North to Alaska: Traveling California South

Leaving Campbell, CA. we headed south on Highway 101. Our plans were to make it to San Diego sometime within the next week; however, we wanted to enjoy the drive and scenery along the California coast. The first day we made it as far as Vandenberg AFB (a long day - 240 miles) where we decided to stay for the night. Up early, around 9AM, we were on the road again and made it all the way to Long Beach, CA. (roughly 180 miles) where we spent a couple days at the Naval Weapons/Ammo base. While in Long Beach why not hop over to Anaheim and visit with Mickey and all his friends at Disney, we did and had a great time. The next day it was over to the island to explore the Queen Mary. What a beautiful ship and her history is really interesting. After a couple days in Long Beach it was on to San Diego for five days, but not before a stop at the famed Spanish Mission of San Juan Capistrano. The mission is best known for the annual "Return of the Swallows" each year on March 19th. The mission has beautiful gardens and old ruins from the old chapel of the 1700's as well as a new church built in 1984.

Although crowded sometimes, Highway 101, which hugs the coast in many places, is one of those highways you should drive if you ever get the opportunity. 101 has a variety of scenery from the ocean, as seen in these two pictures; from huge vegetable farms to magnificent homes hugging the edge of grand mountains overlooking the ocean.

What a beautiful place to skydive...

We used to think they grew a lot of strawberries in Florida; however, we have never seen as many strawberries being grown as we saw in California. Neither have we have ever seen strawberries grown next to the ocean. Eat some fresh strawberries and then take a swin in the ocean. How can it get any better???

We saw field after field of people picking strawberries. We were told that in areas of California they grow strawberries year around.

This is an example of some of the homes you see along Highway 101

Another home along Highway 101

A couple pictures entering Vandenberg AFB.

Not a bad place to spend a few nights. This is a California State Park along highway 101. We wanted to stay here but realized that if we stopped everywhere we wanted too we might never get to San Diego much less get home.