Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Lighthouses

Who doesn't love lighthouses? They not only help guide ships and save lives, but they also are extremely picturesque and so much fun to photograph. Did you know that Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state? I guess its proximity to all those Great Lakes has helped it attain that title! 

Michigan has been on my bucket list of states that I want to visit, so I planned a last-minute trip to the area with the idea of driving all around the shore of Lake Michigan. As I was reading up on the state and the lakes and trying to plan out our route, I was pleased to learn about all those wonderful lighthouses that we could encounter. 

The trip is over and it was a big success. I am so impressed with this part of our country. The scenery was lovely, the small beach towns so clean and quaint, and the locals very friendly. The weather and lighthouses did not disappoint either. I couldn't visit all the lighthouses of course, but I squeezed in as many as my traveling companion could endure.  Each one had its own unique atmosphere and flavor. My favorite was the one we discovered at St. Joseph's pier. Take a look for yourself; do you see one that you like?  

St. Joseph Pier
 Holland - AKA "Big Red"
 Grand Haven South Pier
 Ludington North Breakwater
 Manistee 
Frankfort
 Grand Traverse
 Old Mission
Round Island Lighthouse
Round Island Passage Light
 Whitefish Bay
 Marquette Harbor
 Escanaba
 Menominee 
Somewhere in Wisconsin
Chicago Harbor Light, IL

Do you recognize any of these? Do you have a favorite lighthouse that you've photographed? I would love to return to Michigan - it's such a beautiful and terrific area to explore. More blog posts about my road trip are on their way...

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Capitola Beach, CA

Capitola Beach is a little bit south of Santa Cruz and, in my opinion, one of the most picturesque beach towns in Northern California. The town itself is tiny and consists of mostly vacation homes and cottages for rent. It tends to get a bit more sunshine than its neighbors to the south, Carmel and Pacific Grove. It's very popular as a weekend getaway destination and hence can be quite crowded on Saturdays and Sundays, especially during the warmer months. Parking is mostly metered, but if you're willing to walk a bit, you can probably find a free parking spot in the neighborhoods a bit farther away from the beach or along Cliff Drive. At one time a small colony of Italian immigrants settled here, so it really has a Mediterranean feel to it; the colorful, quaint downtown is full of boutiques, art galleries, surf shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. 

Recently I headed to the coast with my friends and spent the day lounging in the soft, white sand of Capitola Beach. The day started out with a bit of fog, but it disappeared quickly and blue skies and sunshine stayed with us the rest of the day. 

Come take a look around...

The view from Cliff Drive...
 The old wharf was built in 1857...
 The popular beach area...
 There is a boat rental facility and a restaurant at the end of the wharf...


 A memorial flower...
 Boats for rent...the fishing is supposedly quite good here...
Bring your bikes...
 Memorial plaques...
 The pretty beach...
 The colorful Venetian Hotel - a popular place to stay...






 Soquel Creek and the old railroad trestle...
 Waterfront restaurants...
 The downtown shopping district...




 More vacation rentals...

Private parking under the trestle...
 Colorful houses line the streets...


 A view from the wharf...
Carmel was once my favorite beach getaway. Then it was Morro Bay. Now I think I'm smitten with Capitola. Ahhhh...life's a beach!

Click HERE to see shots from my visit here a couple of years ago.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Lake Tahoe

A few weeks ago my friend invited me to spend a long weekend with her and a few other friends at her timeshare in Kingsbury near the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Lake Tahoe and its surroundings offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. I'm lucky to live within a reasonable driving distance of such a lovely spot. Beautiful Lake Tahoe has it all: sun, sand and water - albeit freezing - forests, mountains, and meadows, gambling, hiking, boating and skiing. You won't get bored in this place! Our getaway weekend consisted of a little bit of hiking and sightseeing and lots of eating, drinking, and laughing. 

Here's a peek at the sights I photographed...

Almost there...
  There she is!
 Our condo for the weekend...
 View out the living room window...
 Panoramic shot of the lake...
 A beach along the south shore...


 Boats for rent...

 A private beach we stumbled upon...
 Near Zephyr Cove, Nevada...

 Zephyr Cove beach...
 The free beach just north of Zephyr Cove...





 Hiking through the forest and meadows...


 Don't miss out on Inspiration Point...



 Aspen trees and flowers...

 The gondola heading up the mountain...
 The sunset from the condo parking lot...
Remember - keep Tahoe blue!