You might see if Asilomar has any rooms. Although a bit more than $125 pre night, a full breakfast is included, which for 2 adults and 2 kids would probably make up the difference. It is one of the very few place in Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel that is next to the beach. http://www.visitasilomar.com/default.aspx

Also the Mission Ranch in Carmel has rooms that start at $120.

Ha!! Stu!! You have never been to Salinas???? My sister has lived there for over 20 years, so I have visited often and spent holidays. Nothing for the tourist so we usually head over to ..... Carmel & Monterey!!

Traveling Mom - keep looking for digs in Carmel, Monterey or Pacific Grove. I am sure you will find something.

MY

Hi Tmom:

"Mosey out of town Friday, stopping for dinner somewhere. Stay Friday night at the Marriott in Ventura Beach. I'm hoping that drive is doable on Friday afternoon from LA??"

I live in LA and there will be very little chance to mosey between about 2:30PM and 7:30PM on a Friday night up the 405 and across the 101 to Ventura. The traffic on both those freeways is really tough.

If it were me with kids that age, I would leave Hawthorne after your husband's meeting in the afternoon and head to the Santa Monica Pier for late afternoon/early evening. Here is a link: http://www.santamonicapier.org/fun.html

You could take the kids to the beach and explore the rides on the pier and have an early dinner and then when they are pooped, do the drive up the coast to Ventura (it is only 62 miles about an hour in no traffic). So, if you left sometime around 7-7:30, you would be there by 9PM easy and have a much more relaxing evening.

There are tons of little places to eat in Santa Monica at the Pier itself or on the 3rd street Promenade (a little pedestrian street right there). If it is still light out you can make the drive all the way by the water via Malibu which is beautiful

Stu - If you like Steinbeck you should go to Salinas to check out the Steinbeck center. Then at least you can say you've been there :)

I agree though, there isn't much to take a person to Salinas if they don't know people there.

It's a year since this post, but just wanted to say thank you to november_moon for the Steinbeck center tip. As we have been researching our trip, I kept trying to remember why Salinas sounded familiar to me. Once I read this part of the thread I realized it was tied to East of Eden. A detour off the main road will be in order. Thank you!!