Big Sur: What not to miss?
May 9th, 2007, 07:17 AM
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Big Sur: What not to miss?
Hi All,
Getting married in August at Yosemite and from there, we will be in Napa for 4 days, then Big Sur for 2 and Carmel for 2.
We like hiking and nice restaurants (I LOVE seafood). Can you guys recommend some places to hike, what are the must sees along the coast and great (sea)food spots where I can have oysters! I once was at Tamales Bay where there's an oyster farm and I was in heaven. Any place like that there? We'll be staying at the Treebones Resort while in Big Sur.
Thanks!
Getting married in August at Yosemite and from there, we will be in Napa for 4 days, then Big Sur for 2 and Carmel for 2.
We like hiking and nice restaurants (I LOVE seafood). Can you guys recommend some places to hike, what are the must sees along the coast and great (sea)food spots where I can have oysters! I once was at Tamales Bay where there's an oyster farm and I was in heaven. Any place like that there? We'll be staying at the Treebones Resort while in Big Sur.
Thanks!
May 9th, 2007, 07:44 AM
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Treebones is south of Big Sur the town. It's quite a drive along a dark coast to go up there for dinner.
I can't think of a place nearby for good oysters. Tamales Bay is the holy grail of oysters, so it could be hard to find a place that would compare. Maybe somewhere on the Wharf in Monterey.
I like The River Inn for a casual lunch along the river. You can have cocktails or wine while setting on benches placed right in the river. Nepenthe is nice for a drink.
Check out the Elepahant seals also.
In Carmel I like Casanova and Forge in the Forest. Roys at Pebble Beach in Spanish Bay is also very good.
Enjoy Treebones, I've heard it's wonderful.
Congrats on you wedding.
I can't think of a place nearby for good oysters. Tamales Bay is the holy grail of oysters, so it could be hard to find a place that would compare. Maybe somewhere on the Wharf in Monterey.
I like The River Inn for a casual lunch along the river. You can have cocktails or wine while setting on benches placed right in the river. Nepenthe is nice for a drink.
Check out the Elepahant seals also.
In Carmel I like Casanova and Forge in the Forest. Roys at Pebble Beach in Spanish Bay is also very good.
Enjoy Treebones, I've heard it's wonderful.
Congrats on you wedding.
May 9th, 2007, 09:31 AM
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maria_so,
I haven't done much hiking in the Southern Big Sur area.
While in Carmel you can do some nice shoreside hikes at Pt. Lobos. Also make sure to take a long romantic walk long Carmel Beach. It is beyond beautiful. Pick up a nice bottle of wine and some plastic glasses and watch the sunset (if fog free) from the top of the beach.
I haven't done much hiking in the Southern Big Sur area.
While in Carmel you can do some nice shoreside hikes at Pt. Lobos. Also make sure to take a long romantic walk long Carmel Beach. It is beyond beautiful. Pick up a nice bottle of wine and some plastic glasses and watch the sunset (if fog free) from the top of the beach.
May 9th, 2007, 09:52 AM
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For southern Big Sur, don't miss Sand Dollar Beach - really pretty spot. The parking lot is on a bluff (or you can park on the highway and walk a little bit if you don't want to pay the parking fee), and then you hike down to the water. It is kind of steep, but not really far.
For hiking in the woods, check out Limekiln state park, just south of Lucia. There are some nice trails - one to a pretty tall waterfall, another to the old limekilns, and then another trail that doesn't go to a particular destination, but meanders along a really pretty creek. There is also a nice stretch of beach at Limekiln.
For eats, as glimmer mentioned, there isn't a lot of civilization in that area. I think Treebones offers dinner now, so that is an option. Ragged Point and the "town" of Gorda are probably the closest places for dinner. I have never eaten at either, so I can't give any recommendations though. We always picnic when we are in Big Sur, and overnights are camping trips, so we just cook out.
For hiking in the woods, check out Limekiln state park, just south of Lucia. There are some nice trails - one to a pretty tall waterfall, another to the old limekilns, and then another trail that doesn't go to a particular destination, but meanders along a really pretty creek. There is also a nice stretch of beach at Limekiln.
For eats, as glimmer mentioned, there isn't a lot of civilization in that area. I think Treebones offers dinner now, so that is an option. Ragged Point and the "town" of Gorda are probably the closest places for dinner. I have never eaten at either, so I can't give any recommendations though. We always picnic when we are in Big Sur, and overnights are camping trips, so we just cook out.
May 9th, 2007, 09:57 AM
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excellent idea for picnics J_Correa, thanks! Yes, treebones does offer dinner but we think we'll want to go up to Neph(??) the town up there and have dinner one night and just slowly drive back down the coast. If so, any recommendations? Someone mentioned the river something restaurant.
Love the hike recommendation and I think we have to definitely make it to the waterfall. Thanks for that too!
Love the hike recommendation and I think we have to definitely make it to the waterfall. Thanks for that too!
May 9th, 2007, 10:23 AM
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If you're going drive that far for dinner (and yes it's far and slow) you might as well splurge and dine at Post Ranch's Sierra Mar or Cielo (I think) at Ventana. Something nice and romantic and not quite as pricey is Djeeten's (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) which is south of Nepenthe.
May 9th, 2007, 12:17 PM
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If you do decide to drive up to Nepenthe or near there for dinner, try for an early dinner so that you aren't driving back after dark. After dark the road is just one winding curve after another with no view to make it interesting - LOL.
May 9th, 2007, 03:09 PM
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Noted and thanks glimmer. what we'll probably do is find a beach or a hike close to there and come in the afternoon for drinks and an early dinner then head back to watch sunset in the jacuzzi overlooking the ocean. Very cool. Thanks!
May 9th, 2007, 03:48 PM
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I love the hike up to Mount Manuel in Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park. It's long and arduous, though, with little shade... you have devote a big chunk of the day to it.
The view from the top is worth it, and you will feel like you have really accomplished something exceptional when all is said and done. This is not for novices!
The view from the top is worth it, and you will feel like you have really accomplished something exceptional when all is said and done. This is not for novices!
May 9th, 2007, 03:57 PM
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May 10th, 2007, 09:11 AM
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We had friends visiting from southern Germany and we took them to Big Sur. At one point, one of our visitors, while looking over the edge of the cliff to the ocean as we went around a curve said "My God, what do Americans have against guard rails!" We told her we didn't think the drive would be a problem since, hello, she is from southern Germany where they have all those alps - LOL. She told us that at least the Germans had the sense to put up guardrails so that people wouldn't go plunging to their deaths. LOL.
