Monterey to Hearst Castle Itinerary Help Please!
May 5th, 2003 | 07:08 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
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Monterey to Hearst Castle Itinerary Help Please!
We are planning a family trip to CA this summer with our 2 kids (16, 12) and we are trying to work out our itinerary. We are starting out in San Francisco and then want to drive down to the Monterey area and then on to San Simeon to see the Hearst Castle before we head to Sequoia National Park. I could use some help in planning this out. I only have 4 nights between S.F. and our first night in Sequoia. Any ideas on where to stay? I thought Monterey for 2 nights, then San Luis Obispo and drive part way to Sequoia and stay somewhere (any ideas?) along the way to Sequoia for my 4th night. I am also looking for hotel suggestions, we either need two rooms or a suite for maximum comfort, it is tough fitting all of us into one room! I was looking at the Monterey Plaza & Hotel, but it is expensive, how about the Monterey Beach Resort? Or is that too far out of town? I could really use some help with this! Thanks!
May 5th, 2003 | 09:55 PM
#2
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 122
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Not sure about the Monterey Plaza Hotel, but you should also look into some places in Pacific Grove, next to Monterey for more reasonable accomodations.
If I were you I would plan on maybe one night in San Jose. Nice places to see would be the Tech Museum + the IMAX theater, Winchester Mystery House, Rosicrucian Museum, etc. From there I'd stay one night in Pacific Grove. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must as is 17 Mile Drive, and Point Lobos just south of Carmel. Hearst Castle is great. If you plan to see it, stay the night in nearby Cambria. Be sure to reserve tickets for Hearst Castle tours. From Cambria, it's about a 35 mile drive to San Luis Obispo, staying the fourth night there and drive to Sequoia the next day. There are not really any nice places to stay on the way to Sequoia.
Have a great trip.
www.pacificgrove.org
www.hearst-castle.org
www.sanjose.org
www.monterey.com
If I were you I would plan on maybe one night in San Jose. Nice places to see would be the Tech Museum + the IMAX theater, Winchester Mystery House, Rosicrucian Museum, etc. From there I'd stay one night in Pacific Grove. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must as is 17 Mile Drive, and Point Lobos just south of Carmel. Hearst Castle is great. If you plan to see it, stay the night in nearby Cambria. Be sure to reserve tickets for Hearst Castle tours. From Cambria, it's about a 35 mile drive to San Luis Obispo, staying the fourth night there and drive to Sequoia the next day. There are not really any nice places to stay on the way to Sequoia.
Have a great trip.
www.pacificgrove.org
www.hearst-castle.org
www.sanjose.org
www.monterey.com
May 5th, 2003 | 10:44 PM
#3
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 747
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San Luis to Sequoia is 4-5 hours (and there's not much along the way). I'd spend the extra night in the San Luis area or Monterey. There's plenty to do in either area. Thursday night is farmers market night in San Luis; it's a street fair where they close off some of the downtown streets.
There is Embassy Suites in Seaside (by Monterey), as well as San Luis.
There is Embassy Suites in Seaside (by Monterey), as well as San Luis.
May 8th, 2003 | 07:54 AM
#4
Joined: Apr 2003
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Susan,
I stayed at the Doubletree in Monterey, it was okay. Nothing unforgettable, but the rooms were clean and decent. There was a Marriott right across the street too. I really liked the restaurant we ate at right on the corner between the two hotels. Sorry, I forgot the name. But location is excellent.
I stayed at the Doubletree in Monterey, it was okay. Nothing unforgettable, but the rooms were clean and decent. There was a Marriott right across the street too. I really liked the restaurant we ate at right on the corner between the two hotels. Sorry, I forgot the name. But location is excellent.
May 8th, 2003 | 08:04 AM
#5
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Susan,
We did the exact same drive from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, stopping in Monterey, Carmel, Solvang, Hearst Castle, and finally Santa Barbara. We spent about two days in every town, except Solvang. Solvang was a really cute Danish town, but we finished it in less than two hours. We had lunch, walked around, grabbed some pastries (highly recommend pastries) and drove off.
Susan, I have an article from a local paper listing the same route I took and the one you would like to take. I can email it to you if you want, but it will take me a couple of days to find it.
Also, look into the Madonna Hotel. I saw a special on TV about the hotel. It looked really cool!
Susan, also keep in mind that this is a very long drive! It was my boyfriend and I doing the drive and it was exhausting even with stops. Just remember you are doing this with a pre-teen and teenager! Allow plenty of time for rest.
We did the exact same drive from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, stopping in Monterey, Carmel, Solvang, Hearst Castle, and finally Santa Barbara. We spent about two days in every town, except Solvang. Solvang was a really cute Danish town, but we finished it in less than two hours. We had lunch, walked around, grabbed some pastries (highly recommend pastries) and drove off.
Susan, I have an article from a local paper listing the same route I took and the one you would like to take. I can email it to you if you want, but it will take me a couple of days to find it.
Also, look into the Madonna Hotel. I saw a special on TV about the hotel. It looked really cool!
Susan, also keep in mind that this is a very long drive! It was my boyfriend and I doing the drive and it was exhausting even with stops. Just remember you are doing this with a pre-teen and teenager! Allow plenty of time for rest.
May 9th, 2003 | 05:45 AM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 481
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Girly,
Thank you for the information. I would love the article on the drive. Unfortunately we are limited as to time and my husband has insisted on the visit to Sequoia. We only have the 4 days between San Francisco and Hearst. Also with four of us, I don't want to have to pack and re-pack every day so I was trying to plan it where we stayed 2 nights at each stop. You can e-mail the article to me at [email protected]. I just yesterday booked the Doubtletree Monterey. The location seemed wonderful and from the websites it looked nicer than the Marriott. The prices are about the same. The Doubletree claims that they just renovated all of the rooms. Would you have choosen the Marriott over the Doubtetree? Let me know. Thanks! Susan.
Thank you for the information. I would love the article on the drive. Unfortunately we are limited as to time and my husband has insisted on the visit to Sequoia. We only have the 4 days between San Francisco and Hearst. Also with four of us, I don't want to have to pack and re-pack every day so I was trying to plan it where we stayed 2 nights at each stop. You can e-mail the article to me at [email protected]. I just yesterday booked the Doubtletree Monterey. The location seemed wonderful and from the websites it looked nicer than the Marriott. The prices are about the same. The Doubletree claims that they just renovated all of the rooms. Would you have choosen the Marriott over the Doubtetree? Let me know. Thanks! Susan.
