The Monterey Bay area on California’s central coast is possibly my favorite part of California--it is that beautiful. On a recent cold January morning, I took my dogs to Asilomar State Beach at one end of the town of Pacific Grove. As the clouds and light changed every few minutes, a few surfers braved the cold waters, and dogs ran along the adjacent paths, I realized this is what locals get to experience as part of normal coastal life...peaceful and beautiful. The state beach has walking paths that go on and on along the ocean. On the other side of the street sits Asilomar Conference Grounds, with picnic areas, beautiful lodging, and walking paths that take you through the dune areas. In all there are 107 acres to explore with 4 self-guided walks to choose from, and plenty of wildlife can be seen along the way.

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