Central Coast between Santa Barbara and Big Sur
Central Coast
Solvang - a Danish-heritage tourist village
Hearst Castle at San Simeon (stay in Cambria, eat at Linn's )
Madonna Inn (extreme kitsch, stay one night, definitely eat one meal there, Hobees is right down the road also)
Big Sur
Monterey Bay Area
Pt. Lobos State Reserve
Carmel,17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
Monterey - the Monterey Bay Aquarium is wonderful, stay in the wharf area
Capitola Beach has nice shops and restaurants... drive along East Cliff Drive, check out the tidepools, drive by the marina in Santa Cruz, eat breakfast or lunch at Aldo's or a fancier dinner at the Crow's Nest
Santa Cruz Pacific Garden Mall (very interesting shops, rebuilt since major earthquake, college town, quite hip
)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (historic coaster and carousel)
Drive along West Cliff Drive, by the light house, stop and see the seals, drive over to Natural Bridges State Beach
Between Santa Cruz and San Francisco
Rt. 9 and Skyline Drive, through the Santa Cruz Mountains (especially if you decide not to do the 5 hour drive to Yosemite or longer to the Sequoias... stop in Boulder Creek for lunch or dinner at Adelita's, check out the Brookdale Lodge, lots of interesting restaurants on that route)
Big Basin State Park with the 12-mile Skyline to the Sea Hiking Trail (incredible redwoods, waterfalls, leads right to the ocean)
Ano Nuevo State Reserve (especilly if the elephant seals are there)
Fiztgerald Marine Reserve for excellent tidepools
closer to 101
Bonfante Gardens Theme Park
Great America (park with great coasters, if you need your coaster fix )
If you see a Hobee's Restaurant, definitely choose that over other chains. Trust me!
For Burgers, on the go, you want In-N-Out Burgers Drive In
Central Coast
Solvang - a Danish-heritage tourist village
Hearst Castle at San Simeon (stay in Cambria, eat at Linn's )
Madonna Inn (extreme kitsch, stay one night, definitely eat one meal there, Hobees is right down the road also)
Big Sur
Monterey Bay Area
Pt. Lobos State Reserve
Carmel,17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
Monterey - the Monterey Bay Aquarium is wonderful, stay in the wharf area
Capitola Beach has nice shops and restaurants... drive along East Cliff Drive, check out the tidepools, drive by the marina in Santa Cruz, eat breakfast or lunch at Aldo's or a fancier dinner at the Crow's Nest
Santa Cruz Pacific Garden Mall (very interesting shops, rebuilt since major earthquake, college town, quite hip
)Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (historic coaster and carousel)
Drive along West Cliff Drive, by the light house, stop and see the seals, drive over to Natural Bridges State Beach
Between Santa Cruz and San Francisco
Rt. 9 and Skyline Drive, through the Santa Cruz Mountains (especially if you decide not to do the 5 hour drive to Yosemite or longer to the Sequoias... stop in Boulder Creek for lunch or dinner at Adelita's, check out the Brookdale Lodge, lots of interesting restaurants on that route)
Big Basin State Park with the 12-mile Skyline to the Sea Hiking Trail (incredible redwoods, waterfalls, leads right to the ocean)
Ano Nuevo State Reserve (especilly if the elephant seals are there)
Fiztgerald Marine Reserve for excellent tidepools
closer to 101
Bonfante Gardens Theme Park
Great America (park with great coasters, if you need your coaster fix
)If you see a Hobee's Restaurant, definitely choose that over other chains. Trust me!
For Burgers, on the go, you want In-N-Out Burgers Drive In
