Oceanside Calif with peeps

We met up for lunch the day prior to the trip so that we could say good-bye to Julie.

Packed and ready to go. We forgot nothing except the husbands, and that was on purpose. Sorry, guys. (As if they're offended!)

One of our first stops along the route was here on the Palms to Pines Scenic Drive, California's Highway 74. It's where the rain started, but it didn't damper our trip nor our spirits. The rainbow was a welcomed promise that blue skies were ahead.

Taken from the car's GPS, here's a model of a portion of the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway. The drive's eastern point begins in Palm Desert and travels through the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains which encompasses the San Bernardino National Forest. It continues to Mountain Center, but we exited it at about the half-way mark to get to Oceanside.

We decided quite readily that our room would easily accommodate us. Two bedrooms, two baths and a full kitchen was perfect.

We were thrilled to get a stunning sunset our first night.

And she thought she'd have the bed to herself. Silly girl.

From its birth in 1888, the Hotel del Coronado has captured hearts and left a trail of memories for millions of visitors from all over the world. Celebrities, royalty, U.S. presidents and common'ol folks like us equally enjoy its abundance of luxury yet simplicity. A walk through the foyer reveals a level of grace and grandeur that might be considered out of place for beachfront property, but it all comes together, defying the laws of elegance.

The resort is the second largest wooden structure in the United States, after the Tillamook Air Museum in Oregon. Today, it is owned by the Chinese Insurance Group Anbang.

"Tent City," an expanse of several hundred tents for tourists on a lower budget, was established by John Spreckels in 1900 just south of the hotel. Over the years, the tents were replaced by cottages, and by the early 1940s, the cottages were also demolished. Today, a boat club and major thoroughfare exist in their place. A large display of photos on ceramic tiles depicts the historical area.

We were treated to some unusually dramatic wave action on the resort's massive beach.

I think we cracked up more over this picture than we did any of the others.

Point Loma is a peninsula in San Diego, popular among tourists and locals alike for its many activities. It was here that the first Europeans came ashore on what is now California. It is home to two military bases, a lighthouse with its own wonderful history, a national cemetery, a national monument honoring Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on our nation's west coast, and stunning panoramic views in all directions.

The point separates San Diego Bay from the Pacific Ocean, and it's at its foot, where the ocean meets the shoreline, that numerous tide pools can be explored. The dramatic rugged cliffs along the shoreline are so typical of the U.S.' western coastline.

The Old Point Loma Lighthouse cast its light for the first time in November of 1855. For the next 36 years it served mariners heading into San Diego Bay. Its location, 422 feet above sea level, proved to be a great disadvantage on foggy nights. It was too high, obscured by fog and low-lying clouds. As a result, a new lighthouse was built closer to shore at the very tip of the peninsula (seen in the photo at the left).

Surely one of the most peaceful locations in the States, the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery spans more than 77 acres of land on Point Loma. It is the final resting place for more than 101,000 veterans and their families.

Thanks to pre-planning by three wonderful cooks and a fully-equipped kitchen, we had three absolutely delicious evening meals. This night was homemade tamales; the previous night was chicken breasts with roasted veggies; tomorrow night will be tortilla soup. Thank you, ladies.

Enough snacks to feed an army

Here we are at Oceanside's Thursday morning farmer's market where we each bought a $25 eye-glasses cleaner kit by a very convinncing saleslady. The same is on Amazon for half that.

A long walk through Oceanside in search of lunch. We will have covered around six miles of walking by the end of this day. Lunch? Oh, yeah...we ended up driving back over to the harbor where we had just walked.

A view of the sunset from the 7th floor terrace

The Oceanside Pier has been the town's most popular landmark since its construction in 1888. Though Mother Nature has destroyed it several times, fives times, in fact, she's never destroyed the pleasure and fond memories it has brought to an endless number of visitors. The pier we see today was built in 1987.

This Queen Anne Cottage is another Oceanside landmark, the last of its architectural style in the county. But it's most known as the Top Gun House due to its role in the 1986 Top Gun movie with Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. The bike is an exact replica of the one ridden by Cruise in the movie.

Our last view of the pier

It's time to say good-bye to Oceanside. We may be leaving the town, but the fun's not over. We're taking the same route back home over the Palms to Pines Highway where we will stop for a short jaunt in the wilderness.

The Santa Rosa Wilderness Area is a protected area along the Palms to Pines Highway. A short nature hike with overlooks and interpretive panels at the Cahuilla Tewanet scenic overlook gives a glimpse into the lifestyle of the native Cahuilla people.

The Palms to Pines Highway as it twists and turns through the mountains

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Thank you, my peeps, for a wonderful, wonderful trip.