any recommendations for accomodations and stops on this route.

we love animals and want to see as much wildlife as possible!

thanks.

f

Elizabeth, I recommend typing "California coast" into the search box; a host of posts with good and detailed info and some excellent trip reports will pop up. It'll be worth going back a year or so in the posts just for the overview.

I live in Pismo Beach (Central Ca) The gray whales are migrating through this area. You should stop in Morro Bay or Shell Beach and rent Kayaks for the day. You will see sea otters, seals, maybe some dolphins and whales. There are some great hotels and restaurants in our area and very resonably priced. Its only a 4 hour drive from SF to Pismo Beach and another 3 hours to LAX from here. Also I highly recommend stopping in Santa Barbara and go to Brophy Bros. Restaurant at the Marina. The food is great, the Oyster Rockefellers are the best I have ever had and the view is spectacular looking out over the bay and all the boats. You can take a day sail from the harbor.

Also a really fun time can be had taking a biplane ride at the little airport in Oceano. You can travel as far up the coast as Hearst Castle. Its a great way to spend the day.

Have fun

Another wonderful place to kayak with the otters is in Monterey Bay from Cannery Row in Monterey. As you drive down the Hwy 1, just after Ragged Point (a lovely place for lunch) and before Cambria you will see a sign that says "Wildlife Viewing Area". Stop there and see if the elephant seals are on the beach. It's truly a remarkable sight! Because you don't give a date for your trip it's hard to know what animal life will be most prevalent. Whales are during the winter months--right now is prime. Sea otters are year round as are the harbor seals. Sea lions "pup" in the early spring but they're pretty well protected from human view. Elephant seals should have their young out on the beach in March or so if I remember correctly. The mating season of these guys is very scary as the males are several tons and fight skirmishes on the beach. They look very slow, but then they get those big bodies moving and look out! Another beautiful place for a couple hours for animal/nature lovers is Pt. Lobos Park---it's just south of Carmel on HWY 1 before you take the bridge over to Big Sur. Go slowly so you don't miss things. Suggest you overnight at Cambria on Moonstone Beach or as other poster said, in Morro Bay. I personally prefer Cambria. Enjoy.

a second vote for pt. lobos...also furthur south is andrew molera (sp?) st. park.

Stop at the Moss Beach Distillery Restaurant in Moss Beach (about 30 min. south of San Fran.) and enjoy the view either from the restaurant if you choose to eat &/or drink or from their parking lot. That's right, they essentially have a parking lot with a view - if you weren't careful you could drive right off of it over the cliff into the ocean. My husband and I stayed at the Seal Cove Inn B & B in Moss Beach (awesome!) and in the am after we checked out we parked in the Distillery parking lot for the view - spectacular!! It was about 11:30 - high tide, and the seals were bobbing in the ocean below as the waves crashed in - also awesome! Take binoculars though - they looked very small from above.

There's a bird estuary in Morro Bay. Also make sure and keep your eyes open as you pass by the Hearst Castle area. I spotted a few wild Zebras last month running along the side of the road last month.

Hey, Liz.. swing by my house. You can watch my dog play in the yard while you mow my lawn and I drink a brewsky!

Elizabeth, my husband and I just took that route early last month. We were fortunate to have such a beautiful day to drive from Monterey to Cambria. I agree with Kam's info. The male elephant seals were beginning to come in and it was very interesting. We spent a few days in Cambria at the Blue Whale Inn B&B on Moonstone Drive (right on the coast) and it was wonderful. Great breakfasts, very nice hosts, just a great place to just be lazy. Cute little town. Gotta eat at the Sow's Ear. Very relaxing.

For inexpensive, but delicious meals in Cambria, try Lombardi's for Italian food. Or if it's on the weekend, enjoy outdoor grilled ribs or chicken on the west (or north) side of Cambria at the Grill.

Took this route from Santa Cruz to SF just this past Thurs. Ate on the pier in Santa Cruz. CA had one of their 3 big storms of the year. What a thrill, watching the white caps almost hit the restaurant windows. Why not stop at Santa Cruz, walk the boardwalk & have some seafood.