mmbb

I plan to spend 2 nights in Carmel before heading up to Napa.For my 1 full day in Carmel area I was planning to drive down the coast to Point Lobos and J Pfeiffer Park and do a little hiking. 1>Would I have time to drive to Hearst Castle, how long does it take to get there, how long do I need there,can I make it back in the same day, is it worth it, and would I be better off spending 1 night in Carmel & 1 night at Hearst before going to Napa? Or should I forget about Hearst and stay closer to Carmel due to my limited time. 2> Can you recommend any good B&B in Carmel? Thanks for any input!

boom_boom

You can drive to Hearst Castle and back in a day from Carmel, but you'll spend most of your time on Route 1, it isn't a fast drive & you would want advance reservations for your Hearst tour. While the Castle is awesome, I'd skip it on this trip due to your time constraints.

Tish

Having driven from San Francisco down to LA last year I would recommend that you spend your two nights in Carmel and the surrounding area. It is a fair distance to Hearst Castle which is pretty amazing but the accomodation is not great nearby and the distances are significant. Carmel, 17 mile drive and Monterey are all close and there are plenty of fabulous places to stay in Carmel and Monterey. We managed to get a last minute booking by just turning up at the Monterey Bay Plaza which is pretty pricey but you can pick up a better deal if they have a room free for that day. It was gorgeous! I am from the UK and I spent two weeks on the West Coast last year and loved it! Enjoy...

virgo839

I agree with boom_boom. I would stay in Carmel and vicinity the whole time and save Hearst Castle for another trip. Have you been to the Monterey Aquarium? the town of Monterey is disappointing, but the aquarium is NOT. I recommend staying in Carmel. We stayed at the Tickle Pink Inn in Carmel Highlands, which was really wonderful. The view is sensational. I think next time I go, however, I'd like to stay in town, maybe at Doris Day's B&B -- Cypress Inn. The town is so lovely, and so much fun to walk around in. There are many restaurants and shops. Some people prefer Pacific Grove. It is less expensive.

coac

If you are pressed for time, I would skip Hearst Castle and concentrate on Carmel, Monterey and Big Sur Areas. Spend 2 days in either Carmel, Monterey or Pacific Grove. You could certainly do Hearst Castle in a one-day trip from Carmel but Highway 1 from Big Sur down to Hearst is winding and slow. You'd be pushing it.

mmbb

ok, thanks. I'll skip Hearst Castle. I'm currently booked at the Doubletree in monterey but have heard that Carmel is much nicer.The cypress inn looks nice but looks like it has lots of animals. any more suggestions?

knute

I've done quite a bit of research for my 2 day stay in Camel this May, and I decided on the Best Western Bay view Inn. It seems to be a nice, clean, affordable place with good views from upper floors and is in a great location in the heart of town.

virgo839

Me again. Carmel is a pet-freindly town, particularly dogs. Many of the b&b's and inns allow them, so it's hard to avoid. I recommend that you do a search on tripadvisor.com, as see what suits you. I wish I had your problem . . . going to Carmel. What a dilemma!

Mollie

The Cypress Inn is owned by Doris Day, who besides being a former movie star and singer, is an animal lover and activist, hence it is pet friendly. It is a very charming place right in the heart of picturesque Carmel. There are several of these small hotels scattered thoughout the center of Carmel.

Paul

Try the Normandy Inn or the Green Lantern. Both lovely hotels in town.