Grasshopper

For kayaking, check out Elkhorn Slough. It's not on the bay but it's a great workout and you'll see a ton of wildlife (www.elkhornslough.org). If you're walkers, consider parking outside of Point Lobos and walking in. The 6 mile perimiter hike is fantastic and will take you through so many tiny micro-environments. Worth a major part of your day. I really like Cafe Rio, I think in the same center California Market. Be sure to visit the Carmel Mission. It and San Juan Bautista are two of my favorites.

Big Sur Lodge is pleasant but much more low key than Yosemite or Yellowstone. Big Sur is inland a bit and you'll travel either north or south to get to the coastline again.

I agree that fried artichokes are a must! It sounds like a fun trip!

babs001

Hi Ellen
Info on Hearst Castle: Tour 1, which you've done, main house ( Casa del Grande) most of first floor and one of the guest houses (Casa del Sol). Tour 2 has Casa Grande upper floors plus kitchen and pantry. Tour 3 features a newer wing that was added to Casa Grande and another guest house (Casa del Monte). Tour 4 is a tour that we haven't taken, as it is seasonal and we weren't there at the right time. It has the largest of the guest houses (Casa del Mar), wine cellar, and gardens. The last tour that is available is an evening tour with actors portraying guests, so you get an idea of the home as it was used. My suggestion is Tour 1 again it you don't remember much and Tour 2. Seeing the service areas (kitchen/pantry) is interesting. I really wanted to go on Tour 4 but it mainly features the gardens and we were there in the winter so no gardens. I have spoken to other people who took the evening tour and loved it, but our time didn't allow us to wait (it's only Fri and Sat nights), plus additional nights during the holidays. If you plan to go I highly recommend getting your reservations ahead of time. You can do that by phone or web site.
On your question about Cambria. I agree with sgbslo - you could walk to Cambria from Moonstone, but you would probably be better off driving and parking. Cambria is strung along a side road that runs parallel to Hwy 1 on the east, while Moonstone runs parallel to Hwy 1 on the west (water) side. Cambria is a small village, but is larger that just one street, but is sort of strung out, so a car would probably be of benefit. Moonstone is entirely walkable because it is not very long, with motels and a couple of restaurants, and of course, the water!

viamar

Hi there, you already have a ton of good advice, but I'll put in my 2 cents as well.
San Juan Bautista is neat little town to check out. The mission is beautiful. I would take 129 to Santa Cruz instead of Hecker Pass. Phil's in Moss Landing is a great place to eat. As is Stagnaro's on the wharf. There's a new Mexican restaurant on the wharf called Olita's, we tried it for the first time last weekend and it was very good. I liked the lobster tacos. Roaring Camp is a lot of fun for the kids. It's right next to Henry Cowell State Park. They have a nice easy nature trail and you'll see some pretty big redwoods.

You won't see many butterflys in July, but you most likely will see Humpbacks. They're our summer time whales. Point Lobos is a great place for spotting them.

The Carmel mission is worth a visit if you have time. Father Serra is buried there. Casanova is very nice, but if you have kids with you I recommend the Forge in the Forest. If it was me I'd stay in Carmel instead of Monterey. I love the fact that you can walk everywhere in Carmel. The Coachman's Inn is nice, as is the Candlelight Inn. The Candlelight is close to Casanova's and the Forge in the Forest.



Lodging in Big Sur can be tricky. It's either moderately priced and very rustic or high priced and luxurious. Big Sur Lodge is nice ( a tad pricey for what you get) but the surroundings don't compare to Yosemite.

The Sea Otter refuge is the whole coast from near Santa Cruz to I think around Morro Bay. You'll see them around Moss Landing, Point Lobos and the Santa Cruz wharf.

kimamom

I'll have to disagree here about Stagnaros, I had one of the most horrible meals of my life here lst summer.

The place was filthy with pigeon feathers, we were seated in the back of the restaurant. The salad that came with my sand dabs was full of brown lettuce, gloppy dressing, horrid!

The sand dabs were OK, but the fries that came with them were overcooked and tasteless. We couldn't wait to get out of there, but were starving and didn't know where else to go. (Try the Crow's Nest.) I also had a horrid meal at Gilbert's.

The best wharf food I've found in CA is at the SB Shellfish Co. on Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara. ***kim***

J_Correa

kimamom - I think that you and Santa Cruz just don't mix Maybe there is a past-life karmic thing going on.

kimamom

LOL, no I just don't like the food on the wharf there. But yes, I do prefer the PG/Carmel/Monterey areas of that portion of our coast. ***kim***

ellen_griswold

Thank you all for your posts! I started a reply but it got sooo long, that i'm going to break it up into a few....

Please EVERYONE, keep all your wonderful ideas coming!!!

ellen_griswold

sgbslo, thanks for the info on cactus and cambria nursery, any others we should visit?

babs001, thanks much for the Hearst info. How long are tours one and two? I'm still thinking only one hearst tour to facilitate a return trip to Simi Valley and Reagan's place....

ellen_griswold

Easytraveler,
thank you so much! I have several of your previous posts already saved too, and am so glad you replied! Do you remember the name of the burger place in san juan batista? Definitely want Phil's Chowder sometime but can skip Fishwife ...sigh, so much food, so little time!

What route would you use to go to Roaring Camp first from Yosemite.... 140 to 5 to 162 etc.... it may depend on the tour time we can reserve.

No, i didn't know SJB was the mission where Hitchcock's Vertigo was filmed! I have the book "James Dean Died Here: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks" but haven't gotten to it yet for this trip.
Which reminds me of another fodor post i saved, can anyone elaborate: "just after you merge from the 41 onto the 46... in the tiny town of Cholame... is a memorial for James Dean who died near there. The food at Jack's Cafe is yummy, I like the burritos"....?
Not sure who posted that but is it worth a stop on the way to Simi Valley or Anaheim?

RE: the "restricted" quote - I really don't know who posted it but i got it here on Fodors, altho i didn't understand it! Thanks for clarifying.

I'd wondered about the am fog for Point Lobos which is why i wondered if we should visit the Carmel Mission? So many here rave about it, altho we've toured most in CA and TX (loved santa barbara and san juan capistrano) So wondereing if we should do it, or maybe kayak in the am and do Point Lobos in the afternoon? Thoughts anyone??

Also, Limekilm State Park sounds like a good option. Approx. time needed for the hike to the waterfall there? I'm so afraid we're going to run out of time!

ellen_griswold

Hi Grasshopper and viamar, two more i hoped would reply. Truly, you guys have NO idea how many posts i've copied and pasted before i posted wednesday!

Grasshopper - Pleae tell me more about Elkhorn Slough? If not on the bay, where is it and what wildlife do you see? The 6 mi. walk sounds GREAT, we're all runners and after all the pigging out we'll be doing, it will be a good work out

Viamar, Thanks so much for the Carmel lodging ideas. Casanova and The Forge in the Forest are restaurants in Carmel?

Still on the fence about Big Sur Lodge. Rooms are $179, and since not on the ocean and not as charming as other National Parks, i am leaning towards another night in Carmel.

Can anyone compare Carmel and Cambria, in terms of charm, strolling around shoppes etc? Since we've explored Fisherman's Wharf on a previous trip, Carmel would probably be better.

But, does it make sense to stay there two nights, and still explore the entire big sur area?

Thank you again for your expert help everyone. Please keep the ideas coming!

sgbslo

There is a nice garden shop on the main drag in Cambria (the name escapes me). It is near Bistro Sole. Right along there is a cluster of interesting places: the garden shop, an antique store, a little gallery, a coffee shop and a wine and cheese tasting room. On Burton Drive is another herb and garden shop which is very charming. Across the street from it is a small but nice kitchen shop. Seekers Gallery (also on Burton Dr) across from Robin's Restaurant has excellent studio glass.

kimamom

Yes, Seekers has gorgeous pieces. I collect the small glass marbles there. Also, Fermentations is a really fun place to taste wine and they always have little dips and chips set out!

Yes, Casanova is in Carmel, very good! ***kim***

ellen_griswold

Hi Kim! When you say Cassanova is 'good', are you referring just to food? At home we go out ALOT for for 'good' dinners, and on trips to the beach. But on our 3 week out-west road trips, we really try to conserve on food.

So we're always looking for something unique to the area that is FUN but moderate, something with charm or character, or with a great 'VIEW" of the area... like the Pacific.
Any other reccos? Thoughts on Forge in the Forest?

J_Correa

Elkhorn Slough is great. We used to canoe there when I was in high school. It's near Moss Landing.

Grasshopper

Ellen, The Elkhorn Slough website gives you everything you'll ever want to know. You would probably prefer it to meandering around out on the bay. And you'll still see otters. I'm so glad you are doing the perimeter hike. It's the BEST! You will love it. Check out Point Lobos's website as well.

Casanova is much more "fine dining" than The Forge in the Forest, which is casual with outdoor dining and still quite nice. Neither are on the ocean. For fine dining with a ocean view consider the restaurant at the Highlands Inn. For lunch with a fantastic view (maybe after Point Lobos) consider outside at Rocky Point. Fantastic views!

Big Sur isn't less "charming" than other National Parks. It's just way more low key. The park is beautiful and peaceful and natural. It would be relaxing and way smaller and less crowded than Yosemite. But then you are going in July so, who knows?

Ellen, where is your family coming from? It sounds like a really great trip.

viamar

Casanova is a special occasion restaurant, it's pretty expensive, but it's worth it. If you're trying to conserve than you might want to skip it. 3 weeks of meals out can get pretty spendy. Forge in the Forest has everything from burgers and pizza to scampi and grilled salmon. The ambiance is beautiful. You can eat outside in the garden and they have little fireplaces all over.
In Big Sur you might want to try the River Inn. It's moderately priced and it's located on the Big Sur river, They have outdoor dining, jazz on the weekends and where else can you sit on a bench in a river while sipping wine?
My neighbor just went kayaking for her birthday at Elkhorn Slough and loved it. They saw little leopard sharks, harbour seals, otters and a ton of birds.

PoughkeepsieSue

We were very happy with the Holiday Inn Express on Cannery Row, Monterey. We weren't sure based on the web picture but it was great. We only stayed one night and had a huge room for the 4 of us with the 2 kids (20 and 17). If you're not stopping at the Aquarium which you can walk to from the HI, you're really missing the best thing there. Before going I thought--ok, just a bunch of fish. But it was really special. You surely won't want to leave Yosemite. Sounds like a great trip.

babs001

Ellen: re: Hearst Castle-tours run about 2 hours. That includes the time spent on the bus going to/from visitor center/hilltop.
On subject of Cambria vs Carmel...I guess that would be personal preference. I find Cambria to be a charming little town, making the absolute most out of their lovely location. Carmel on the otherhand, to me, is charmed, whimsical, incredibly unique. Very pretty, storybook architecture. I just love it. It is one of my favorite places.
Lastly, for a dining suggestion in Carmel that won't break the bank, try da Giovanni's. It's not one of the "hot" restaurants. Our innkeeper suggested it the last time we were in Carmel and we really liked it. It's on Lincoln, located on the upper floor. Has Italian/mediterranean food. The service and wine list were both very good.

kimamom

I'll second the California Market at the Highland's Inn. The views are gorgeous from the outside patio. We like their fish tacos for lunch.

We had lunch at Casanova and I had the sea bass salad which was excellent. We dined out on their back patio that is very pretty. They serve Georis wines there, try the Sauv Blanc and have a great trip! ***kim***

PamSF

Ellen~I posted(or thought I did ) yesterday but it disappeared into cyberspace. Here's some of what I said:

You did not mention the Aquarium. You really should go. I personally like going late in the afternoon when the crowds have died down. Oftentimes, hotels will have tickets you can purchase from them and avoid the ticket door at the aquarium.The views of the bay from the aquarium are also lovely. Sometimes you can watch the otters and sea lions just play in their natural habitat. I think you and Clark are coming with the kids. They will be quite taken with the place. There is a great white shark in residence still I think. I recommend picking up a book on the natural history of the area. You can read all sorts of things as you travel the coastline. The aquarium bookstore is loaded with such books.

The shorepath between Pacific Grove and Monterey is also a great place to see the wildlife as I think I mentioned. Since you mentioned the sea otter refuge, you will see them as you walk along the shorepath. You will also see them at Point Lobos. The mom otters tie their babies on the surface with kelp (childcare) while they go foraging. There is a nice mural painted on the wall along the shorepath.

Cannery Row is pretty chock full of tourist stuff, alot of it not much to my liking. You can also get some information at the Aquarium bookstore on what the "row" used to be like. Get yourself a copy of Steinbeck's Cannery Row before you come and you'll have a glimpse back in time.

I also really liked a small book I bought at the aquarium years ago (the title of which eludes me). It was a collection of Steinbeck's newspaper dispatches on the field workers of the area. It's an eye into the great "
Dust Bowl" migration.

Someone else recommended the Forge in the Forest in Carmel. I second it. If hotels are still a question, it is right across the street from The Best Western in Carmel which I think is one of your hotel options.


Don't forget the Central Coast wineries. The pinot noirs are very good as are the chardonnays.

The Monterey Fish House: no, it's not on the water but on the main drag in Monterey. You are near but not on the water. It is, in fact, located next door to an autobody shop. DO Not Despair!! Once you are inside the world of great seafood is before you. It's got great lively atmosphere. The serving portions are large so be forewarned. I can still recall my last meal there..a scallop scampi pasta which was divine. BTW~ you can request all sorts of things to be done with the fish.


Easytraveler's advice on the central coast makes me want to plan a trip!

I'll check back from time to time to see if I can add anything.

You are getting some great advice.