Help With Big Sur Itinerary & Hotel
 

Hi,
My wife & I are going to Silicon Valley from New York City for a wedding. We are planning to spend two nights in Big Sur after attending the wedding. That is, we will rent a car & drive down to Big Sur on Sunday, March 21st and the next 1 or 2 days there. I have been to San Francisco and Silicon Valley several times but have never made it down to Big Sur, Monterey or Carmel. Questions:
1) Seems like most of you recommend staying in Big Sur over Monterey or Carmel, correct?
2) Could you recommend a B&B or hotel in Big Sur. Under $150/night is preferred. In NYC, that's a challenge. If that's the case, please let me know that I need to up my budget a bit. Not looking for luxury, just a comfortable bed and clean room. A view would be awesome, but not necessary.
3) Will Sunday afternoon & all of Monday be enough time or should I stay Tuesday as well & fly back on Wednesday? Plan is to simply enjoy the vistas, drive to Carmel and Monterey, visit a vineyard or two. Anything else that's a must do?
4) We enjoy good food. So any restaurant recommendations are welcome!
Thank you!!!

If you're in Monterey/Carmel at dinnertime, I highly recommend (as do others on this forum - that's where I heard about it in the first place), Passionfish in Pacific Grove. Excellent seafood (focused on local, sustainable), very reasonable prices.

Sorry I can't help with the rest, however, here's a link to a "mini" trip report I did about a day trip we took to the area from south of San Francisco.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...t-part-way.cfm

The choice to stay on the Monterey peninsula or in Big Sur really depends on what you want out of your trip.

Big Sur is a bit remote - things are spread out along the coast, there isn't really a town, not many lodging and restaurant choices. BUT you are in Big Sur which is absolutely gorgeous and incredibly relaxing and restorative to the soul.

The Big Sur River Inn is in your budget range - I've not stayed here, but I've had lunch there.

http://bigsurriverinn.com/index.html

The Monterey Peninsula is more built up and has a lot more to do - and plenty of lodging and restaurant choices. It is about an hour or so drive into Big Sur proper, so this makes a good base for visiting Big Sur during the day if you want to stay in town where you have lots choices for restaurants close by and some things to do after dinner.

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, just a matter of whether you want to spend your nights in the woods or in town.

>>1) Seems like most of you recommend staying in Big Sur over Monterey or Carmel, correct?<<

I view Carmel/Monterey vs Big Sur as two different experiences. In the former, there are shops, historic sites, aquarium, Victorian Houses, city, and other stuff like that to do & see. In Big Sur it is more nature/coast/solitude.

If you have 3 nights, I would perhaps spend 2 in one area and 1 in another.

I much prefer Carmel and Pacific Grove over Monterey.

>>2) Could you recommend a B&B or hotel in Big Sur. Under $150/night is preferred.<<

Deetjens Big Sur in for a funky place
http://www.deetjens.com/home.htm

Ripplewood for rustic cabins
http://www.ripplewoodresort.com/

Big Sur Lodge
http://www.bigsurlodge.com/
We stay at Big Sur Lodge. Large rooms, more luxury, but still pretty "basic".
Cheaper rates on week-days in March. Ask about discounts.


>>3) Will Sunday afternoon & all of Monday be enough time or should I stay Tuesday as well & fly back on Wednesday? Plan is to simply enjoy the vistas, drive to Carmel and Monterey, visit a vineyard or two. Anything else that's a must do?<<

1 1/2 good days in Big Sur is enough. Spend a half-day at Pt Lobos - just south of Carmel

>>4) We enjoy good food. So any restaurant recommendations are welcome!<<

Since you are on a tight budget, Post Ranch Inn is probably too expensive for you. When we were in Big Sur last Sept, they were remodeling the restaurant at Ventana - which might be beyond your price range too.

We've been dining here for 40 years. Go for the view & ambience. It is part of the "big Sur Experience". Roam around the shop downstairs before dinner or lunch.
http://www.nepenthebigsur.com
I like the Lolly's Roast Chicken and the fries. No cutting-edge food here. My wife loves the Ambrosia Burger.

Stu Dudley

I, for one do not recommend staying in Big Sur over Carmel if you want to explore than Big Sur and you want to dine in Carmel, Monterey or Pacific Grove. I don't like driving I south of Carmel at night, so when we have stayed in Big Sur at Post Ranch Inn it was with the understanding that we would spend our evenings there.

There are very few B&B's in Big Sur, I can only think of Fernwood and Big Sur river Inn--however they should be under $150.

Oh! Sounds like some of you are saying it may be better to stay in Carmel/Pacific Grove & make a day trip to Big Sur; OR perhaps spend the first night in Big Sur and then move to Carmel/Pacific Grove for the next 2 nights.

Which B&B or budget hotels do you recommend in the Carmel/Pacific Grove areas? Really appreciate all the advise!

My personal choice would be to stay in Carmel all 3 nights because I don't like moving from place to place. But I night in Big Sur and 2 nights in Carmel/PG as Stu recommended would give you time to explore both areas. Sorry, can't make many recommendations for Carmel as we stay in a house there. Would recommend looking at Asilomar in PG--it's a conference center that rents to individuals as well as groups, I think it has fairly good rates. It is located on naturally landscaped dunes next to Asilomar State Beach and you can sometimes get a room with an oceanview.

I'd stay all three nights in Carmel- or possibly Pacific Grove. I would not stay in Monterey, and I can't afford to stay the sorts of places I'd enjoy in Big Sur. Talking BIG/HUGE money.

I'm not aware of many threads where folks tell one to avoid Carmel and stay in Big Sure instead. Carmel/PG is convenient for everything including Big Sur. Big Sur is pretty remote - gorgeous - but remote. It is an east day trip from Carmel, but you'll want to do more than just Big Sur.

janisj

Next time you think you might want to spend a night in Big Sur, try the Big Sur Lodge. The guest houses are not in the lodge itself, but "down the road" a bit. We were there this past Sept for a night, and "things" in the guest cottages were spruced up quite a bit - mainly the bathrooms. We were there about 8-10 years ago too - and I think the bathrooms were quite "tired" then.

Not on a par with Post Ranch Inn or Ventana - but what is? Like you, I won't pay those prices.

Stu Dudley

Yeah - I know about the lodge. I just prefer to stay in Carmel for less $$ -- and save up for Post Ranch ;)

In sept I found a B&B 'annex' down on San Antonio a block from the beach and around the corner from Ocean Ave - it was lovely and relatively cheap . . . . .