KC

We will be in California during the first half of July. Would like to visit Yosemite, Monterey, Caraml, Santa Cruz, Point Lobos and surrounding areas. We are looking for inexpensive hotels, just for a night maybe two but more important some inside info on travel and what to avoid. Are there better days of the week to visit the parks? I have heard of incredibly long waits just to drive in the Big Sur area. So any suggestions etc. Would be VERY MUCH appreciated.

xxx

Why not consider renting one of the tents up at Grey Wolf in Yosemite? They have standing canvas tents that are on a cement slab. The tents include cots and down comforters. All of the fun of camping, but with some nice luxuries. And by camping a few nights, you could save a little money on lodging. They also have a great restaurant up by the camp which is housed in an old cabin.

PS Local

KC:

I think xxx's suggestion is an excellent one, offering a great alternative to the typical hotel/motel experience. These places are sort of motel/camping hybrids. Another place i can recommend without hesitation is Costanoa, about an hour south of San Francisco, right on Pacific Coast Hwy. You can look at it more on their web site.

http://www.costanoa.com/home.html

I hope your CA experience lives up to and surpasses your expectations.

psl

Steve Curry

On weekends in the Summer, the hotels/motels in Santa Cruz sometimes make you pledge a 2-night minimum and you might need reservations. During the week shouldn't be a problem.

I've never heard of driving waits in Big Sur, but I certainly have in Yosemite. Try to hit them mid-week.

kam

I agree that a mid week visit is better. The hotels in Carmel generally require a two night minimum on weekends and sometimes even 3 on holidays. If you're flying into SF, plan to spend the weekend in the city and then head out on early Monday morning. You'll be going against rush hour (if there is such a thing around here) but it will be better at least. Point Lobos is a state park--not a town. Monterey is quite touristy--although if you're looking for less expensive accomodations, that's where you'll find them rather than in Pacific Grove or Carmel. You should plan on 3-4 hours to drive Big Sur. It's only 90 miles, but the traffic goes slowly and there's lots to see. Don't do it if it's foggy--you'll waste time and won't see anything. Santa Cruz is Santa Cruz--you need to read about it before you decide to stay there. But, there are more reasonable accomodations in Sta. Cruz than down farther on the Monterey Peninsula. Do a search here, there's tons of information on hotels and restaurants.

Caitlin

People who don't know will tell you otherwise, but there is more to Santa Cruz than the Boardwalk. Henry Cowell Redwoods or Big Basin Redwoods State Parks are worth a visit, as are the lovely state beaches in Aptos. These are the nontouristy parts of the Santa Cruz area, compared to the Boardwalk and city beach and Capitola Village and city beach. I agree, however, that you might not want to bother staying in Santa Cruz if you're planning to stay in Monterey anyway. There are plenty of good, casual, non-chain restaurants in Santa Cruz where you can grab lunch or dinner.

Malynnda

KC, I have only ever hit minor delays driving the coast highway if there is an accident of road construction. However, remember that it is a scenic and small highway with LOTS of twists and turns in parts, not a high speed freeway. In Monterey area, try getting a room at Asilomar (they have a website). You have access to a beautiful beach, a pool, historic buildings, and the rates are reasonable. Although it is not exactly comparable, Asilomar is next to the Inn at Spanish Bay which charges an arm and a leg for access to basically the same beach. For some B&B's in the area check out www.foursisters.com for a list of their properties which are quite nice. I would avoid staying in Monterey itself, Pacific Grove and Carmel are so close and much more charming.
If you are into camping, Costanoa (north of Santa Cruz) is really unique and wonderful. In Big Sur, the Big Sur Lodge in the state park is simple and has more rooms than most other locations in Big Sur. Definitely start booking your reservations now for all of these sights and have a great trip.