A Traveler's Companion

This complete travelers guide to the 1,100-mile coastline of California includes recommendations on where to find: beach access from Oregon to Mexico; romantic inns and B&Bs; hiking and camping; the best surfing; nature preserves and redwoods; museums and missions; and more.

The spectacular California coastline is a complex and diverse place, culturally and geographically. With exclusive private areas in the south and steep cliffs in the north, beach access can be an intimidating journey. The aim of this guide is simple: to lead travelers to every inch of the coast worth exploring, and to provide savvy, honest information on beaches, nature preserves, outdoor recreation, museums and attractions, lodging, and restaurants.

Handy icons throughout the book alert readers to the best places to take a family; find solitude or a romantic inn; to surf or hike; to visit museums and historic sites; to shop in an urban area; and to go bird-watching or tide-pooling. Throughout, interviews and profiles of people who live and work along the coast--writers, surfers, coast guard patrollers--provide insight and humor.

"Throw a hat on your head, a pair of binoculars around your neck, and a copy of The California Coast in your backpack. This is the perfect traveling pal-authoritative without being bossy-and it will always be in the mood for dawdling when you are."
—Leah Garchik, San Francisco Chronicle

$18.95 (Can. $28.50)
0-88150-549-8
April 2003
6 x 9, 400 pages, paperback, black and white photographs throughout, maps, lodging index, general Index