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Before COVID wreaked havoc on travel early last year, I was able to meet my daughter in California for a trip that had been on my bucket list. It was a mother-daughter drive up the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to her home in Sacramento. We met in San Diego and rented a car for a five-day drive up the coast. It was one of the most picturesque journeys I&rsquo;ve taken, filled with sweeping ocean views and rugged coastlines. While we drove north, the drive south would probably have been even more spectacular with unobstructed views of the coastline.
				Day one. Since my son was stationed in San Diego while he was in the Navy, Katie and I had already seen most of the sights. If you&rsquo;ve never been there, it&rsquo;s a trip in itself. We headed instead to La Jolla, a seaside community famous for its stunning coastline and sea lion population. We started with breakfast at The Cottage, a quaint spot popular with the locals. I had the lemon ricotta pancakes and they were the best pancakes I&rsquo;ve ever had. So good in fact, that I asked for the recipe, which was graciously shared, and you will find below. After I perked up from the long flight with great food and much-needed coffee, we walked to La Jolla Cove to see the sea lions sunning on the beach. It&rsquo;s quite a sight. We walked along the coast to take in the views and visited some of the shops in downtown La Jolla Village.
				We hopped in the car for the one hour drive up the coast to Dana Point, an idyllic surf town about 15 minutes south of Laguna Beach in Orange County. I like Dana Point because it&rsquo;s quieter than the Laguna, Newport, and Huntington areas. It&rsquo;s a tranquil spot to sit on the beach and watch the surfers. There are miles of beach for sunbathing, walking, or watersports, as well as nearby hiking trails. We spent the afternoon walking the beach and enjoying the sun before heading to Laguna Beach for dinner. We parked near Main Beach, which is the center of the action. Laguna is an artsy town with a Bohemian feel, filled with galleries, outdoor art, street performers, shops, and restaurants. We spent hours enjoying the sights and sounds before heading back to Dana Point for the night.
				On day two we got an early start on the 90 mile drive to Malibu with plans to stop at Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier and other points of interest along the way. Shortly after passing the scenic Huntington Beach, we pulled in to Seal Beach, a quaint little beach town with a laid-back vibe. In addition to beautiful beaches, we enjoyed spectacular views from Seal Beach Pier. The street leading to the beach is filled with cute shops and caf&#233;s. Seal Beach also boasts a 965-acre wildlife sanctuary. Back in the car, we made a few more stops to enjoy the views on the way to Venice Beach. Once there, we strolled along the Venice Boardwalk and took in the sights at Muscle Beach, where body builders work out right on the beach. It&rsquo;s definitely the place for people watching, filled with an eclectic crowd. There were clusters of people, colorful murals and street performers everywhere we looked. For me, it&rsquo;s all about the food, so we had lunch at Gjusta, a popular spot in an industrial setting with a unique menu using locally sourced products. After lunch we headed over to the iconic Santa Monica pier, an amusement park setting, complete with a Ferris wheel, restaurants, bars and souvenir shops.
				We ended our day in Malibu, one of my favorite stops on the trip. We checked in to the Malibu Beach Inn and immediately headed out for a stroll along Malibu beach to see the beautiful homes. There&rsquo;s no rest for the weary and we didn&rsquo;t want to miss any of the highlights. Along this famous stretch of beach are the homes of many Hollywood stars. I was surprised at how quiet and peaceful it was with very little activity. We were the typical tourists, snapping photos as we walked. After a cocktail on the outdoor deck of the Inn overlooking the ocean, we made the short beach trek to the Malibu Farm Restaurant for dinner. One of my favorite dining experiences on our trip, Malibu Farm is on Malibu Pier, set above the waves of the Pacific. The view is to die for at this farm to table gem that overlooks the ocean and the Malibu coastline. The food was fresh and innovative. The stoplight tacos were a favorite, with their vivid green, yellow and red colors. The food was so good, that we walked back over to the Malibu Farm Caf&#233;, further out on the pier, the following morning for breakfast and to watch the surfers catch some waves.
				On day three we headed to Santa Barbara. This was another beautiful part of the coastal highway. We stopped in Ventura to see the historical Mission San Buenaventura and then took a walk along Ventura Harbor Village. It was raining by the time we arrived in Santa Barbara, but we pulled out our umbrellas and proceeded to Stearns Wharf to enjoy the view and check out the famous clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. We checked in to our hotel in the hills of Santa Barbara and relaxed for the first time as we watched the rain fall. Santa Barbara is filled with arts and culture, historical sites, outdoor recreation, and unique shopping options. If the weather was nicer, we would have ventured out to the Santa Barbara Zoo, which spans 30 acres and includes botanic gardens. Santa Barbara is also a foodie paradise and I hope to return for a longer stay.
				Day four we set out for Paso Robles where we had an early afternoon reservation for wine tasting. We planned on visiting Solvang, an adorable little Danish town that was a must-visit, as well as the Hearst Castle, but we ran out of time. Instead, we made a quick stop to see the sights at Pismo Beach, including a snack at the famous surfer hangout, Splash Caf&#233;. We headed inland to San Luis Obispo to see the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Bubblegum Alley; a tourist attraction known for its accumulation of used bubble gum on the walls of a 70-foot long alley. Disgusting, I know.
				A short ride later we were in Paso Robles at Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery. If you&rsquo;re a wine lover like me, you would enjoy the wineries of Paso Robles. We sampled wines paired with small bites and purchased several bottles. Downtown Paso is a popular attraction filled with wine tasting rooms, caf&#233;s, restaurants, and unique shops. We spent the night at the CaliPaso Winery and Villa, an inn and winery nestled in the hills of Paso Robles. Our room overlooked the vineyard and was the perfect last night on the road.
				On day five, we were set on seeing Big Sur. To my disappointment, much of the road through Big Sur was closed due to mudslides. Luckily, we were able to get to Ragged Point at the southern end of Big Sur. The highway between San Simeon and Ragged Point was filled with jaw-dropping landscapes, and we stopped in several spots along the way in awe of the beauty. We pulled in to the Ragged Point Inn, and from there we accessed a cliffside trail down to the black sand beach below. The towering cliffs and jagged coastline were definitely one of the most majestic sites I&rsquo;ve ever seen. An epic ending to our bucket list trip. From there we headed to Sacramento.
				Our Pacific Coast Highway trip was a whirlwind five days filled with sights, foods, and experiences I will never forget. There&rsquo;s so much to do and see, and five days was not enough time to experience it all. I plan on making a longer trip in the future, this time traveling north to south. I definitely recommend this scenic drive as one to add to your bucket list. In the meantime, enjoy this recipe for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, courtesy of Jason Peaslee, owner of the Cottage Restaurant in La Jolla.
				Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
				Courtesy of the Cottage Restaurant, La Jolla, CA
				&#8226; 2&#189; cups all purpose flour
				&#8226; 1 &#188; cups granulated sugar
				&#8226; Zest of 4 lemons
				&#8226; 3/4 cup lemon juice
				&#8226; 3/4 cup egg yolk
				&#8226; 1 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
				&#8226; 1 cup melted butter
				&#8226; 1 1/4 cups egg white
				&#8226;3/4 tablespoon baking soda
				1. Mix all wet ingredients together, except baking soda.
				2. Add all dry ingredients and mix well then add baking soda and mix well again. (If too thin add more flour, if too thick add ricotta or egg white)
				3. Cook on medium heat, use a little butter in the pan so they don&rsquo;t stick (use non-stick pans, if available, they are hard to flip sometimes).
				Makes about 30 medium sized pancakes.
				Ruth Corcoran is a professional marketer, former restaurant owner, and community advocate. She resides in Bear Creek. Readers can reach Ruth by emailing ruth@corcoranpr.com.

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A trip to add to your bucket list