mew747

Hi!
We will be in Napa for a wedding from Friday Oct. 8th, leaving Napa on Sunday morning, the10th. I booked 2 nights at a hotel in the Carmel Valley. Will we be able to go to Big Sur and also do Carmel and 17 mile drive? We leave SFO on Tuesday the 12th at 2:30pm. Can someone PLEASE help with a short itinerary leaving from Napa at around 11am on a Sunday. Thanks!

PA_Kathy

You should be able to see everything on your list. It is about 3 hours drive from Napa to Carmel, so if you get away in good time Sunday am, you can do the 17-mile drive Sunday afternoon, and wander through Carmel and have dinner that evening. That leaves Monday to drive through Big Sur. Or rearrange if you plan to shop in Carmel, so as to be there when shops are open.

It's a beautiful area - enjoy!

Grassshopper

Be sure to visit Point Lobos, just south of Carmel on Highway 1. You can park on the road and walk in. The perimeter hike is 6 miles and is better than doing the 17 mile drive.

november_moon

Definitely include Point Lobos. And if you don't want a 6 mile walk, you can pay the day use fee and drive in. Then you can enjoy the views without the walk.

cotomwed

I echo the above--you should be able to do all you hope without getting dizzy. My only word of caution is to ask about wind before you go to Pfeiffer State Beach in Big Sur. We went and it was so windy that it was uncomfortable (like sand pellets against your legs)...and it wasn't windy at all at the Big Sur Campground. Just as an fyi. Have a great time!

easytraveler

If the weather is good, then I'd suggest that you leave Napa and get on Highway 37 westbound connecting with Highway 101 southbound. Just keep going on 101 southbound through San Francisco and follow the signs for Highway 1. This will take you along the ocean, past a bunch of beach communities.

Once you are in the Monterey area, take the Monterey "Downtown" exit and head for the beach again. (Hope you have a good map or GPS!). In Monterey, follow Ocean View Blvd all the way around until it becomes Sunset Dr. Keep with Sunset Dr. through Pacific Grove and as the road starts turning inland, you'll see a sign for the 17 Mile Drive (this is the Pacific Grove entrance to the 17-mile drive).

The fee for entrance is $9, but if you dine in any of the restaurants, you can get a refund on your restaurant bill of the entrance fee.

There are several restaurants in the Spanish Bay area. There are also several restaurants at the Pebble Beach Lodge. Last weekend, we had a wonderful lunch in the Stillwater Bar & Grill:

http://www.pebblebeach.com/dining/th...-bar-and-grill

I had the hamburger ($19) which was one of the best hamburgers I've ever had! The prices are more on the expensive side, but the food is worth it.

If you don't eat along the 17 Mile Drive, then try and take the Carmel Gate exit which will place you right in Carmel.

There are a number of wonderful restaurants in Carmel.

Leaving Carmel, just head up Ocean Blvd to Highway 1, turn right on Highway 1 and go down (believe it's one stop light) to Carmel Valley. Turn left into Carmel Valley. There's a nice restaurant in Carmel Valley - the Rio Grill.

I'm certain people who live in the area can tell you of other great restaurants.

Next day, make certain the weather is good before you head out to Point Lobos (which is just a few miles south of Carmel Valley). It's one of the most beautiful spots along the coast. yes, do drive in. You can exchange your driver's license/car key for a set of binoculars with the ranger. Most likely you'll hear the "lobos", the sea lions barking in the distance.

http://www.pointlobos.org/Trails.html

The Sea Lion Point Trail is the easiest. The Allen Memorial Grove Trail is a loop trail and is my favorite, but more strenuous.

You could spend all day at Point Lobos, or you could drive southward to Nepenthe for lunch. On a clear day, the view is fantastic.

http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/

Depending on how much time you have, I'd either keep going south or return northbound to hit one of the beaches, like Carmel Beach.

You really don't have much time on the day of departure as you have to leave Carmel no later than 10:30am in order to get to SFO, return car, etc.

Your last day, you may be able to just squeeze in a quick visit to Carmel Mission, one of the more beautiful missions along the California Mission Trail.

http://www.carmelmission.org/

Enjoy! You'll love the area you will be visiting!

craisin

This is great info - thank you to both the poster and responders!

basingstoke2

We did that trip almost exactly a year ago, and it is as others have said, very possible. If you pay for the entry to Point Lobos State Park, keep your receipt - you can use it for entry to other State Parks the same day.

I did a trip report that you may wish to read. The usual click on my name will bring you to it.

babylon

Point Lobos is great. There's a beautiful ranch not far south of there with cattle on the beach (it's my screen saver now.) We drove all of Big Sur, but if you're pressed for time I'd recommend lunch at Nepenthe (no wait at the cafe part), the Miller Library and walking down to Partington Cove. Afterward you can return back north. It's a beautiful area.

mew747

Thank you SO much to all who replied. VERY helpful! We leave this Thursday