As a journalism student 20 years ago at Stanford University, Ann Marie Brown learned that the most satisfying way to ditch class was to cruise down the coast of Santa Cruz, continuing south along scenic Highway 1 to Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur. The destination didn’t matter much; each town had its own allure and the eye candy along the way was reward enough. Despite the frequency of these class-cutting field trips, Ann Marie managed to graduate and eventually settled into a career as a travel writer specializing in California outdoor recreation.

These days Ann Marie heads to the Monterey coast as often as possible, and usually with a more definite plan: a bike ride at Fort Ord, a hike in the Big Sur redwoods, a walk along the beach at Carmel, or a bird-watching excursion at Moss Landing.

When not coveting the coastal life, Ann Marie can be found at her home near Lake Tahoe. In addition to Moon Monterey & Carmel, she is the author of 14 California guidebooks.