San Francisco and the Pacific Coast Highway

After visiting the Redwood Forest, which was so amazing, we noticed that we were less than 100 miles from San Francisco. How, we decided, can you be that close to one of America's great cities, and not go? You can't and so we did!!

But first we had to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. I was a little terrified of this prospect, but in the end, traffic moving, the sky was crystal clear, and it wasn't so bad.

Here's the famous gate in San Francisco's Chinatown. We did a driving tour of the city because we didn't have that much time.

We stopped at Fisherman's Wharf for a little while, where I was proposed to by a busker. (Unfortunately, I don't have the picture of this momentous occasion). I was flattered, but I did have to turn him down.

San Francisco really does have hilly streets, as you can see. We also had a blast driving down twisty, curvy Lombard Street.

We also spent some time at Golden Gate Park, which is really beautiful.

We headed out of town on the Pacific Coast Highway, the length of which has long been a dream of mine to drive.

The amusement park in Santa Cruz, which was a totally cute beach town.

Around sunset, we arrived in Monterey, where I took this awesome shot of the wharf.

 We also drove down "Cannery Row," which, unlike in Steinbeck's day, is now basically a shopping mall.

We were able to watch the beginnings of the sunset in Monterey. Here's a shot looking across the Bay.

I was bitterly disappointed that it was too dark to drive the rest of the PCH through Big Sur, but a nice family we met on the beach (who captured this shot of Tasha & I) said that it wouldn't be worth it in the dark. We headed down the 101 instead, stopping at In-N-Out Burger (which so lived up to the hype!) before arriving in Santa Margarita, near San Luis Obispo.