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Even if you’ve never tried it, we’re sure you’ve seen a few Country Crock commercials over the years. You know, the ones where all you see is a pair of hands discussing random things while spreading plant-based butter substitute on a piece of toast, muffin, pancake, or even French toast. The brand has been around since 1945 and besides imitation butter, they sell myriad other products including mashed potatoes, pasta, and other side dishes. And now, they sell whiskey.

Yes, you read that right: whiskey. Specifically, rye whiskey.

That’s because Country Crock just launched Cover Crop Rye Whiskey. But this isn’t just a gimmick to sell whiskey. That’s obvious since, even though it’s made by Country Crock, the name isn’t even listed on the bottle. So why?

It’s all in the name. The whiskey began with the brand’s Cover Crop Project.

Country Crock, that butter-like stuff you spread on your toast in the morning, is actually made from soybeans grown in the Kansas City area. In 2020, Country Crock created The Cover Crops Project in partnership with No-Till on the Plains to provide financial resources, training, and to help with the planting of cover crops. For those unaware, cover crops are planted to help to replenish the soil, stop erosion, and various other important pieces of the permaculture process. As part of the project, farmers in Kansas and Missouri who plant cover crops on soybean fields that hadn’t previously had cover crops get a $10 per acre reimbursement.

Cover crops are extremely vital to maintaining healthy soil and guaranteeing fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. That’s why Country Crock collaborated with Kansas City’s J. Rieger & Co. to produce a one-time, limited-edition rye whiskey that’s not only well-balanced and delicious but will help get the word out about the importance of cover crops. This ultra-small batch is only made up of 500 bottles.

Now the real question is, is it any good? You can be as invested in an important ideal as you want and make a whiskey to get it noticed. But your whiskey also has to be good, right? Otherwise, what’s the point?

Keep reading to see if we liked it.

ABV: 46.5%

Price: $40 and only available at mashedandgrape.com

The Whiskey:

You’ve already heard about the use of cover crops to help in soil health, stop erosion, and improve the quality of the produce grown. Growing the same thing over and over is bad for the soil. This is why farmers rotate cover crops. This includes cereal rye. J. Rieger & Co. crafted a whiskey that’s blended with a whiskey featuring this cover crop.

The result is a sweet, spicy, surprisingly sippable spirit.

Tasting Notes:

They aren’t kidding with references to butter. The first aroma noticeable on the nose is straight Werther’s Original candy. I’m talking grandma’s house, buttery caramel mixed with dried apricots, vanilla beans, candied orange peel, and a bit of oak. No rye spice is noticeable on the nose, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as this whiskey is being touted as “buttery” — which isn’t normally how a rye whiskey would be labeled.

The peppery rye is very evident on the first sip, but it’s followed by a very buttery caramel flavor that reminds me of a fat-washed old-fashioned. It’s spicy, warming, and ends with a nice mix of cracked black pepper and buttery toffee candy. There’s a little more heat than I anticipated, but it’s not overwhelming.

The Bottle:

The bottle is simple and classic and gets the point across. It’s adorned with an image of vast farmland with a farmhouse at the top center. It’s assumed that the field is filled with cover crops and the farm, whose family is benefiting from the crops lives in the house. It really tells a story about the generations of farmers who have made it their living to grow the fruits, vegetables, and grains we sometimes take for granted.

A great representation of exactly what you’re going to get when you crack open a bottle. And a solid convo starter.

Bottom Line:

The tagline that this is a “buttery” whiskey is definitely not incorrect. There is a great deal of butterscotch on the aroma and the palate. It also has some fire-y heat and spice from the addition of peppery rye. All in all, a decent bottle worth trying.

Ranking:

70/100 – While this bottle is being touted as a whiskey from Country Crock, it’s made by J. Rieger & Co., a brand that knows quite a bit about the art of distilling. While not the greatest rye whiskey we’ve ever had. It’s a nice mix of buttery sweet caramel and spicy rye — though it might have a little too much heat for some whiskey fans.

Still, it’s definitely worth trying for the price.

Derrick White gave the Boston Celtics a gigantic boost off the bench during their Game 1 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Known more for his defense than his shooting, White scored 21 points and connected on five of his eight attempts from behind the three-point line, with two of those makes coming during the relentless fourth quarter that the Celtics rode to their 120-108 win.

In the aftermath of the game, Draymond Green stressed the the assembled media that he thinks Golden State will be fine. He laid out part of why he thinks that, and he specifically pointed out White’s outlier of a shooting performance.

“Derrick White hadn’t shot the ball from three … extremely well throughout the playoffs, nor historically over his career,” Green said. “What we do know is that he’s capable, and obviously, the world knows he’s capable since watching the game last night. We been knew he was capable, but some of the threes he hit last night, like, the rim just had him. I think three of the five threes that he made was like right over people right in his face. When things like that happen, you have to live with that. At the end of the day, something has to beat you, and you’re going to pick, in an NBA game, what is more likely to not beat you.”

While it can seem like a knock against White, it’s hardly uncommon for NBA teams to hyper focus on slowing down the best players and accepting that other guys might just beat them — a great example of this is Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals when the Milwaukee Bucks let Grant Williams take wide open three after wide open three, and he responded by going 7-for-18 for a career high 27 points. Despite the fact that White is 11-for-18 (a ridiculous 61.1 percent) from three over his last three playoff games, he’s a career 34 percent shooter from deep and has gone through lulls in his NBA tenure.

All of this is to say we can probably assume that Golden State will make a similar bet that White won’t hit shots at that rate again in Game 2. If they’re wrong, the Celtics taking a 2-0 series lead to Boston seems likely.

America’s favorite Minnesota Timberwolf has once again graced us with a wonderful soundbite. Anthony Edwards was approached at the premiere for the new Adam Sandler movie Hustle and got asked who he would place in his all-time starting 5.

The Ant Man selected a formidable four-man group in Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Shaq. But the group needed one last supernatural player to bring the group together, so of course, Edwards chose himself.

The genius to Edwards’ answer does not lie in the collection of talent he chose. No, Edwards understands the key to an all-time starting 5 is vibes. A team with Anthony Edwards and Shaq will never have down day. Sure, they are two of the most gifted athletes to ever walk the earth, but when you carry the pressure of being an all-time starting 5, you need a little live, laugh, love. Ant Man could have picked Michael Jordan over himself, but MJ would have ruined the vibe. An all-time starting 5 is no place for a competitive maniac who will want to push everyone to the edge. You don’t want Kevin Durant tweeting about MJ’s practice behavior or LeBron inventing new emojis to describe it.

As always, Edwards understood the assignment and his unfettered confidence produced a bit of wisdom.

Sydney Sweeney is not slowing down anytime soon. The actress has two hit shows under her belt, Euphoria and White Lotus, along with a number of upcoming projects, and of course, her cool car that she happened to build herself.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress went in-depth about her character Cassie, and the fan response. When asked about the impact her Euphoria character has, she said she connected to how emotionally-charged Cassie can be. Sweeney said:

I see it in the way people talk about Cassie. They often want to hate her [laughs] because of the kind of person she is, but they find themselves unable to. It’s amazing to me that I’m able to take a character who has made so many terrible decisions and make people feel for her and understand those decisions. When I first started playing her, I connected to how she makes decisions very drastically and from the heart.

Despite Cassie’s poor choices and overall dramatics, she is still a character that fans can sympathize with, probably because everybody makes mistakes! Even high schoolers dressed like they are auditioning for Oklahoma.

Even though Cassie gets a lot of sympathy from fans and Sweeney, the actress is able to separate her character from herself. “I have found a very healthy separation, so the moment Sam [Levinson] calls ‘cut,’ I can go home and be happy and hang with my dog.” You must have to be good at compartmentalizing when your family is seeing you naked on screen all the time.

With Logic gearing up to release his album Vinyl Days this month, it’s only right that he’s also launching a tour to go with it. Dubbed the Vinyl Verse Summer Tour, the tour is a joint excursion alongside Wiz Khalifa launching Wednesday, July 27 at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, and running through to the beginning of September, ending on September 2 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis, Missouri. Logic and Wiz will be joined by 24kGoldn, DJ Drama, Fedd The God, and C Dot Castro, with select dates featuring Berner and Rubi Rose.

Vinyl Days will be Logic’s seventh and final album under Def Jam. Fueled by the singles “Therapy Music” with Russ, “Orville” with Blu & Exile and Like of Pac Div, and “Bleed It,” the album is due on June 17. You can pre-save it here and see the full tour dates below.

7/27– Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre^
7/28 – Inglewood, CA @ YouTube Theater^
7/30 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion^
8/02 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater^
8/03 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP Don Haskins Center^
8/05 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater^
8/06 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion^
8/07 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion^
8/08 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP^
8/10 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena^
8/11 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion^
8/12 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre^
8/13 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach^
8/14 – Camden, NJ @ Waterfront Music Pavilion^
8/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclay’s Center^
8/17 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center!
8/19 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live!
8/20 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre!
8/21 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion!
8/22 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center^
8/23 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center^
8/25 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheatre^
8/26 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center^
8/27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center^
8/28 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake^
8/30 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center^
9/01 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre^
9/02 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre!

^ = With Rubi Rose
! = With Berner
* = No 24KGoldn

Kendrick Perkins had a good time celebrating the Boston Celtics’ comeback in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to knock off the Golden State Warriors. In the immediate aftermath of the game, Perkins went on television in Boston and called Draymond Green a liar for saying he believes the Warriors will be fine despite the circumstances of their 120-108 home defeat in which they were run off the court in the fourth quarter.

Then, Perkins presumably went to bed and woke up on Friday morning with the idea to really lean into a bit on First Take. Perkins went onto the show while dressed in a costume and holding a set of handcuffs to get a point across about how hard thing were for Golden State over the game’s final 12 minutes.

“I’m telling you: Look, they reopened Alcatraz because they had to buy room to put the Golden State Warriors in a place where they wouldn’t be bothered,” Perkins said. “Because you know what happened last night? BAM. They got the handcuffs put on ‘em in the fourth quarter. Sixteen points in the fourth quarter. Molly, you don’t even have to tee me up, I’m ready already. Listen, this is what happened: People got to talking about the Golden State Warriors and how much experience they had and all this, and I said, ‘Listen, the Celtics are going to win Game 1.’”

Perkins went on to use the “offense wins games, defense wins championships” line that always pops up this time of year. Stephen A. Smith, meanwhile, said that having to look at this costume at 10 a.m. “threw me off.”

Conan O’Brien apparently loses his Kindle a lot. The late night host turned podcast mogul, recently revealed that he goes through the devices like crazy, and it took him a while to realize that’s not exactly a good thing. During the latest episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan opened up about learning the hard way that just buying a new Kindle after losing the old one can have some drawbacks.

While firing up his latest device before going on vacation, Conan decided to take a peek at the library to see if there were any books he might want to read that he forgot he’d purchase. What he found, instead, was an interesting selection of books that definitely didn’t download. Specifically, books on how to cook the perfect steak and, uh, How to Talk to Ladies with Confidence. Via Mediaite:

“And then it gets into Mixed Martial Arts,” O’Brien said, adding that he immediately called [longtime assistant Sona] Movsesian to see what was going on. “She was like, ‘Yeah, a very horny 16-year-old-boy has your Kindle and is buying books like crazy!’”

“Anyway, I put a code on my Kindle, but the problem now — and we got rid of all those books. The problem though is that Amazon keeps suggesting books and so I keep opening up my Kindle and it will say, ‘Have you thought about how to get a 44-year-old milf in the sack, seven techniques that work half the time, every time?’”

Ultimately, Conan ended up canceling the account due to to the Amazon algorithm constantly suggesting books on sex and MMA. He did, however, apologize to the Horny Bandit. “I’m sorry kid,” Conan said. “If you’re out there and you’re listening to this, but you did get like 60 books.”

(Via Mediaite)

When 28 members of Young Thug’s Atlanta-based YSL crew were arrested for racketeering — including Gunna and Young Thug himself — fans were understandably distraught. However, one fan, in particular, took things a little too far according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, which told FOX5 that it had arrested the teenaged offender after he made death threats against the Sheriff and the Fulton County Clerk.

18-year-old Quartavius Mender was taken into custody on May 26 after commenting on Sheriff Pat Labat’s Instagram posts, saying that he would kill Labat, Labat’s wife Jackie, and Atlanta Public Schools Police Chief Ronald Applin unless the defendants in the case were set free. While Fox’s report is vague about just which defendant Mender was referring to, it’s probably safe enough to guess who the “high-profile defendant” was. Mender has been charged with 23 counts of terrorist threats, which are all felonies, and he has not been granted bond as yet.

“We take these kinds of brazen threats seriously,” Labat told the local news. “Social media cyberbullying, and hiding behind a keyboard will not protect someone from criminal prosecution. Our investigators are diligent in seeking individuals who mean to do harm to anybody, and I am grateful to them for ensuring the safety of myself, my wife, and all citizens of Fulton County.”

Young Thug, Gunna, and their YSL cohorts were all arrested and charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for being a hybrid street gang responsible for dozens of counts of violent crimes, from armed robbery to murder. However, the case has also drawn criticism for including the two rappers, as the majority of the evidence listed against them in the 88-page indictment came in the form of their own lyrics, which prosecutors used to draw the connection between them and the alleged gang. Most recently, Young Thug and Gunna were both denied bond, as the judge felt they could both be flight risks or even tamper with witnesses.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Have you ever pondered what joy actually is? Is it different than happiness, and if so, how?

Though the dictionary definitions of the words are quite similar, people like to debate how happiness and joy differ. Some people say happiness is an emotion while joy is a state of mind. Some describe happiness as coming from outside of us while joy comes from within us. Some describe happiness as surface and fleeting while joy is deeper and more lasting.

In the documentary “Mission: JOY,” iconic spiritual leaders Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama explore the concept of joy. Each of them has endured a great deal of tragedy and struggle in their lives, yet both exude and embody joy at the deepest level. In 2015, six years before Desmond Tutu passed away, the two holy men spent five days together sharing their thoughts on life, suffering, compassion, joy and more.

The two agree that joy comes from within and is largely born from helping people. As Tutu said in the film, “Joy is the reward of seeking to give joy to others.” And science backs that up as well. Research on happiness shows that those who do kind things for others are happier and healthier. The more joy we spread, the more joy we receive.

One of the best things about joy—it doesn’t require everything to be OK to feel it. Even in the face of difficulty and struggle, we can find joy. People who face physical or mental health challenges can still experience joy. Though tragedies may touch our lives, joy still finds ways in.

Whether these 10 things will bring you joy or happiness I can’t say, but hopefully, they will bring a smile or 10 to your face. Enjoy.

1. Let’s all live vicariously through this baby squirrel being brushed.

u201cPlease donu2019t stop.. ud83dude0au201d

— Buitengebieden (@Buitengebieden)
1654019331

This might seriously be the most relaxing video I’ve ever seen. I’d grab that brush and bring it back too, lil’ squirrel.

2. These seniors got tap lessons and the joy is palpable.

See on Instagram

Just the best. So much fun.

3. Seriously, this documentary about the kinship between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is what the world needs now.

Everyone needs to watch this film. It’s joyful, hopeful, beautiful and hilarious. Desmond Tutu’s daughter said these two together have the energy of two 8-year-old boys, and it’s so easy to see. Their friendship is truly a wonderful example to us all. Read the story here.

4. Kiddo meets his baby brother for the first time—with a Mario Bros. twist.

See on Instagram

“It’s a me, Mario!” And he finally got his Luigi. So sweet.

5. Baby leads a dance class and gracious, the cuteness is too much.

u201cThe new trend of Baby Instructed Dance Class has arrived.u201d

— Danny Deraney (@Danny Deraney)
1653759484

Let’s have wee ones lead all of our exercise classes from now on, please.

6. Pianist unexpectedly summoned a fellow piano player at the shopping mall.

See on Instagram

How fun is that?!? (Also, more public live music like this, please.)

7. Take a scroll through these pics of sweet doggos smelling the flowers.

See on Instagram

The only thing better than a sweet doggo is a sweet doggo taking a moment to smell the flowers. Click the arrow on the right to scroll through.

8. The European Union beat its greenhouse gas emissions targets by more than 70%.

In a bit of good news on the climate crisis front, official EU data submitted to the United Nations this week shows that the EU not only succeeded in cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% but actually reduced them by 34%—a whopping 70% more than the goal. Undoubtedly, that accomplishment was helped by the COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020, but hey, we’ll take it.

9. Gorilla family takes a keen interest in documentary filmmaker.

u201cMaking a documentary is sometimes a very good moment. ud83dudc95ud83dude02ud83dude02nnhttps://t.co/PtLmsLd9JAu201d

— Figen (@Figen)
1653832818

Can you even imagine? So thrilling and terrifying and adorable, all at the same time. Their curiosity is so innocent and sincere. And the silverback pulling that baby away, like, “Okay, that’s enough. Leave the nice man alone.” Just incredible.

10. Security camera captures this couple’s sweet goodnight moments.

@isabellafons1

é meu vídeo favorito 🥹

The first shot of this video reads, “Me telling my boyfriend that I wanted to record more of our moments.” And what follows is a series of candid clips from a home security camera showing them saying goodnight to each other. Awww. Young love. Gotta love it.

Have a joyful week, everyone, and come back next Friday for another roundup of delights!

Is there anything as quintessentially American as a road trip along the California Coast? Consistently immortalized in movies and TV, it is on nearly everyone’s travel bucket list. Everyone that I want to know anyways. Just a six-hour drive winds you through beaches, mountains, forests, and awe-inspiring cliffs all along the winding Highway 1 between Los Angeles and San Francisco. It’s stunning.

I’ve driven the Cali coast in its entirety multiple times – all solo – and while I imagine it is an amazing trip to take with a partner, friend, or family, there is something freeing about being on the open road alone. Whether you’re solo or not, it helps to have a guide. With that aim, I’m laying out my full guide to driving the California coast in 2022.

Start in LA

I’d recommend starting your trip either in Los Angeles or San Francisco and traveling to the other. Of course, this isn’t the full coast, but the just six-hour drive can easily fill an entire week or more.

I have traveled both ways, with my last trip starting in LA. I chose it as a starting point mostly because flights are usually fairly cheap and easy from many other domestic locations, and the rental car process has always been smooth for me.

If you love beaches, consider starting a tad further south — down in San Diego — and doing a few beach days before heading north.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Rental cars are expensive and scarce already, add to that a usually higher fee for one-way rentals and it clearly pays to do your research in advance before any other bookings. The flights and accommodations can be moved around much easier.

Stop 1: Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park is a bit of an anomaly. The visitor center in Ventura and boat harbor are less than 70 miles from LA, but I have only met a handful of people – even Southern California natives – who have ever actually visited any of the islands in the park. Despite its location and easy access for millions of people, it continues to be one of the less-visited National Parks in the US. You can only visit the islands by boat or plane, and once you arrive there are no modern amenities on the islands.

This is the perfect place to go solo – trust me. Despite being rugged, it is an island, so you can’t really get lost on your own. You also have to arrive and leave with your tour group meaning that it never gets overcrowded – and you have built-in new friends, if that’s what you’re after.

There are five islands that make up the National Park, with Santa Cruz Island being the largest and also most popular. You can camp overnight on the islands or just stay for the day and enjoy hiking, whale watching, kayaking, snorkeling or just laying in the grass like I did for most of my visit.

It feels a million miles away.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Book your transportation far in advance – Island Packers is the official park concessionaire and travels from Ventura and Oxnard harbor daily with a limited schedule – but weather affects the schedule very frequently, so make sure to call and check in that your trip is still as planned. If the boat is sold out, you can take your chances and show up when they open hoping for a cancellation or no show.

Stop 2: Santa Barbara

After a day spent on the island, I’d head up to Santa Barbara. I spent many years passing by the town, thinking it was only for the bougie and coupled up – then quickly realized I was wrong after deciding to stop for some lunch on a recent trek.

I recommend stopping at The Douglas Family Preserve – a small but gorgeous public park in the city limits with 70 acres of shaded trails and unobstructed ocean views (you can actually see Channel Islands National Park – just 22 miles off the coast – from the preserve). Other hiking options are Inspiration Point and La Cumbre Peak.

Solo Traveler Tip:

After a hike I’d stop for lunch at the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach – which is just over a mile from The Preserve and right on the beautiful and more secluded Hendry’s Beach. It is the perfect place to bring a book (or a prop book to use while you simply people watch), enjoy a glass of wine and enjoy some fresh seafood.

Stop 3: Avila Beach

I am a huge fan of the Central Coast. Huge. It’s quieter and less traveled for sure, but that’s the beauty of it – especially for a solo retreat. The sea-scapes are pristine and the pace of life feels slow enough to actually enjoy it.

Avila Beach is a town of just over 1,300 people, but I always make a point to stop there when I’m in the area. Just ten miles from San Luis Obispo (another underrated destination), it has it all. Quaint downtown on the water, beautiful beaches, water sports, hiking, biking, and a surprising number of wineries.

Some of my favorite spots are Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards, Alapay Cellars, Avila Paddlesports, and Avila Valley Barn.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Book an hour in a cliffside private mineral springs tub at Sycamore Mineral Springs. It feels like a luxe treat to sip some wine while soaking under the trees.

Stop 4: Montaña de Oro State Park

California is home to 280 State Parks, and just over 20 miles northwest of Avila Beach is one of my favorites: Montana de Oro. Set 6 miles Southwest of Morro Bay, Montaña de Oro is a gem that is somewhat hidden in plain sight. With seven miles of dramatic shoreline, 8,000 acres of cliffs, beaches, campgrounds, hiking, and mountain biking trails – it has it all and has surprisingly not been crowded at all when I’ve visited.

I recommend Spooners Cove, Bluff Trail, and Sand Dunes Bluff Trail.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Detour to the Sand Dunes in the park. There are dunes along most of the coast with zig-zagging trails to reach them. As I hiked up the dunes, the only other people I saw were fellow solo travelers laying in the sand reading, napping, and biking. I could have stayed there all day. Next time I think I will.

Stop 5: Big Sur

Between Carmel and San Simeon, Big Sur magically appears as if you’ve entered into a mirage. It is mythic and fantastical and truly one of the only places I’ve visited that is deserving of its legendary status. Below the Santa Lucia Mountains, Big Sur is a long undeveloped stretch of coast that just cannot be described by words or photos alone. You have to see the sweeping views for yourself — along with the redwoods, ample hiking, sandy beaches, and eclectic eateries. Known for its limited cell service, a trip to Big Sur feels not so much like moving back in time but transcending time itself.

I recommend taking the short hike to McWay Falls, browsing the Henry Miller Memorial Library, and taking your chances at landing a parking spot at Pfieffer Beach. The beach is famous for its purple sand and Keyhole Arch (try to visit in winter when the sunset lines up in the arch). It’s my favorite stop in Big Sur, but with only 60 spots to park down a winding unmarked road it is hard to get to during peak times. But bonus: it’s never crowded once you get there.

Stop at the infamous Bixby Creek Bridge on your way north out of town to get the perfect Instagram shot.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Nepenthe is a Big Sur staple and the perfect place for a solo lunch with a view. The outdoor bar seats have the best view of the Pacific in the house, and the South Coast Margarita is worth the 30+ minutes you are likely to wait to get it.

Stop 6: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

On the way up north from Big Sur, I always stop at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. The shoreline is dramatic and its beauty rivals anything I have ever seen. Whalers Cove is a great spot for scuba diving, kayaking, and snorkeling – but any trail you take will lead you somewhere worth going.

Solo Traveler Tip:

Try to hit the trail at sunset! But be mindful of the operating hours – now it’s only open from 8 am to 5 pm.

Stop 7: Shark Fin Cove

The last stop on the trek back to San Francisco is probably also the easiest to get to – Shark Fin Cove. Just 10 miles North of Santa Cruz and 0.7 miles from Davenport, the shark fin-shaped rock is visible from the road. Park north of the Bonny Doon Beach Lot – there is a dirt pullout – and follow the steep trail down to the beach and sea cave.

Solo Traveler Tip:

The trail is steep so proceed cautiously if no one else is around. The views from above are also gorgeous and super Instagrammable if you’re hesitant.

End in SF

Head back home from San Francisco. Try a few of these bars, perhaps. While you drink, spend time dreaming of your next trip to explore the rest of the coastline.