More Photos (III) of the Monterey Peninsula, California, U.S.A. (August 16-20, 2008)

Visitors enjoy the sunny weather at Carmel Town Beach; the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links overlooks the northern end of the beach

Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for its art galleries, high-end boutiques, fine restaurants and quaint storybook cottages like the one pictured here

Carmel River State Beach is a quieter alternative to nearby Carmel Town Beach

Father Junipero Serra founded the Mission San Carlos Borremeo del Rio Carmelo in Monterey in 1770; it was the second of California's 21 missions. It was moved to its present location in Carmel in 1771, and Father Serra is buried within the mission grounds.

The view south along Carmel River State Beach

More Photos (II) of the Monterey Peninsula, California, U.S.A. (August 16-20, 2008)

Boats share the water with harbor seals and sea otters near Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf

Monterey's historic Cannery Row; the first cannery opened along this street (then called Ocean View Avenue) in 1902. In 1945, John Steinbeck published the novel "Cannery Row," for which the street was later renamed.

The northeastern coast of the Monterey Peninsula is popular with kayakers and scuba divers

Asilomar State Beach, on the northwestern side of the peninsula, is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The nearby Asilomar Conference Grounds, designed by Julia Morgan in 1913 for the YWCA, is a National Historic Landmark.

The Lone Cypress along 17-Mile Drive is a Pebble Beach icon

Pacific Grove, California, U.S.A. (August 16-20, 2008)

Pacific Grove is a picturesque town on the Monterey Peninsula, situated along California's central coast. The region has a rich history: the nearby city of Monterey was founded in 1770 by Father Junipero Serra and Gaspar de Portola, and it served as the capital of both Spanish and Mexican California for many years. It wasn't until 1846, during the Battle of Monterey (part of the Mexican-American War), that California was claimed for the United States.

During the early 20th century, the local fishing industry thrived under the hard work of Sicilian and Japanese immigrants. Canneries lined Ocean View Avenue (later renamed "Cannery Row" in commemoration of John Steinbeck's novel), and Monterey became known as the "Sardine Capital of the World." By the 1950s, however, the overfished waters of the Monterey Bay could not yield enough sardines to keep the canneries in business, and the industry collapsed.

Today, the peninsula's primary industry is tourism, and it's easy to see why business is booming. The area boasts an active arts community, first-class restaurants and resorts, a range of outdoor activities from surfing to golf, and plenty of unique shops and galleries, all set against the beautiful backdrop of the Pacific Ocean.

The view of Lovers Point from Ocean View Boulevard in Pacific Grove

One of my favorite old Victorian buildings along Ocean View Boulevard; today, many of the town's historic properties serve as bed-and-breakfast inns

A seal poses for a photo along Ocean View Boulevard

The Pacific Grove farmers market takes over the main street every Monday; "P.G." (as the locals call it) is known for its small-town charm and hospitality

Built in 1855, Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove is the oldest continually operating lighthouse on the West Coast

The rocky shore along Ocean View Boulevard is a popular sunbathing spot for harbor seals (look for the three on the rocks in the lower half of the photo)

More Photos of Bandon, Oregon, U.S.A. (August 14-16, 2008)

Overlooking the Bandon coastline from the bluff at Coquille Point; the nearby headlands and offshore rocks are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and home to harbor seals and a variety of seabirds

Beach front homes overlook the stormy Pacific Ocean

The Oregon coast's signature rock formations look especially cool in the fog

Colorful seaside flowers

On-the-beach advertising - cheap but temporary!

Bandon, Oregon, U.S.A. (August 14-16, 2008)

Bandon is a small coastal town in southern Oregon, where the Coquille River meets the Pacific Ocean. Although the area was inhabited for years by the Coquille Indians, the town of Bandon was founded in 1837 by Irishman George Bennet, who named it after his native home in Ireland. The fishing and timber industries were Bandon's economic mainstays until the 1980s; today, its focus is on tourism, wood products and agriculture - in particular, cranberries.

Most visitors come to enjoy Bandon's beautiful coastline, where the beach stretches for miles, and one can wander among the craggy rock formations and flocks of seagulls for hours without passing another person. In summer, the coast is often blanketed in a thick fog that deters all but the hardiest swimmers but is perfect for long, contemplative walks followed by hot cocoa with marshmallows.

A patch of blue sky breaks through the fog over Bandon beach

Beach cottages allow visitors to enjoy the beauty of the Oregon coast from the warmth of the fireside

Bandon's Old Town has plenty of fish-and-chips stands offering homemade clam chowder, fresh oysters and, of course, hot fish and chips. More adventurous types can catch their own supper with crab pots and fishing gear rented along the harbor .

One of Bandon's many interesting rock formations; the person to the left of the rock gives a sense of scale

The incoming tide erases my footprints in the sand

On the Road from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Pacific Grove, California, U.S.A. (August 14-16, 2008)

I spent two days driving from Vancouver, British Columbia to Pacific Grove, California, with a stop along the way in Bandon, Oregon. Highway 5 from northern Washington to southern Oregon was a scenic and easy drive, once I got past the long wait at the Canadian border. Highway 101 from Bandon south to Pacific Grove started as a classic coastal drive, with foggy windswept beaches and towering redwood forests. Passing through California's wine country north of San Francisco, the scenery changed from forested mountains to golden hills dotted with ancient oak trees and row after row of grapevines. Here are just a few photos from the road:

There's no place like home!

The International Peace Arch on the border between Surrey, British Columbia (Canada) and Blaine, Washington (U.S.A.) was dedicated in 1921 and represents the longest undefended boundary in the world

A picturesque farm house in northern Washington

Highway 101 from Grants Pass, Oregon to San Francisco, California is aptly named the "Redwood Highway." The tallest tree in the world is a coast redwood located in northern California's Redwood National Park; it measures 379.1 feet in height and is estimated to be 700-800 years old!

California's world-renowned wine country; the Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties north of San Francisco have been cultivated for wine-making since the mid-19th century and today boast more than 400 wineries

More Photos of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (August 13-14, 2008)

Here I am peering out from a totem pole at the Capilano Suspension Bridge; totem poles have long been used by Pacific northwest Native Americans to represent family lineage or to recount honored legends or historical events

Pacific coast residents will appreciate this banana slug crossing sign at Capilano Suspension Bridge. The banana slug is a large, bright yellow slug that grows up to 10 inches long and can be found in the coastal forests of the Pacific northwest. It's the official mascot for the University of California, Santa Cruz!

A series of suspension bridges link massive Douglas Fir trees at Capilano Suspension Bridge, providing a "squirrel's eye view" of the coastal rainforest

A view of downtown from the trendy Kitsilano neighborhood; "Kits" Beach is one of the city's popular destinations for swimmers, sunbathers and volleyball players

The nighttime Vancouver skyline as seen from Granville Island