly Grove.

Monarch Season is usually November thru February, but we were in for a special treat as you will see below! Many of our special friends had arrived a month early!! 😉

Each year thousands of vibrant orange and black Monarch Butterflies flock to Pismo Beach, seeking shelter from the freezing northern winters. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of a grove of Eucalyptus trees at Pismo State Beach. The grove is easily accessible as it is located right off of State Highway 1 at the south boundary of the city limits of Pismo Beach. It is also fun to go here as there is a short little trail you can take that will bring you right to the beach! It truly is a magical place to be!

Wordless Wednesday: Cambria’s Scarecrow Festival!

By: Erin

I recently went on a trip to Cambria (another post to follow on the amazing Blue Dolphin Inn and The Wine Wrangler) and we were greeted by many friendly folks along the side of the road upon our arrival. We soon realized that these friendly creations were scarecrows and that the scarecrow festival was going on right now in Cambria until October 31st!

The first Cambria Scarecrow Festival was back in 2009, starting out with only 30 scarecrows. Now in 2013, over 400 scarecrows line Cambria’s business district. Cambria is a perfect year-round escape, with October being one of the best times of all to visit. The warm October sun brightens the quaint seaside village. Hundreds of unique scarecrows are displayed throughout Cambria’s East and West Villages and along Moonstone Beach Drive.

Here from October 1-31, the Cambria Scarecrow Festival will wow and amaze you while on your next visit. While here, also be sure to check out the cute boutiques, tasty restaurants, and don’t forget about the wine and beer tasting too. 😉 Take a stroll on the magical beaches or hike the many trails that wind their way from the beaches into the pines. You will soon see why I love the Central Coast so much with a visit here!

Enjoy!