Road trips Torrey Pines State Reserve and other stops offer peaceful time, uncrowded parks, spectacular scenery, laughs along the way

Torrey Pines State Reserve: 2,000 acre coastal wilderness protects the rare Torrey pine tree.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

We like braving the highways for fun road trips. One recent stop is highly recommended:

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve reopened on March 1, this year, following a four-month closure for construction upgrades, including enhanced ADA compliance. The popular Del Mar area coastal trails and visitor areas are now fully open with high visitor traffic expected.

Key Details for Visitors:

• Reopening: The reserve reopened after a four-month closure for infrastructure improvements, according to this YouTube video.

• Infrastructure: Upgrades to trails and facilities have been completed to improve accessibility, notes NBC 7 San Diego.

• Crowds & Access: Opening weekend saw high attendance and capacity parking.

• Future Work: Additional improvements for restrooms and infrastructure are scheduled for fall 2026.

• Rules: No food or drink (except water) is allowed above the beach, no pets are permitted, and the area is "pack it in-pack it out," according to TPSNR.

Road trips offer museums, parks, unexpected wonders and side trips that can be uncrowded if you plan to visit off season.

Off-season travel offers uncrowded parks and a chance to enjoy wonderful museums without rubbing elbows, here Keller, Cookie and doggie Nick, Jane and Rick on a week day at a virtually deserted Museum of the Rockies.

• A recent survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association found that 68 percent of travelers feel safest when traveling by personal vehicle and when visiting outdoor destinations such as parks and the beach. 

• Nearly half -- 45 percent -- of the respondents said they are likely to travel more by car.  So road trips are on the agenda this year for many vacationers. With fuel prices rising and unrest in the world, many of us who usually hop on a plane to faraway destinations are staying closer to home, driving so we can enjoy "outdoor" stops. And if Europe beckons, consider a road trip. Safe, clean, and you can be by yourselves when you want.

  
  

Road trips yield delights, such as this fun display outside a southern Italy restaurant, with Keller and Cookie.

THE DECISION to travel with family and friends limits contact with others, a holdover from COVID days. The traveling companions we choose are likely friends and family. Road trips allow the unexpected to occur. We keep our eyes open for entertainment, too, photographing amusing and eye

catching billboards and posters.

Blacks Beach in La Jolla, California, is a world famous surfing spot. It can be reached from the nearby gliding port.

Since we survived the era of coronavirus, avoiding public transportation, crowded waiting areas, and strangers is still considered a safe way to go. For overnight stops, we plan ahead, so we can choose a property by price as well as by published cleanliness standards.

Children's Pool La Jolla, Calif., is off limits during Harbor Seal Pupping Season, check the lifeguard signs

We're big fans of the Hilton brand when it comes to cleanliness and comfort. www.hilton.com During COVID, Hilton was in the forefront of hygiene procedures, copied by other major chains. There are many Hilton brands from which to choose, all delightful.

Paradise Point Mission Bay, San Diego, Calif., is a favorite place to take visitors.

Hotels listed on Booking.com is another of our favorite guides to clean, comfortable stays at our favorite Hiltons, and others. 

We recently enjoyed a pleasant kitchen suite at Winnemucca's Best Western Plus. Sparkling clean room, friendly check-in, top hygiene and a tasty "grab and go" breakfast. The kitchen in the suite allowed us to prepare a simple tasty safe meal without venturing out. Ask about a suite upgrade. Often for a few dollars more, you can book a small kitchen or add a microwave and frig.

Road trips offer thrills but sometimes tax patience when traveling in our national parks, here in Glacier. Be prepared to take your time when traffic slows. The bear, elk and maybe a moose are worth the wait.

We noticed, too, another option: at recent stays at Hilton hotels in Tahoe and Truckee. Several nearby places -- including pizza parlors and Chinese restaurants -- delivered.

We use the Gas Buddy app and Google Maps and Chatgpt to help with fuel prices, routes, and planning. Overall travel costs can be managed more easily on a driving trip, too. We stock the cooler and grocery bag with water, sodas, snacks: cheese, fruit, chips, crackers, protein bars, nuts.

NOT ONLY do we avoid extra stops, but we have healthy food we fixed.

Nicky the terrier, above, and below with great-niece Penelope take a break on a road trip walk.

When it’s time for to stop for a meal, we look for a pleasant park or roadside complex where we can walk Nicky and stretch our legs.

Cracker Barrel, Subway and pilot Flying J all have high safety and hygiene practices. Check the websites before you stop to make sure the place looks up to standard.

Field workers in central California prepare the soil for planting. Half of the nation's produce comes from here.

UP NEXT: Come with us to California's rich farmland as we explore the farm to table phenomenon. We're in the beautiful and fertile central California "salad bowl" and we offer some of our favorite farmer's market shots, taken on this latest trip. Come enjoy the history of California's amazingly prolific central valley, which produces half of the nation's produce. 

Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com