Big Sur?
 

Im heading to SF late August from LA was going to spend night in Morro Bay then head to Monterey Bay Aquarium. Sleep over then head to SF next morning. Should I do another day in the area and check out Big Sur. What is there to do there. I can't hike to high. Im traveling with my 2 boys ages 12 and 15. Im female and not the heavy hiking nature type.

Yes a day or 2 or 3. McWay Falls, very short walk right by the road. We enjoyed Hearst Castle. Point Lobos has a lot of good easy hiking trails.
Kayaking or Canoeing in Elkhorn Slough is totally cool!!!

I think Nepenthe is way over-rated(food was good, not sure why I feel this way about it. The view is one of the best, so you might want to have a bite to eat there.

Are you proposing another night in Monterey or spending that night in the Big Sur area which is south of Carmel/Monterey?

If it were me I would want one full day (two nights) in Monterey so you could do some of the things spirobulldog mentioned plus a myriad of other things. You don't mention visiting Carmel, which you should. The beach there is amazing and the town is nice.

One of my favorite things to do in Big Sur is to take the drive down to Pfeiffer Beach and have a picnic. Absolutely gorgeous. Most of our time in Big Sur is spent relaxing and doing very little.

The Big Sur Bakery is a great place to have breakfast, lunch and dinner that won't break the bank.

Speaking of banks, if your account is large enough, spending the night at Ventana or Post Ranch Inn is not be missed.

My husband and I LOVE Big Sur. Our favorite place on the California coast.

We were there a couple of weeks ago. If you want a great day in Big Sur, check out www.CentralCoastOutdoors.com for a wonderful day of easy hiking. They will pick you up and take you to the hiking spots and provide a wonderful gourmet lunch. We stayed at Ragged Point which is basically at the south end of Big Sur.

That whole area is beautiful (Cambria, Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey) so staying at any of those towns will be nice but I really think you'd enjoy spending time in Big Sur. It is something you don't want to miss!

>>I think Nepenthe is way over-rated<<

We've been dining at Nepenthe since about '67. We spend 2 months in Europe every year, & dine at many Michelin starred restaurants. We've lived in/just-outside of San Francisco since '75 - and we "dine out" about 3 times each month in The City.

If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I would have my last meal at Nepenthe tonight. The food is B-, but the views/ambiance/remembrances are A++++.

Stu Dudley

Gotta agree with Stu - and if only for the good coffee and the view - Nepenthe's worth it. Incredible view - fun atmosphere.

I live on Long Island and go to the beach all summer. So I don't care if I don't hang at one. I think I would like the hiking but Im afraid it will be too high. Im trying to go out of my comfort zone a bit so the boys will have fun.

Have you ever seen the California coast, stephaniea? Because it is nothing like Long Island, not a bit, so your feelings about the beach may not apply. Also, could you explain what you mean by "too high"?

I love Nepenthe, too. It's well worth a stop for lunch or a snack.

I do think two nights in Monterey would be better.

Do a google image search of "Pfeiffer Beach" and tell us this looks like Long Island.

You have been given some good advice and many of your questions have been answered.

Have a great trip.

BTW, I didn't mean to disparage your concerns about "too high", I really want to know what it is that worries you. You can always just stop along the way and let the kids run around on the beach, check out tide pools, etc. There's no need to hike up cliffs to enjoy the area.

>>Do a google image search of "Pfeiffer Beach" and tell us this looks like Long Island.<< ;)

Or google image search for Big Sur, or Point Lobos . . . nope, not a lot of similarities to Long Island >)

I know the scenery is going to be beautiful at Big Sur, wasn't comparing it to the beaches here. Just meant its not a beach vacation. The boys will only like the scenery for a small amount of time. I wanted to maybe taking them hiking or do a kayak tour.

She says she can't hike too high, what's to explain? A lot of people are not in good enough physical shape to do a lot of hiking, that's pretty normal. Most people don't ever hike.

Too High can mean a lot of things. Elevation, fear of edges/cliffs. Even smoking weed. I wasn't sure myself what was meant when I read it

Big Sur & weed are redundant.

Stu Dudley

There's plenty to do in the Monterey / Carmel / Big Sur area that would keep the boys and you interested:

- Kayaking in Monterey or Elkhorn Slough
- Whale watching tour
- Hiking in Lobos Nature Reserve
- Hiking in julia Pfeifer Burns State Park
- Shopping (Carmel or Cannery Row for more touristy stuff)

Here's a pretty detailed itinerary from the time my wife and I spent in the area: http://ow.ly/uDPpn