Big Sur in late Oct? Any suggestions?
 

We are going to San Fran and Big Sur at the end of October...any suggestions? We will be there only a couple of days....Thanks!

Kelly -- What kind of suggestions do you need -- accommodations, restaurants, things to do, or all of the above? <BR> <BR>It's a shame you only have a couple of days because there's so much to do! The Big Sur coast extends way down almost to San Simeon near Hearst Castle, which I would definitely recommend touring (takes 2 hours to tour), but it may be too far given the limited time you have. The drive is gorgeous though. <BR> <BR>We stayed at Ventana in Big Sur which was really wonderful -- and its restaurant, Cielo, is too. <BR> <BR>We also loved Point Lobos State Park, toward the northern end of Big Sur not too far south of Carmel -- beautiful, rugged, rocky coves full of wildlife and crashing surf. This is a place that several people on this forum had recommended, and I'm glad they did because otherwise we never would have known about it! Lots of seals, waterfowl, and wildflowers. Spent a couple of hours hiking its trails and taking tons of photographs. The nominal fee to enter the park is well worth it. <BR> <BR>The Big Sur coast is about 90 miles long but takes much longer than you would expect to drive, and can't be rushed! Allow lots of time. And don't let people tell you to just go to the Monterrey Peninsula instead of driving down to Big Sur -- there is no comparison. <BR> <BR>

We are considering a drive from Monterey (where we have visited before)to Santa Barbara. We would leave Monterey in the morning about 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. and drive through Big Sur. Is a stop to tour the Hearst Castle possible and still make it to Santa Barbara by mid to late afternoon? Or should we consider staying in San Luis Obisbo? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The trip from Monterey to Morro Bay will take approximately 4 hours, depending upon traffic. A 9 am departure would make it difficult to both take a tour (even with precision timing) and still arrive in the mid afternoon in Santa Barbara. You should plan an earlier departure time, and be prepared to arrive in S.B in late afternoon. That is much more realistic, and will make for a more enjoyable trip and tour.

The tours of Hearst Castle take two hours. Make sure you get your tickets in advance so you don't waste time. I would allow lots of extra time if I were you before your ticket time because you may want to stop along the way and definitely don't want to rush. I would try to leave Monterrey earlier, around 7 maybe, and get tickets for Hearst at around 11 or so, which I think would allow you to be in Santa Barbara by around 5 or so. That is just a rough guess.

I would plan to stay in San Luis Obispo or Cambria after driving down Big Sur and touring Hearst Castle. I think you will see that the central coast is every bit as nice as Sta Barbara. One caveat, if the weather is iffy (and tonight it's supposed to start raining), don't drive the coast through Big Sur. You simply won't see much and you will have wasted a lot of time. Instead, take 101 and arrive in SLO or Cambria early to enjoy either of those towns and their wineries.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I'm not sure what we'll do yet. I was leaning toward the earlier departure from Monterey with a later arrival in Santa Barbara, realizing it would be a long day. But Kam's comments have given me second thoughts as I received good advice last year on a Carmel question. By the way Kam, the Pine Inn and La Boheme were great. Any recommendations on hotels and restaurants in San Luis Obispo? Thanks again.

I don't know if you have any thoughts about stopping in Cambria at all, but I definitely recommend it. It's a delightful town with lots of nice restaurants and accommodations. There is a wonderful restaurant there called Robin's.

The kick of SLO is the Madonna Inn with every style of room known to the imagination. It's kind of fun to spend one night here. Many people like the "cavemen rooms" complete with waterfalls. My favorite was one that reminded me of a hunt club---green and peaceful. Wouldn't recommend the restaurant though. I think probably the best restaurant in SLO is the Apple Farm Inn, but know that it's very homey and a bit "cute". But the food is comforting and it's also a nice hotel. Most of the hotels in SLO are motel style, geared to Cal Poly parents' weekends and graduation. If you're there on a Thursday, there is a wonderful farmers market--just plan to eat while you wander around. If you like Mexican, try Tortilla Flats for an inexpensive, filling meal. Our favorite restaurant in Cambria is the Sow's Ear on Main Street. The Brambles Dinner House is the best known and is also excellent. Love this area--can you tell?