A CALIFORNIAN ODYSSEY 2010.....A live trip report from the Golden State
Jul 8th, 2010, 05:21 PM
#222
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I second Sandy's motion on the Cabrillo National Monument. This is an important site in the history of San Diego and the ultimate settlement and colonization of California by Spain. And the view is much admired. And you can get another Junior Ranger patch there! The link above just lacked one letter.
http://www.nps.gov/cabr/
http://www.nps.gov/cabr/
Jul 9th, 2010, 08:04 AM
#223
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MONDAY JULY 5th
I was particularly excited about to today. Not that we had that much planned, and we faced about 6 hours of driving time. This scenario would be a living hell for most, but today, the drive itself was the major attraction. I would be traveling on Highway 1, possibly the most scenic coastal road in the world. I have often driven the amazing Great Ocean Road, that runs along the southern coast of Victoria, my home state in OZ, and I was eager to see how it compares. On the map, it would appear that the actual section of the road that hugs the coast, from Monterey in the north to Morro Bay in the south, would run for about 150 miles, and if so, this would dwarf the most dramatic section of the Great Ocean Road. But, contrary to popular opinion, size isn’t all that matters. It would have to also offer incredible vista’s, have sheer drop offs and dramatic changes in elevation, to exceed or even just rival the driving pleasure of one of South Eastern Australia’s great attractions.
We are in no rush today. I decided that we will just do a quick overnight stop near Santa Barbara and therefore just took a Hotwire mystery deal that landed us at the Holiday Inn at Goleta for $120. I toyed with staying in the heart of Santa Barbara, but what I could find would be 3 times this price, which just wasn’t practical for a 15 hour turn around. We left Santa Cruz at just before 9am, we were all a little bleary eyed, but nowhere near as much as Norman Fawlty appeared to be when I went to check out. I enquired if he had slept well and he replied that he had finally gone to bed at 5am. I commented that he would be looking forward to the end of this holiday weekend and he said “I wont be happy again until December”. That statement pretty well confirmed my impressions of him.
I had decided to stop at Nepenthe restaurant, in Big Sur, for lunch, as I had heard that it offered classic views of the coast as well as serving great food. Karen, our GPS entrapped tour guide, informed me that we would reach there at about 10.30, so it would seem that brunch would be more apt. I was conscious of how busy things would be on this public holiday, so I called to enquire about booking a table. I was told that Nepenthe, itself, did not open until 11.30, but they had a café that served breakfast that had outdoor seating only. The weather looked a little dubious, a thick, moist, fog was hanging in the air, but we thought that we would chance it and go with this option.
The first part of this drive was through rolling hills on a multi lane freeway that takes you to Monterey. There were lots of produce farms selling their wares from roadside stalls, and we stopped and got 2 pounds of Cherries and 3 punets of Strawberries for under $10. The fruit was fresh, ripe and tasty, and would be a great alternative to all the junk “road” food that we had been snacking on. The cloud was lifting a little and although vision was partly obscured, we still got some stunning glimpses of the rugged coastline, as we commenced our first major ascent of the day.
This is where things got really interesting. Kerry and I had already started to plan our next trip to the States, post children, and together we commenced to outline a scheme that would have us spending at least a week doing this part of the coast, cruising in a bright yellow Mustang. Well, maybe the Mustang was my idea, but we both thought it would be fabulous to stop over at some of the beautiful little bed and breakfast places that we saw, all commanding the most fabulous views of stunning redwood forests on one side, and the awe inspiring ocean, on the other. We drive passed Pebble Beach, and I almost decide to make a quick detour to walk the hallowed fairways of the famous golf course there. I resist this temptation as I know that it will only torture me, as I badly want to play there, but I add this to the “next trip list”.
We pass through Carmel, and then the highway almost become a part of the cliffs, following every contour, and providing continual jaw dropping scenes. It takes a huge effort to focus my attention on the road itself and not what lies below it. I make several short stops, whenever I find a small parking area, so I can take in these scenes without endangering life and limb. This adds time to the journey, but our itinerary is fluid today, there is nowhere that we have to be.
We pull into the Nepenthe restaurant at about 11pm. The fog is yet to lift, and as we are at one of the highest points of the road, if anything, it seems thicker. Our hopes of a stunning view from our brunch table have started to fade. Café Kevah, is below the level of the main restaurant, on a terrace that sits above a very interesting little gift shop. We have a beautiful Brunch, and some exceptional coffee and chai, but the view throughout the next hour continues to be one of big, white, puffy clouds. Several Blue Jays join us, but they are our only companions. There are many other cars and bikes pulling into the car park, but they either stop for a quick look, or wait for the warm restaurant to open its doors. We leave, a little disappointed that we didn’t get the full experience, but still grateful for the opportunity to have been there.
The road continues to cling tightly to the coast, and a slight drop in altitude helps the views to open up considerably. It will take almost 2 hours to cover the 60 miles to our next stop with the heavy traffic today, but the slow pace really suited the ambience of the drive. We had chosen to stop at Hearst Castle, a hill top mansion that was built over a few decades from the early 1920’s. We knew very little about the Castle and it was not on our priority list for this trip, but as it seemed so popular, and as we were passing near it, we felt obliged to stop for a look.
Not far from the coastal town of San Simeon, near where Hearst Castle is situated, we see a large group of onlookers, stopped by a section of beach. It was not until we had passed by that I noticed a sign mentioning something about Elephant Seals and I could make out some movement in a large mound in the sand that I had first thought was a group of rocks along the shoreline. I took the first opportunity to turn around, amongst some protest from the other members of our touring party, and found a lone vacant spot in the crowded car park. What we had come about, by total chance, was the site of the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, the resting place of a heard of up to 8000 of these huge, grotesque but strangely appealing sea creatures. The breeding season had long past, so there were currently only a hundred or so of the larger bulls and younger males, worn out from their previous activities, left wallowing in the shallows and basking in the beach. It was still an incredible sight to see these beasts moving around the sand like gigantic slugs and jockeying for the prime positions. There was the occasional sparring session that would break out, as the older bulls would remind the young wipper snappers of their rightful place, and we spent a good hour, just absorbed by this unexpected pleasure. There are several volunteer members of the “Friends of the Elephant Seals” present who take any opportunity to talk to you about these animals and show you their photo’s of the breeding season. I found out, from one very enthusiastic gentlemen, that there can be up to 2000 pups born in one season and that most are born between January and February. It would be a great time to be there and watch these 300-600 pound youngsters get their first swimming lessons.
We get to Hearst at around 3pm and are confronted with a car park, close to the size of the one at Dodger Stadium, full of vehicles coming and going. Kerry is under whelmed by the large building that we first enter until she finds out that this is merely the visitor centre that services the castle. Having done very little research, I am surprised to find out that we can only enter the grounds of the castle, via one of the tours, and it would appear that all the guided tours have been completely sold out. We are offered a spot on a self guided tour that will get you into the gardens but not the buildings, but these only start at 4.30 and we chose to bypass it. I naively ask if there is any other way to see the castle and we are directed to an observation area at the end the building. We exit through the sliding doors to be confronted with the sight an incredible looking building, visually, about the size of a matchbox. It would seem that the castle itself is approximately 5 miles from the visitor centre and this is as close as you get without boarding one of the buses that take you up for the tours. We spend a dollar on 2 mounted binoculars, to give us a better feel for what we are missing.
It is a further 2 and a half hours to each our resting place for the night ,and even though it is a less dramatic drive, it is still interesting , particularly as you pass the incredible rock formations around San Luis Obispo. This will be another place that we will stay on our “Bight Yellow Mustang” trip, to take advantage of some very spectacular hiking. We pull into the Holiday Inn at Goleta at well after 6pm. I do a few loads of laundry while I surf the web and consume a particularly fine French red that I found for under $10 at the nearby Trader Joe’s. No dinner is required as we are all stuffed full of cherries and strawberries. Sleep comes easily tonight as there is no refrigerator in our very comfortable room.
I was particularly excited about to today. Not that we had that much planned, and we faced about 6 hours of driving time. This scenario would be a living hell for most, but today, the drive itself was the major attraction. I would be traveling on Highway 1, possibly the most scenic coastal road in the world. I have often driven the amazing Great Ocean Road, that runs along the southern coast of Victoria, my home state in OZ, and I was eager to see how it compares. On the map, it would appear that the actual section of the road that hugs the coast, from Monterey in the north to Morro Bay in the south, would run for about 150 miles, and if so, this would dwarf the most dramatic section of the Great Ocean Road. But, contrary to popular opinion, size isn’t all that matters. It would have to also offer incredible vista’s, have sheer drop offs and dramatic changes in elevation, to exceed or even just rival the driving pleasure of one of South Eastern Australia’s great attractions.
We are in no rush today. I decided that we will just do a quick overnight stop near Santa Barbara and therefore just took a Hotwire mystery deal that landed us at the Holiday Inn at Goleta for $120. I toyed with staying in the heart of Santa Barbara, but what I could find would be 3 times this price, which just wasn’t practical for a 15 hour turn around. We left Santa Cruz at just before 9am, we were all a little bleary eyed, but nowhere near as much as Norman Fawlty appeared to be when I went to check out. I enquired if he had slept well and he replied that he had finally gone to bed at 5am. I commented that he would be looking forward to the end of this holiday weekend and he said “I wont be happy again until December”. That statement pretty well confirmed my impressions of him.
I had decided to stop at Nepenthe restaurant, in Big Sur, for lunch, as I had heard that it offered classic views of the coast as well as serving great food. Karen, our GPS entrapped tour guide, informed me that we would reach there at about 10.30, so it would seem that brunch would be more apt. I was conscious of how busy things would be on this public holiday, so I called to enquire about booking a table. I was told that Nepenthe, itself, did not open until 11.30, but they had a café that served breakfast that had outdoor seating only. The weather looked a little dubious, a thick, moist, fog was hanging in the air, but we thought that we would chance it and go with this option.
The first part of this drive was through rolling hills on a multi lane freeway that takes you to Monterey. There were lots of produce farms selling their wares from roadside stalls, and we stopped and got 2 pounds of Cherries and 3 punets of Strawberries for under $10. The fruit was fresh, ripe and tasty, and would be a great alternative to all the junk “road” food that we had been snacking on. The cloud was lifting a little and although vision was partly obscured, we still got some stunning glimpses of the rugged coastline, as we commenced our first major ascent of the day.
This is where things got really interesting. Kerry and I had already started to plan our next trip to the States, post children, and together we commenced to outline a scheme that would have us spending at least a week doing this part of the coast, cruising in a bright yellow Mustang. Well, maybe the Mustang was my idea, but we both thought it would be fabulous to stop over at some of the beautiful little bed and breakfast places that we saw, all commanding the most fabulous views of stunning redwood forests on one side, and the awe inspiring ocean, on the other. We drive passed Pebble Beach, and I almost decide to make a quick detour to walk the hallowed fairways of the famous golf course there. I resist this temptation as I know that it will only torture me, as I badly want to play there, but I add this to the “next trip list”.
We pass through Carmel, and then the highway almost become a part of the cliffs, following every contour, and providing continual jaw dropping scenes. It takes a huge effort to focus my attention on the road itself and not what lies below it. I make several short stops, whenever I find a small parking area, so I can take in these scenes without endangering life and limb. This adds time to the journey, but our itinerary is fluid today, there is nowhere that we have to be.
We pull into the Nepenthe restaurant at about 11pm. The fog is yet to lift, and as we are at one of the highest points of the road, if anything, it seems thicker. Our hopes of a stunning view from our brunch table have started to fade. Café Kevah, is below the level of the main restaurant, on a terrace that sits above a very interesting little gift shop. We have a beautiful Brunch, and some exceptional coffee and chai, but the view throughout the next hour continues to be one of big, white, puffy clouds. Several Blue Jays join us, but they are our only companions. There are many other cars and bikes pulling into the car park, but they either stop for a quick look, or wait for the warm restaurant to open its doors. We leave, a little disappointed that we didn’t get the full experience, but still grateful for the opportunity to have been there.
The road continues to cling tightly to the coast, and a slight drop in altitude helps the views to open up considerably. It will take almost 2 hours to cover the 60 miles to our next stop with the heavy traffic today, but the slow pace really suited the ambience of the drive. We had chosen to stop at Hearst Castle, a hill top mansion that was built over a few decades from the early 1920’s. We knew very little about the Castle and it was not on our priority list for this trip, but as it seemed so popular, and as we were passing near it, we felt obliged to stop for a look.
Not far from the coastal town of San Simeon, near where Hearst Castle is situated, we see a large group of onlookers, stopped by a section of beach. It was not until we had passed by that I noticed a sign mentioning something about Elephant Seals and I could make out some movement in a large mound in the sand that I had first thought was a group of rocks along the shoreline. I took the first opportunity to turn around, amongst some protest from the other members of our touring party, and found a lone vacant spot in the crowded car park. What we had come about, by total chance, was the site of the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, the resting place of a heard of up to 8000 of these huge, grotesque but strangely appealing sea creatures. The breeding season had long past, so there were currently only a hundred or so of the larger bulls and younger males, worn out from their previous activities, left wallowing in the shallows and basking in the beach. It was still an incredible sight to see these beasts moving around the sand like gigantic slugs and jockeying for the prime positions. There was the occasional sparring session that would break out, as the older bulls would remind the young wipper snappers of their rightful place, and we spent a good hour, just absorbed by this unexpected pleasure. There are several volunteer members of the “Friends of the Elephant Seals” present who take any opportunity to talk to you about these animals and show you their photo’s of the breeding season. I found out, from one very enthusiastic gentlemen, that there can be up to 2000 pups born in one season and that most are born between January and February. It would be a great time to be there and watch these 300-600 pound youngsters get their first swimming lessons.
We get to Hearst at around 3pm and are confronted with a car park, close to the size of the one at Dodger Stadium, full of vehicles coming and going. Kerry is under whelmed by the large building that we first enter until she finds out that this is merely the visitor centre that services the castle. Having done very little research, I am surprised to find out that we can only enter the grounds of the castle, via one of the tours, and it would appear that all the guided tours have been completely sold out. We are offered a spot on a self guided tour that will get you into the gardens but not the buildings, but these only start at 4.30 and we chose to bypass it. I naively ask if there is any other way to see the castle and we are directed to an observation area at the end the building. We exit through the sliding doors to be confronted with the sight an incredible looking building, visually, about the size of a matchbox. It would seem that the castle itself is approximately 5 miles from the visitor centre and this is as close as you get without boarding one of the buses that take you up for the tours. We spend a dollar on 2 mounted binoculars, to give us a better feel for what we are missing.
It is a further 2 and a half hours to each our resting place for the night ,and even though it is a less dramatic drive, it is still interesting , particularly as you pass the incredible rock formations around San Luis Obispo. This will be another place that we will stay on our “Bight Yellow Mustang” trip, to take advantage of some very spectacular hiking. We pull into the Holiday Inn at Goleta at well after 6pm. I do a few loads of laundry while I surf the web and consume a particularly fine French red that I found for under $10 at the nearby Trader Joe’s. No dinner is required as we are all stuffed full of cherries and strawberries. Sleep comes easily tonight as there is no refrigerator in our very comfortable room.
Jul 9th, 2010, 08:35 AM
#224
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Loving your report still. I personally don't think you missed anything at Hearst, to me it is a dreary depressing mansion on a hill. I'm so glad you all were able to watch the seals. How did you like Santa Barbara?
Jul 9th, 2010, 02:46 PM
#227
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Are you in San Diego now? If so, I recommend the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute right there in La Jolla. This is a real aquarium. No sea animal shows, but very well done and educational.
http://www.aquarium.ucsd.edu/
http://www.aquarium.ucsd.edu/
Jul 9th, 2010, 04:44 PM
#228
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Speaking of yellow mustangs, check out this video of someone driving a Shelby version down the coast highway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIieTLotbs&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIieTLotbs&feature=fvw
Jul 9th, 2010, 05:47 PM
#229
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We leave, a little disappointed that we didn’t get the full experience, but still grateful for the opportunity to have been there.
__________________________________________________ ___________
Shanek, when you come back for the convertible trip, try to come in September, early October; that is usually the best time of the year along the coast. I figured it might be that way, since it's still gloomy along So.Cal.coast. Missing Hearst Castle- no biggie.
Wishing you and yours the best in San Diego!
__________________________________________________ ___________
Shanek, when you come back for the convertible trip, try to come in September, early October; that is usually the best time of the year along the coast. I figured it might be that way, since it's still gloomy along So.Cal.coast. Missing Hearst Castle- no biggie.
Wishing you and yours the best in San Diego!
Jul 10th, 2010, 06:54 AM
#231
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Was looking for a new report this morning. Where are you? LOL My fear is it will never be finished because you'll be back home and back to work and very busy after being away for so long. I'll check back later today.
Jul 10th, 2010, 09:23 AM
#232
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He calls it a "live' trip report but is currently 3 days behind ! Geez! What is up with these Aussies? If they cannot write a decent trip report maybe they should JUST STAY HOME! And stop eating all our strawberries and cherries and pancakes!
Jul 10th, 2010, 01:02 PM
#234
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Still loving your trip report. Sorry you had fog in Big Sur but that is common this time of year. The weather has also been a little cooler than usual. Glad you got to see the Elephant Seals. They are incredible.
Hope you are enjoying your time in San Diego which is my neck of the woods. Too bad you all don't have time for a GTG. You and your family will have to come back to California just so we can meet you. You are all quite the celebrities here on Fodors!!
Hope you are enjoying your time in San Diego which is my neck of the woods. Too bad you all don't have time for a GTG. You and your family will have to come back to California just so we can meet you. You are all quite the celebrities here on Fodors!!
Jul 10th, 2010, 02:46 PM
#236
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Sorry guys. I have fallen behind because of all the big days out we have had this week. Seaworld, the Zoo, Midway, Balboa Park, by the time we get back to our humble adobe in La Jolla, I am too exhusted to even turn the computer on. I have a few quieter days planned now, so I promise I will catch up. I had a sleep in this morning as I was listening to my beloved Tigers win their 4th game in a row against Freemantle last night. I finally got to sleep at 5am!!
Jul 10th, 2010, 05:02 PM
#238
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There are several things you can do in the next couple of days that are relatively low key but interesting. the Cabrillo National Monument and the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla have already been mentioned in recent previous posts.
Another one is the San Diego Mission. It's the FIRST of the 21 missions established in California while it was a Spanish/Mexican colony, which was the case until 1848. It has been well restored and features a taped self-guiding tour, or at least it did when I was there several years ago. You can get the tape at the gift shop on the way in. All California fourth graders study the Missions as part of their standard curriculum, and visit one if at all possible. This is the San Diego Mission web site.
http://www.missionsandiego.com/
You will find it instructive to read part of this reference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Missions
Hey, I'm on vacation, you say. That's OK. You're smarter than a fourth grader and will soak this stuff up.
Another one is the San Diego Mission. It's the FIRST of the 21 missions established in California while it was a Spanish/Mexican colony, which was the case until 1848. It has been well restored and features a taped self-guiding tour, or at least it did when I was there several years ago. You can get the tape at the gift shop on the way in. All California fourth graders study the Missions as part of their standard curriculum, and visit one if at all possible. This is the San Diego Mission web site.
http://www.missionsandiego.com/
You will find it instructive to read part of this reference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Missions
Hey, I'm on vacation, you say. That's OK. You're smarter than a fourth grader and will soak this stuff up.
Jul 10th, 2010, 06:34 PM
#239
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It may be a bit of a drive (about 30 mi) but I always enjoy the Wild Animal Park, the kids do too.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/park/plan...urs_directions
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/park/plan...urs_directions
Jul 10th, 2010, 06:45 PM
#240
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Good time to go to the Wild Animal Park. In the heat of summer, it can often be over 100 degrees in Escondido. But this mild, cooler weather we've been having would make for a nice trip. Traffic shouldn't be too bad as you'd mostly be going against the flow of commuters.
