Monterey Peninsula
Hardly breaking for air, the sea lion cruises by Lovers Point Beach, the stately white lighthouse at Point Pinos and pastel-colored Victorians in the seaside community of Pacific Grove. He passes golfers tackling challenging championship courses at Pebble Beach, motorists pulling over to admire the gorgeous views along 17-Mile Drive and beachgoers lazing the day away along Carmel's picture-perfect stretch of sand. Finally, he wriggles onto a sun-warmed rock at Seal Point, joining hundreds of his loudly barking kin at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. This sea lion may not know it, but he's just traced a route that sums up the Monterey Peninsula's enduring appeal for generations of visitors.