sunflower2

Author: sunflower2
Date: 01/25/2004, 06:04 pm
Message: We're going for 4 days to SF & 2 days to the Monterrey Penisula the first week of March. We have 8 & 12 year olds & so far we're planning Half Moon Bay, Point Lobos Reserve (walking the perimeter & hopefully seeing whales), the Aquarium, Big Sur, & Ano Reserve to see the elephant seals.

Would love your opinion on whether the following things are worthwhile:
* Carmel Mission
* Hearst Mansion
* San Jose---Mystery HOuse & museums
* Big Sur
* anything else that we've forgotten
* 17 mile drive
* a whale watching boat trip

THanks very much!

Grasshopper

Hearst Castle will be a long drive and doesn't look like it will fit into your agenda. The rest is my opinion only, of course, but I would say Carmel Mission, yes, San Jose Winchester Mystery house, no, Tech museum, maybe (but you don't have time in your itinerary), Big Sur, yes, but then leave out the 17 mile drive. Everyone I know who went whale watching got sea sick.

TKay

Carmel Mission (Yes)

Hearst Castle (Yes) if you don't mind driving

San Jose: Winchester Mystery House (Yes) it is an interesting place, akthough some people don't seem to like it. My relatives thought it was great.

San Jose: Museums (Yes) I guess it depends on which ones you are considering. The Tech Museum is great for the kids as well as the History Museum in Kelley Park. San Jose is right on the way to Monterey so you should have plenty of time to stop in the city before heading to Monterey.

Big Sur (Yes) the scenery is awesome.

17 Mile Drive (No) not really worth your time. I would definitely add in point Lobos instead.

Whale watching (I have never done it, but it sounds interesting.)

J_Correa

Ok - here is my 2 cents:

* Carmel Mission - yes
* Hearst Castle - usually a yes, but it's a long drive for 1 day and you really don't have the time to stay over night down there, so on this trip I would say no.
* San Jose museums - maybe. The tech museum is cool, the Mystery House is interesting if you get a good tour guide. If you have time and are passing through SJ, go for it.
* Big Sur - Definitely
* 17 mile drive - no. You'll get plenty of scenery on the rest of your trip and your kids would probably be bored silly.
* I've never been on a whale watching trip, but I have taken a 30-45 minute boat ride out on the bay to see some sea otters and other animals. That was a lot of fun. We went with a tour company on Fisherman's wharf.

A note about Ano Nuevo - during the breeding season, only a limited amount of visitors are allowed to walk the trail out to where the elephant seals are. Look up their website to see what season it is when you will be visiting. If it is the restricted season, you can make a reservation ahead of time to make sure you will be able to see the seals.

easytraveler

Ano Nuevo: reservations needed during the mating season, December through March. After March the adults are gone. After April, the bebes are gone too.

Do NOT get too close to these huge animals, unless you want to be mistaken as a rival suitor and have a 2-ton/more ball of blubber descend on you!

Ano Nuevo is between San Francisco and Monterey, so would probably be the first beach you visit after leaving SF. Should be fun for your kids!

Contrarily, IMHO, Winchester House is not much fun. I get really frustrated with staircases that lead nowhere and other oddities of construction like that. Having done some house remodeling, it's difficult enough to get it right with staircases that lead somewhere, much less staircases that lead nowhere! But, this is just me (and a number of my adult friends. Remodeling is a favorite topic in Silicon Valley!). On the other hand, reviews among the teens in my family are mixed: some find Winchester House "OK", while a couple went "Bleagh!!" The House is just off Interstate 280 via -what else? - the Winchester Exit, but only if you are coming from San Francisco. There is NO Winchester Blvd exit if you are headed northbound.

The Tech Museum would be fine for your kids. I'd suggest that you skip the Winchester House and spend your limited time at the Tech Museum. On the other hand, if you really don't have time to stop in San Jose, then try the Exploratorium in San Francisco which is like the Tech Museum and is an equally fun place for kids.

You didn't state whether your kids are boys/girls/one boy & one girl, nevertheless, I'd stick my neck out and recommend going to the Sony Metreon where boys and husbands love to fiddle around with all those new electronic "toys". The Metreon in SF is more for fun only whereas the Tech Museum/Exploratorium is for education and fun.

The others have given you excellent advice. Have fun!

scurry

Your kids might like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, but the roller-coaster would probably not be running on a weekday in March.

Guarto

I agree with others about skipping 17 Mile Drive.

The Winchester Mystery quite a unique place, so I would recommend vsiting it. While your there I also would suggest going to Santana Row for either lunch or dinner. It's a European style shoopping area with nice stores and good restaurants. My personal recommendations are Left Bank Bistro and Yankee Pier.

The Tech Museum should also be fun for the kids. There is also an IMAX theater as well. The Exploratorium is geared more toward smaller children.

Hearst Castle is great but as others have said, it is a bit of a long drive.

Carmel Mission/Yes.

ellenbw

Yes to the tech museum, your children are the perfect age for it. No to the Winchester Mystery House. I think it is the ultimate over-priced tourist trap. I like the idea of lunch at Santana Row. The Left Bank has a nice children's menu and my son loves the clam chowder at Yankee Pier. There is also a flat bread type pizza place called Pizza Antigua that is good. Stop at Ben&Jerry's for ice cream cone. No to 17 mile drive, yes to the Carmel Mission.

sunflower2

You all have excellent suggestions & are a huge help---THANKS! The 8 & 12 year old are girls--both like experiences that are fun, interesting,& active. Not big on lectures, history, all day hikes, etc.

Our 12 yr old has heard a lot about the Winchester House (and we live in NC!)& really wants to go there. Should we do SJ on the way down or the way back up to SF?

Forgot to ask before about Big Basin Redwood State Park---would that be worthwhile?

Right now we're planning on 4 days in SF & 2 days in Monterrey. I haven't started thinking about SF yet, but figured 4 days there would be great. Do you all think this is a good balance? Can we do all of the following fun stuff on the Monterrey Penisula in 2 days? The kids are early risers EST, so when we went to the west coast 2 years ago, we were up at least by 5 a.m. so we'll have some extra morning time that most people don't have the pleasure of having!

Is the following tentative schedule workable for a 2 day trip?

And, IYHOs, what's realistic to do each day time-wise? That way we'd know where we should consider overnighting.

And, any suggestions for a place to spend the night? We don't need a place that will have bells & whistles since we'll just be sleeping there, and probably be asleep by 9 pm!!

I figure we'll do picnics for lunch both days, and dinner in San Jose the 2nd night. Any suggestions for a restaurant the first night?

Okay, here's the possible schedule:
(Consider Big Basin Redwood State Park?)
1. Ano Nuevo Reserve--elephant seals, get reservation (allow maybe an hour?)
2. Monterrey Aquarium (allow 1-3 hrs?)
3. Carmel Mission (Maybe 1-2 hours)
4. Point Lobos Reserve (2-3 hours?)
5. Big Sur--walk to the falls that go into the ocean (1 hour?)
6. Winchester Mystery House in SJ on the way back to SF (maybe 2+ hours?)(eat at Left BAnk Bistro or Yankee Pier at Santana Row--maybe for dinner after the Winchester House before going back to SF)

We'll skip: the Hearst Castle, 17 mile drive, & the whale watching trip.

We'll also skip anything else that you think we won't have time for. I imagine that we won't have time for other museums in San Jose, but would value your input on that, too.

Or, shall we turn the Monterrey Penisula portion of our trip into 3 days?

THANKS so much for your invaluable help!!

scurry

I think three days in SF would give you more time to do the lots of stuff that you plan to do in Monterrey.

My wife was a docent at Ano Nuevo & while I think it's wonderful, I think I'd skip it considering that you're planinng on Big Sur AND the Acquarium, AND Pt. Lobos and possibly Big Basin/Redwoods. That's a lot of outdoorsy nature stuff for kids on vacation during a cool & possibly wet time of our year.

I haven't been to the Winchester Mystery House since I was your daughter's age but I'd say go ahead & indule her intrique.

I have to point out with a smile that the one thing that everyone above seemed to agree upon was the SJ Tech Museum, which didn't make your final list. Now I've never been to either one, but from what I've read, if I was a kid I would much rather visit this museum than some musty old mission!

sunflower2

Actually, now that you mention it, my kids aren't that interested in seeing the Carmel Mission, & if we're near one in SF, we could casually visit one in SF. It's just the Carmel Mission is the Mission of missions, if you know what I mean---sort of the flag "church" of the missions. But, I got caught up in how great the Carmel Mission is, and not whether we'd be interested in going there!!!

Thanks for noticing that the SJ Tech Museum was missing. You're right---everybody mentioned how the SJ Tech Museum would be fun for the kids, SO let me consult w/ the kids & probably add it to our afternoon on the way back to SF.

This is my first time on this site---what a great help you all are!

Any other suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks!

Guarto

Personally I like Big Basin. However for the kids they might fight Roaring Camp in Felton to be more fun. They have a steam train ride amongst the coastal redwoods.

I agree with the above poesters' recommendation about visiting the Tech Museum in San Jose. The Winchester Mystery House not bad either, but if I were a kid I think I would prefer the Tech.

Guarto

OOps. to coorect my typo I meant to say they might "find" Roaring Camp in Felton to be more fun.

easytraveler

Hi, sunflower2!

It's great that your itinerary is coming together!

4 days in SF and 2 for Monterey is fine, especially if you are cutting out Hearst Castle. Here's my take on your revised itinerary:

1) Weather permitting, go down along Highway 1 to Ano Nuevo.

2) Skip Big Basin, since you are going to Big Sur. This is redundant. Besides, the purpose for going to Big Basin is to go hiking in the redwoods and since your girls don't like long hikes, I'd skip this redwood perserve.

3) Drive along Highway 1 and you can stop in Santa Cruz for the Boardwalk if it is open.

4) Continue along Highway 1 to Pfeiffer Big Sur and then to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and hike the easy trail to McVey Falls (probably an hour roundtrip with almost no grade). The reason for driving past Monterey at this time of day is because there is frequently fog along the coast in the mornings and you need to be at these State Parks in the afternoon to be able to enjoy them.

5) You didn't say where you are spending the night. You could backtrack to Carmel and have dinner in Carmel at the old Clint Eastwood restaurant called the Hog's Breath. Even tho he's sold his interest, it's still pretty much the same place. Sit by one of the big fireplaces either inside or outside. The food is not expensive and quite good. I'm assuming that you don't want gourmet dining with two kids (who, at those ages, are probably pizza and macaroni fanatics! Lo!)

6)Night in Carmel/Pacific Grove/Monterey.

7) Morning of the second day, spend it indoors at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

8) Drive to Point Lobos when the sun is out and hike the wonderful, easy trails there.

9) Visit the Mission

10) Drive north on Highway 1, cross over on 156 to Highway 101. In San Jose, take Interstate 280 (to San Francisco). Exit Saratoga and get in the northbound lane. Just follow the road as it curves to the right. Third light is Stevens Creek, take a right on Stevens Creek. Go down about a mile (?) to Winchester Boulevard, take a right on Winchester Boulevard. One light over and just before the freeway you'll see the Winchester House on your right.

Skip the Tech Museum. If you have the extra time, your girls will enjoy wandering around Valley Fair a lot more (see below).

11)Dinner. Santana Row is generally an expensive area for dining and more for young upwardly mobile career people than for kids. There are several restaurants that might be more kid-friendly than the ones suggested. One is Maggiano's Little Italy. The other is Pasta Pomodoro.

A better choice would be to go across the street from Santana Row to Valley Fair Mall. There is a Food Fair in there, but the great favorite is the Coldstone Creamery (not in the same location as the Food Fair) where they will combine your choice of flavors of ice cream with wonderful things like gummy bears and color sprinkles. Again, more a kid's delight. Left Bank in Santana Row would be "stuffy" compared to the places you can eat at in Valley Fair. If a Food Fair doesn't appeal to you, then there is a Cheesecake Factory at Valley Fair but facing Stevens Creek Road on the outside of the mall.

12) Returning to SF: go back along Winchester Blvd, past the Winchester House, and you'll see the freeway entrance for Interstate 280 northbound. Should take you about an hour on 280 to get into SF.

BTW: MonteRRey is in Mexico; MonteRey is in California!

Have a great trip!

Lake

sunflower2,

3 days in SF should be more than enough time. I would stay 3 days in Monterey because there is so much to see in the area. Another idea is to stay 3 days in SF, 1 in San Jose, and 2 in Monterey.

Due to the weather in March I would not recommend taking highway 1 from SF to Monterey. In some areas (ie: Devil's Slide) it can be treacherous and the road may be closed around Devil's Slide as well when storms come through. From SF to Monterey 280 to 17 to 1 is the best route.

Although Big Sur has beautiful views, as far as the redwoods are concerned there, they can't hold a candle to the trees you'll see in either Big Basin or Henry Cowell Park in Felton at Roaring Camp. I think that the steam train would be a lot of fun for the kids.

There's some debate here about the Winchester Mystery House and the Tech Museum in San Jose. I think that you have enough time to do both. If you only pick one, I'd go with the Tech. Santana Row and Valley Fair are both great for shopping and dining.

On the skip list I'll go with Hearst Castle and 17 Mile Drive.

PamSF

I'll throw in some more suggestions. Pacific Grove is a lovely "small town" next to Monterey. You can walk the shorepath there and make your way to the aquarium. It's lovely and the kids can get all sorts of views of various wild life including deer just before you reach the aquarium. I'd say allow more like 2-3 hours at the aquarium. There is so much to see. There are also exhibits at which the kids will be able to touch creatures and this might well catch their fancy. In Pacific Grove there is also the Monarch Butterfly habitat. They migrate and I think are still there in March (they winter over in Pacifc Grove). It's a quick and easy walk into the grove where you can see the trees dripping in Monarchs.Pacifc Grove has a variety of motels out by the lighthouse. We just stayed at the Best Western Monarch Resort which was nothing fancy but a bit more pricey than some of the other spots. We liked the look of the Bide-a wee cottages in Pacifc Grove(they have cabins with kitchenettes which might be a life saver with kids). You will also be a short distance from the beach which might be a great walk for folks.Their website is www.bideaweeinn.com. You will be in short driving distance to most things and might like the idea of Pacific Grove as you can walk to the aquarium from downtown PG and not have to deal with parking. In PG I also recommend Toasties for breakfast or lunch. This is a great place with good food(nothing fancy) and it is immensely kid friendly.
I always recommend the Monterey Fish House in downtown Monterey for dinner. It's got great seafood and is also very kid friendly. Make reservations and do not be put off by the auto body shop next door. Point Lobos is divine. The perimeter trail might be alot for the kids. Do check out the tidepools and also the whaler's cabin. I happen to really like the Granite Point Trail. Some of the vistas are beautiful. We were just there in early January and spied sealions by the dozens, blue herons and egrets. The tidepools should not be missed especially with kids.
If it rains,rains ,rains..there are very good cinemas in downtown Monterey. Check out what's playing at the Osio Cinemas. There is also a good movie house in Pacifc Grove. I think Point Lobos is fine in light rain BTW. There is really quite enough on the Monterey Peninsula to keep you busy for two days..take some time to let it unfold. BTW-your driving time from SF to Monterey will be 2 hours at least.

Welshgirl

Hi there,
If you're looking for a quiet place to stay without too much fuss try the Sand Dollar Inn in Monterey. Reasonable, free breakfast & you can park the car there while you walk around Monterey.
Check out www.Tripadviser.com for people's comments on the place - I'll think you'll find they're all good.
We only stayed there a night but it suited us as we were travelling from SF to San Diego.

Suzie

Here's your original post. It has lots of good info.

Bob1

Carmel Mission: Nice place to see. Will only take about 1 hour though.

* Hearst Mansion: Outstanding, but the kids may not enjoy it.

* San Jose---Mystery HOuse:My business is 2 miles from this and I have never been there. Got to do it someday. & museums: Tech is interesting.

* Big Sur: Great drive on a sunny clear day. Stop at Rocky Point for a beer and lunch. It is about 12 miles south of Carmel on the Pacific side.

I live in San Jose and also have a place in Pacific Grove. You can check www.pacificgrove.org for list of all the hotels there. I think PG is the nicest town on the Peninsula and it owns all the great ocean front views. It has many small inns to choose from.

Do take the kids to the Aquarium. Great spot to visit for a few hours.