WINE AND ADVENTURE IN CARMEL, CALIFORNIA
W
hen one thinks of wine tasting and California, it is typically Napa’s rolling hills, famed tasting rooms and James Beard Award-winning eateries that come to mind. If, however, you still want to enjoy some of California’s finest wine and dining while having access to the state’s most beautiful coastline, redwood forests and quaint art communities, consider, for your spring break wine tasting adventure, a trip to Carmel. Tucked into the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, Carmel Valley is a 20-minute drive from Carmel and features a variety of wines and beautiful tasting rooms sure to fill not just your stomach but your
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entire vacation. The 10-mile stretch of Carmel Valley Road is dotted with more than a dozen tasting rooms; among those not to be missed are The Durney-Heller estate, Bernardus, Georis, Joullian Vineyards and Boekenoogen. Once you’ve had your (responsible) fill of wine, take a drive and cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway to check out the parks of Big Sur, which are without a doubt the most beautiful in the world. First is Point Lobos State Reserve. Farther south are the stunning cliffs of Garrapata. Ten miles down the road, you enter the redwoods of Big Sur and Pfeiffer Beach. The often-photographed Pfeiffer Falls is another 20 minutes south down the winding Pacific Coast Highway.