Hi All,
As part of our US trip we are driving LA to SF via hwy 1.
Our itinery so far sounds like this.
Day 1
LA-SLO. maybe Madonna Inn (just for fun)
Day2
SLO-Monterey.Not sure where to stay. Hearst Castle on the way.
Day 3 Monterey Aquarium then on to SF.

Please help critique our choises!

Thanks

We never make this trip without spending a night in Cambria at one of the motels on Moonstone Drive. San Simeon and the Hearst Castle are about five miles away. We also prefer Ventura, Ouji, and Santa Barbara
to SLO.

We like the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, walking distance to the great aquarium.

We also enjoy Cambria very much. The Blue Whale Inn, Fireside Inn and Cypress Cove Inn are all across the street from Moonstone Beach. ***kim***

Try to make a stop for lunch / coffee at Nepenthe in Big Sur. The restaurant sits 800 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Needless to say, the views are spectacular. It is (obviously) on the left if you are travelling north.

http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/

I think your trip is doable as planned. Depending on the time of year you will be traveling (if the days are longer) SLO would make a good halfway spot. We have stayed at Madonna Inn, and yes, it is a "fun" place in the sense of its theme decorated rooms. I think we stayed in the cave room once. The food there is also excellent.

The other suggestions are good too, but may not put you at a "halfway" spot for your next leg to San Simeon and Monterey. I live near SLO and enjoy it very much. The air is clean and temps are mild. SB is beautiful but puts you farther south by close to two hours, but is definitely worth seeing if you have time to spare.

Just some food for thought, the Hearst Castle tour starts with a tram ride (maybe 20 minutes?) up to the castle, then back. The time to drive there from SLO is about 45 minutes. Between waiting around, the tram rides, and the walking tour, consider you are next going to drive a very curvy (and potentially dangerous) part of hiway 1 to Monterey with scenery to stop and enjoy along the way. You will want both the energy and the time to do it, in the daylight!

Sounds like a great time. Enjoy!