jandee

We hope to dive from Anahiem straight to Carmel/Point Lobos. According to Google maps, this should be a 6 hour drive. How bad will the traffic be during weekdays. We sould like to pick up a picnic lunch on the way so that we have some daylight left for Point Lobos. Any suggestions on where to find the perfect picnic lunch nearby?

We will stay the night in Monterey.

Thanks!

mlgb

If you are going by the coastal route via Big Sur, it's more like 8 hours.

Google Maps is assuming that you use Interstate 5. You can drag the Route to different options to see the time difference.

Also it will say how much time to add for traffic in small print after the general estimate (generally about an hour).

How bad the traffic is depends on what time you leave, if it is summer (worse), and the weather.

DebitNM

We got some lovely cheese and bread, along with other tasty items for our picnic at Point Lobos from The Cheese Shop in Carmel Plaza

http://www.thecheeseshopinc.com/

I highly recommend it.

Deb

clarkgriswold

Weekdays is slow going from Anaheim up until you're above Los Angeles. Leave Anaheim at 6am, or don't leave until 10:30am.

jandee

The cheese shop sounds great!

We are going via I5. I guess we will leave after 10:30 then. Kids hate waking up early.

TTess

I hope you have some good oxygen tents because that's quite a dive! ;-> It's a lot longer than 6 hours, more like 8 without traffic.

easytraveler

Well, I can understand that having young kids you would want to reach Point Lobos as quickly as possible.

However, you are missing the entire Big Sur coastline by driving inland.

How old are the kids? and can you start out very early as suggested and take Highway 1? There are so many more interesting stops along the coastal route.

Besides which, if you drive I-5, this places you WAAAY inland and then you will have to cut over to the coast. Not sure that, in the end, you will be saving any time by driving on I-5 versus driving up along the coast.

iamq

I can't imagine anywhere along the interstate 5 route that I'd want to have a picnic lunch. Not exactly scenic.

jandee

iamq: Point Lobos is not scenic?

We were thinking of driving on I5 and joining Hwy 1 as we wanted to avaoid the wildfire areas of Big Sur and possible road blockages. So is google maps entirely wrong when it estimates 6 hours (and 8 hours with traffic) Anaheim to Monterey?

iamq

Oh no. Point Lobos is very scenic, I assumed you were inquiring about eating enroute on 5. That is going to be one cranky, hungry carload if you are going to drive for 6 to 8 hours before eating. If you leave at 10:30 you will be having your picnic at Point Lobos in the early evening. Can you do this visit the next day?

janisj

Wake your kids up early - put them in the car - let them go back to sleep in the back seat -- and take 101/1 instead of I-5.

I-5 is one long, hot, ugly ass drive!

TTess

A quick way to do it - up I-5 to 46 Paso Robles. Then, head up 101 to Spreckels. Follow the road in Spreckels to Hwy 68 to 1 South Carmel. We do it all the time. It's fast and you still get some lovely areas of 101, bypassing the beach towns which slow you down.

Iamq wasn't saying that Pt. Lobos wasn't beautiful, he's saying that stopping on I-5 for a picnic isn't a fabulous idea. I-5 is ugly but fast. If you follow my advice above, you can have a decent ride.

As for getting a picnic lunch, stop at Bruno's on Junipero, in Carmel, for everything you need.

easytraveler

Point Lobos is not on I-5. Point Lobos is along the coast on Highway 1. I-5 is way inland.

To go from Anaheim on I-5 and then cut over to the coast, you'll be along I-5 for at least 4-6 hours before your cut-over. I-5 is for speed, not for beauty. It's boring in so many stretches.

Why not just take I-405, the San Diego Freeway, from Anaheim and then change over to 101 and go along the coast on 101, then switch over to Highway 1?

jandee

TTess: That sounds like a good idea. Thanks!
I do realize Point Lobos is not on I-5 but we usually have a heavy breakfast and do 6-7 hours without any meal except snacks so I thought we'd have lunch in carmel.
But apparently I underestimated the driving time.

Thanks for all the suggestions. We will look at alternate driving routes.

TTess

You're most welcome. Here's the route:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sadd...05&ie=UTF8&z=8

jandee

Thanks! Any place worth stopping on this route - scenerywise/foodwise?