Central California

Exploring California’s Empty Central Coast

Driving the Cabrillo Highway toward Ragged Point, California with nothing but mountains and green hillsides. Max Hartshorne photos.

Central California’s coastline is remarkably empty, it’s preserved grazing land with mountains, beach. Hearst Castle and more in San Simeon CA.

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GoNOMAD Travel Podcast

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Host: Max Hartshorne, Editor of GoNOMAD Travel Episode: KÖKAR Island, Åland Archipelago, Finland Guest Insight: Natalie Björk of Brudhäll Hotel

Episode Summary

In this episode, Max travels to Kökar, a tiny island in Finland’s autonomous Åland archipelago, where silence feels alive, and the Nordic light seems to glow from within. With only about 225 residents, Kökar is a place shaped by the sea, ancient history, and a deep sense of community.

Max shares stories from the island’s Bronze Age seal‑hunting camp, the eccentric baron who built a Mediterranean garden on a Baltic rock, and the bird migrations that funnel across the island in spectacular numbers. He also talks with Natalie Björk, who runs Brudhäll Hotel, about why visitors need at least three days to truly feel Kökar settle into their bones.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

Kökar’s ancient past and the 3,000‑year‑old seal‑hunting site at Otterböte
Why the island’s light is legendary among artists and photographers
How the community once pooled money to buy a shared fishing boat
A visit to KällskärKYELL‑sher and its 9,000‑year‑old glacial stone sculpture
The story of the Swedish baron who built a cliffside world of gardens and art
Hiking the Kalen Trail, with forests rare this far north
Exploring HamnöHAM‑nuh, its monastery ruins, and kayaking in crystal‑clear water
Why Kökar is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 200 species
Local flavors: svartbröd, Koppskärs dricka, and Ålandspannkaka
The magic of midsummer, when the sun barely sets

If You Go

Stay:
Brudhäll Hotel with sea‑view rooms and an outdoor jacuzzi overlooking the Baltic
Sandvik Marina & Camping for cabins, tent sites, saunas, and kayak rentals
Getting There:
Ferries from mainland Åland or from Galtby on the Finnish side, both about 2.5 hours
Stay on deck with a coffee. The birdwatching from the ferry is unforgettable.
Best Time to Visit:
Late June through early August for long days, warm cliffs, wildflowers, and midsummer celebrations

Why This Episode Matters

Kökar is not a place you rush through. It is a place that slows you down, opens your senses, and reminds you what it feels like to be fully present. The silence is not empty. The light is not ordinary. And the space feels endless.

This episode of the GoNOMAD Travel Podcast was hosted by Max Hartshorne and produced in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Special thanks to Natalie Björk of Brudhäll Hotel for sharing her insight into life on Kökar. Learn more about Kökar Island at: https://www.kokar.ax

Explore the Åland Islands at: https://www.visitaland.com Read more travel stories on GoNOMAD: https://www.gonomad.com

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