Let Your iPad Mini Case Reflect Your Love for the California Central Coast

A Review of Zazzle's iPad Mini Cases

The Savvy Style Case

 

When you have invested in something as important as an iPad Mini, you will want it to be well-protected from the daily wear and tear of use and being transported wherever you go. I know that my electronic items get a lot of wear and tear just from being in my purse or waist pack. It's easy for your iPad Mini to be rubbed or scratched without protection.

You can defend your iPad Mini with a lightweight hard shell made of plastic. You can choose between a matte or a glossy finish for most designs. You can clip the case right to the back of the iPad Mini to protect it. These cases sold on Zazzle were specifically designed just for the iPad Mini, so you can be assured of a proper fit. You will also be able to reach all your ports and controls when your cover is shielding your iPad.

 If you have a Smart Cover, this will be compatible with it. If you don't have a smart cover and want even more protection, an automatic sleep and wake-up feature,  and a built-in stand to fit any iPad Mini position, you might want to check out one of these Smart Covers from Amazon. The black one is shown below, but it also comes in other colors closer to the Zazzle design you choose. And you might think about a screen protector, too. Although the Smart Covers offer a lot of protection and extra features, the selection of designs pales in comparison with what Zazzle has.

 Snugg iPad Mini & Mini 2 Case - Smart Cover with Flip Stand & Lifetime Guarantee (Black Leather) for Apple iPad Mini & Mini 2 with RetinaCheck Price

Zazzle also has the Powis Hardcover Cases

These cases were designed to fit either the iPad Mini or the iPad Mini with Retina and are made by Powis Park in Berkeley, California. The case's  rubberized non-slip edge makes it easy to use in landscape view position. Its hard cover is made with premium book cloth, and the designs you choose are printed on recycled hardboard which is laminated on both front and back. When you are using your iPad Mini, the case is free-standing. When you are not using it, the custom design you have selected or chosen will show. You still can choose a glossary or matte finish. 

 Your case from Zazzle can be anything you want it to be. You can even design one with your own photo. For best results it should should measure 5.85" x 8.45" and allow for 1/3" bleed space on the edges. That is what would be outside the safe area in design view when you are customizing. Of course, it's easier to just pick one of the already designed cases below to show your love of your Central Coast beach or area. 

Let's Begin Our iPad Mini Tour of the Central Coast Beaches

 San Simeon and the North Coast Of San Luis Obispo

 San Simeon is famous as the location of Hearst Castle, that spectacular retreat build by William Randolph Hearst for his family and friends.


San Simeon also has a fantastic state beach with a long pier and lots of recreation opportunities. I took the photos for these cases there. Both types are displayed here.

 San Simeon, CA Coastline Cover For The iPad MiniCheck Price Powis iPad Mini Case: Gull on Pier at San SimeonCheck Price Powis iPad Mini Case in Use, Landscape ViewCheck Price

About 14 miles north of San Simeon State Beach is Piedras Blanco, which is well known for it's lighthouse and as a place to watch the elephant seals who return to its beaches to breed each winter. Here are some of the iPad cases with scenes from these beaches along the north coast. If you love rugged beaches or elephant seals, you might consider using them to decorate and protect your iPad.

 Piedras Blancos Coastline, California iPad Mini Covers Playful Baby Elephant Seals Ipad Mini Case Case for iPad Mini: Elephant seals at Sunset iPad Mini Cases

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In middle scene in first row above, the elephant seals are off in the distance and the emphasis is on the shore. Way in the background you can see the Piedras Blancos lighthouse. I could not get very close to it on the day I was there because it is only accessible to the public on interpretative tours at scheduled times. I hope to go back and take the tour sometime. If you look carefully, you can also see the lighthouse way back in the distance in the last scene above. This was taken earlier in the day than the other picture.

 As you can see, this can be a romantic place. I actually took the middle picture above on the evening of Valentine's Day, which I was celebrating here with my husband. This couple is enjoying the sunset together, perhaps after they've spent some time observing the elephant seals which are barely visible in the darkness behind them. This might be a great gift for one lover to give another. It also might work as an engagement present.

 Farther south are the beaches on the Cambria coast. Cambria is wonderful walking beach for those who like a bit of rugged coastline with rocks to climb and tide pools. You'll find seaweed and driftwood on the beach, and maybe some shells and interesting small stones. Here are some iPad Mini cases with scenes of the Cambria Coast and Moonstone Beach, one of our favorite getaways.

 Rocky Cambria, California, Coastline at Sunset Cover For The iPad Mini
 Surfer At Moonstone Beach in Cambria iPad Mini Climbing the Rocks on a Cambria Beach Cover For The iPad Mini

 South San Luis Obispo County Coast: Cayucos

The first beach town south of the North Coast is Cayucos. It's a small town and I've only been to the beach there once, but I explored it for several hours in the late afternoon. The waves there make it popular with surfers.

 I loved all the interesting seaweed that came ashore. You can see Cayucos for yourself and enjoy all the sights and sounds in my photo / video tour of it I put together during the day I spent there. See the waves come in and watch the children play on the beach and the sea gulls explore the beach near them. Walk the pier with us, too.

These are some of the iPad Mini cases that capture the flavor of Cayucos. 

 iPad Mini Case: Seagull Waiting for Wave, Cayucos
 iPad Mini Case: Seaweed on the Sand in Cayucos iPad Mini Case: Cayucos Pier in California

South County Beach Cities: Morro Bay

Each part of the coastline has is own unique character. Morro Bay is easy to recognize by its identifying landmarks -- Morro Rock and the smokestacks from a now inactive power plant. Its Embarcadero is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. You will also see the fishing boats docked and moving around in the bay. Here are some iPad Mini scenes from Morro Bay.

 Morro Bay Fishing Boats and Smokestacks Case For The iPad Mini
Each part of the coastline has is own unique character. Morro Bay is easy to recognize by its identifying landmarks -- Morro Rock and the smokestacks from a now inactive power plant. Its Embarcadero is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. You will also see the fishing boats docked and moving around in the bay. Here are some iPad Mini scenes from Morro Bay.

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 iPad Mini Case: Morro Rock at Morro Bay, CA Case For The iPad Mini
 iPad Mini Case: Morro Bay Boats and Embarcadero iPad Mini Case
 Morro Rock at Morro Bay, CA iPad Mini Covers
 Cute California Sea Otter iPad Mini Case; Wildlife iPad Mini Covers

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Moving South, We Next Reach Avila Beach, Including Port San Luis

At first I reached the smaller, more intimate part of Avila Beach that is loved by students at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Rather than being one big beach, it's a series of smaller coves. There is also an RV campground between the road and the beach, and I believe I also saw some tents there. 

Farther along on San Luis Bay Drive you will find Harford Pier -- a long pier with restaurants and a fish market at the end and an observation deck for looking out at the ocean below. The sea gulls are everywhere to entertain you, and occasionally you will even get to see a seal fishing or begging. You will also see people boating, fishing, and kayaking in the bay. It's a great place for nature photography. Here are some of the iPad skins I designed from my Avila Beach photos.

 iPad Mini Case: Gull Flies Over Avila Beach Pier
 iPad Mini Case: Boats in Port San Luis, Avila iPad Mini Case: Overview Harford Pier Avila Beach

Pismo Beach

 Here are the iPad mini cases designed from the photos I took at Pismo Beach. This was my first visit to Pismo Beach, and I wasn't able to spend as much time there on this visit as I wanted to. First we parked where there was beach access at the end of a residential block. I took a very long stairway down to the beach. There were cliffs filled with colorful ice plant as I walked down, and I took a few pictures from that part of the beach.

 We moved on to a parking lot where there appeared to also be RV parking. I strolled along the boardwalk parallel to the beach as far as the pier. Since I've not been able to get to Pismo Beach during the migration of the Monarch butterflies, I have used a case designed by someone else who did get there.

 Pier at Pismo Beach, California iPad Mini Case
 iPad Mini Case: Typical Coastal Scene, Pismo Beach Migrating monarch butterflies cling to leaves iPad mini case

I hope you've enjoyed our trip down the San Luis Obispo County coast as we stopped at each beach. I hope that you also found just the right iPad Mini Case to help you stay close to your favorite beach as you work. Please share this post if you think someone else might be interested these Central Coast photo iPad Mini Cases.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Mid-Atlantic Beaches

It is July and we are in the height of the summer vacation season. Summer travel on the east coast typically means that folks are heading to the beaches. If you look for information on the “best” beaches in the mid-Atlantic, the lists will vary somewhat. But some of the same beaches pop up on every list.

• New York – Rockaway Beach, Main Beach, and of course, Coney Island.
• New Jersey – Cape May, Wildwood Beach, and Stone Harbor
• Delaware – Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach
• Maryland – Ocean City, Assateague Island, and Sandy Point
• Virginia –Chincoteague Island
• North Carolina –  the many beaches on the Outer Banks

Some of these beaches are quiet settings with the main attraction being the sand and waves while other beaches are more festive experiences complete with boardwalks, carnival rides, and food stands every few steps.

Beaches are wonderful places for family vacations.  Katiecolette, on Squidoo, gives us great suggestions for activities with children while visiting the Outer Banks area. In addition to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, she gives us a list of at least 10 other things to do or see with your children as well as things to bring and places to stay.

LensbyLisa takes us with her and her family to the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey.  I have never had a Polish Water Ice while on a boardwalk, but I want one now.

Last but not at all least, Angelatvs enchants us with the tale of horseshoe crab number 270130.  We learn both of his story and of crab life in general. Thank you Angelatvs for sharing this with us.

If you are looking for a beach vacation, turn your eyes east and see what we have to offer in the mid-Atlantic.

Image Credit: Images are mine ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved 

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Experience the Mid-Atlantic Region a Few Steps at a Time.

Driving through the mid-Atlantic, you can get a bit of a feel for the beauty of the area.  This is especially true if you stray from the Interstate 95 corridor.  However, I don’t think a person can know what an area is like without pulling over and getting out of the car.

For example, I can say I’ve been to St. Louis, Missouri.  I’ve seen the arch.  But I drove through, looking out of the windows at 65 miles an hour.  Even though the kids (they were young then) put Nelly’s CD in the player all of the way through Missouri, and we watched from the windows pointing out different things to each other, I didn’t leave the state knowing the area.

A rugged portion of a Baltimore County, MD trail.

Getting outdoors in an area is the best way to know an area more intimately. I think hiking is the best way to do this.  Understand that I use the word “hike” loosely.  I say I hike.  But what I do is walk along paths for a short period of time.  I participate in what are called day hikes.  All through the mid-Atlantic there are great places to take day hikes.  There are great places to take even shorter walks.  Best of all, the Appalachian Trail runs through part of the mid-Atlantic region.  That means the best of the best hikers do section or thru-hikes here. In terms of trails, there is something for every level of hiker (walker) here.

A lush portion of the same trail.

Whatever type of hiker you are, I encourage you to get out there and see the land. It is possible to hike here in all four seasons, in a variety of terrains, and I love them all. 

MysticTurtle shares her thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT). While thru-hiking the AT is a very serious adventure, there are many places to jump on the trail and do a short hike.  Beginning hikers, like myself, can still enjoy sections of the AT trail.

Hiking more difficult terrain in western Maryland.

In 2012, Clare Lochary wrote an article for the Baltimore Sun, listing the 10 best Mid-Atlantic hikes for fall foliage viewing.  I’ve been to many of the places on Ms. Lochary's list and the rest are on my too-see list.  I agree with her list and think she’s chosen some really great places for day hikes, no matter the time of year.  Be advised, if you use her list, do some research because some of the entry fees may have increased. But the information in the list itself is very helpful.

I hope you find a way to get out and really experience an area, whether it’s the mid-Atlantic region or your own. The following photographs are from a few of my experiences in this area.

Walking the islands and beaches in the mid-Atlantic.

Hike the tidal rivers in Maryland.

Sidling Hill, Maryland in the wintertime.

Tidal marsh areas.

Michaux State Forest, PA

Near the Western Maryland/Pennsylvania state line.

Image Credit: Images are mine ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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