Vineyard Safari: Taking it Off-Road with a Hahn ATV Ride

Four-wheel drive, sunshine and wine. If that sounds like a winning combination to you then Hahn Estate has what you have been searching for. Boasting the perfect trifecta for an exhilarating day in the vines with their one-of-a-kind Estate Vineyard ATV Adventure.

The drive to Hahn Vineyards from the Monterey Peninsula alone is a treat; with jaw dropping views of the Santa Lucia Highlands towering above rural vineyards and an eternity of lettuce fields, one could easily mistake this valley for the Garden of Eden. Shortly after hitting River Road off of Highway 68 the skies tend to break free from the cool coastal fog and open up to reveal some much needed sunshine.



Having heard so much about Hahn's four-wheeled safari I decided it was finally time to knock it off my bucket list. My friend and headed to the immaculate winery for a tour we would never forget.

We kicked things off in the tasting room with a bit of history about the 1,200 acre estate, the Santa Lucia Highland appellation and the Hahn family. Before heading out to the ATV our guide Tom assured us that we would be back to sample the fruits of their labor, phew!



Tom took the driver's seat while my friend and I strapped ourselves in the back seat. The ATV was incredibly roomy and can hold up to five guests.



Once we took off it was apparent that this wasn't Tom's first rodeo; we were ripping between rows of grapevines on an ATV, fat tires spewing the dust! We whipped around all sorts of small dirt roads not accessible to the public which was a luxury as the views are absolutely amazing.

 

Not only are there vineyards galore but the estate has some of the best vistas of the entire Salinas Valley and perfectly checkerboarded agriculture fields down below.



The tour has several stops along the way to point out interesting tidbits about their vineyards, which are mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals, as well an interesting sound system to keep the deer from grazing upon their vines.



After a thrilling ride through the vineyards we stopped at the winery's main bottling operation and ventured into the exclusive barrel rooms where we learned a bit more about the winemaking process. The barrel rooms in particular were fascinating with hundreds of French oak barrels meticulously placed and labeled; the fresh scent of wine and oak is still fresh in my mind.

 

Tom brought along a sieve and graciously allowed us to sample newly harvested grape juice straight from the barrel, talk about a vine to wine experience!

After the 90 minute escapade we headed back to the tasting room to finally taste what we had learned so much about. Tom gave us a private tasting of their Estate wines, ranging from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir to a Riesling. Having just seen the whole wine process unfold made me much more appreciative of the grape juice from the gods.



Estate Vineyard Tours are offered 1:30pm daily, and also at 10:30 am on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday ($45 per person). The Tasting Room is open 7 days a week, 11am-5pm. Closed on select holidays.

 

Above the Clouds: Point Sur Lightstation, Big Sur

Ever notice the piece of land resembling an island off of Highway One in Big Sur? It is a place where the coastline twists and turns along steep cliffs rearing high above white-tipped waves. The scene is dominated by Point Sur, a lofty monolith ringed by massive offshore boulders, dangerous reefs and swift currents. Did you know that at the top of Point Sur there is a lighthouse that some say is haunted, and did you know that you could actually climb to the top for impressive views for just $10? This place has always struck my curiosity and has been on my bucket list of “things to do” for quite some time.

Finally, after living in Monterey County for three years I decided to dedicate last Sunday to visit the mysterious Point Sur Lightstation. You might be wondering why it is a lightstation – not a lighthouse. Well it was once so remote (it didn’t have a road until 1937) that it basically had to provide for itself, so not only is there a lighthouse on property but there is also a barn, workshop and keeper’s quarters.

After scoping out the official Point Sur State Historic Park website and reviewing the tour schedule I chose the three-hour tour leaving on Sunday at 10am. All tours are on a first come first served basis (no reservations accepted) so I arrived a few minutes early.

I approached the farm gate off of Highway One, just as the website instructions stated, and was greeted by Trevor. Trevor directed my friend and I to travel down the manicured dirt road and to park at the base of the hill. The short drive was a treat in itself! Cattle surrounded both sides of the ocean view trail; I can see why the commercial says, “Happy cows come from California!”

Once at the summit we met up with the other lighthouse visitors and our other guide Al. Our group of fifteen was quite the diverse crowd. There was a mix of locals, young families, singles and even visitors from the Netherlands.

Al and Trevor guided us up the semi-steep hill to the lighthouse. Getting there is somewhat of a challenge as you must walk to the top of the secluded volcanic rock (360 feet elevation gain) and navigate two sets of stairs. Luckily we made several stops along the way for stories about the various families that called the lightstation home. The guides also noted several shipwrecks that occurred in the area including the wreck of the Ventura in 1875; this particular accident influenced the construction of the lighthouse which began operation in 1889.

Although the history was fascinating it was hard to pay attention with the distracting views along the way. We were looking down the cliffs with expansive vistas of the ocean and jagged coast. There was even a sea lion on the rocky shores below us, enjoying the view as well I suppose.

After 45 minutes of walking and talking we turned a corner and there she was, the Point Sur Lighthouse stood out on a bluff peeking over the Pacific Ocean; I could not wait to climb to the top! Once at the lighthouse we separated into two groups. Half of the group went up into the tower while the other half toured the lower museum area where the fog horn and Fresnel lens displays are held.

I chose to tour the museum portion first in order to save the view for last. Al talked about the Tyfon Fog Signal that the lighthouse utilized until the 1970’s. He then gave us a short lecture on the Fresnel lens and its function as the guiding light. The lighthouse’s original lens was an astonishing 18 feet tall and six feet in diameter and is now on display at the Museum of Monterey (MOM). The lighthouse currently uses a flash pattern system where light is flashed every 15 seconds.

After our lesson it was time to venture to the top of the lighthouse. We began to climb the spiral staircase stopping at each one of the windows to take a peek outside. Little did we know that these views were nothing compared to the surprise at the top.

Once at the top it seemed that everyone said “wow” in complete unison. The expansive panorama outside of the lantern room was truly breathtaking! From the front end of the lighthouse you looked into an infinity of ocean while the backside provided vistas of (what seemed like) the entire Big Sur coastline. The aqua colored water crashed directly below us and you could smell the sea in the soothing breeze. I could have stayed on the balcony all afternoon but Al wrangled us in to continue onto the blacksmith shop, barn and lightstation residence.

We took the stairs below the lighthouse up to the remainder of the lightstation grounds. The first stop was the carpenter/blacksmith shop. The cute workshop was resorted to resemble how it most likely looked in 1929 and housed several tools dating back to the 1920’s.

Point Sur’s barn was once used for the lightstation families’ livestock. It is now used as a recreation area and for special events held on the grounds.

Next up was the keeper’s quarters where several of the families resided. The cozy two-story house was complete with a kitchen, dining room, living room, bedrooms, washroom and bathrooms all reflecting the 1950’s era; talk about rooms with a view!

The last stop on the tour was the visitor center and gift shop. This place has all of your lighthouse needs from books, clothing and more; this is also where you pay for the tour. Fees are $5 for children ages 6-17 and $10 for adults, which I thought was a steal for this phenomenal three-hour tour! For a full schedule of tours click here.

I would highly recommend this tour for locals, visitors and just about anyone that is into epic views and interesting history. The lighthouse also offers special Ghost Tours every October, which can be quite fun, even if you don't believe in ghosts. For details visit www.pointsur.org.

If you go:

• Arrive early- Reservations are not available so be sure to claim your spot on the tour before it fills up!
• Wear lots of layers- Point Sur can get very windy and the clouds can be unpredictable. Wear several layers of clothing including windbreakers, beanies and hats (just don’t let them fly off).
• Wear your walking shoes- This is a one mile walking tour. Wear your comfortable shoes for an incline hill and two sets of stairs.
• Bring your camera- Make your friends and family jealous of the awesome photos from your tour.
• Ask questions- Guides and docents have gone through an extensive training process about the history and facts of the Point Sur Lightstation. Test their keen knowledge with any questions you may have.
• Leave your snacks at home- Although it may be tempting; avoid brining picnics, food or wrappers onto the Point Sur grounds. The park does not allow food or snacks on the tour.
• If you have mobility issues that are of concern, call California State Parks at 831-667-0258 well in advance to see how they can accommodate you.

A Tower-by-the-Sea: Robinson Jeffers Tor House & Hawk Tower

Whenever I am in Carmel-by-the-Sea I love to take the scenic route along Ocean View Avenue. Aside from admiring the gorgeous coastal views, a strange and mystical stone building always catches my attention. Robinson Jeffers Tor House and Hawk Tower stand high and mighty along Carmel’s coast but most do not know the whole story behind this unique piece of architecture. Luckily there is a tour for that!

I will admit that I am not a Robinson Jeffers history buff so I set out to learn more about this early 1900’s character. The tour began in the Tor House’s gift shop/office, where I was sadly told to leave my camera at the door. I was accompanied by six other curious pupils. Our docent promptly began the tour at exactly 3pm. In the gift shop our docent told us that Jeffers had a love affair with Carmel-by-the-Sea and that he had constructed Tor House and Hawk Tower himself.

After our short history lesson it was time to explore! We first toured the inside of the Tor House. The name of the house comes from the Celtic word “tor” which Una used to refer to the outcropping of rocks in the distance. The quaint stone cottage is still full of the Jeffers’ original furniture and décor. The inside was very simple and cozy. I could have easily curled up by the fire and enjoyed one of Jeffers’ poems.

Inside the house the docent recounted the scandalous love affair of Robinson and his wife Una. Robinson and Una first fell in love while studying at the University of Southern California, but there was a slight problem. Una was already married to a successful attorney. Una tried to patch things up with her spouse by traveling to Europe with him. Once Una returned to Los Angeles, however, she happened to run into Robinson and both realized they could not go on without each other. The two moved to Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1913 and began building Tor House. Strangely enough Una’s first husband built a house just down the street from Tor House.

Jeffers constructed the entire home himself with stones collected along Carmel’s coastline. Robinson would work on his poetry in the morning and build in the afternoons.

Once the house was complete Robinson moved on to conquer the Hawk Tower, which was our next stop. The four-story tower resembles an Irish stone tower. As Robinson assembled the tower a hawk would pay him a daily visit, hence the name Hawk Tower. I was stunned at the attention to detail on this masterpiece. Everything from the stone alignment to the secret passageway to the top of the tower was flawless. There was even a special room on the inside for Robinson and Una’s twin boys to play. What awesome parents!

The group and I continued up the steep and narrow stairs to the top level. The top of the tower had incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and you could even see Point Lobos in the distance. The amazing scenery made me wish I was allowed to bring my camera. While the group crammed in the top floor, our docent read several of Robinson Jeffers’ poems which made everything much better.

Docent-led tours are available every Friday and Saturday. Tours leave every hour between 10am and 3pm and last approximately 1-1.5 hours. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 831-624-1813 or emailing thf@torhouse.org. Please note that emails are only processed Monday-Thursday. Docent led tours are $10 for adults and $5 for full-time students 12 years old and older. Children under 12 years old are not allowed for safety reasons. Tor House is located at 26304 Ocean View Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

An Agricultural Adventure with Ag Venture Tours

Agriculture and hospitality are the top two industries in Monterey County. It’s no wonder that Evan Oakes has decided to blend the two for a successful combination. Evan is the mastermind behind the 15-year old business Ag Venture Tours, which is the only one of its kind in California. After reading rave reviews of his tours on TripAdvisor I decided that I had to experience the adventure for myself.

Ag Venture Tours offers several tour options including wine tasting tours, agricultural education tours, sightseeing tours and family friendly tours. In order to get the complete experience I opted for the full day agricultural education tour which also included two wine tastings. How could I resist?

Evan picked me up promptly at 9:45am. Once the other eager passengers were on board, he dove into the educational aspect of the tour. As we traveled north on Highway One to our first stop Evan discussed the importance of agriculture not only to Monterey County but to the world. Monterey County is home to the most valuable agricultural land on the planet and is responsible for 80% of the world’s lettuce and 95% of the artichokes consumed in the United States.

Speaking of artichokes, the first stop was at Pezzini Farms off Highway One in Castroville. As a local, I frequent the farm stand for my fix of the delicious thistle but I must admit that I never paid attention to how they are grown. Evan took us through the Pezzini artichoke field and discussed how the climate in Castroville is perfect for the plant, which tend to thrive in cool and moist conditions.

Once inside the farm stand Evan displayed how to prepare and eat artichokes. This was important for the group members not familiar with the California-dominated cuisine.

Next we saw a farm crew in full harvest mode. This particular field was in the middle of an iceberg lettuce harvest. Each head of lettuce is handpicked using a special flat knife. The field crew harvests and packs the lettuce in the field before the lettuce heads to a cooler and then to your local grocery store.

Our next stop was a strawberry farm in Salinas Valley. We met up with Ken, the berry farmer. Ken told us that strawberries are the most valuable commodity grown in Monterey County. The Salinas Valley has the longest strawberry harvest of any place in the world, going from March through December. After admiring the plump and juicy crop we were able to taste the fresh fruit, which did not disappoint!

It was mid-day and we were ready for our picnic lunch at the Pessagno Winery off of River Road in Salinas, but first it was time for a wine tasting! Pessagno offered up 5 fantastic tastings of Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah and Port.

As a follow-up to our hefty dose of wine Evan had arranged a picnic lunch of sandwiches, potato salad, chips, cookies and fruit out on the patio overlooking the valley. It was just enough fuel for the next wine tasting at Talbott Vineyards.

Talbott’s new tasting room is located at their Sleepy Hollow vineyard and winery on River Road (Talbott also has a tasting room in Carmel Valley Village). Before we got our hands on some wine, Evan took us on a vineyard walk where he discussed the grape growing process for the 50,000 acres of vineyards in the Salinas Valley. I found it interesting that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals tend to do the best. You could tell Evan knew what he was talking about (he has a degree in viticulture).

Finally, time to taste! Talbott offered three different wines from both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals. The 2009 Kali Hart Chardonnay was my favorite with a fruity and almost pineapple taste. Unfortunately it was finally time to pack up and head back to Monterey. I arrived back at my starting point at 4pm. Not bad for a productive day out on the farm!

For more information on Ag Venture Tours and their tour schedule visit http://agventuretours.com or call 831-761-8463.

Kayaking Adventure on Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing

Did you know there is a wildlife haven visible off of Highway One in Moss Landing? You may have noticed the exit signs when passing through this tiny town but there is a special sanctuary with a hefty population of seals, sea lions, birds, sea otters and even sand dollars! The SF Chronicle has even named it as “the best place for wildlife viewing along the length of California Highway 1." Having heard such accolades about this diverse wetland I decided to check it out for myself.

The Elkhorn Slough is accessible only by kayak and small boats. Usually I would opt for the less strenuous option but I heard the slough was a perfect place for a novice kayaker so I thought I would give it a try. The slough is a protected wetland and it lacks the waves that you find out on the ocean, which can make kayaking difficult for beginner kayakers like me. If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of kayaking but you still want to enjoy everything that the slough check out the action by pontoon boat with Elkhorn Slough Safari.

Since this was my first time out on a kayak I figured it would be best to schedule a tour and get some tips from a professional instructor. My friends and I scheduled a 3-hour Saturday tour at 9:30am with Kayak Connection. We arrived a few minutes early to get fitted us for life vests and “skirts.” At first I didn’t see the purpose of these rubber looking suspenders (aka skirts) until we got out on the water. These things are vital to keeping your lap dry!

After a brief tutorial on how to handle the paddles we were ready for take off! My crew and I met up with our guide for the day, Flo. His laid back personality and expert knowledge let me know I was in good hands. We each boarded our two-person canoes and off we went; luckily I called front seat and left the steering to my partner in crime behind me. Getting the hang of paddling was awkward at first but it became much easier after leaving the nearby dock.

Our first stop was something I like to call “Harbor Seal Island,” can you guess why? This little segment of land was covered in adorable harbor seals. As we approached closer they seemed to multiply in numbers. Once we got our fill of photos we continued on to my most anticipated part of the tour.

If there is one animal that Monterey County is most known for it’s the sea otter and Moss Landing is crawling with them! We approached a “raft” of these cuddly creatures near the shores of Moss Landing State Beach. There were about 15-20 of them all huddled together to keep from drifting off while resting; too cute!

After snapping several photos of the playful furries we continued on and headed towards Highway One. On the way we came across a pier overflowing with sea lions. The slough is a perfect place for these mammals since it keeps them protected from predators in the open ocean; now if only they could keep their barking down!

As we traveled east the slough opened up and allowed for more random encounters with the animals that call this wilderness home. Flo described each bird, mammal and crustacean we came across. His passion for the slough was contagious; I found myself learning all sorts of random factoids, which I hope will come in handy for next week’s trivia night!

After scoping out various birds and plants, Flo mentioned he had one last surprise up his sleeve. Before crossing Highway One we made a quick stop along the shoreline. Flo pulled out a flat and round shell from the water. I wasn’t that impressed until I realized these shells were actually sand dollars! I had never seen a living sand dollar and honestly didn’t even know they were living creatures to begin with; they were everywhere!

Unfortunately our time had come to an end and it was time to head back to Kayak Connection headquarters. All of that kayaking built up quite the appetite and my crew and I decided to end the day munching on a bountiful seafood feast at the famed Phil’s Fish Market. Yum!