Hometown Love

It's funny but I never truly appreciated my hometown until I moved away and then came back. I always felt that it was small and cut off; but those may be my favorite things about it now! Feeling safe, secure and cozy are no small feats and I feel blessed I get to raise my family in such a beautiful area. The sea is a part of my blood and the smell of salt is always welcomed. Today I'm excited to share my hometown love with you! 

{The Aquarium}

I just shared about our trip to the Aquarium on Kinsey's Birthday but seriously, this is the best Aquarium there ever was! My love for it runs deep. Rumor has it the setting for Disney/Pixar's Finding Dory is based on our Aquarium (though the name has been changed) and that makes me all kinds of proud. (Also, do yourself a favor and click that top Aquarium link to see past trips and an itty-bitty Kinsey. You don't want to miss it, promise.)

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{The Beaches}

We are definitely beach bums and we have a variety of beaches to choose from; from the white, powdery sand in Carmel to the rocky sand in Seaside, we are beyond spoiled when it comes to our California Coastline. I'm dying to do a photo shoot at the beach for Christmas cards one of these years, just because we can :)

And yes, that's a tiny Kinsey holding Brian's hand :)

{MY Museum}

Again, another share from Kinsey's birthday week, but such a fun place! Hands on museums are special in their own right and having one in our backyard is wonderful! The first time I went was with my brother, mom and gramma when I was 14. It's changed location and has gotten more funding since then (16 years later) and its more amazing than ever.

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{Natural History Museum}

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Technically, this museum is in a neighboring town, but pretty much anywhere within a 30 minute drive will be considered my hometown :) We love going here on a weekday and spending time completing a scavenger hunt; we learn, we explore and at the end Kinsey gets to pick out a treasure, win! The first time we brought Kinsey here, she was only 2 and it was for a bee science study. The first time I went, there was a dinosaur exhibit. And through it all, the whale has always been there!

But the best thing about my hometown is getting to share all I love about it with the loves of my life!

{Some notable mentions}

Dennis the Menace Park- there is an old decommissioned train on site and it used to be open for kids to climb on. It was a rite of passage to climb to the top and ding the bell. Its since been closed off due to safety concerns but there's talk of it being modified and reopened for play! Also, there are two bronzed statues of Dennis the Menace sculpted by Hank Ketcham (he was a resident); one resides here at the park and the other is at the entrance to the birthing center at the local hospital (where me and my brother, Brian and his siblings and Kinsey and Brielana were all born.)

Fisherman's Wharf- it's a small pier but its filled with good things to eat (the clam chowder at Old Fisherman's Grotto is to die for) and homemade treats like saltwater taffy. 

The Bike Trail- this two-lane bike road spans the length of the coast and the views are like no other. It also lends itself to walking, jogging, running, blading and skateboarding.

Cannery Row- of John Steinbeck fame. It doesn't house sardine canneries anymore but the restaurants are wonderful.

{Famous Residents}

Clint Eastwood, Betty White (my all-time favorite), Leon Panetta (I wen't to school with grandson), Doris Day.

Linking up with Andrea.