Mina Travels

Carmel-by-the-Sea, usually called simply Carmel, is a small town endowed with a rich artistic history situated on the Monetrey Peninsula in Monterey County, California. In 1906, the San Fransisco Call devoted a full page to the "artists, poets and writers of Carmel-by-the-Sea" and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel's houses were built by citizens who were "devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts." Early City Councils were dominated by artists and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, and actor-director Clint Eastwood, who was mayor for one term, from 1986 to 1988. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 4,081. When referring to this city or its attributes, the name Carmel is pronounced "car-MEL".

Roaring Camp¡z See California's towering redwood forests from two historic railroads. Travel by steam train up a narrow-gauge track through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain or by beach train down the scenic San Lorenzo River to the sunny beaches of Santa Cruz. It all happens on the Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton. Hearst Castle was the palatial estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. It is located near San Simeon, California, on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1957, it is now a State Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark, open for public tours. Hearst formally named the estate 'La Cuesta Encantada' ('The Enchanted Hill'), but he usually just called it 'the ranch¡C

High to the Bear Mountain area and visit Roaring Camp, you can stroll around the Redwood Trees or take a steam train inside the park. Then, browse along the streets of Carmel and enjoy some of the best specialty shops and art galleries that Carmel has to offer.The Roaring Camp, see California's towering redwood forests by steam train up a narrow-gauge track through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain. Traditional Western ¡°Cowboy¡± style meals also available in the forest.

A testimonial:
William Randolph Heart and his empire. The construction of the castle started in 1920 and was not yet finished when Hearst died in 1951. This castle, with its private zoo and celebrated antiques, occupies an area of 137 acres. Its unforgettable gold-faced swimming pool impresses all visitors. In 1958, Hearst's children donated the castle to the state of California, and it became a public treasure. A visit to Hearst

Castle and San Simeon is not complete without a quick drive up the coast to visit the home of one of California¡¦s largest populations of elephant seals. So, you will stop by the coast to vist these lovely elephant seals playing or resting on the sandy shores.

WHERE HISSSSTORY COMES TO LIFE
Mountain man Isaac Graham settled here in the 1830s. Soon after, Mexican authorities named Graham’s wild settlement “Roaring Camp.”
Above: Original depot under construction in the early 1950’s.

In 1842, Graham established the first saw mill west of the Mississippi. Fortunately, the Big Trees here were spared the woodman’s axe, and 25 years later became the first virgin stand of coastal redwoods to be protected from logging.
The area’s first railroad, the Santa Cruz & Felton, began carrying tourists to the Big Trees and the beach in 1875. In 2003, the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge RR celebrated its Ruby Anniversary (40 years) and the Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific RY has been operating along the 1875 Santa Cruz & Felton route since 1985.
The dream of preserving a piece of the 1880s and early California was the dream of Roaring Camps Founder F. Norman Clark. Tragically in December 1985, Norman Clark passed away of pneumonia resulting from his selfless work to open the Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway. His wife, Georgiana, the longtime Vice President of Operations was elected chief executive office by the respective board and continues in that role today.

Roaring Camp CEO Georgiana Clark
Georgiana continues her husband’s life’s work, solidifying the business, restoring historic engines and rolling stock, expanding group and corporate sales and overseeing the development of a major event facility called Bret Harte. We’d like to share with you, in Georgiana’s own words why for the past 40 years visitors from around the world have visited Roaring Camp.