Monterey June '08 HELP!!!!

[lovevacations]

Everything is falling into place with my "not so grand" CA trip. It grew to 17 nights from San Diego to San Fran. It has now be shortened to 12 or 13 nights and we start in San Fran and end in Anahiem/LA area. I'm hoping Wicked is still running!! Anyway, my point.

I have booked Hilton's (free w/points) in Oakland (near airport), San Fran, Santa Monica, and Universal City. I got my first choice at all locations EXCEPT Monterey. I wanted the Garden Inn in Monterey but it was unavailable for points. I currently have the Embassy in Seaside. We will go to the aquarium the afternoon we arrive (Friday). Since we aren't doing any coastal driving due to my dd's carsickness, we will shell out the money and take the 17 mile drive. I'm hoping to walk around Monterey on Friday evening. Saturday I'd like to find a family friendly, safe, coastal hike somewhere in the 17 mile drive area. Any tips? Is Seaside okay? Oh, and here is the biggie, but it is unavoidable, we can't change the dates- I believe it will be the Monterey Wine festival. We will be there Friday, June 6-8. Hotel rates seemed so high, I checked this year's calendar of events and it was the same weekend. Is this a big deal?? I would also like to have the kids play at the beach for awhile before we hit the road and drive to Santa Monica. Where?
We were going to go to Pismo area, but then we would be driving to Anaheim from Pismo on a Monday and it seemed long and lots of possible traffic jams. We will now go to Anaheim on Monday from Santa Monica, most likely leaving SM about noon. No way to know if that is better, but shorter at least. Thanks for reading this all!!!

 

[konagal]

Everything is falling into place with my "not so grand" CA trip. It grew to 17 nights from San Diego to San Fran. It has now be shortened to 12 or 13 nights and we start in San Fran and end in Anahiem/LA area. I'm hoping Wicked is still running!! Anyway, my point.

I have booked Hilton's (free w/points) in Oakland (near airport), San Fran, Santa Monica, and Universal City. I got my first choice at all locations EXCEPT Monterey. I wanted the Garden Inn in Monterey but it was unavailable for points. I currently have the Embassy in Seaside. We will go to the aquarium the afternoon we arrive (Friday). Since we aren't doing any coastal driving due to my dd's carsickness, we will shell out the money and take the 17 mile drive. I'm hoping to walk around Monterey on Friday evening. Saturday I'd like to find a family friendly, safe, coastal hike somewhere in the 17 mile drive area. Any tips? Is Seaside okay? Oh, and here is the biggie, but it is unavoidable, we can't change the dates- I believe it will be the Monterey Wine festival. We will be there Friday, June 6-8. Hotel rates seemed so high, I checked this year's calendar of events and it was the same weekend. Is this a big deal?? I would also like to have the kids play at the beach for awhile before we hit the road and drive to Santa Monica. Where?
We were going to go to Pismo area, but then we would be driving to Anaheim from Pismo on a Monday and it seemed long and lots of possible traffic jams. We will now go to Anaheim on Monday from Santa Monica, most likely leaving SM about noon. No way to know if that is better, but shorter at least. Thanks for reading this all!!!

THe embassay suites is very nice. There is a nice breakfast buffett. Point Lobos State Park on CA 1 south of Carmel is the nicest place to hike. Entance fee about $9.00 but worth it. Absolutely amazing. Monterey will be crowed on any summer weekend. Good thing you have your room. There is a family beach in Monterey next to the warf.

LA traffic is bad, no matter when you go.The traffic lets up one mile before the Harbour Blvd exit. At least you know You are there. From Santa Monica after 10 AM Anaheim is about an hour. Pismo to Anaheim is about 4 hours depending on traffic. Have fun!

 

[mrypg]

Welcome to Carmel.Monterey.... We live here so ask away and i will try to answer all your ? Im born and raised here!!!!

Go to the aquarium, Carmel beach,point lobos, big sur, Do the downtown historic walk in Monterey.

Try to stay on cannery row there are some inexpensive hotels!!!!


Embassy is fine but not really great to walk around nothing there!!!!

Stay in downtown Monterey or Cannery row or Carmel then you can walk around and see much more embassy just a place to rest your head you will need a car to go every where!!!! I personally would pass!!!

You and your family will have a great time here!!!!!

 

[MOMTOCUTESTDOGEVER]

Welcome to Carmel.Monterey.... We live here so ask away and i will try to answer all your ? Im born and raised here!!!!

Go to the aquarium, Carmel beach,point lobos, big sur, Do the downtown historic walk in Monterey.

Try to stay on cannery row there are some inexpensive hotels!!!!


Embassy is fine but not really great to walk around nothing there!!!!

Stay in downtown Monterey or Cannery row or Carmel then you can walk around and see much more embassy just a place to rest your head you will need a car to go every where!!!! I personally would pass!!!

You and your family will have a great time here!!!!!

DH and I visited Monterey in July and I am absolutely jealous of you folks that live there!! I fell in love with your town and if I could afford it, I would move there in a heartbeat. I read online that there is some sort of parade for the holidays where the boats get decked out in lights and make a parade in the harbor. I would love to see that and have seriously thought about visiting next year during this time so I could see that. Can you tell me about it and do you know of any sites that have pictures of it?

OP--DH and I stayed at a place called Hotel Pacific. It was lovely and within walking distance of the aquarium and the pier. I highly recommend it. You must visit the aquarium, too. I am now in love with sea otters--they are just too adorable!

 

[mrypg]

DH and I visited Monterey in July and I am absolutely jealous of you folks that live there!! I fell in love with your town and if I could afford it, I would move there in a heartbeat. I read online that there is some sort of parade for the holidays where the boats get decked out in lights and make a parade in the harbor. I would love to see that and have seriously thought about visiting next year during this time so I could see that. Can you tell me about it and do you know of any sites that have pictures of it?

OP--DH and I stayed at a place called Hotel Pacific. It was lovely and within walking distance of the aquarium and the pier. I highly recommend it. You must visit the aquarium, too. I am now in love with sea otters--they are just too adorable!

Im so glad you LOVED our area!!!! The boat parade is help this year on December 16th Sunday fisherman's warf to PG....

Wait till you see the intercontintial hotel on Cannery row should be finished in Mid 2008, right down on cannary row!!!

You should buy a house now great deal to be had here in town!!!!

 

[RMH]

Saturday I'd like to find a family friendly, safe, coastal hike somewhere in the 17 mile drive area. Any tips?

It isn't exactly in the 17 Mile Drive area, but another option is Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. If you want the ocean, nothing beats hiking at Point Lobos, but if you want to see some amazing trees that you won't see in Texas, the Redwoods are amazing. Henry Cowell is about 3 miles north of Santa Cruz (which is about 40 miles from Monterey). The drive between the two is not bad along Highway 1 and doing it on a Saturday will be much better. That would also let you stop at the Santa Cruz boardwalk and beach which is a ton of fun too.

 

[jonnyboyca]

My family stayed at that Seaside Embassy Suites before and it had pretty nice rooms and the breakfast buffet was VERY good! As previous poster said there really isn't anything around the hotel to walk to.

You should head to Carmel instead of Monterrey and visit Carmel River State Beach which is the 'locals' beach which doesn't have many visitors but is so beautiful! Everyone else is at the crowded beach up the road. This beach is a hidden gem and my brother was actually married there on the beach!

Beach info with photo: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=567

~jon