Stretching from Monterey up to Humboldt County, the shores of Northern California offer miles of beautiful oceanfront. California State Route 1—Highway 1—is the thread that ties the communities of the region together, while dishing out much-written-about views along the way. Luxurious seaside resorts and intimate cliff-top inns overlook pristine beaches and nearby redwood forests, and experiences taking in the oceanfront ambience abound, from outdoor adventures to indulging in gourmet cuisine at a restaurant fronting the Pacific.
Monterey/Carmel
Author John Steinbeck made Monterey’s Cannery Row famous when his book of the same name was published in 1945. These days, visitors still flock to Monterey to experience the well-preserved historic stretch, now housing restaurants, shops, wine bars, and other attractions, in addition to the many other draws of the Monterey area.
“Many of our visitors either come for vacation then bring a meeting or they’re here for a meeting then return with the family,” explains Bruce Skidmore, director of sales for the Monterey County CVB. “Whether it’s the great and world-renowned golf, award-winning wines, spectacular cuisine, rich and varied history, or just nature’s wonderful scenery provided by the mountains and the ocean, Monterey really has the variety that appeals to both group and vacation guests alike.”
In April, Monterey hosted a client event with an afternoon for optional activities, such as a kayaking excursion and a walking tour of nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea, with its quaint cobblestone streets, boutique shops and restaurants.
Skidmore recommends taking part in the interactive experiences at the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium or going on a docent-lead tour of Elkhorn Slough, which harbors the largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California outside of San Francisco Bay.
As for off-site venues on or near the coast, there are many to choose from, including Monterey Bay Aquarium, a group favorite. Skidmore also suggests the Culinary Center of Monterey on Cannery Row. It houses the Culinary Arts School of Monterey, and it’s a great venue for catered events and team-building activities.
Adventures by the Sea’s Beach House is another unique Monterey venue where planners can organize clambakes and bonfires, giving guests a chance to take in spectacular views of Monterey Bay. More adventurous attendees may also want to try Adventures by the Sea’s kayaks, bikes or even a six-passenger, pedal-powered “bicycle car.”
Meanwhile, one of California’s most acclaimed attractions is the 17-mile-drive in Pebble Beach, where stunning coastal views await travelers around every turn. Set between Monterey and Carmel, Pebble Beach is also home to some of the most scenic oceanfront golf courses in the world, and with luxury resorts and event venues, it is a top corporate meetings destination.
Santa Cruz
North of Monterey is Santa Cruz, a sanctuary from the hectic pace of large cities, according to Christina Glynn, communications director at the Santa Cruz CVB.
“Our reputation for natural beauty and a laid-back beach community is an especially strong draw,” Glynn says. “But I think the idea that you can be among old-growth redwood trees and then hop in the car and be at the beach in a matter of minutes is something that pleasantly surprises many visitors.”
The historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a premier waterfront lure, offering rides, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, in addition to company picnics complete with barbeques and beach volleyball.
The Pacific Railway Company’s Beach Trains, offered through Roaring Camp Railroads, is another unique experience that takes groups on a historic train line through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Meanwhile, Pacific Life Eco Tours also offers cruises aboard the 70-foot luxury yacht Chardonnay II. Up to 49 passengers can cruise the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. While onboard, they will learn about the Monterey Bay’s kelp forest ecosystems, adaptations for animals living in the oceans, and human effects on the sea.
For a team-building event, planners can organize a drumming session on the beach with Jim Greiner, who runs Hands on Drumming.
Another way to enjoy the coast and get your crew working together is to navigate a sailboat. Aboard a 30-foot yacht, participants learn to sail across the gleaming Monterey Bay with Pacific Yachting and Sailing.
For a more intimate seafaring experience, Kayak Connection offers tours, instruction and team-building excursions on the beautiful Monterey Bay.
San Mateo County
“Many things make San Mateo unique,” says Anne LeClair, president and CEO of the San Mateo County CVB. “We have two coasts: 30 miles of coastline of the San Francisco Bay and nearly 60 miles on the Pacific Ocean, and as a result there are two sides to our story.”
San Mateo County has numerous seaside towns brimming with character, not to mention an abundance of recreational pursuits on land and water.
“On our Pacific coast side, activities run the gamut,” LeClair says. “We have so many options for off-sites and tours for attendees.”
One-of-a-kind coastal excursions include Año Nuevo State Park, home to hundreds of elephant seals, as well as more adventurous pursuits such as kayaking, whale-watching and deep-sea fishing, all of which are available through local outfitters in towns such as Half Moon Bay.
With the county’s many trails and long stretches of beachfront, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are also ideal ways to explore the region, enjoying coastal vistas both along the waterfront and from the top of hills and ridges.
Planners can arrange numerous outdoor adventure programs through establishments such as Costanoa Resort and Spa, a meetings-friendly property in Pescadero, or horseback riding outings with Sea Horse Ranch and Friendly Acres Ranch in Half Moon Bay.
San Mateo County is known for great cuisine, and waterfront dining venues that are available for group events are plentiful. Among the interesting options is Moss Beach Distillery, a former speakeasy with a colorful history that is also said to have a resident ghost known as “The Blue Lady.” Set on a cliff overlooking the Pacific and featuring an outdoor patio, it is available for a variety of private events.
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is another standout along the coast, complete with high-end waterfront dining experiences.
Foodies will also enjoy learning how local artisan goat cheese and beer are made, and farmers can speak at an event about the array of products grown in the region.
Marin County
North of San Francisco is Marin County.
Mark Essman, executive director of the Marin CVB, says it’s a rural destination in an urban environment, adding that 15 minutes east or west of the highway, visitors are in a completely different setting.
“Marin is a hidden jewel,” he says. “We have big-city amenities yet you can still get away from it all.”
The birthplace of the mountain bike—the two-wheeler was invented here by a group of friends in the mid-1970s—offers more than 1,800 hiking and biking trails, several of which boast magnificent views of the coastline or meander along oceanfront cliffs.
Essman recommends doing a hike at the beach or going into the Marin Headlands and up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais for a view of the area. Bird watching is also a popular activity here.
“You could spend six weeks here and do something different every day,” Essman says.
A top attraction along the coast of Marin is Point Reyes National Seashore, home to a historic lighthouse built in 1870, pristine beaches, rocky coastal bluffs, and inviting towns such as Inverness.
Charming inns with restaurants along the coast are popular spots for private events.
Another intriguing option is to head to the town of Marshall on Tomales Bay, where Hog Island Oyster Company farms several species of the mollusk. Visitors who purchase fresh oysters can shuck them at waterfront picnic tables and enjoy them over a bottle of wine on the shore. Hog Island caters to groups with private events for up to 50 people, including unique corporate team-building programs.
Sonoma County
Ken Fischang, president and CEO of the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau, says many people don’t realize the county has two coasts.
“There’s the very rugged Pacific Ocean coast and the three rivers that run through to the coast, and there’s what we call the ‘quiet coast,’ the San Pablo Bay,” he says.
To enjoy the pretty setting and the rich flora and fauna of both coasts, groups can choose from a multitude of outdoor activities, including bird watching, hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and whale watching.
In the coastal town of Bodega Bay, made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds, seafood lovers and fishing aficionados are in for a treat. Delicacies like fresh Dungeness crab can be found on most menus (in season), while on sportfishing excursions, guests can catch salmon, halibut, cod, and other types of ocean fish, depending on the season.
A tour with Bodega Bay Kayak is another great way to get attendees out on the water. Highlights of the company’s Wine Country Kayak Tour include views of Bodega Bay Head and the Sonoma coast and a stop at a secluded beach for a picnic lunch accompanied by a bottle of Sonoma County wine.
Fischang also recommends some golf time at the Links at Bodega Harbor. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the award-winning course overlooks the coast, allowing guests to enjoy the pretty scenery while playing.
Horseback-riding fans will love the group rides offered by Chanslor Ranch in Bodega Bay or Victoria’s Fashion Stables in Petaluma.
For a bird’s-eye view of the region, including the Pacific coast, the Russian River, the rolling vineyards, and the redwood forests, planners can arrange hot-air balloon excursions for small groups. The trips can include special touches such as a champagne brunch following the ride.
Meanwhile, savoring the region’s bounty of food and wine is always a hit with groups. The region has numerous restaurants overlooking the ocean and endless wineries, in addition to countless farms and dairies, many of which are open for group tours, tastings and pickings, so attendees can learn how goat cheese and olive oil are made, for example, and sample the final products, or pick their own berries and apples. Additionally, the county hosts more than a dozen regular farmers’ markets, including one in the coast-side town of Gualala.
Mendocino and Humboldt Counties
Farther up the coast, Mendocino and Humboldt counties are great places for retreats.
Scott Schneider, executive director of the Lodging Association in Mendocino County, says people come to the region to escape.
“You can do guided nature walks, wine tours and even mushroom walks,” Schneider says. Groups pick their own mushrooms, bring them back to an expert for inspection, and then they learn how to cook them and finally have a group dinner.”
For a different twist on a coastal picnic, planners should keep Lodging and Llamas in mind. The company arranges for llamas to carry tables and chairs to a prime picnic spot where guests can enjoy a gourmet lunch.
In Humboldt County visitors will find the world’s tallest tree as well as the largest and oldest redwood forests. Given the mild temperatures, rain and seasonal fog, the trees grow very close to the ocean, in many cases, such as in Redwood National Park, just a hilltop away.
“When you walk the streets of Old Town [Eureka], it feels much the same as it did when sailors, whalers, loggers, miners, and other characters did the same a century ago,” says Richard Stenger, media and marketing relations manager at the Humboldt County CVB.
“A few blocks inland, entire neighborhoods of Victorian homes, where the more respectable types lived, remain intact as well, in particular the Painted Ladies of Hillsdale Street, a two-block stretch that rivals any of the colorful Victorian houses of San Francisco.”
Located in the King Range National Conservation Area, the Lost Coast is the longest stretch of undeveloped beachfront in the continental U.S. Stenger says it boasts nearly 100 miles of sheer mountains, deserted beaches and a legendary surf break, Ghost Point.
“It’s popular with hikers, extreme surfers and touring motorists, who drive from Highway 101 to its only coastal settlement, Shelter Cove, which has a few hotels, restaurants, a lighthouse, reefs full of abalone, and Black Sands Beach, a stunningly beautiful place that offers access to the Lost Coast Trail,” he says.
For a coastal hike, Stenger suggests the dunes near Eureka. With little beachfront development, the dune ecosystems are incredibly rich and varied, with spring flowers, rare dune grasses and small forests in the dune valleys.
Also available at the Old Town Eureka waterfront is kayaking. The bay is a haven for wildlife, including some of the largest populations of migratory and resident shorebirds as well as harbor seals on the West Coast.
On the northern tip of the bay is the the 150-acre Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, a popular spot for bird walks. It includes a system of innovatively engineered ponds, internationally lauded, that help clean waste water from a nearby municipality.
“Humboldt County is also famous for its fog, Humboldt Fog, that is, a tasty goat cheese made by Cypress Grove that regularly wins international taste tests,” Stenger says.
He also recommends visiting the Lost Coast Brewery, which makes tasty beverages like Great White Ale and Downtown Brown.
For More Info
Humboldt County CVB 707.443.5097
www.redwoods.info
Marin County Visitors Bureau 415.925.2060
www.visitmarin.org
Mendocino County Promotional Alliance 707.462.7417
www.gomendo.com
Monterey County CVB 831.657.6400
www.montereyinfo.org
Monterey Meeting Connection 831.646.3388
www.montereyconnection.com
San Mateo County CVB 650.348.7600
www.sanmateocountycvb.com
Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council 831.425.1234
www.santacruzca.org
Sonoma County Tourism Bureau 707.522.5800
www.sonomacounty.com
