Pescadero, CA

Pescadero, CA has become my home away from home.  Just off of Highway 1, 1 hour south of San Francisco, it is a tiny coastal town with the most amazing public beaches, Redwood hikes, and pie!  I love it as much for its remoteness as its proximity to the city, and just a weekend here feels like a vacation!  Most of the land is protected and/or farmed so the rolling hills and 360 views are as plentiful as the fresh, local veggies. 

We always have such a good time down there using the same basic recipe for the weekend: gather as many friends as possible, pack a potluck “family” dinner, find a map to plan a bike ride, hike, trail run, drive or just explore Pigeon Point Lighthouse (known for its nearby seal population), tidepools or beach.  There's something for everyone to enjoy during the day, and great company and food (and tents) to share at night.

Most recently we all met down there on a Saturday afternoon, walked along the beach and spotted seals 20 feet offshore, and even whales much farther out.  Once everyone arrived, we carefully forded Highway 1 and took a hike around through a 5000 acre ranch owned by the local land trust, POST, complete with operational farm, small reservoir, and sprawling ocean and hillside views [note: you must request written permission from POST prior to accessing the property].  Alternatively there are many public trails, most notably within the Pescadero Creek County Park, or my favorite, the Candelabra Tree Trail!   

In the evening we broke out our potluck that magically complemented all of the other dishes, not the least of which was Amy's Sweet Tomato Tart and my soon-to-be-famous super easy basil ice cream (ice cream recipe to follow soon)