The limitless horizon expands and contracts with the coastal fog. One minute its gloomy and grey and the next it’s full blue sky and sun. The air is salty and sweet, and cleansing. The wind is a constant, it may hover for a moment as a sudden stillness and warmth creeps in but don’t hold your breath or remove your layers as the shifting skies give way to near constant gusts that make the Northern California coast so infamous for being brisk. Whatever is stagnant is swept away and that is the gift. 

The sand, the expanse, the smell, the distant gulls and squeals of children, the crashing waves all converge together as the perfect medicine for the soul. 

In spring the hills behind the coast are awash in bright green with the promise of wildflowers: poppies, sweet peas, pride of madeira, and lupine are abundant and the streams that run into the sea are gushing. This is the time of year the vellela vellela blue winged jellies are all over the beaches and create patterns along the wide swaths of sand. 

Each beach is unique. The rock patterns, sand texture, color of water all vary. To stop at each one is like popping into a different store front. All the goods are mesmerizing. 

Two spots along the NorCal coast that have unique beaches within a short range of one another are the coast North of Santa Cruz along Route 1 or the coast North of Bodega Bay, Sonoma State Park along route one. Both locations are not to be missed…