Moores Art Gallery & Design Blog: Oceanside

I have never been too keen on traveling to California. The traffic and noise I heard were horrendous, not to mention how bad the crime was in the bigger cities. However, my husband's adopted sister was getting married at Balboa Park in San Diego, and she wanted him to officiate the wedding, and he agreed to marry them. So, on October 3rd, on my birthday, we ventured out down Hwy 101 towards Oceanside. California, where our lodging was located.

Hwy 101

Our first stop was Port Orford, Oregon, along Hwy 101. Before the arrival of white settlers, the area was occupied by the Tututni. The Tututni were a Native American tribe. An online source states that they were "one of Lower Rogue River Athabascan tribes from southwestern Oregon who signed the 1855 Coast Treaty, and were removed to the Siletz Indian Reservation in Oregon" (Wikipedia contributors. "Tututni." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 Nov. 2020. Web. 16 Oct. 2021.).

Traveling along Hwy 101 along the southern Oregon coast is beautiful and breathtaking. The highway winds through coastal towns displaying awesome ocean views.

Trees of Mystery

And one must not forget to stop at the Trees of Mystery along Hwy 101 and get their picture taken with Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox. The Trees of Mystery is located 36 miles south of the Oregon border in Klamath, California. Hike the trails through massive, awe-inspiring redwoods and learn all about the history of Paul Bunyan. After hiking along the trails, be sure and check out the gift shop and museum.

Avenue of the Giants

Avenue of the Giants is a 31-mile scenic drive through an ancient old-growth Redwood forest. At one time, the giant redwoods grew naturally in many places within the Northern Hemisphere. But now, due to climatic changes, redwoods only grow in a coastal strip from southern Oregon to Monterey county in California. Redwoods are one of the oldest living things. The oldest redwood tree recorded was 2200 years old.

Oceanside

Oceanside, California, is a coastal city located along California's southern coastline. Originally the city was inhabited by Native Americans, the Luiseño peoples, or the Payomkawichum. Now it is a city that is bustling with a population of over 167,086.

Oceanside has a harbor with several gift shops, boat chartering businesses, and restaurants located along the harbor and at the pier. In the morning, grab a cup of delicious coffee and pastry at the Nautical Bean. A must place to have lunch at is Joe's Crab Shack. I discovered they have delicious Fish and chips and friendly service. And be sure and check out the Oceanside Broiler. They cook Terrayki Top Sirloin steak to perfection. It is the bomb. On Thursday nights, they sometimes have a group of people come in and play some oldies using ukuleles.

Butterfly Farms

Our daughter discovered this amazing little place to visit called the Butterfly Farms. The farm is located in Encinitas, California, and is just a short drive from Oceanside, California. I could have stayed at this farm all day taking pictures of butterflies.

Their mission is to educate, conserve and do research on native butterfly species. They were established due to the decline of butterfly species and other native pollinators. They have a 3000-foot butterfly vivarium that you can walk in and look at all the species of butterflies.

Be careful where you walk. You don't want to step on any butterflies that are on the ground. If you look real closely, you will spot some snails, honey bees, and other insects as well.

Mission San Luis Rey

Mission San Luis Rey is located in Oceanside, California. It was founded in 1798 by Padre Fermín Francisco de Lasuén. It was occupied first by the Luiseño Indians, then became a Spanish Mission, and then was occupied by the American Military from 1847-1857. As you walk through the buildings, around the facility, and the cemetery, you will discover magnificent architecture, bronze statues, beautiful gardens, and has the oldest living Pepper Tree in California.

Wyoming

The next day, after the wedding, we decided to head to Pinedale, Wyoming, to see if we could spot that elusive mythical moose. I have to say I was not disappointed, and the drive up to Pinedale, Jackson, and the Grand Teton National Park was beautiful.