This weekend's camping trip (March 2) - Costanoa

After a couple days of badly needed rain (and snow in the Sierra), the sky has cleared and we're looking at 65 degrees and clear on the coast for the weekend. So we are planning a last-minute getaway tohttp://www.costanoa.com/byo--koa.html

Beautfiful part of the California coast. Ano Nuevo is nearby (for viewing elephant seals and pups); and there is great eats at Duarte's - http://www.duartestavern.com/ - Cream of Artichoke Soup, Cream of Green Chile Soup; and the food at Costanoa is so good, that we don't have to cook unless we want to. And there is good hiking close by - whether ytou want redwood canyons or a tidal marsh or just wild California coastline.

On the drive home, there is a fantastic nursery which I need to visit as a few areas of my yard need sprucing up.http://www.bongardstreescapenursery.com/photos.html

or I could stay home and play hockey with my gimpy hip flexor.....

ps I highly recommend Costanoa. The bathrooms are "comfort stations" - specially designed bathroom facilities that include a central courtyard with fireplace, sauna, heated concrete floors, private indoor and outdoor showers, sinks, flush toilets, and skylights. And the saunas are available 24/7. Nothing like a late-night sauna before crawling into the teardrop....
http://www.costanoa.com/tent-bungalows.html

-Al

 

Looks like a first class campground. We will have to check it out. Another great place to stop for spring color is the Half Moon Bay Nursery and don't for get The Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach. A great place to spend the day looking at all marine life in the tide pools.

Jim

 

Hi, Jim. We actually DID stop at the nursery, as it has pull-through parking!! (which seems to be a priority for us Teardrop rookies). I was looking for a Cali-native tree, however, and they have almost nothing in that regard (as I expected).

Didn't make it to Fitzgerals, though spent time down at Pescadero (which is not 1/10 as good as Fitzgerald).

It was over 70 on Sunday.

Costanoa is $$, but the floors of the shower buildings (comfort stations) are heated, which is good. didn't take a saunia, but did build a nice fire and read under the stars.

and the soup at Duarte's was AWESOME, as always.

 

Looks like Sue ant I might have to book a night or two there for a get away this spring.

Have you tried the Tilden Park Botanical Garden in the Berkeley hills? It is totally dedicated to native California plants. They are having their annual plant sale in April. They always have some hard to find plants. May - Dec. they also sell plants on Thursday mornings 9-11am. Annie's Annuals and Perennials in Richmond is also a fun place to see. Plants from all over the world, including California natives. Both are on the web and Annie's has an on line catalog. But the grounds have more of a selection.

Jim

 

at Costanoa, you can reserve a site in an area, but you can't reserve the actual site, so try to get there early. But it was no problem getting an ocean-view site with a nice grass field behind us, and we showed up on Saturday around noon.

But it is getting closer to Spring, so sites get reserved earlier. It would still be a good place even if you didn't get as great a site as we did.

Good tip about the Tilden Garden sale. I always miss it. I think I've made it once in 20 years!! Will check out Annie's on the web.Thanks for the tip. Yerba Buena is "the place" for natives on the Peninsula, but they are closed on Sunday, which makes it hard for me. But it is great. And expensive.

Give me a shout when you plan to go to Costanoa. You will drive within a mile of my house (near 280 and 92), and it would be fun to say hello in person.

-Al

 

Al,

Love your avatar, it simply states… "life doesn't get any better than this"

 

thanks!!