After a few wonderful days in the desert, we were soon heading somewhere higher up – Lake Tahoe. But before that, we got to experience Halloween in person for the very first time.
Halloween in Costume, Trick-or-Treating
Halloween itself is really just one night, from 31 October into 1 November. In the run-up, though, houses get decorated in serious detail and candy gets stocked up for the moment the costumed kids ring the bell. Most shops sell decorations and everything Halloween-related. Then there are dedicated stores selling genuinely high-quality, properly scary masks and costumes, plus make-up, wigs and all kinds of accessories. Simple costumes start at under €20, and there's almost no ceiling above that.
To try trick-or-treating for ourselves, we adults went as horror clowns. The set – mask, top and trousers – cost us just under €60 each. Freshly dressed up, we headed out after sunset to collect the first sweets. The kids with us actually collected candy; we adults simply looked terrifying and admired the sometimes seriously elaborate decorations around the neighbourhood. It was a great feeling to be part of a culture we'd only ever known from hearsay or the screen.
Along Interstate 80 Towards Lake Tahoe
The next morning we set off in my cousin's car – my girlfriend, my cousin, her husband and me. Via Interstate 80 to Sacramento, then on along US-50 to Tahoe Valley. Devastating wildfires had torn through the area around Lake Tahoe in 2021, and as we wound our way up the switchbacks, the destruction was still visible everywhere – huge, bare, dead stretches of landscape. It's good to see, though, that nature doesn't give up: on some slopes, lush green was already showing through again.
Lake Tahoe sits right on the border between California and Nevada. If you'd like to learn more about this enchanting place, the Wikipedia page on Lake Tahoe is a good place to start. We just dropped our bags at my cousin's cabin and headed straight on towards Virginia City in Nevada.
Virginia City – an Old Mining Town Straight Out of a Western
Virginia City is an old mining town, founded in 1859. Gold was found in the area too, but it was silver that made the town famous. For more background, the Wikipedia page on Virginia City has the details. The drive there alone was an experience – the landscape was exactly what you know from Western films.
Our highlight on the way there: we came across around a dozen mustangs, wild, untamed horses that weren't remotely fazed by the passing cars. They ambled calmly across the road right in front of us – exactly the image you normally only get from television, except this time we got to experience it ourselves.
Virginia City itself is genuinely well preserved. A lot of it is still from the original era. Where Harley motorbikes park today, horses used to be tied up. You really feel thrown back in time walking through this town. Gambling is banned in most of the US, but in Virginia City you can play as much as you like without a second thought. Souvenirs of every kind are on offer, from cowboy boots to cowboy hats. Bars and restaurants have live music, and you can even get your photo taken in period costume. Genuinely worth the visit.
One side note: I noticed that petrol in Nevada was noticeably cheaper than in California. It was only afterwards that I found out California has the highest fuel tax in the entire US. If you ever find yourself out this way, it's worth filling up on the Nevada side.
Secret Cove and Emerald Bay – Two Postcard Views on the Lake
The next day we visited Secret Cove on Lake Tahoe, a bay you can't reach directly from the road. The water there is clearer than I've ever seen in any lake. There's a car park nearby, and from there it's about a 20-minute walk to the cove. From the beach you get a direct view of the Sierra Nevada mountains on the far side of the lake. The lake is fed by snowmelt from those mountains, so even in summer the water is genuinely, properly refreshing.
Something that isn't obvious at first glance: Secret Cove is one of the best-known clothing-optional beaches at Lake Tahoe. On many days, going unclothed is more the norm than the exception, though plenty of families and clothed visitors are there too. If that matters to you, it's worth factoring in before you go.
After so many impressive stops, we finished up at Emerald Bay. The best view of the bay is from the Emerald Bay State Park Lookout. One heads-up: the car park there is always very busy, so a bit of patience helps.
Back to Petaluma, and a Storm That Changed Our Plans
With that, our second day at Lake Tahoe drew to a close, and the next morning we headed back to Petaluma. On our last day in the US, we'd planned to go whale watching. Unfortunately, the forecast predicted bad weather. When we checked with Chris' Whale Watching, we were told that heading out to sea in that weather would simply have been dangerous, so no tours were running that day.
Visibly disappointed, but with a day still ahead of us, we decided on the spot to rent a car in Petaluma and drive down to Santa Cruz instead. We hired a car for today, tomorrow and the day after from a local rental company, with the option of dropping it off directly at SFO airport. Thanks to my cousin's husband, we got a special rate: for the Nissan Sentra – a model that doesn't even exist in Europe – we paid the equivalent of just €100.
Saying Goodbye to Family, and the Golden Gate Bridge in Our Own Car
The next morning, my girlfriend and I had to say goodbye to my cousin and her husband – heavy-hearted and not without a few tears, we set off south towards Santa Cruz. One thing I have to say: crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in your own car is a seriously great feeling. You can see the bridge from a distance and know you're about to drive across it yourself – it's genuinely something you don't experience every day.
A Wet Surprise in Pacifica
With San Francisco behind us, we stopped in the small town of Pacifica at the Municipal Pier. We'd already been watching from the car for a while as wild, churning waves crashed against the coast, and we wanted a closer look. We parked near the pier and continued on foot. We'd barely reached the pier when a huge wave hit that stretch of coast and soaked us both completely. We were fine, but had to get into dry clothes fast to avoid catching a cold. Still, a fantastic experience in the end – and looking back, we were very glad we hadn't gone out onto the open water for whale watching that day.
Arriving in Santa Cruz
In fresh, dry clothes, we carried on along the Cabrillo Highway to Santa Cruz. Our accommodation this time was the Ocean Pacific Lodge, booked through booking.com. The one night cost us €99, with parking already included. The lodge has a pool, which we didn't use in early November, and the rooms are decently equipped with a kettle and everything else you'd need. Everything was clean, and it made a great base for exploring Santa Cruz Beach and the Santa Cruz Wharf.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – California's Oldest Beachfront Amusement Park
On Santa Cruz Beach sits the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, an amusement park right on the sand. Founded in 1907, it's the oldest still-operating beachfront amusement park in the entire state. Admission is free; the rides cost extra. Well-known attractions include the historic wooden roller coaster Giant Dipper from 1924 and the old Looff Carousel from 1911. Because of the bad weather, the park was unfortunately closed during our visit.
Beach Street has a handful of restaurants, so there's definitely something for your own taste there too. If you prefer something indoors, you can pass the time at Boardwalk Bowl.
Santa Cruz Wharf – Souvenirs, Seafood and a Surprising Number of Seals
After a quick bite on Beach Street, we walked on to the Santa Cruz Wharf. You'll find souvenir shops and seafood restaurants there. One thing genuinely surprised us: the Santa Cruz Wharf is a pier that juts far out into the ocean, and to our surprise it was full of seals resting on the structure underneath.
One Last Morning on West Cliff Drive
The next morning we explored a little of West Cliff Drive, though we didn't make it as far as the "To Honor Surfing" statue due to time. Walking up and down West Cliff Drive, we watched plenty of surfers out in the water, patiently waiting for their perfect wave.
Returning the Rental Car, and a Goodbye for Now
Then it was time to pack our bags and head to SFO. Returning the car was refreshingly simple – the whole process took under five minutes. Petrol from Petaluma to Santa Cruz and on to SFO cost us around €25.
Then it was time to say goodbye again – for around four months, until we'd see each other again in Thailand at the end of February.
What This Leg Cost
| Item | for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Halloween costumes, horror clown (mask, top, trousers) | 2 people | approx. €120 |
| Hire car Petaluma, Nissan Sentra, 3 days, dropped off at SFO | 1 vehicle | €100 |
| Lake Tahoe, Virginia City, Emerald Bay, Secret Cove | 2 people | free |
| Whale watching, Monterey | 2 people | cancelled (weather) |
| Ocean Pacific Lodge, Santa Cruz, 1 night incl. parking | 2 people | €99 |
| Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | 2 people | free entry, rides extra |
| Petrol Petaluma–Santa Cruz–SFO | 1 vehicle | approx. €25 |
Roughly €344 in total for this final leg – the cheapest of the whole trip, because the strongest memories here didn't cost a thing: wild mustangs, a ghost town out of a Western, crystal-clear water, and a wave that soaked us both to the skin. All figures are given in euros; you pay for some of it in dollars on the ground, so the total shifts with the exchange rate. Not included is the Halloween candy, which the host family covered, and the whale watching that never happened because of the weather.
All Booking Links at a Glance
- Accommodation in Santa Cruz: Ocean Pacific Lodge via booking.com
- Whale watching (weather-dependent): Chris' Whale Watching
- Background on Lake Tahoe: Wikipedia
- Background on Virginia City: Wikipedia
- Bowling in Santa Cruz: Boardwalk Bowl
And that's where our US West Coast trip ends – from the surprise Business Class seat in San Francisco, through the desert heat of Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, to Halloween, wild horses and a soaking in Pacifica. Two weeks, from 24 October to 7 November, entirely self-planned, every single stop its own decision.
And if, after all three parts, you're thinking "I'd love a trip like that, but I wouldn't trust myself to put it together": that's exactly what I do. The first chat's on me.
