Pacific coast tour, info needed
 

In August we'll be driving from San Fransisco to LAX. We want to hit all the sites including, San Jose, Pebble Beach (for lunch) Carmel, Steinbeck Center, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, and what else. Need some input, please.

Thanks in advance,

hd in fla

You might tell us how may days you have to see "all the sites" between San Francisco and the LA airport. Are you planning to go inland any. "Pacific Coast" to someone in Florida might be intrepreted differently by someone in Sacramento, Ca (for example).

Stu Dudley

You bring up some good points I did not include. We have about 5 days, and want to visit all or at least most of the sites mentioned. Inland is out.

Thanks,

hd in fla

Starting from the Great Highway in SF, take Hwy 1 down the coast. At Devil's Slide (appropriatly named), you can check out the "clothing optional" beach at Grey Whale Cove. Chances are about 80% that it will be fogged in - as will much of the coast in August.

Visit Main St in Half Moon Bay.

Continue south on the coast highway, and visit Santa Cruz. I'm not a big fan of Santa Cruz, but some like the historic center (too hastily re-done after the 89 Earthquake, IMO) and also the boadrwalk/fun zone if that fits your fancy.

In the Monterey/Carmel area, visit Pacific Grove, Aquarium, the very pretty coast drive starting at the food of Ocean Ave, with Carmel beach on the right & nice houses on the left.
Under no circumstances should you miss Pt Lobos just south of Carmel.

Down to Big sur, have lunch or dinner at Nepenthe. Visit Pfieffer beach. Just past the Pfeiffer state campground, look for the second road to the right. The first road will be uphill and there will be a gate blocking entrance. The second road is downhill and there are several signs there. Follow this road for about 1/2 mile to the lovely Pfeiffer beach - which will likely be fogged in also. Further south there is a Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park (I think that's the name - click on my name and try to find a old post I did about 4-6 months ago describing this area a little more thoroughly).

Spend about 3 days in the Carmel/Monterey region. You can drive to Big Sur from there for a day trip. No matter how many times I drive from Carmel to Big Sur - I really enjoy the scenery like it's the first time.

Not sure why you would want to spend much time in San Jose, unless you have a specific interest (like the Tech Museum).

Stu Dudley

I would take Hwy 1 all the way from SF to San Luis Obispo where it connects with Hwy 101.

With 5 days, I would spend them something like this:

Day 1: Drive to Monterey, with stops in Half Moon Bay, places along the San Mateo coast (bunches of good beachcombing beaches, so just pull off wherever looks nice), and Santa Cruz, planning to get to Monterey in late afternoon.

Day 2: In Monterey - visiting the aquarium and canery row in the morning and then Carmel and Pebble Beach in the afternoon.

Day 3: Drive from Monterey to Cambria with a detour to Salinas to the Steinbeck center in the morning. Spend the rest of the day making your way though Big Sur, stopping off at some of the state parks. Point Lobos, which is just south of Carmel is great.

Day 4: Tour Hearst Castle in the morning and head down to Santa Barbara. Spend the afternoon and night there.

Day 5: Drive to LA

To add what Stu and J have posted.
If you have kids, right near Devil's slide (just south I believe) is a state or county park with a great tide pool. If you get there right at low tide (you need to check for exact times) you can see a fantastic array of life in the tide pool.

If you a gourmet or gourmand, along the coast between Santa Cruz and Monterey are the strawberry (Watsonville) and artichoke (Castroville) growing areas. Right on hwy 1 you'll pass berry fields and a farm stand.

For artichokes, I like to stop at Pezzini farms (pezzinifarms.com) - it's just off hwy 1 on one of the side roads (check their website). I pick up some spreads, dips, etc plus nosh on fried artichokes while I'm there.

Don't forget Santa Barbara for lunch and perhaps at least one mission along the route.

If it is lunchtime as you are heading south on Highway 1 past San Simeon you could stop for clam chowder in Morro Bay. If you have kids you could also stop in Pismo Beach, south of San Luis Obispo, to drive on the beach. If you continue on Highway 1 south of Oxnard you could stop for a meal at Neptune's Net or the Santa Monica Fish Co, both inexpensive alternatives to fast food restaurants.

Many thanks and our sincere appreciation for these coherent contributions. This was the last piece of the 'trip puzzle' that begins with a Hawaiian cruise and ends after Labor Day back in Fla.

Thanks again,

hd