>>If you had a choice between Monterey and Santa Cruz

I have used this analogy before: Santa Cruz is a Chevy, Monterey a Buick and Carmel a Cadillac.

>>Santa Cruz is a Chevy, Monterey a Buick and Carmel a Bentley/Rolls (Pebble Beach is maybe an Aston Martin) . . .

love your analogies----it really does help when one has not been to all of the places mentioned----we've been to carmel and big sur several years ago and stayed right in carmel at the "tickle pink inn" just beautiful---we did drive into Monterey and pebble beach--did the drive south for a ways----have lots of decisions to make--thanks for all your advice