Still tweaking our plans for our california trip last week of march.

Now we're thinking that after we land in SF (around noon on sat 3/27), we will pick up our rental car and head straight to Monterey Peninsula. Would the town of Monterey be the best place to stay as a base for exploring Big Sur? While in that area, we want to see a lot of the natural beauty of the coast if weather permits, as well as go to the aquarium, take a whale watch trip, maybe visit a Mission. We are not big shoppers and will be traveling with 14 yr old son and 17 yr old daughter.

After spending four nights in that area, we will drive to SF on Wed. the 31st of March, and spend three nights at the Argonaut (this hotel is a little bit away from Fisherman's Wharf, right?) We plan to get rid of our rental car at this point. In addition to exploring San Fran, we plan to tour Alcatraz on Thursday and visit Berkeley on Friday (using BART to get there?) Then Saturday at noon our flight leaves for home.

I think this plan will work pretty well, just not sure about staying in Monterey. We like quaint towns more than tourist traps, maybe Pacific Grove would be better? Although it doesn't seem to have many hotels.

Bucky, The Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove area is not really very big. In some cases it's hard to know where one town ends and the next starts. The range of accommodations is so broad you need to be more specific about what kind of place you're looking for; motel? big hotel property? B&B? Something in the Wharf/Cannery Row area, while in the thick of the tourist area, gives you a good base location.

You'll definitely have enough time to see what you want to see. Don't miss a hike in Point Lobos (park outside and do the perimeter trail for the best total park experience). For a Mission, don't miss Carmel, probably one of the jewels of the California missions and Junipero Serra's resting place.

Before you dump the car, go across the GG Bridge to the Marin Headlands for one of the best views of the City. You can easily take BART to Berkeley.

Thanks for your reply. I wasn't sure how close all those areas were, even though I can see on the map, traffic is so different along the coast than what I'm used to in the flat Midwest.

We are looking for a resort or hotel that has some dining options nearby so we don't always have to drive. I am currently booked at the Monterey Plaza, which looks very nice, but I was worried it might be very noisy and also it is pretty expensive, since we are planning to get a separate room for the teens. I was reading through old posts and saw a reference to the Marina Dunes Resort, which I think is outside of town although there website doesn't provide a map or directions. It looks much more reseaonable, and the idea of staying on a beach is very appealing. As long as it isn't too long a drive to Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, maybe that would be a good option.

Is anyone familiar with this property? I don't see it listed in my Fodor's guide book, but I haven't done a search here yet.

I'm not sure where the Marina Dunes resort is either. I checked the website for an address but it wasn't listed - that's one of my pet peeves. If it is in the town of Marina, that's just a few minutes drive from Monterey so it's not far. Marina itself doesn't have a whole lot to recommend it beyond the ocean and the dunes. The town built up around Fort Ord when it was in operation.

I would recommend going to Santa Cruz during your trip. At 14 and 17 your kids will probably really enjoy it. Check out the Boardwalk's web site to see what the days and hours of operation are during your visit - it's usually open weekends in the spring, plus some weekdays for spring break. Check out the wharf, the surfers, downtown. Capitola Village is also a fun place. I'm not much into shopping either, but there are quite a few unique places. The village is a few square blocks which are next to a nice beach and there are several restaurants with patios overlooking the beach and a creek that runs into the ocean there.

Marina Dunes, if I remember correctly, is in Marina, which is a town north of Monterey. Marina is not a resort area like Monterey/Carmel. It's trying to be, but it's not. Better not end up in Marina unless all you want to do is to sit by the ocean at the resort and do nothing. There's nothing else to explore in Marina. The water in March is much too cold to swim in.

The Monterey Plaza, on the other hand, is a great hotel. We stayed there when it first opened and it seems to have maintained its high quality throughout these years. Some of the rooms sit on a pier that juts out into the Bay and, if you get one of the end rooms, your view is of the sweeping Pacific. They had a wonderful Sunday brunch buffet and if it is still there I would recommend the buffet. In addition, the Monterey Plaza is very close to Monterey Bay Aquarium and all the other activities in the Wharf area.

IMHO, there is no comparison between Monterey Plaza and Marina Dunes. MP comes out way on top.

You could try a B&B in Pacific Grove, which is between Monterey and Carmel. There are a number of wonderful B&Bs along the shore.

North of Santa Cruz is the restaurant Shadowbrook in Capitola. Great food, quaint "tram" ride down to the restaurant which sits creekside. Beautiful surroundings.

On the way down, the State parks that you might like are: Ano Nuevo for the elephant seals. About 400 visitors a day go to see these huge creatures mate and fight and tend to their families on the beach. Believe that March is the end of the season when they are on that beach. You will need reservations to go see the elephant seals because of the number of visitors.

Next beach is Point Lobos. Gorgeous area.

Once you are settled in Monterey/Carmel, you can easily drive down to Big Sur. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is my favorite. Walk to McVey Falls. March will be a good time to see these falls as they cascade into the Pacific.

Hope this helps!

Marina Dunes IS in Marina and rather isolated, surrounded, if I recall, by Fort Ord, which has now closed down. It's a little more than a "few minutes" from downtown Monterey, and there's nothing I'd consider "quaint" about Marina.

As Grasshopper says, the city of Monterey is pretty darned small, more like a little town that is, to me enchanting. It does blend into Pacific Grove without any seeming boundary line. Plenty of dining options in both places without having to get into a car. But even if you do, it's a short drive and parking is easy.

From Monterey, it takes 30 minutes to drive to Big Sur (well, from downtown Monterey to Nepenthe!), so it's a real easy, not to mention gorgeous drive!

I second the mission in Carmel -- go into the Church where Fr Serra is buried at the alter.

You might also consider staying in Carmel, which is a 10 min. drive from Monterey (unless you take the 17 mile drive). You can't find a more quaint town than that!

Yes, I suppose Marina is a little more than a "few" minutes from downtown Monterey since a few is technically 3 - the drive takes about 10 minutes - 15 if you have to stop at a bunch of traffic lights once you are in Monterey.

Be sure to stop at Pt Lobos state reserve right below Carmel. It is a great place for exploring wildlife and vegetation on the coast, plus get in a hike and take in some gorgeous scenery. I think your kids will like it, too. The cost is $5 per car per day. It is easy to spend a full day there exploring! Be sure to take a picnic lunch. It is not the same Pt Lobos located north on Hwy 1 close to Half Moon Bay.

If you will be staying in the Monterey area Pacific Grove has a nice selection of inns and B&B's (www.pacificgrove.org). Even though you are not big shoppers, do take a stroll through downtown Carmel around Ocean Avenue to take in the quaint charm of the area. On your way back from the Monterey area, the coastal redwoods at Big Basin woulod also be nice to see. Another option is Roaring Camp in nearby Felton in Henry Cowell Redwoods Park. There's a neat steam train tour through the redwoods that you can take to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. www.roaringcamp.com

Point Lobos is definitely a must see. Instead of doing Big Sur as a day trip from Monterey, I'd also stay a night in Cambria down by San Simeon so that you can really enjoy the beautiful coastline. Im my opinion the scenery along Highway 1 south from Monterey will be the highlight of your trip.

For a long day's outing from Monterey, go along the Big Sur coast to Hearst Castle. You will also see elephant seals on the beach right next to the road about 3 miles north of the castle, and much closer than is allowed at Año Nuevo.

I don't know what your budget is but I would stay in Carmel. It is very unique and a great place for walking around. There are a lot of good restaurants in Carmel.

bucky, we took a similar trip last summer with kids 13 and 16. We arrived in S.F. and stayed put for a couple of nights, then we drove to Yosemite (not in your plans) spent a couple of nights at Yosemite Lodge. Then on for an overnight in Cambria (beautiful and allowed us to see Hearst Castle the next day), then a stop at Nepenthe in Big Sur and on to Monterey. We stayed at the Monterey Marriott and then drove back to S.F. for our flight home. I have to tell you that we all agreed (especially the kids) that Yosemite was the best part of the trip and Monterey was the least favorite part. The kids liked S.F., we wandered all over, the Haight, North Beach, Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf. In Monterey we saw the aquarium, walked the streets, fisherman's wharf (very run down and sad looking) and went on a whale watch. We like to see things on vacation as opposed to shopping and quite frankkly we did not find much to see, other than shopping, in Monterey. We did stop at both Santa Cruz and Big Basin on the way back to SF and the kids loved both. The redwoods are amazing. P.S. I should also add that I too needed two rooms and so I chose the Marriott in Monterey over the Monterey Plaza which was very pricey. The Marriott was fine, had a pool, and was much cheaper.

Just a nit -- Capitola is actually just a tad south of Santa Cruz.

Have a great time in our neck of the woods!

Bucky, I'd like to echo the feeling of Susan above that you may find Monterey the weak link in your trip, as she did in hers. I believe that despite its historical significance, the attractions of Monterey (the city itself, not the Peninsula) are much overrated and the place tending towards a tourist trap. I think staying in a big modern hotel in Monterey and spending much time on that city is missing the best of the immediate area.

I agree with the posters above that Carmel is a place of much greater charm and interest than Monterey, and there are many small places to stay there which I think both you and your teenagers would find more unique and probably less expensive than the Monterey Plaza. Vagabond's House is one such that I have stayed at and can recommend heartily, but there are many others. In addition to the woodsiness, the hillside setting gently sloping down to the ocean, the sweet mixture of pine smell and sea air, and the distinctive, often fairy tale archtecture which make Carmel very enjoyable for walking, I think your teenagers will enjoy the amazingly white sand of its gorgeous beach. I also second the idea that the Carmel Mission, on the outskirts of town, is the mission to see.

Big Sur and Point Lobos are truly one in the world destinations and should be your top priority of all the attractions of the area. I agree that the view from the terrace at Nepenthe in Big Sur should not be missed, as well as the different and higher view from the terrace of Cielo restaurant at the Ventana Inn just up the road. Also, be sure to take the easy walk to McVay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to see the only waterfall in the Pacific Coast which falls directly into the Pacific. You might want to consider staying at Big Sur Lodge at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park, which is near the ocean but also has many places to hike among the redwoods along the Big Sur River. They have picturuesque and reasonable cabins there, as they do also at Ripplewood resort. These are rustic, but I love Ripplewood's cabins directly on the river (more of a creek) and having its gurgle lull me to sleep. A secret I will let you in on is the Big Sur Campgrounds and Cabins. This is primarily a campground, but they have very attractive A-frames in heavy woods, where the adults can sleep on the main level next to a fireplace while the teenagers can each climb a ladder to a separate loft bed.

Hearst Castle is just below Big Sur and Point Lobos on my list of priorities and I would rank it well above any attraction in Monterey--even the Aquarium. The Castle and its grounds are amazing. Take at least two of the tours offered--they don't duplicate that much. I myself am not a great fan of Cambria, which I consider an unsuccessful attempt to imitate Carmel, but if you don't want stay further north when visiting the Castle, consider the Best Western Cavalier Resort in San Simeon, very near the Castle, where you can take advantage of the surprisingly-hard-to-come-by-in-Northern-California opportunity to stay directly on the oceanfront (specify an oceanfront room, not all their rooms are.)

I'm glad to hear that your son is considering my alma mater. You can easily take BART from San Francisco to the Berkeley station, where there's a shuttle (which at least used to be named Humphrey Go-BART) to the heart of campus. Wear your walking shoes, though--there's much to explore on the extensive and beautiful campus and the student neighborhoods both to the north and south of it.

Let us know what choices you make, and, after your trip, give us your impressions.

Thanks for the tips; I'll look into the resorts you mentioned. I've steered away from bed and breakfasts because of the teens-- not sure if kids are really welcomed at places that are billed as romantic. Also, because I'm a light sleeper, was afraid the walls would be too thin. I haven't stayed at a B and B since before kids (in Europe), and I enjoyed it very much but I could sleep through anything in those days. I just took a quick look at Vagabond's website and the rates are actually only about $30 less per night than what was quoted me at the Plaza. They don't guarantee certain rooms and it would not go over well if my son and daughter had to share a bed. But I should call them to get a better sense of the situation there.

We were only planning to use the town of Monterey as a base. My main point in going there is the Big Sur coastline. But because it will be the end of March, we can't count on good weather, and that's why I thought we might be better off staying in a town rather than right in Big Sur at the lodge, for example.

That's also why we aren't going to Yosemite. I don't even think the roads are open at that time of year. My husband and I camped there in 1979, and it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, but that was in the summer.

I'm having a hard time with my decision to skip Hearst. It would mean changing hotels again, because I think it is too long a day trip from Monterey. But maybe we should do it; I had planned to originally.

Too many choices, but I'm so looking forward to it. It's pretty bitter and snowy in Chicago lately. I'll let you all know how it goes, and thanks so much for all the great advice!

All of the above, know far more than I, so may I ask them a few questions for you?
Alcatraz, reservation to be made well in advance?
Many times, I have driven through the black dark rain in Monterey, and rounded the Big Sur point into clear bright sunshine. Just me? Or might the weather in March have a chance of 'better in Big Sur than in Monterey"?
I've not personally stayed at the rustic lodges in Big Sur, but wouldn't most kids love that experence? The river, redwoods, waterfall, ocean, cabins, space to run and even make a bit of noise, and no resemblance to Chicago! The drive to San Simion would be easy and comfortable. Oh, should the castle tour be reserved in advance also? If toured in the morning, then a visit to Cambria, and play on the beach, would still return to Big Sur lodging before night?
Are you planning to go to Half Moon Bay from the airport and Drive the full scenic way down Hwy 1?
And what aproximate time is your flight arrival? I ask, because that might be concidered, to help you stay out of commute traffic times. Also, when I travel, I like to use my jet lag to goo use, and plan my driving early or late, for smooth sailing and making best time.
Just some thoughts.....
I went to school in Lake Forest, and think your young folks will be in awe when they see the west coast! If possible, try to photograph their reactions to first sights, you can look after them, and you will have priceless photographs forever for you and them! Can't wait to hear your trip report after your visit here!

Well, now I think I'm going to revise my itinerary yet again! Due to comments about Monterey being the weak link, I'm thinking of adding two nights in Morro Bay with a trip to Hearst Castle.

We would arrive at SF around noon on Sat., pick up our rental car and drive to Monterey. We would take 101 as far as Santa Cruz and then get on hywy 1 there, perhaps after a meal. We would check out Monterey on Saturday aft/evening (staying at the Plaza). On Sunday, if weather is good, we will head to Point Lobos and spend as much time as we like there. After that, if there is time, we could check out the mission in Carmel and have dinner in Carmel or Pacific Grove. If the weather is bad, there's always the aquarium in Monterey instead of Point Lobos.

On Monday, we would spend most of the day driving through Big Sur with stops along the way (McWay Falls, Nepenthe...) We would drive to Morro Bay and check into the Inn at Morro Bay, which is in the state park. Have dinner somewhere close to there. (The Inn has a restaurant).

On Tuesday, we would tour Hearst, perhaps with a stop in Cambria for a meal before or after. We would spend the rest of the day/night in the Morro Bay area.

On Wednesday, we would drive 101 all the way back to San Francisco, where we would turn in our rental car before checking into the Argonaut Hotel. We would hang out near our hotel that night, then the next day, Thursday, tour Alcatraz and spend the rest of the time sightseeing in San Fran.

Friday we would take BART to Berkeley, have a tour and lunch there. Then spend our last evening in San Fran.

The drive from Morro Bay to San Francisco is about 250 miles, so I'm guessing it will take us around 5 hours on 101. If we leave around 10 am, we should get there by 3, hopefuly avoiding rush hour. I'm sure we'll stop for lunch somewhere along the way.

It sounds like a lot of driving, but I'm thinking we will want to drive the whole Big Sur coastline anyway, so we might as well stay a couple nights in Morro and see Hearst Castle rather than driving back and forth from Monterey. The reservations clerk at the Big Sur Lodge, (where I also have reservations, but am planning to cancel cuz my hubby thinks we should stay in Monterey in case of poor weather) said it takes about 45 minutes to get from their lodge to Monterey. That was longer than I thought, and we want to go south of that point too.

This is one of the great dangers of consulting strangers about your travel plans! I will say that I didn't think there was anything wrong with your first plan. I think there are more than enough things on the Monterey Penninsula and Big Sur to keep you busy for 4 nights. Going to Hearst Castle will be a long stretch and a lot of driving. The drive between Carmel and Big Sur is likely to give you plenty of the Highway 1 expereince.

I know I will be under attack for this, but I fear you may be victim to the one poster with many names here.

I think your original plan was fine as well. Spending time in Monterey will allow you to the the surrounding area. There is plenty to do there.

One note on route - whichever itinerery you choose. On your way from SF to Monterey, you said you want to go through Santa Cruz. Although SFO is next to Hwy 101, I recommend cutting over to Hwy 280 as soon as possible, then in San Jose you will take Hwy 17 over to Santa Cruz. Both 101 and 280 run parallel to one another with Hwy 101 being along the bay and Hwy 280 along the hills. 280 is MUCH more scenic and it's an easier drive. 101 goes through a lot of industrial areas and the condition of the road is not so good - pot holes, rough pavement, etc. 280 is very smooth and goes through some pretty scenic areas.

Well it's getting to the point where I'm beginning to suspect all advice has an ulterior motive! Although it wasn't just strangers who influenced me, there are a couple of families in my neighborhood who have taken a similar trip and their kids have told my kids how much they enjoyed Hearst castle. I guess I'll have to call the parents and get a little more info.

There is also a website called San Francisco underground that claims Monterey is big tourist trap and not worth spending a lot of time in.

I am also influenced by our trip to Seattle. We stayed the whole week in one hotel, and took a lot of day trips to other areas, such as Whidbey Island and the Olympic Peninsula. It ended up being a lot of driving to get to a destination and then having to turn around and head back. In retrospect, we would have been better off just moving to a different hotel for a few nights.