We wake up to a perfect winter's day; dark blue skies, no wind, and no need for a coat as we walk down Ocean Street towards the beach. Here, we find throngs of locals and their dogs enjoying the idyllic weather on a perfect beach. This coastline is rugged; large rocks, not too far from the shore, are a hazard to the surfers, but provide a huge great interest when swollen waves hit them with force. We walk along the beach, noting the golf course on a peninsula across the bay. From where we are standing, we can see golfers in their buggies riding to the next hole. Dark reddish-brown seaweed dumped on the sand provides a novelty for dogs, as they drive their noses into the centre of the tangled weed.

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We are staying in the village, a 2.5 square-kilometre (one square mile) historic area, often described as a 'village in a forest overlooking a white beach'. Incorporated in 1916, the initial buildings had been constructed by artists, and by 1925, steps had been taken to retain its village atmosphere. Today, quirky homes and shops add to the character of the township and it presents itself as a happy and friendly place to visit. There are some city laws, which may appear strange to a newcomer:

New buildings must be constructed around existing trees, and new trees are required to be planted on land that is deemed not to have and adequate number. Businesses, cottages, and houses have no street numbers, resulting in no mail deliveries. The buildings must, however have a name, and in the event of a fire or if an ambulance is required, a complex geographical addressing system has been implemented. The formula used for geographical addressing lists the street, cross street, and the number of houses from the intersection. Outside of the village area, normal street addresses are used. You must obtain a permit to wearing shoes with a heel taller than 5.1 centimetres. Brought into law in 1963 to protect the city from lawsuits resulting from wearers of high heels tripping over the uneven footpaths distorted by tree roots, a permit is issued free-of-charge from the City Hall.

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I have absolutely no need of a permit; my runners have no heels. We explore many shops along Ocean Street, eventually finding a bakery that not only offers an array of delicious breads, but they also make a good coffee - as long as you only order a cafe latte. We return to the hotel and sit in the sun whilst enjoying our light lunch. The day is still fine and we spend the afternoon driving along the 17-Mile Drive; a privately-owned road that follows the coast to the town of Pacific Grove, near Monterey.

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The 17-mile drive is probably one of the world's most scenic stretches of road. It hugs the Pacific coastline from Carmel to Pacific Grove. The modest US$10.00 fee to use the road includes a brochure outlining the scenic features of the peninsula, such as the Lone Cypress, Bird Rock, and the Pebble Beach Golf Course. Each of the stops is numbered and provides a specific view. We stop at each one, and whilst we enjoy the scenery at each scenic viewing area, some views are better than others. 

At the first stops at Shepherd's Knoll and Huckleberry Hill, I'm surprised to find that I'm overlooking fairly large cypress forests; Spanish moss is draped upon the branches, which is an indication of the amount of rain this area receives annually. I'm glad that it's a fine day today. We stop at turnout number 6, Restless Sea, and cannot think of a more appropriate name for this spot. Waves swell and smash over the large rocks in the water, creating white foamy spray that resembles delicate lace. I'd like to witness the 'restless sea' when the ocean is more turbulent.

At Point Joe, I'm amused to see cypress trees bent over almost horizontally; a result of the strong winds, which prevail at this location. In between the rocks, I can see a tiny section of the golf course; the players must cross the road to play the hole in the flat top of a rocky outcrop. I wonder how many balls are mistakenly shot into the swirling water below. China Rock marks the spot where a Chinese fishing village once stood. Here I find a curious squirrel warming himself on a rock. There are cormorants and ravens amongst other birds pecking between the rocks for food and quite oblivious to our presence.

I drag my eyes away from the magnificent coastline to view the residences along the road. This is a gated community, which is now operated by the Pebble Beach Corporation. I see a quaint Disneyesque home across the road, and despite it's 'gingerbread house' features, it appears to be abandoned. A quarter-turn provides a view of large homes overlooking the Pacific Ocean and built to take advantage of the wonderful, unobstructed view.

The Lone Cypress stands on a granite hillside and is probably the most-photographed tree in North America. Possibly as old as 250 years, the cypress has been scarred by fire and has been held in place with cables for 65 years. A drawing of the Lone Cypress is the official logo of the Pebble Beach Company; the image was registered as a trademark in 1919. 

We continue our drive, stopping at the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Club and spend a little while wandering around the beautifully-maintained gardens surrounding the clubhouse and hotel. A large plaque features the names of the winners of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament, and we are interested to see that Greg Norman and Kerry Packer won the competition in 1992. Not a golf fan, I can still appreciate the skills needed to play the game. As we return to our car before exiting the peninsula, we notice a deer grazing on the lush grass. This scene reminds me of an incident in 2009, when driving to visit a friend, who lives in nearby Monterey, three deer jumped over a suburban fence and trotted down the road - right in front of me. It was at this time I realised that since deer in suburbia is such a common sight, is it any wonder people from overseas think that kangaroos are just as common in our cities and towns. Just a thought.

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We exit this beautiful area of California and turn into Asilomar Avenue. We are on this street for two reasons. Turning into a grey granite gateway, we drive along the wooded driveway into the Asilomar Conference Grounds. Built in 1913 as a YWCA Leadership Camp, it is nestled in 43.3 (107 acres) hectares of the 'Refuge by the Sea' State Park. The conference centre has a long history, which is interesting in itself, but we are here to see some of the thirteen remaining structures designed by Julia Morgan between 1913 and 1928. It's easy to see how progressive her designs were and with her use of timber and stone, they blend beautifully into the environment. It's worth noting here that the YWCA held a contest to name the property in 1913. The winning entry came from a student, Helen Salisbury, who made up the word Asilomar from the Spanish words 'asilo', meaning retreat or refuge and 'mar' meaning sea, hence refuge-by-the-sea.

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We don't have enough time to properly explore this expansive site, but I'd like to come back one day and do just that. We exit the conference centre grounds and travel along Asilomar Avenue to the very end, where it meets Ocean View Boulevard. The Pacific Grove Marine Garden Park is located at this spot. It is also the location of the John Denver Memorial. On October 12, 1997, in the sea facing this Pacific Grove beach, John Denver's plane crashed, killing him instantly. The people of Monterey and beyond have designated this as a memorial to John Denver. A large piece of driftwood lies on the beach; John's name carved by Jeffrey Pine, a singer/songwriter from Colorado. As I stare out over the rocky shore, the sky begins to turn a shade of pink as the sun dips below the horizon. The day has remained calm and sunny, but a cold breeze reminds me it is wintertime and it's also time to return to Carmel, just twelve kilometres away, on the regular road.