Please help me decide the best place to see JULY FULL MOON in CA
 

Hi I'm planning a very special once in a lifetime vacation and I need to know the absolute best place to see the full moon either Cazadero, CA or Mandalay Beach in Califorina. If you know of any other place in CA please let me know. Please don't be shy. Thank you.

If you mean the Mandalay Beach resort in Oxnard and Cazadero -- they are almost 500 hundred miles apart and there is NOTHING similar about them so sort of hard to give you advice.

But your main problem is both are on/near the coast and clear skies at night in summer are never guaranteed.

Summer evenings along the CA coast are often foggy.

Lake Tahoe would be ideal. Or anywhere away from city light pollution.

Coast has a high chance of being fogged in.

Mammoth Lakes is a fantastic place to see the night sky since you are so far from city lights. agree that the ocean would be risky due to fog.

Oxnard and the north coast would be equally risky for fog especially if it's hot inland.

If you want civilization, Mammoth or Tahoe would be good. Drive to the base of the ski area at Mammoth and you're about 9,000 feet high well above smog, etc.
For a more remote experience pick any mountain area...Truckee near Lake Tahoe, Lassen Nat. Park near Redding, Mt. Shasta area...

Lots of great choices for moon viewing - basically you need to be away from the coast (possible fog), and away from large population areas (light and air polution).

I would vote for the north side of Lake Tahoe (away from the casinos) or Yosemite Valley. One of my favorite vacation experiences EVER was taking a blanket and a thermos of decaf & Bailey's and going out to a meadow and laying on my back looking up at the moon shining on the huge rocks. It was so bright you could see clearly. It was almost like the light reflected off the wall of rock and made it brighter. I little fox was curious and came up to check us out.

Thank you very much. Yes I do need the coast so I'm praying for beautiful weather. Bodega Bay was beautiful this full moon - June. I have chosen!!!....Cambria, actually Moonstone Beach. BEAUTIFUL beyond words and San Simeon has a lovely area to beach stroll too. Thanks for everything. Happy n Blessed Travels.

Glacier Point in Yosemite


Maybe somewhere in Lassen or Sequoia. Death Valley-but would be very hot.

A lot of the parks(especially those in Utah) do Full Moon Hikes. Yosemite does offer it too.

I sure would not be on the beach at Oxnard.
West of Cazadero-just west of Hwy 1 is a spot with an ocean view @ N38 28.3 W123 09.6

Sunset there is at 8:36PM Moonrise there (in the east) is 8:53PM
Moonset is at 6:30AM the next morning shortly after the sun rises.

If you don't already know, Full Moon is July 15 this year.

spiro and tom: The OP posted that the decision's been made -- Cambria . . .

What type of site are you looking for in Cambria? If you choose a high point you may be able to get a good moonrise picture.
Are you planning on staying until 1:30AM when the moon is to the south and at the high point? Moonrise in Cambria 8:39PM 7/15

Hi thanks so much for all your GREAT feedback. I'm especially fond of the Glacier Point suggestion. I would love to be there, but my companion refuses to return there after being told by her Ex that he wants a divorce and for some mean reason he chose to do it in Yosemite. The coast is a requirement so we are staying at a place on Moonstone Beach and since we work swings and graves it is very easy to be up at 1:30am. We are up at that time on a regular basis. My next question is does anyone have any info on Moonstone Day Spa or any other Massage/therapist in the Cambria area? Thanks for your info.