Monterey to San Diego with Disney...itinerary help

[texasgingerbread]

Have you considered rolling the whale watching into your time in Monterey?

I'm pretty sure I don't have time with driving to Monterey that morning and the aquarium and exploring. Thoughts?

 

[serenitygr]

Following along as well! Thinking this might be helpful for us- we are flying into San Diego early October, and spending 2 weeks. Our plans at this point are San Diego Zoo.... whale watching Dana's point..... LEGOLAND...... then 5 days at Disney..... then heading north up the coast to San Francisco our last 6 days. We want to go to Alcatraz Island at the end of journey, and we'll be flying out of San Francisco. That whole last week is pretty much up in the air for us- I know nothing about what's along that drive, or which route we should take. We have 2 fourteen year old boys, and an eleven year old girl and boy. Would love to see the big trees Other than that, I'm so open for suggestions! Sounds like our trip is kind of reversed from yours, but I think I'm already getting ideas reading your itinerary! Thank you!

 

[texasgingerbread]

Following along as well! Thinking this might be helpful for us- we are flying into San Diego early October, and spending 2 weeks. Our plans at this point are San Diego Zoo.... whale watching Dana's point..... LEGOLAND...... then 5 days at Disney..... then heading north up the coast to San Francisco our last 6 days. We want to go to Alcatraz Island at the end of journey, and we'll be flying out of San Francisco. That whole last week is pretty much up in the air for us- I know nothing about what's along that drive, or which route we should take. We have 2 fourteen year old boys, and an eleven year old girl and boy. Would love to see the big trees Other than that, I'm so open for suggestions! Sounds like our trip is kind of reversed from yours, but I think I'm already getting ideas reading your itinerary! Thank you!

I'll report back here after our trip. I've tweaked so much since my initial post. I'll keep you posted though and post my updated schedule.

 

[verygfy]

Following along. We are going from SF to Disneyland this summer and would love to hear how your drive on the PCH goes with the kids. Our DD will be 10 and worried about whether or not she will really enjoy the drive.

 

[Huff]

In Monterrey after the aquarium head to Fishermans Wharf for dinner. Fun shops and great restaurants. We love Dominico's.
While in Pismo, at Port San Luis (near Avila Beach) have breakfast at Fat Cats. Incredible breakfasts, especially the benedicts. Great views.
If you have the time visit Farrel's Ice Cream Parlor in Brea, about 10 miles from Disneyland. An old fashioned blast from the past style parlor.

 

[texasgingerbread]

Updated portion of trip from Monterey to Pismo Beach:

1. Point Lobos (2.5 hours, arriving at 8:30am)
- buy this pass at gate or online and show stub at next park …seemonterey.com/1175_attraction-tickets_a10…
- Cypress Grove Trail .8 mile

2. Bixby Bridge (10 min)
- photo op
- pullout before the bridge - note this is the second bridge when going south the first one is an arch bridge too but that's not it

3. Pfeiffer State Beach (1.5 hour)
- $5 parking (beach not State Park so stub won't work)
- Look for the first right turn past Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. You’ll see a yellow ‘No RVs’ road sign on the right-hand side, next to a row of mailboxes. Turn right here onto a narrow, one-lane road. Almost immediately, you’ll see a sign that reads, ‘Pfeiffer Beach, 2 miles’. Continue two miles (you may have to stop occassionally to allow opposite traffic through) to a national forest booth, where you’ll pay a $5 per car fee. Parking is adjacent.

4. Nepenthe (1.5 hour - or pack lunch if want to dine overlooking the water)
- Browse Phoenix shop if time

5. McWay Falls @ Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (30 min)
- use parking pass from Point Lobos good for this park too
- 8 miles south of Nepenthe
- .6 of a mile trail

6. Ragged Point (15 min)
- photo op

7. Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (15 min)
- read rules: children not allowed on sand

8. Brown Butter Cookie Co. (20 min)
- try the Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies

9. Morro Rock (10 min)
- photo op

10. Bubblegum Alley in SLO photo op if light

11. Final destination - hotel in Pismo Best Western Plus Shorecliff Lodge and dinner at Splash Cafe (clam chowder)

 

[My3Princez]

Updated portion of trip from Monterey to Pismo Beach:

1. Point Lobos (2.5 hours, arriving at 8:30am)
- buy this pass at gate or online and show stub at next park …seemonterey.com/1175_attraction-tickets_a10…
- Cypress Grove Trail .8 mile

2. Bixby Bridge (10 min)
- photo op
- pullout before the bridge - note this is the second bridge when going south the first one is an arch bridge too but that's not it

3. Pfeiffer State Beach (1.5 hour)
- $5 parking (beach not State Park so stub won't work)
- Look for the first right turn past Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. You’ll see a yellow ‘No RVs’ road sign on the right-hand side, next to a row of mailboxes. Turn right here onto a narrow, one-lane road. Almost immediately, you’ll see a sign that reads, ‘Pfeiffer Beach, 2 miles’. Continue two miles (you may have to stop occassionally to allow opposite traffic through) to a national forest booth, where you’ll pay a $5 per car fee. Parking is adjacent.

4. Nepenthe (1.5 hour - or pack lunch if want to dine overlooking the water)
- Browse Phoenix shop if time

5. McWay Falls @ Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (30 min)
- use parking pass from Point Lobos good for this park too
- 8 miles south of Nepenthe
- .6 of a mile trail

6. Ragged Point (15 min)
- photo op

7. Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (15 min)
- read rules: children not allowed on sand

8. Brown Butter Cookie Co. (20 min)
- try the Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies

9. Morro Rock (10 min)
- photo op

10. Bubblegum Alley in SLO photo op if light

11. Final destination - hotel in Pismo Best Western Plus Shorecliff Lodge and dinner at Splash Cafe (clam chowder)

Sounds great! I've copied and pasted it into my trip-plan-idea document!

 

[nickcapp]

Thanks for planning my Trip! in all seriousness...this itinerary looks great and I plan on using this as an outline for my trip in august!

 

[endy]

One thing to keep in mind with the times suggested above, you may find it rushed. The Bixby Bridge it may take you a few minutes to park and walk to photo place, then a better photo op. At the elephant seals we (both in our 50's) likely spent a half hour watching them and reading all the info, at certain times there is a docent sp? There for more info.
At Morro Rock you can drive drive right to the base, there's a nice waterfront worth checking out. We stayed overnight here and it's one of my favorite spots. Really nice beaches to the north.
Brown Butter Cookies, how did I not find a good cookie place? Now I have to go back.

There are lots of pull outs where you may want to stop for pictures.

Make sure you have a full tank . We weren't sure how much fuel our rental used and had to put in a couple bucks worth somewhere north of San Simeon at more than $2 gallon than it was in Carmel. Ouch.

 

[texasgingerbread]

Whale watching co out of Newport...any recommendations?

 

[texasgingerbread]

We're back! Here's how it went.

Monterey:
We went to the aquarium. We were here about 10-3 and sat down for lunch inside the aquarium. Don't get the grilled chicken sandwich (hubby and I both got it and both of ours were tough). Kids got a burger and pizza. Both decent. After you visit the aquarium, walk outside and walk along the coastline called "Monterey Bay Coastal Trail" away from Fisherman's Wharf. Along this trail (or rent bikes if you prefer) it is so gorgeous! There are guides out with binoculars to let you view the seals out on the rocks and they'll tell you about the area. There is an entire beach of seals to see as well. We climbed down to the beach further down by Lovers Point and got some great pictures. I would not miss this walk! We ended up eating at Ghiradelli and Sea Harvest Fish & Market (just average). We stayed at the Intercontinental The Clement and it was really a gorgeous hotel with top notch staff. I would definitely stay here again. And in a prime location.

Drive from Monterey to Pismo Beach:
Knowing what I know now I would spend all my time at Point Lobos and Pfeiffer State Beach.

1. Point Lobos
- Bought $10 parking and used the rest of the day at other state parks
- Arrived at 9am - plenty of parking at this time although some were already parked outside the park on the street (don't know why?)
- Spent 2.5 hours here.
- Cypress Grove Trail .8 mile - GORGEOUS! The guide has binoculars if you want to borrow them on your walk. He told us to go counterclockwise when it splits and we did - for better vantage points. After we were done here, we saw people across the way out on the cliff so we walked over to the other trail which was super short. Guides are on the point/cliff with binoculars and telescopes and will point out seals on rocks, etc. This second trail is paved without steps and could be used with a stroller or wheelchair.

2. Bixby Bridge (10 min)
- photo op
- pullout before the bridge - note this is the second bridge when going south the first one is an arch bridge too but that's not it
- this is SUPER STEEP watch your kids! It made me nervous.

3. Pfeiffer State Beach
- $10 parking (beach not State Park so stub won't work) - note originally thought it was $5!! Cash only.
- Spent 2 hours here. The kids will want their swimsuits here. **MY FAVORITE STOP** on the way. Purple sand! Gorgeous hole in the rock. Fun places for kids to play. We had a picnic here and had brought a blanket from home that zips into a bag so the underside kept it dry.
- Look for the first right turn past Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. You’ll see a yellow ‘No RVs’ road sign on the right-hand side, next to a row of mailboxes. Turn right here onto a narrow, one-lane road. THIS IS VERY EASY TO MISS. Look immediately for the mailboxes on the right and then barely pass them. It's a super sharp right turn down a road that doesn't really look like it's going anywhere at the NO RV's Yellow sign/ Almost immediately, you’ll see a sign that reads, ‘Pfeiffer Beach, 2 miles’. Continue two miles (you may have to stop occasionally to allow opposite traffic through) to a national forest booth, where you’ll pay a $10 per car fee. Parking is adjacent. Very little parking. When we left around 2:30 the lot was full and they weren't letting cars into the 2 mile road.

We skipped Nepenthe due to picnic and time.

5. McWay Falls @ Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- use parking pass from Point Lobos good for this park too
- 8 miles south of Nepenthe
- .6 of a mile trail - this was really a 10 minute roundtrip walk - once parked it's the trail that goes DOWN not up.
- You could do this stop in 10 minutes or 15 with potty break.

6. Ragged Point (20 min)
- photo op
- beautiful sculpture as you walk down the hill on the right with a circle.
- snacks available here at quick bar or inside store. also a restaurant. we actually bought some microwave popcorn and popped it in the general store. we spent about 20 min here.

7. Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (10 min)
- Lots of info and great viewing. Much larger seals than Monterey so fun to see the difference.

8. Brown Butter Cookie Co. (10 min)
- try the Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies
- we tried the samples and didn't care for the sugar cookies so we ended up buying their regular cookies and they were good. i personally would not stop here again. the sun was setting by the time we made it here.

9. Morro Rock - it was dark - we saw it from the pier eating our cookies.

10. Bubblegum Alley in SLO photo op if light
- didn't need to be light. it's lit up at night and tons of people are there experiencing it. super fun for the boys. tons of restaurants around.

11. Final destination - hotel in Pismo Best Western Plus Shorecliff Lodge
- we grabbed dinner at Chipotle in SLO. No splash cafe. They were tired and ready to be at the hotel. The hotel itself has BEAUTIFUL views but the room was not for me. The boys took a swim in the morning and we set off for Santa Barbara.

Pismo to Anaheim:

We stopped in Santa Barbara and ended up walking out to the pier and grabbing some seafood for me and then walked back to the Lucky Penny (recommended from the Visitors Center) and got pizza for the boys. I highly recommend this restaurant!!! So fabulous and only 2 blocks from the main pier. I would go back here in a heartbeat. And the facade had 164,346 pennies.

More later...gotta run!