Cheryl

My husband 15 year old daughter and I will be going to California in August for about 10 days. We are starting with 3 days and nights in San Francisco, going to Yosemite for two nights, going to Carmel for two nights and maybe to Solvang for one night before meeting up with friends in the LA area for a couple of days. I am somewhat rethinking Solvang due to info on this forum. If we leave Carmel and drive to Hearst Castle is there a better place to stay that is close enough to LA but a reasonable distance from Hearst? We would be driving from Carmel on a Friday. I am aware of the distances but am unsure about timing because of possible traffic.

Susan

Cambria would be a good choice to stay, lots of nice inns & hotels on Moonstone Beach & only a few minutes from the Hearst Castle.

Dayle

Hi Cheryl!

You don't have to stay in Solvang. Just pass through for some yummy pastries for breakfast!

Try Los Olivos or Ballard. Lodging choices are few, but wonderful. You'll be in the heart of wine/horse country & away from the tour buses in Solvang.

lze

Hello Cheryl, Solvang is nice to visit but there are better places to stay. Cambria is one of our most favorite places along the coast, and it is very close to the castle. We just love it there. But, you sound like you want to stay someplace closer to LA. Why not try Santa Barbara? It is perhaps a 6 hour drive from Carmel to Santa Barbara and then not to far to LA from there. Of course you might want to make stops along the way so do allow for that. I might recommend stopping in Big Sur at a place called Nepenthe (SP?) for lunch and a visit to the gift shop and art gallery perhaps. Great place. It was originally a house that Orson Wells bought for Rita Hayworth and they did not spend enough time there so it was sold. It has become this great little stop in Big Sur. Cambria is aproximately 5 or 6 hours to LA. Beautiful coastline scenery. Good luck and do enjoy!

lze

Hello again, Guess this is a P.S. Santa Barbara is not that close to the castle. You would be better off staying in Cambria and then continuing on to LA from there.

Cheryl

Thank you for the information. I will try Nepenthe and also make hotel reservations in Cambria. Appreciate your help.