Over the course of the last year, we have seen everything we took for granted turned upside down. The simple act of enjoying a meal at a restaurant or attending a great concert is now fraught with danger if allowed at all. Gathering with friends and family over the holidays was restricted in certain areas so many people found themselves isolated and alone. Crowded cities just don’t seem like the place to be right now. Yet, throughout all of the upheaval within our world, we crave a sense of normalcy and long for the adventures of old. The desire to travel, to see and discover new things, is deep within our very soul. It’s still possible to satisfy the yearning to experience the world if you approach things in a smart way and pick a destination that is much safer at this time.
Financing Your Travels
One of the lessons we have come face to face with recently is that life is for truly living. Being cooped up in a house or apartment in an urban area for months on end is not living at all. Fortunately, there are wide open vistas and scenic stretches of the West Coast that have hardly any population at all. If you are a college graduate with a lot of student loan debt, one of the best ways you can fund your frequent travel adventures is to reduce your monthly payments by refinancing and consolidating your student loans. Interest rates are currently at near historic lows, so it’s worth doing your research now. You can find a guide that can help you understand your options and discover the best choices available to lower your monthly payments and reduce your total interest expense too.
Wide Open Spaces on the Northern California Coast
Once you leave the overcrowded San Francisco Bay area sprawl behind you’ll come to a part of the northern California coast that is magical and seemingly lost in time. As you travel north from the tiny town of Jenner, you’ll enjoy endless miles of the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway. There will be incredible vistas as you round every curve. A little over an hour north of Jenner you’ll come to the tiny town of Gualala. Gualala is an isolated hamlet with only 2,000 people or so. It has wonderful beaches and some great hotels on the bluff above the ocean. You can reserve an oceanfront room complete with romantic fireplace and a jacuzzi tub for two. It’s wonderful to soak in your deep tub and open the windows so you can feel the soothing sea air as you listen to the calming sounds of the sea.
The Peaceful Tranquility of the Oregon Coast
When you travel the Oregon coast, it’s amazing how much open land there is. In many stretches you’ll go 30 minutes between small towns with only ocean vistas and forests lining the way. The deep lush green seems to flow down the hillside and kiss the sandy shores. In some places the water’s edge is pierced by beautiful, craggy rock formations called sea stacks. There are many small towns along the Oregon coast. In the off season you can rent a wonderful room with fireplace and kitchen just a block from the beach in Seaside for less than $75. The town of Cannon Beach has a peaceful tranquility and almost mystical quality to the ocean and energy there. Further down the coast, in Brookings, you’ll discover amazing beaches and can also hike through the towering redwoods there.
