After a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner with friends in Berkeley, we caught the bus home and managed to book a last minute ($12-a-day! WHAT!) rental car from SFO before falling asleep. In the morning we grabbed our outdoor gear and headed to pick up the car. The only car left was an adorable little white Fiat.
We had wanted (to say we had planned would be an overstatement) to go to Yosemite but no rental companies would allow us to use the snow chains that Yosemite warned us may be required. Yosemite requires that visitors at least carry chains in their cars and we would have had to buy them but then not been allowed to use them so it just didn’t make any sense. None at all.
So we decided to stick to the coast where there wouldn’t be any snow.
It was a quick trip—Friday to Sunday—but totally worth it.
We learned that there is practically nothing above San Francisco (in CA) despite the appearance of such on a map. The 6 hours of driving between here and Oregon goes from dessert hills to mountains covered in beautiful dark green trees and opens up to the most amazing beach in Crescent City.
The small towns we drove thru had weird vibes. When I remembered these three counties are where the majority of California’s pot comes from the “weirdness” made a little more sense.
We set our destination as Jedediah Smith Redwoods Park because we read that it is the least developed of the redwood parks. In the future we are promising ourselves that we will do more research so we don’t miss treasures like Stout Grove Memorial Park (which we happened to check out but could have easily missed).
On Friday we only made it to Patrick’s Point State Park. We arrived in the dark, found a campsite, self registered and set up camp. We tried to explore but there was no visible moon and it was really, really dark. When we found ourselves on cliffs with only our flashlights and a sign that read: “If you feel an earthquake, think TSUNAMI and seek higher ground” we turned around and headed back to higher ground and waited until the morning to explore.
I do not have a wide enough lens to capture any of this so use your imagination.
Below is what has been known as Wedding Rock since the original caretaker was married there in the early 20th century. Since then it has been the site of many unions and I can see why! They have built a landing looking out over the ocean and there is plenty of room for a wedding party and guests. We saw a seal playing alone but if you are a whale enthusiast you could time it with their migration schedule and have whales in your wedding photos! (Maybe—just a thought for all my Allied Whale folks!)
See below for where the wedding couple would stand!
I unintentionally matched the ocean (which happens often because my favorite color is the color of the ocean on a cloudy day).
Photo inspired by Kinfolk
This was the sign we found in the dark that made us turn around. 
Our little fiat! Isn’t it the cutest? I think there was room for three in the back. Truly a joy to drive in thru the towering redwoods.
We took route 101 North most of the way up, taking the scenic routes like Avenue of the Giants when prompted.
Oh man I forgot the name of this beach but it had really dark sand and we had it all to ourselves. I just wish we could swim.
Elk butts! 
The next few are from Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Highway.
There’s a really Big Tree (304′ x 21′ diameter, if that means anything to you) but my photos are underwhelming so I’ll spare you. Although the Big Tree is what people go looking for, I thought the others a little past it were even bigger.
After a few more hours of driving we made it to Crescent City!
The beach was scattered with surfers in wet suits and naked people and kids playing in the water.
And there is me!
I had some trouble with editing the color on these last photos. The reds and the greens were kind of overwhelming and our faces just look really yellow! I’m still not really happy with them. Maybe this is why people use filters? I’m looking into it.
I am ALSO always looking for friends and mentors to give me constructive feedback and to go on photo adventures with.
One thing I would really like to figure out: how do I prevent the weird colors that happen on the edges of things? Anyone know?
Until next time!
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I want to go on photo adventures with you!! I’m going to SF in late jan– take me to that black sand beach, holy wow!!
hey Julia! i was just admiring your new profile picture (one of the last pictures with you sitting on the fallen tree) and stumbled upon your blog! you are such an amazing photographer and i admire that about you, one day i hope to be as good as you because these pictures are so breath taking. i also am so so so jealous of your life right now, the fact that you are in California with your boyfriend taking these last minute journeys into the beauties of the wildness just seems so blissful to me. i wish you were at thanksgiving this year so i could hear all about your adventures and how you are liking California. hopefully we will be together soon to catch up, i miss you! i hope you and Matt are enjoying yourselves and maybe well talk soon? never stop taking these wonderful pictures! love you!
Annie — yes, please let me know the exact dates you are in town so we can pick a day or afternoon to go on a photo adventure. I will make sure I do not have to work!
I can’t wait!