It's a California Adventure! (with added Las Vegas) Day 7

[Lizzybear]

Pre-trip (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=25870384)
Day 1 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1979081)
Day 2 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1979156)
Day 3 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1981701)
Day 4 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1981755)
Day 5 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1981868)
Day 6 (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1983813)

23rd September 2008

Up 'fairly' (hmm!) early again and had breakfast at the hotel. Super 8 include a pretty good free one considering they're a budget motel: Muffins (English!), cereal, danishes, coffee and orange juice. Fed and watered, we set off for Pebble Beach. We soon reached the tollbooth, paid our $9.25 and began the 17 Mile Drive: It's a really lovely (with lovely house prices to match!) place though we did feel rather 'youthful' compared to most of the other vistors!

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First stop

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Apparently a round of golf on this course is about $500!

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Spot the seal!

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...and again

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The Lone Cypress

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[Lizzybear]

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We finished the drive at about 11am and exited at Carmel which looked interesting but we couldn't find a parking space anywhere so looking would have to suffice. We continued the drive down Highway 1 at a leisurely speed, stopping more than a few times along the way for photos and just to admire the gorgeous views.

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Bixby Bridge with Lizzy

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...and without!

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Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. We didn't visit but what a fab location!

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I think there must have been some sort of race on as there were loads of cyclists around, quite scary sharing the road with them on the windier and narrower sections! Overall, though, I found the drive quite easy and very enjoyable. I've driven on some pretty hairy roads here in the UK and it in my opinion it was no more difficult than somewhere like Snake Pass. We kept our eyes peeled for any signs that might tell us where the Elephant Seal Rookery was but didn't see any, nor did we have an address (the location details I found online were rather ambiguous!) so unfortunately we missed out. This is probably the thing I regret not being able to see/do the most out of the whole holiday and I really hope we're able to visit the area again at some point. We stopped in Cambria for a croissant and lovely homemade smoothie each and Steve bought a funny journal type thing from a little shop there. It was a cute little town which I had considered staying in but ended up deciding on San Luis Obispo which incidentally was our next stop and final destination for the day. We arrived at 3:30pm and checked in to the Vagabond Inn which was pretty much comparable to the Super 8 but with a slightly bigger room and a rather lovely mountain 'backdrop' Steve wanted to visit the Best Buy over the road so we walked over, crossing 8 lines of traffic in the process which I must admit was a little scary and yes we did get some odd looks despite the pedestrian crossing! Steve had plans to buy a DSLR camera and they had a good offer on a Nikon but none in stock so that particular purchase would have to wait. We decided to also walk to the restaurant (cue more weird looks!) as there were sidewalks and crossings all the way to downtown and it was only 25 minutes, plus it was still warm and after sitting in a car all day we were getting antsy to stretch our legs for more than just a quick in and out of the car! We soon arrived at the restaurant, Big Sky Cafe (http://www.bigskycafe.com/index2.html), and ordered sweet potato fries to share (we're addicted!!) Steve had black bean chilli and I had fried chicken salad with sweetcorn salsa and pecans. All the food was delicious and tasted really fresh (there were boards up stating which items were locally sourced aswell which is always good to know) and the bill was a great value $28. I imagine this place would be somewhere we would frequent regularly if we lived nearby! After dinner we walked back to the hotel, taking pictures along the way.

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An avocado actually DID fall when we walked past, no lie!

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This is a vet surgery!

We really enjoyed our fleeting visit to San Luis Obispo. It's the home of 'Cal Poly' university and it had a fun and quirky vibe without seeming too rowdy like uni towns/cities can be, I bet it'd be fun to be a student there.

[natalielongstaff]

you are so lucky, id love to go to Carmel :)

[mark&sue]

great photos

susan

[SusanEllen]

Glad to see another of your fun-to-read reports, Lizzy. Once again your energy and enthusiasm shine through.

Sorry you missed the elephant seals, but as you said, a reason to make a return visit some day. I vote that next time you stop over in Cambria. Your instincts were right about that charming little town. We stayed a couple of nights in a bed and breakfast there on our drive down the PCH in 2000. Also add to your Next Time We're There list San Simeon, the William Randolph Heart castle that's just up the hill from Cambria. I know you come from a land of castles--old, authentic ones--so you might think there's no point in giving over a day or two to looking at a place that was built in the 20th Century, but let me tell you , Lizzy, it is unique. In addition to the architecture and the furnishings to be seen, the stories told about the shenanigans that Hearst and his Hollywood friends got up to in that place are by themselves worth the price of admission. (Better yet, read about Hearst and his castle, because your guide will almsot certainly leave out the juiciest bits--the murders and the sex scandals)

I'm eagerly awaiting your next episode. Susan

[florida sun]

Another brilliant day and lovely photos:goodvibes

[Minniespal]

Another great day with lovely photos.

[cap'njack.]

Some breathtaking scenery there!