Sorry-off topic- but really need advice on where to stay near Big Sur please?

[kazzie]

Hi,

I would really appreciate any advice form anybody who knows the area well.A US DISer who posted on the UK forum has given me lots of advice on Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon etc,but I don't like to keep harrassing them with my lack of knowledge!

I did try to plan this trip last year for this year but gave up as I found it all so daunting.I am trying not to get overwealmed this time!

I am planning a trip to California for August next year.We are flying in to San Fancisco staying four nights then driving down the coast as we really want to see Big Sur,staying around that area for two nights.Is it a long drive?
While staying there we want to go to Hearst castle,maybe see Monterey and/or Carmel.I am also confused,is The Big sur the same as The seventeen mile drive?

I have booked two nights in Big Sur Lodge.What I wanted to ask is,is this a good base for exploring the area? Or is there somewhere else thats really nice to stay,either another hotel/lodge or another place altogether.Is there anything else we should visit or see in those two days before we drive to Yosemite ?

Look forward to hearing from you

 

[Snow Brite]

I used to live in Monterey and worked at a hotel there, so know the area well. The Big Sur Lodge is a lower end spot, but still quite nice if you are looking for mostly just a place to crash. Big Sur however, is not a good base for doing what you are talking about. I would reccomend that you plan one night in Monterey and then one in San Simeon.

It will take about 3 hours to drive from San Fransisco to Monterey with a couple of stops along the way. Gilroy is a great place to stop for shopping as they have a HUGE outlet mall there. That would put you into Montery around lunch time. You will not wat to miss the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, so maybe that would be what you could do that afternoon. In Monterey there are a Marriott, Doubletree, Monterey Plaza and Spindrift all with in walking distance of downtown, the wharf and Cannery Row. There are also tons of less expensive "quaint" spots as well. The next day I would think you would enjoy visiting some of the other spots on the Monterey Peninsula. Pacific Grove has the most darling teeny tiny little Victorian houses, Montery is all Mexican stucco and Carmel looks like something Disney would create with storybook houses. Carmel also has the Basilica (oe of the many missions founded by Father Junipero Serra) and is actually where he is buried. Cool history excursion! Carmel Beach is one of the prettiest I have ever seen with white sand. Point Lobos is gorgeous and is where Robert Louis Stevenson is said to have based Treasure Island (even though its not and island). This is a good place to take a picnic and go for a gentle hike. 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach is overrated if you ask me. You can see much of the same ocean views and some spectacular multi-million dollar houses by following the road one block up and to the right of Carmel Beach and save quite a few bucks! Carmel Valley is gorgeous and there are many winery tours if you didn't do that in SF.
The the drive to San Simeon is about 5 hours, although I may be off a bit on this, as its been a while since I did that drive. About 45 minutes south of Carmel is Big Sur. It is quite beautiful, but very small and a bit isolated. There is the famous Nepenthe restaurant that you will want to have lunch or dinner at.. Its high up on a cliff and sticks out over the ocean. Incredible and not too expensive. There are some pretty beaches here as well, including Julia Pfieffer Beach State Park which has the only waterfall to go into the ocean on the West Coast.
The rest of the drive to San Simeon is pretty rugged coastline with the highway hugging the cliffs and one or two VERY small towns.

Have fun! I think it is time for me to go back and visit! I miss it after writing all this!

Jennifer

 

[kazzie]

Jennifer,

That was a great help thanks so much It is very difficult when you are trying to plan a trip like this from a guide book

You said the drive to San Simeon is 5 hours,would that be from San francisco or just form Monterey? If thats just from Monterey I have underestimated the driving distances!

What I am confused about is where exactly IS the Big Sur?!

Thanks again

 

[honeymom]

When my husband and I used to live in Southern California, we used to regularly drive up the coast to visit family. It would take us 9 hours total to go between LA and SF (not including stops and overnights).

Big Sur is about 1/2 to 1 hour from Monterey. I don't think that the Hearst Castle was any more than 2 hours from Big Sur, if that.

We used to like to stay in Pacific Grove - beautiful bed and breakfasts and next to Monterey. Any of the places in the Monterey area are convenient - Carmel, Monterey or Big Sur. There are lots of inexpensive to extremely pricey hotels in all of the areas.

I never stayed in Big Sur itself. I always wanted to stay at Deetjens which was a funky b&B. It is hard to give you advice on where to stay without knowing your preferences. If you are looking for a more natural experience - i.e. hiking and being outdoors, you will probably want to stay in Big Sur. If you want to do more sightseeing and shopping, I would opt for the Monterey area.

I never went to Hearst Castle, but we used to like to stay another night in Cambria which is very close by. As there are many motels in the Cambria area, it also has a number of very reasonable choices.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I don't know if you have been to the Grand Canyon yet, but we went in July and stayed at the Best Western Squires Inn. We had an "oversized" room and it was one of the nicest rooms we have ever stayed in.

 

[Claire L]

Have just booked our trip starting in San Francisco for 5 nights, then Carmel for 3 nights, travelling down to Pismo Beach for 2 nights, the onto Santa Barbara fo a further 2 nights and finally to LA and Newport Beach for 9 nights. Hopefully this will be a nice relaxing way to see all the sights from SF to LA. Any comments on fun, interesting or unusual things to do would be appreciated.

Kazzie,
Good luck with your planning.

Claire

 

[llachance]

I think Hearst Castle is fun. 17 Mile Drive is beautiful. Monterrey has a very nice aquarium. Solvang is a nice touristy town (Scandinavianish), I never go to LA without going to the Farmers Market and having a chocolate donut, at the moment I can't remember the name of the restaurant but someone will - it is the PINK restaurant and hotel. All the dishes are pink and all the rooms are different and the men's bathroom is something for everyone to see. (Between SF and Santa Barbara) In San Francisco I think Marina Green is one of the prettiest areas in town. If you are in to walking the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge are about 6 miles apart and you see Fisherman's Wharf, the Embarcadaro and points in between. Angel Island is also nice for hiking (it was the West Coast Ellis Island). Beautiful mission in Santa Barbara, there is outlet shopping in Gilroy but I think you can get just as good deals in any department store if you look. If Bonfante Gardens, in Gilroy, is open when you drive through you could spend a couple of hours there.....have fun!

 

[kazzie]

Many thanks to you all,this all being printed off for me to keep

Claire,when are you going?

 

[Claire L]

Kazzie,
It's all confirmed now!! We fly out on June 14th to San Francisco and return from LA on July 5th. I will be happy to answer any questions upon my return or now even if I can, as I have been to California twice before and travelled from San Francisco to LA in two days!! This time it will be much more leisurely!!!!!!!!!
Claire

 

[honeymom]

Sounds like a nice trip. We were just in LA as part of our trip and were happy to see that a lot of our favorite restaurants are still around. I will make two recommendations to you.

1) Rose Cafe in Venice for breakfast. Walk past the food counter to the sitdown portion and ask to sit outside. The food is so delicious.

2) Gladstone's of Malibu. I think it's technically located in Pacific Palisades, but who cares. It's right on the beach with wonderful views. Try to get an ocean view. Huge choice of seafood. It attracts tourists because of its location, but it is worth it. Try to go early evening on a non-weekend night, because it does get crowded. When you're done eating, you can walk along the beach. It gets cool at night, so you will probably need a sweatshirt or jacket.