Hello! I am planning a mini road trip from Carmel, CA to Seattle, WA and I'd love some advice on B&amp;Bs to stay in, where to eat and what to see...as well as driving info.<BR><BR>We are staying in Carmel for Mem. Day Weekend for a wedding for 3 days, and must be in Seattle on June 1, so that gives us 6 free days. My current plan is this: <BR> Mon May 26 -- Drive to Mendocino, CA <BR> (about 6 hour drive)<BR> Tues May 27 -- stay in Mendocino, CA<BR> Wed May 28 -- Drive to Eureka, CA <BR> (about 3 hour drive)<BR> Thur May 29 -- Drive to Brookings, OR<BR> (about 2 hour drive)<BR> Fri May 30 -- Drive to Yachatas, OR <BR> (about 3 1/2 hour drive)<BR> Sat May 31 -- Drive to Portland, OR<BR> (about 3 hour drive)<BR> Sun June 1 -- Drive to Seattle, WA <BR> (about 3 1/2 hour drive)<BR><BR>The only things I'm &quot;married to&quot; is Mendocino for 2 days (since we will have a 6 hour drive to get there) UNLESS we stop in between in the Wine country. And staying at the Haceda Head Lighthouse in Yachatas, OR. Other than that, the towns I picked were just chosen for their distance apart. I don't really want to drive more than 3 hours each day.<BR><BR>So... did I choose good towns, or should I pick other ones? What are some &quot;MUST SEES&quot; along the way? I'd love to see the Redwoods... where does that fit in for me? And I'd love to go horseback riding on the beach - I know they have that in Mendocino - has anyone done it? Recommend it?<BR><BR>Where should I stay? I'm torn right now between the Brewery Gulch Inn and MacCallam House in Mendocino - has anyone stayed at either?<BR><BR>I'm a bit nervous about driving on the coast in the high cliffy parts, but I'd really love to see some of it... do you know of a particularly beautiful area? Can I just drive it for a short bit on my trip? It looks like I'd be on the coast all the way from Eureka to Brookings to Yachatas... is this the real &quot;white knuckle&quot; part of the drive? Is there a beautiful option inland instead??<BR><BR>Sorry for the length of the post.. I appreciate any help/information. Thanks so much!

Cindy,<BR><BR>Your itineray looks great. To see the redwoods I would recommend Big Basin (www.bigbasin.org) which is not too far off of Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In the Monterey and Carmel area, you will be along the most beautiful stretch of the California Coast. If you have time, drive south along Big Sur. otherwise, Point Lobos is an excellent place to stop at just a few miles south of Carmel. The coast north of Monterey up to Marin County is okay, but not nearly as nice as the area around Monterey and in the Mendocino area. From Carmel I would take Highway 1 to 17 north and stop off at Big Basin. From there take Highway 17 to 280 south. The 280 south will then become 680 north and from 680 exit to 580 west to 101 north and 1 north to Mendocino. This route will save you the white knuckle experience alon Highway 1 north of Monterey especailly along Devil's Slide.

oops, I should have said to exit to 24 West from 680 then from 24 to 580.

I suggest you look at Ferndale rather than Eureka as a place to stay. This is a charming and quaint town in the Eureka vicinity. In Seattle we often stay at the Gaslight Inn. This is a wonderfully restored and furnished arts and crafts house on Capitol Hill. The inn is also filled with Native American crafts and many pieces of glass as one of the owners is associated with Pulchuk School of Glass. We find this inn to be quite comfortable. It also has a pool in its backyard for guests to use. There are so many places to eat in Seattle. Depending on your budget and your inclinations. I am going to throw out a few: Campagne, Cafe Campagne(both very near the Pike Market)Ocenaire(obviously Seafood).<BR>I can't recommend B&amp;Bs in Portland however I will recommend places to eat: The BlueHour(very good regional food in a hip but relaxed atmosphere-upscale and located in the Pearl District-the arts district of Portland). The Sauce Box(very casual, a bar that serves good asian fusion food,noisy, hipper still)<BR><BR>I second the recommendation for Point Lobos State Park. There are many relatively easy paths and trails to take. It will provide you with upclose views of spectacular scenery. I don't know how much time you will have while in Carmel for meals outside of wedding festivities but here are some other suggestions: Try the Monterey Fish House for dinner. It's a locals place, noisy ,reasonalbly priced and with fish(very fresh fish) cooked 100 ways and then some. If you are still looking at places to stay and want a B&amp;B you could try Pacific Grove(Seven Gables,Gosby House).

The most &quot;white knuckle&quot; parts of your drive will be the SR1 bits between the GG Bridge and Stinson Beach, then the bits between the coast and the juncttion with US101, then again parts of the stretch between Eureka and Crescent City, where the road winds up and down and through magnificent Redwood groves (IMO this is the high point of your route, but I happen to love the big trees.) The coast route in Oregon is developed to a very high standard and is a very pleasant drive.<BR><BR>Regarding your timing and itinerary, I don't see anything wrong with it, although I'll bet that it's longer than 6 hours from Carmel to Mendocino on Memorial Day due to Bay Area day trippers on SR 1. There's no reason to go fast, though, because you can't, so just go with the flow.<BR><BR>I absolutely agree on Ferndale. If you want a major belly experience, have a meal at the Samoa Cookhouse (in Samoa, across the bay from Eureka) - family style meals served in a former mill mess hall, great pictures and logging industry debris all over the place. Not the world's greatest food, but plenty of it (soup, salad, main course, dessert, jello, you-name-it sort of cuisine, served by grannies and aunties.)<BR><BR>As I said, the best parts of the Redwoods are between Eureka and Crescent City, so take your time and take plenty of side trips. Brookings has great coastal scenery and way too much commercial development for our tastes. If you have the time, you might consider making for Bandon instead for your overnight, then use the &quot;saved&quot; time to explore the coast, or better, the sand dunes up by Florence the next day, before stopping in Yachats (2 &quot;a&quot;s, not 3.) <BR><BR>Do you mean you're staying at the Heceta Head lighthouse B&amp;B? Lucky you - this is probably the best picture spot on the coast (it's not in Yachats but some distance south, BTW.) I do think it's more than 3 hrs to Portland, though.<BR><BR>Mo's restaurant on the water in &quot;Old Florence&quot; is a branch of a pretty good fish mini-chain, although there are plenty of other twee places opening on the coast (and closing, too) all the time. I'd ask at the B&amp;Bs for local recommendations.<BR><BR>In Portland, I have to recommend you consider staying at either the Kennedy School or, a few miles east in Troutdale, the Edgefield, both properties developed by the McMenamin bros. - the Kennedy School a made-over elementary school now complete with two or three bars (brewpub), movie theater in the former auditorium, blackboards on the walls in the rooms, fun art in the halls. The Edgefield is the same thing, but in the former Multnomah County Poor Farm instead - bars, restaurants, winery, brewery, mini-golf, rose gardens, movie theater (bring your burgers and beer from one of the pubs in with you) and good views toward the Columbia. Perfect in late May - www.mcmenamins.com<BR><BR>Try to add the Gorge to your agenda if you can - it would add a couple of hours to your Portland-Seattle route, but well worth it. If you have even more time, go east on I-84 (and the Historic Gorge Highway) from Portland to US 97, stop at the Maryhill Museum on the Washington side, then take US 97 north to I-90 for an unconventional entry into Seattle, via Indian country and the Cascades. Figure around 6 or 7 hours Portland-Seattle using this route, but worth it, since the I-5 stretch between Portland and Seattle is IMO one of the most boring drives in the PNW.<BR><BR>Have fun!<BR><BR>

Wow! All this information is great! Thanks so much everyone!

I second David's recommendation of not taking route 1 north of Monterey. Talk about a &quot;white knuckle&quot; experience. At least if the scenery were great I would not mind too much, but since you will already be along route 1 in the Carmel area, I would not waste the extra time going up route 1 north of Monterey. The 17/280/680, etc. route will be quicker and takes you through some great scenery through the Santa Cruz Mountains. That route will also stear you away from the terrible San Francisco and Oakland traffic. You don't want to get caught up on route 1/19th Avenue through SF or the 880 in Oakland. It's some of the worst trafic in California.

I would definitely avoid state route 1 from SF to Stinson Beach on Memorial Day. It can be, and often is, on such days even on weekends when the weather is nice,..a parking lot.

Hey Cindy-ANother vote for the BlueHour in Portland just showed up on your other thread! I would also suggest you try the scallop appetizer when there.