Thanks!

As others have said, fog is not usually a problem in Dec. However the one thing to keep in mind is if it rains (and we could really use rain here in California). December is one of the rainy months and if it rains heavily, Highway 1 to Big Sur often has rock and mudslides that close the road. There was a fire in 2008 that may make mudslides even more likely although I am sure some of the vegetation is filling back in. In Dec 2005 my DD, her boyfriend and I drove to SF from San Diego and were going to drive through Big Sur on the way home. Unfortunately the rains changed those plans. So if it happens to rain during your visit, make sure you check road condition reports.

What are some nice hotels to stay in on this trip?

I've heard that we are supposed to have an El Nino year, so rain could very well impact your trip. Play it by ear. If the weather makes Big Sur a bad idea, there are plenty of other things to see - Point Lobos state park just south of Carmel has some fabulous scenery and because you can see quite a bit from the car or with short walks, it is a good choice during inclement weather because you can get back in the car quickly :)

Topping this to thank everyone for the tip-off about the purple-sanded Pfeiffer Beach! It was so windy when we were there 3 1/2 weeks ago, it was hard to enjoy it long, but it sure was fun to see the purple sand.

Here are my pictures of it in case anyone is wondering if the sand <i> really </i> is purple. http://byamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2...ple-proof.html

And, yes, I boosted the saturation in Photoshop just a little bit, but the purple really is there. :)