Expert: Steve Summers - 9/19/2006

Question
My girlfriend and I both love dogs, surfing, camping and fishing.  In that order...
I finally got a ring for her and it is burning a hole in my pocket...
We both have thursday and Friday off work... I'd like to find a romantic place, a little private, where we can do all of the above and I can propose to her.

We live in San Pedro, CA.  (at the end of the 110 freeway)  We have to be in Lake Mead on Saturday morning, and we can leave Pedro to go to the Proposal destination Wednesday afternoon.  So I have Wednesday night through to Friday night to work with.  What are your suggestions?

Answer
Hi TJ,

Dogs, surfing, camping, & fishing, eh? I think I have a nice spot for you. See if you can grab a campsite for Carpinteria State Beach at www.reserveamerica.com. There should be plenty of campsites for Wendesday and Thursday night. From the campground, you can walk along the beach (or through the campground) southward (east, actually) past the RV section of the campground. From there, I recommend taking the trail past the "Jelly Bowl", on the bluffs. It's very quiet there, and can be quite romantic. There is an occasional picnic table there, which might be an EXCELLENT place to propose, with the waves crashing beneath you. If you get to the Chevron parking lot, you have gone too far. And if you have your dog(s) with you, then you should turn around and go back so that you don't bother the seals just beyond the Chevron pier.

Carpinteria is also good because it is such a nice, laid-back beach town. It's a couple miles from Rincon, an excellent surf break. The town also has plenty of little shops and restaurants. In particular, you might want to take your future bride to The Palms, where you can cook your own steak. Also, check out Prufrock's B&B, which is where my wife and I spent our honeymoon, right there on Linden Ave. If I hadn't proposed to my wife in Yosemite, I definitely would have done it in Carpinteria.

Alternate locations include Santa Barbara (perhaps at the mission), Solvang (a cute Danish town north of SB), or even Jalama Beach (check out www.jalamabeach.com... not easy to get to, but beautiful beaches).

I might also have mentioned Lake Arrowhead, but now there's another big fire up there. Same problem with Big Bear. No fire there for now, but it takes away some of the charm when you're choking on smoke, ya know what I mean?

From Carpinteria/SB, you can take 101 east to 126, then take that east to the 5, jog south to the 14 north, then take 38 east to Victorville. From there you can get to Barstow and Lake Meade.

Good luck,

Steve