Monterey Car Week R oad trips are synonymous with classic cars. And car enthusiasts can celebrate the machines of yesteryear during the annual Monterey Car Week. The 2023 annual event runs from August 11-20, when rare and historic cars, as well as sports cars, take to the streets, golf courses, parks and the world-renowned WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The signature attraction is The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a parade of hundreds of vintage cars that travel from Carmel by the Sea to Pebble Beach. Its origins date back to the ’50s when a group of car enthusiasts decided Pebble Beach’s twisty lanes were ideal for car racing. Today, Monterey Car Week features nearly 30 car events, some of which are free, including auto shows, races and auctions.
see stunning views of Lake Don Pedro, the Stanislaus National Forest and the Tuolumne River Canyon. Once inside Yosemite, the wonders of nature unfold. Lookout spots such as Glacier Point showcase the Yosemite Valley and one of its most recognized granite monolith icons, Half Dome. From El Capital Meadow, view the majestic El Capitan, a 3,000-foot vertical rock formation known by expert climbers worldwide.
if you want to pack a real Southern California punch, take the long way (i.e., most scenic route) and head south from L.A.—a journey that includes beachside stops, wine country experiences, and one-of-kind attractions as you make your way from the urban center across mountains to the desert floor. You’ll travel through Pasadena, Anaheim, Long Beach, Riverside, Temecula, and San Diego’s North County en route to Julian, a pioneering Gold Rush town and National Historical Landmark in the Cuyamaca Mountains 60 miles northeast of San Diego. Julian serves up small-town charm with mining history, antiques, orchards and apple pie, and is one of the only places in the U.S. where you can see the Milky Way. From Julian, take State Route 78 through Anza- Borrego State Park, California’s largest state park with more than 600,000 acres and abundant wildflowers and wildlife. Next, follow State Route 86 north along the shores of the Salton Sea, one of the world’s largest landlocked saline bodies of water, then head past Indio’s date palm farms to Palm Springs. Once there, celebrate its affinity for old Hollywood glamour with a mid-century modern architecture tour and enjoy the vintage shopping, art and dining scene. You also can explore the surrounding natural beauty by hiking, biking or rock climbing and then soak in one of the natural mineral hot springs that flow near the quirky desert oasis. Worthy detour: Joshua Tree National Park, 40 miles east of Palm Springs, one of the most mystical locations in the world.
Lake Tahoe The deep cobalt blue lake that straddles California and Nevada high above the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is the second-deepest lake in the U.S. It’s
also road-trip gold and a destination onto itself. Whatever your originating location, you can create a memorable road-trip itinerary simply driving around Lake Tahoe, which is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, with 72 miles of shoreline. Lake Tahoe is surrounded by mountains and nestled between national parks and nature reserves with two distinct areas, including the north and south shores. If you just cruise the main drag (Lake Tahoe Scenic Drive), it takes three hours to navigate, but there are plenty of sights and activities for outdoor enthusiasts and families, including water sports, hiking and skiing. South Lake Tahoe is filled with a vibrant nightlife and has nearby ski resorts such as Heavenly Mountain Resort and El Dorado Beach, a public beach open year-round that’s great for swimming and windsurfing. Other top attractions on the south shore include Emerald Bay State Park, a large nature preserve with mountain trails that provide the best lookout points on Lake Tahoe. The north shore, considered more family-friendly, has ski options and beaches including Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) ski resort and King’s Beach. In winter, you can snowshoe and tackle cross-country trails at North Tahoe Regional Park just a few miles away. During the summer, visitors can white-water raft on Truckee River and do a day hike on the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail, accessible from many points. Worthy detour: Donner Pass, a three-hour roundtrip from South Lake Tahoe. At 7,085 feet elevation, it’s one of the most famous passes in the U.S. While there, visit Emigrant Trail Museum and the Pioneer Monument, which commemorates those who immigrated to California in the mid-1800s.
To view Yosemite’s countless waterfalls, including Yosemite Falls, plan a trip during the spring snowmelt. At any time, you can see giant sequoias, the world’s biggest and oldest trees, in Mariposa Grove. Plus, the park contains several museums dedicated to Native American arts and culture and the history of Yosemite’s unique geographical characteristics. Depending on the season, you can hike, birdwatch, ski, snowshoe, star gaze and even camp. Worthy detour: Columbia State Historic Park, one hour from Yosemite, north of Highway 20 off Highway 49. A reenactment Gold Rush-era town that features local businesses, historic saloons, a theater, interactive exhibits and stagecoach rides. Los Angeles to Palm Springs
Since the 1930s, Palm Springs has been a weekend escape for the rich and famous. Over the years, other less
notables have discovered the enchantment of the luxe resort city with spas, golf resorts and designer boutiques. Many take the Los Angeles-to-Palm Springs-route, a quick two hours and 45 minutes (110 miles) trip. But
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IN YOUR CORNER ISSUE 14 | 2023
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