If you consider yourself a Californian then you owe it to yourself to discover the roots of your identity, and ground zero on this journey are the historical Spanish missions of California. The original chain of 21 missions stretched from Baja California to Sonoma Valley, and all were situated a day’s travel apart on horseback along El Camino Real, or “The Royal Road.” Today you can retrace this historic route far more leisurely with a cruise along Highway 101 while visiting five of my favorite missions, as well as some of the finest towns and cities on the coast. It’s a great excuse to pack an overnight bag and spend a couple of days on a historical (and possibly spiritual) journey filled with fascinating factoids and stories of our past. Read full article »