How to cover the real California in 7 days - Day 2

After having an amazing Day 1, we were tired as hell and it was time to get a good night sleep to prepare us for Day 2.

We normally take 6-7 hours of sleep while traveling, as it is enough to refresh us and get going for the next day.

We always plan to start at 8:00 a.m., considering the fact that not all days are the same and we might waste time being stuck in traffic, roadwork or something similar which are inevitable.

On Day 2 and 3, we planned to cover South California and some points of San Jose.

Our first destination was Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve. It is one the highest points in San Jose from where you can get jaw dropping views of San Jose city and nearby bay areas.

In addition, the view of the mountains to the left is equally amazing. After spending an hour in the bliss of nature, it was time to head to the next point.

Our next point was Pigeon Point Lighthouse, which is a beautiful lighthouse perched on a cliff on the central California coast. Standing at 115 foot, it is one of the highest lighthouses in California. You can see variety of marine life like seals and whales passing by.

After spending half hour here and taking some nice shots, it was time to head towards Monterey Bay as we had our whale watching tour booked for 1:00 p.m.

Monterey Bay is one of the best spots in US or probably the world, for whale watching.

You can see variety of whales all-round the year. During winters, you get to see grey whales, while during the summer, it is home to humpback, blue and killer whales.

The tour is around 3-4 hours, depending on how quickly and how many varieties of these giants you get to have a closer look.

It was like a dream come true to observe these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.

After a fascinating experience of whale watching, it was time to visit the surf city of USA - Santa Cruz. Just in case you do not want to go for whale watching, you can visit Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is the best aquarium in the country.

Santa Cruz is a beautiful city known for its boardwalk, amusement park and surfers.
It is also known as the surf city of US, as the sport was originally introduced here.

It was around six in the evening and we had around 2 hours to cover this gem of a city, before heading towards San Jose.

The boardwalk is the main attraction here, with lot of shops, eateries, arcade game parlors and an amusement park, on the way. If you are a ride lover, you will definitely love it.

The boardwalk parking is $15, so if you want to save few bucks you can park your car in the public parking just at a 15-20 minutes walk.

The arcade games were nice and so were the rides. It was like reliving the childhood again. The only con of this place is it is too crowded and noisy, and sometimes can get into your head.

Finally it was time to turn the curtains down for Day 2 and head back to San Jose for some delicious Indian food and good night sleep.

Stats

Total hours of commute           : 5 hours

Total hours at the attractions    : 7 hours
Food and other break                : 1 hour
Start time from San Jose          : 8:00 a.m.

End time at San Jose                : 11 p.m.

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Sandy hook beach: A perfect getaway in Summers for the people of NJ

For the people living in New Jersey, going to the beautiful beaches of NJ is a must getaway for weekends. Living near-by Jersey shore, how can someone avoid the sand and the water? But for those living in north NJ (like me), it is not always easy to plan a trip all the way down to the south Jersey beaches like Long Beach Island.

So Sandyhook beach is a good option for us

The seven-mile stretch of spectacular ocean and bay beaches are excellent for surf casting, swimming, and relaxing on the sand. For the bike and hike lovers, there are number of trails to enjoy and explore, where they can find 300+ species of migratory birds and lovely forest.

You got your sun, sand and surf. What more can you ask for? Sandy Hook is huge with multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside of the peninsula. If you drive all the way up, you can bump into some old war barracks as well as the active fort for the United States Coast Guard. There's fishing areas, trails to run/bike on, sunbathing beaches and New Jersey's only nude beach (it’s true although I missed it due to time constraints)

You can spend your day here indulging in many interesting activities and few of them are:

1.) History tour

If you plan to visit Sandyhook beach and interested in nature walk and history tours, we recommend you to take a walk around Fort Hancock historic walk. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Keepers' Quarters and Barn are open seven days a week.

2.) Beaches

Sandyhook has multiple beaches on both, the ocean and bayside. Your pets are allowed on the bayside beaches, but they must be leashed everytime. Lifeguards are available only on the ocean side beaches from 10am to 6pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

3.) Fishing

Surf fishing is permitted at all the beaches except when the lifeguards are not at duty or the area of the beach is closed due to one or the other reason. Salt water fishing in NJ requires permit from the state of New Jersey. Registration is free.

4.) Biking

The seven mile long stretch can be covered with bike as well. Bring your own bike or you can rent a bike and enjoy the complete path on your bike starting from the entrance till the Fort Hancock. Please stay on your side of the yellow line while biking.

5.) Boating and Kayaking

Non-motorized boats can be launched from beach C and Horseshoe cove. Windsurfing and kite-boating can be done smoothly on the bay across from the beach C. Kayak and Standup Paddleboard rentals are available at Beach C Bayside.

6.) Camping and Picnic

Overnight tent camping is available at Sandyhook. You can visit their site for booking info. The North Beach Observation Deck has tables and a view of New York Harbor. Guardian Park has picnic tables, shelters and grills. Grilling is only permitted at Guardian Park in Fort Hancock.

Tickets and fare

Although there is no entrance fee to Sandy Hook, there is a $15.00 per car parking fee. If you come often enough, its worth purchasing a season pass for $75.

Connectivity

Sandyhook beach is easily accessible by ferry from Manhattan to New Jersey. You can easily reach there by car as well.

Food

There are food trucks and beverage machines available on the ocean shore beaches. No food, restrooms and parking is available on the bayside beaches. You can also bring your own food here.

Stay

If you want to experience the skyline of the New York and indulge into authentic seafood and nightlife, you should stay at the Highland. Number of good hotels are available there. You can also try Airbnb for homelike stay.

Explorerlens Gyan

1.) If you are planning to go on weekends, please reach there early in the morning else the parking slots may get full and you have to go back (doors may close). We recommend going on the weekdays since it is less crowded in those days.

2.) Bring you own food, picnic tables, beach towel and some games to play at the beach if you plan to spend the complete day there. Don’t forget to keep you sunscreen and hats as well.

3.)There are number of beaches to explore (including nude beach) so plan your trip accordingly. We recommend to explore the complete area in two days to have a relaxed and fun trip.

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Places to visit in New Jersey - Cape May

Cape May is counted as one of the top beach destinations on East Coast and also holds the top spot in New Jersey.

It is located on the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Amazing beaches, seafront lip-smacking dining options and vibrant architecture of 19^th century, is what makes Cape May as one of the most popular tourist destinations in NJ and also a paradise for beach lovers.

There are lot of amazing places to visit here and below ones are on the top of the list -:

1. Sunset Beach
    Sunset Beach has a heart-touching evening flag ceremony, wrecks of a concrete ship S. S. Atlantus
    from World War I, Quartz pebbles which resemble diamonds, and stunning sunsets.
    If you are a sunset lover, this place should be definitely on our to-visit list.

    Definitely one of the best sunsets of the East Coast can be observed here.

2. Cape May Lighthouse
     Standing 158 feet tall is the Cape May Lighthouse which was built in the year 1859. There are 199
     steps to the top from where you can get stunning views of the beach, the city, nearby trials and the      bunker. The trials provide great sites for those who love bird watching.

3. Cape May Point Beach
     Just adjacent to the lighthouse lies the Cape May Point beach which is home to the historic World
     War – II bunker. The beach is clean and not so overcrowded.

4. Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum
     Though I didn’t go to this museum but it is a great family outing destination. You can climb a real
     air traffic control tower, sit inside the cockpit of an aircraft, try the flight simulator games, and 

     witness the 26 helicopters and planes on display.

5.  Wildwood Boardwalk
      Just 10 miles from Cape May lies the most amazing, happening and fun filled boardwalk of the
      East Coast, Wildwood Boardwalk.

      Amusement parks, food junctions, adventure activities, arcade games and beach, this boardwalk
      has it all. 

Tickets & Fees

The ticket to enter the lighthouse is $8 for adults and for wildwood boardwalk, it is $15 for the parking.

Connectivity
All the places mentioned above is easily accessible and has a good connectivity.

Food
Cape May has one of the finest seafront dining options in NJ. Also Wildwood boardwalk is known for its food junctions, hence you will find the best meal here.

Stay
There are lot of hotels and resorts available but are a little heavy on the pocket, so as always I will prefer the homely feeling and comfort of Airbnb. Salem is a good place to stay if you plan to cover Cape May and other popular tourist destinations in proximity to it.

Now time for some gyan from Explorer Lens
1. Visit Wildwood Boardwalk in night as it becomes very colorful and vibrant in the night lights.
2. Attend the evening flag ceremony on the Sunset beach.
3. Carry a zoom lens with you so that you get the best shots from the top of the lighthouse.
4. There are a lot of parking spots everywhere but Wildwood, where the parking is limited and paid.

5. Plan for atleast 2 days to cover everything.

Few more pics from my visit -:

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Best Beaches on East Coast USA - Ocean City Maryland

So according to you which is the best thing to do in Summers?
- Hike at the top of a mountain to witness those breathtaking scenic views.
- Camping in the middle of a forest.
- Water sports.
- Lazing out on a beach, watching the sunset and enjoying your favorite beer.

If you are a beach person like me and love water sports, here is another great place to visit this summers – Ocean City, Maryland.
Ocean City, MA is listed among the top 10 beaches on the East Coast of USA and has a lot of activities to do whole day round.

The main attractions of Ocean City include -:
- Boardwalk
- Beach Volleyball
- Amusement Park
- Arcade games centers
- Pier
- Movies on the beach
- Fireworks
- Beach Lightshow
- Water Sports

Ocean City boardwalk is considered as America's best by Travel Channel. National Geographic has named it one of the top 10 in the U.S. And USA Today named it one of the nation's best boardwalks for food.

The 3 mile boardwalk has something for everyone. There are food junctions, shops, arcade game centers, amusement park, sand sculptures and a scenic ocean view.

At night, the boardwalk fills with music and fun. There are lot of free activities that can done, the top ones are, movies on the beach, concerts, fireworks and lightshows.
Please visit the official site to check the exact schedule.

Along the boardwalk, near to the Pier is the Amusements Park which has a lot of rides for the children. The top attraction is Ferris Wheel which provides spectacular view of the ocean from the top.

For those interested in fishing, you can always go to the Pier and enjoy the spectacular view of the ocean while trying your luck on getting some fishes hooked. The Pier ticket is just 50 cents per person.

If you love water activities, there are a lot of players who provide water sports and tour packages which includes boat tours, parasailing, jet skis, helicopter tours, kayaking, cannoning etc.

Apart from the above activities there are some other recreational activities that you can enjoy like Golf, Horse Riding and Biking.

Tickets & Fees
There is no ticket for boardwalk. For Pier it is 50 cents/person and for amusement park you can take a package for the whole park which includes all the rides, the cost per person is around $30.

Connectivity

The beach is easily accessible and connected.
There are a lot of pay to park options available near to the beach.

Food
There are so many options available on the boardwalk that you can spend the complete day treating your taste buds.

Stay
There are a lot of hotels on the boardwalk itself which provide stunning views of the ocean from the balcony.

Now time for some gyan from Explorer Lens
1. Spend complete day here as there are lot of activities all the day round, especially during the night.
2. If you are ok not to have an ocean view from your balcony, prefer to stay in an Airbnb location
    which is light on the budget.

3. There are more than 50 free activities to do in Ocean City, so keep checking the schedule on the
    official site so that you don’t miss out on any of them like fireworks, lightshows and movie on the
    beach etc. 

Here are some more pics from my visit to this amazing place -

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Places to visit in New Jersey - Asbury Park

With summer in its full form and heat at its peak, getting into the water is definitely one of the most relaxing, pleasant and desirable activity of people across the globe. And that is one of the reason why beaches and waterparks are the busiest destinations during this time.

When it comes to New Jersey we have around 40 beaches in the state, the most popular and hyped of them are Cape May, Long Beach Island, Atlantic City and Wildwood.
Though these beaches are nice and have a great vibe but they are also over-crowded making it difficult, A - to find a parking and B – to find a good spot on the beach to relax and swim.

Having said that, if you are looking for a beach which is peaceful, has a nice boardwalk and also decent parking, Asbury Park is the place for you.

Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore.
It features one of the trendiest beaches in New Jersey and has an equally supercool boardwalk.
Boardwalk is home to restaurants, shops, mini golf, music, playgrounds, amazing graffiti, Silverball Pinball Museum and much more..!!

Tickets & Fees
There is not ticket for entering the beach.

Connectivity
The beach is easily accessible and has a good connectivity.

Food
There are a lot of restaurants and cafes on the boardwalk and also in the city so finding good food won’t be a problem.

Stay
There are some decent hotels around the beach area but as always I will suggest to go for Airbnb.

Now time for some gyan from Explorer Lens
1. There are a lot of pay to park, parking options available in the radar of 1-2 mile from the beach.
     But I would suggest to park at at least 2 miles from the beach so that you can have a close look at
     the beauty and vibes of the city.

2. The boardwalk has some cool graffiti artwork which provides some great picture opportunities.
3. There are a lot of good events at the Convention Center so you can schedule your visit accordingly
     as per the schedule of the events.

 Here are some pics of the place

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The land of Beaches, Babes and Booze : Goa

One of the most happening places of India, Goa is truly scintillating and magical and when you visit it around new year's time it is just phenomenal.

So here are the 10 things you should do when in Goa

1. There is no better way of exploring Goa than on a bike or a scooter like Activa.

     Enjoy the ride and save time on traffic jams.

2. Goa has one of the best beaches in India. If you are a party animal looking for great crowd or if
     you are looking for a serene place to spend quality time with yourself or your partner, there are
     beaches for all the moods.
   

3. Don't miss the sunsets. Goa has the best beaches in India and the hot ball of fire mesmerizes you

    when it meets the endless sea creating a breathtaking panoramic view.

4. Goa shacks are the best in India. White sand underneath your feet, rocking music, India's best

    booze, amazing lightning and lick-smacking seafood, what else one can ask for.

5. Mention of Goa without Casinos is like food without salt. Goa is not only about beaches and

    shacks but also a lot about Casinos. As gambling is legal in Goa it is home to some of the best
    Casinos in India where you can try your luck.

6. The way we have Vadapav shops in Mumbai or Poha shops in Indore, the same can be said for

     Tattoo in Goa. If you visit Goa do get tattooed.

7. Goa provides innumerable opportunities to indulge into water sports and other activities like

    parasailing, water skiing, scuba diving and snorkeling. So do make the most out of it.

8. Dolphins are one of the most lively and fun-loving creatures of the endless seas and seeing them

    live in the sea is one of the most interesting, magical and beautiful things to do in Goa.
    So when you visit Goa next time board a cruise for Dolphin sightseeing.

9. Goa has some of the best and oldest churches of India so a trip to Goa is incomplete if you miss

    visiting them.

10. Shacks or clubs are not the only party destinations in Goa as some of the coolest parties happen

      on luxury yachts and cruises.Get the upbeat vibe of Goa and bring the party animal out on the
      desk while witnessing the awesomeness of the beautiful Arabian sea.

When going into the lap of the ocean brings colors and joy to nature.

Rendezvous of nature assets beautifying the moments

Love is not just human trait, it's universal

Meet the horizon over the unknown path

             Infinity: search for it and you will reach the eternity.

  Somewhere between dusk and dawn, you discover those
  amazeballs moments..!!






  When nature renders you with the blue, you have to set aside
   your blues...!!

    Smooth paths never offer fair ends, rough and ragged do.

The serene sunset..!!

               So vast yet so calm and quiet...truly dignified..!!

Captions Credit : Pooja

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