Cape Cod equivalent on West coast

[calgal]

I am looking for suggestions for summer vacation spots similar to Cape Cod or Hilton Head. Flat long bike paths, relaxed unhurried pace, lots of nature. But minus the 6 hour flight required to get to the Cape or Hilton Head from California.

 

[swift]

What about up here in Sonoma County Wine Country?? Lots of great bike paths. http://www.penngrovepublications.com/sonoma.htm

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I am looking for suggestions for summer vacation spots similar to Cape Cod or Hilton Head. Flat long bike paths, relaxed unhurried pace, lots of nature. But minus the 6 hour flight required to get to the Cape or Hilton Head from California.

Lake Chelan in Washington. Sun River in Oregon. Hood Canal in Washington

 

[DaveNV]

The San Juan Islands in Washington State are considered the Martha's Vineyard of the West Coast.

Dave

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

The San Juan Islands in Washington State are considered the Martha's Vineyard of the West Coast.

Dave

Agreed. I didn't mention the San Juans because I restricted my comment to areas that had timeshares. If we drop that constrant and the goal is quiet and laid back, I would skip the San Juans and head north of the border to some of the islands in the Georgia Strait (such as Salt Spring, Vancouver Island, or the Sunshine Coast.

In that vein, we should include Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, where Pacific Shores is located.

But if the OP wants locales as flat as Cape Cod, that's going to eliminate almost the entire west Coast. There just aren't any non-urban recreational areas in the west that I can think of that aren't at least a bit hilly.

 

[LLW]

Agreed. I didn't mention the San Juans because I restricted my comment to areas that had timeshares. If we drop that constrant and the goal is quiet and laid back, I would skip the San Juans and head north of the border to some of the islands in the Georgia Strait (such as Salt Spring, Vancouver Island, or the Sunshine Coast.

In that vein, we should include Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, where Pacific Shores is located.

But if the OP wants locales as flat as Cape Cod, that's going to eliminate almost the entire west Coast. There just aren't any non-urban recreational areas in the west that I can think of that aren't at least a bit hilly.

Lopez of the San Juan Islands is comparatively flat and famous for biking.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/137818_lopezride04.html

 

[bigrick]

I haven't been to HH or Cape Cod but I have been to Coronado, across from San Diego. Coronado has flat long bike paths, relaxed unhurried pace, lots of nature (mixed in with a small town). Also, sans the 6 hour flight.

 

[SDKath]

The PERFECT equivalent is Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula. Gorgeous, long winding paths along the Pacific Ocean with perfect views from every corner! Deer running around. Great golf and wonderful quaint restaurants. Plus close enough to SF to drive up in a day!

Katherine

 

[sandesurf]

I haven't been to HH or Cape Cod but I have been to Coronado, across from San Diego. Coronado has flat long bike paths, relaxed unhurried pace, lots of nature (mixed in with a small town). Also, sans the 6 hour flight.

Coronado was the first thing that came to my mind too. I've never been to Cape Cod or H.H. but I'd love to go!

 

[calgal]

Yeah, i was being lazy when I said flat. My family can handle a hill or two. Thank you for the great suggestions, some "in my own backyard" (Monterey area and Sonoma). I will check out the Washington state locales; hadn't really considered them.

 

[Bill4728]

Cape Cod of the west? I was thinking the Oregon Coast.

 

[Laurie]

Hood Canal in Washington

We recently returned from Blue Heron which is right on the Hood Canal, and loved the location - very scenic, relaxed, low-rise - mixture of "quaint", upscale, and authentic fishing communities - lots of nature. I don't recall bike paths along the immediate canal-front stretch of road, and had to be watchful when walking along it, though maybe there are some nearby. (But there are kayak and paddle-boat rentals if you want to tour by water rather than land.)

And from Pacific Shores, you also have access to many pretty islands by ferry out of Nanaimo.

 

[travelnut]

There's a timeshare at Avila Beach, west of San Luis Obispo. It's in a somewhat isolated location in this small beach town. There's a nearby mineral spa where you can rent hot tubs by the hour complete with yellow rubber duckies. In summer they used to show movies in the pool.

In SLO visit the downtown area; Cal Poly campus store where CP food products are sold, visit the animal barns, take a walk or bike up Poly Canyon; hike to Mt. Madonna above the famous inn; visit the beach towns of Morro Bay, Los Osos (butterfly trees in winter), Pismo Beach.

Take a day trip to Cambria for craft shopping, restaurants, and antiquing, and north to Hearst Castle, stopping in the tiny artists' community of Harmony. North of Hearst Castle, elephant seals spend the winter lounging on the beach right next to Hwy 1 in winter. Lots of good seafood restaurants everywhere in the area.

Canoes can be rented for a trip over to Montano de Oro State Park, or you can drive there and hike some trails. Have lunch at the restaurant where you return the canoes.

Visit the farmers' market in SLO on Thurs. nights. There's entertainment and local restaurants sell sample plates of their specialties. There's a small zoo for kids in Atascadero to the north and a natural history museum just north of Los Osos.

In season, whale-watching trips may leave from the pier in Morro Bay.

My other suggestions would be to look for rentals on or near the beach in Aptos or Capitola south of Santa Cruz, or in Seaside, near Monterey. I don't know about timeshares there. You are close enough to drive down for a day or weekend to check out these places in advance.