jdmlove

this is a good point.. better to enjoy the highway and spend the night somewhere near the castle.. i think Morrow Bay will be a good place to spend the night and drive in it in the morning b4 we go to the castle tour.. wat do you think?

switchyj

-universal studio 1 day
-disney 1-2 days
-walk of fame is 30minutes
-long beach, well it's a beach. you can stay as long as you like (just remember parking is very hard to find). according to your plans you'll see many prettier beaches earlier
-drive & cruising around is quickly done
I see a 3day plan here, but maybe you enjoy big cities more than I do?

no 1-2hr round trip from Monterey. big sur isn't big, maybe 30min from when you enter it to the center?

you can reach everything that is worth seing in CA on the 1 & 101
it's slightly slower than taking other freeways (5, ...) but the scenery you will see is night and day compared to the alternatives.

if you like motorcycles, might be worth driving down 66 too

abmj-jr

Rte 66, in Central California? Perhaps you are referring to SR 33?

TWA884

Long Beach is also home to the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary.

abmj-jr

San Simeon is much closer but is pretty much the home of inexpensive chain motels and a few beach-side resorts that are priced pretty high during the season. Morro Bay is the largest seaside city before you get to San Luis Obispo, which isn't really on the shore. MB should offer a range of hotel options and is about a 20-30 minute drive back to Hearst Castle, depending on traffic. It offers the advantage of being right on Highway 1 and has a nice, albeit small waterfront and harbor. Several restaurants offer nice views of the harbor and the iconic Morro Rock, which is a large stone hill that juts out into the sea.

If time allows after the tour, take the 1/4 mile turnoff to the little village of San Simeon and visit the 100-year-old store and see the same generation one-room schoolhouse - from the road, no actual entry. You could even stop at the pier area for a picnic lunch on the beach.

Morro Bay harbor and Morro Rock from the Embarcadero.

jdmlove

WHY NOT! will add it to my list.

then from my way from San Simeon to LA, any other place that i must see? or everything will be similar to what i will see from SF to Morrow Bay?

VickiSoCal

I would stay in Santa Barbara for a night.

abmj-jr

I don't know if I can recommend a night in Santa Barbara as it tends to be quite expensive. If those rates are in your budget, then yes, SB is wonderful. Even if you don't stay, be sure to budget some time to visit that beautiful city. The downtown area is stunning, the waterfront is very nice and the old mission is beautiful.

abmj-jr

Morro Bay. No "W."

jdmlove

i heard its very expansive, but i will make sure to pass by.

i will pass by. what else?

365RoadWarrior

In my opinion, this is the single best piece of advice in the thread. For me, five minutes would be enough, unless you've got several days worth of targeted dining.

Do have a great trip. Lots of good advice and intel posted

jdmlove

family & friends who went to Vegas, advised to stay for 5 days there.

anyways i will have 20 days i will try to distribute them fairly..

i have a question about transportation in San Francisco.. will it be enough to use the Double Decker bus since it stops in each area every 20 minutes?

jdmlove

the thread about San Francisco transportation moved here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-f...portation.html

so please answer in the new thread.

8dimsum

It has been many years since we went to Hearst Castle... had a lovely stay at "The Inn at Morro Bay" which is connected to a state park. There were bikes for guests to enjoy the park. We had a sunset dinner at the Inn which overlooked the Bay. Just a suggestion for a down day from driving.

whoops... do check the reviews...bird sanctuary area, probably no bikes for use...

lost*in*cyberspace

I absolutely agree that 5 days in Vegas is far too long, unless you are a real gambler. Honestly, there is nothing much of interest there except for gaming activities and a few shows. If you do go for that long, I think you'll be sorry, especially when you could have spent the time at so many other more interesting places. I do recommend a side trip to Hoover Dam if you go to Vegas.