DeepUnderground

Haha, I'd forgotten about that place!

One of my favorite things to do on this route was drive on the beach in Pismo.

airoli

My significant other and I will be doing this drive in early September, thanks all for the loads of good info in this thread.

On our last day, we will have to end up at a LAX airport hotel for an early flight out the next morning. That last day will also be my +1's big birthday, so I am looking for a nice place to have dinner along the drive somewhere between Santa Barbara and L.A.

The romantic in me thinks ocean view & sunset etc etc...

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

CRAZ8

Something like Nobu in Malibu - http://www.noburestaurants.com/malibu/experience/ or One Pico in Santa Monica http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/sa...ca-fine-dining. Both are on the expensive side, but for a big celebration this may be the time to do it.

If you're there on a Wednesday evening, Shutters on the Beach has a cocktail thing in their lobby that's worth a visit.

TWA884

airoli

Thank you CRAZ8 & TWA884 - those are exactly the kinds of places I was looking for. ^

armagebedar

In September I'm thinking of spending five days in California, of which three days would be spend going up the PCH. I'm thinking staying one night each in LA, Santa Barbara, Carmel, and SF. My itinerary is still in flux but looks something like this:

Day 1: arrive in LA mid-day, sightsee and stay in LA
Day 2: sightsee in morning, drive to Malibu then on to SB, stay in SB
Day 3: drive through the Santa Ynez Valley, stopping at a winery or two, Hearst Castle, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, etc., stay in Carmel
Day 4: Sightsee in Monterey and Santa Cruz, arriving in SF late afternoon
Day 5: depart SFO mid-day

However, I'm concerned that taking one day to drive from SB to Carmel is a bit much, especially if I wanted to visit some wineries/breweries as well as Hearst Castle. In addition, while I have been to both LA and SF a few times, this will be my traveling companion's first time to California.

My questions are:
1. Would it be worth spending an extra night somewhere along the central coast, and if so, where?
2. If three days along the coast is enough, should I power through the SB-Carmel section and try to spend an extra night in SF?
3. Would it be worth it to try to do both and extend the trip to six days? (I know the answer is obviously yes, but I need to be in Denver by mid-afternoon on day 7)

Thanks in advance!

TWA884

Too much for one day.

However, you realized that even before I put in my two cents.

Definitely yes. I'd recommend Cambria, San Luis Obispo or Pismo Beach. It's a good idea to purchase Hearst Castle tickets in advance.

Three days are not enough if you want to stay in Santa Barbara for one night and do all that you listed for day 3.

I agree, the obvious answer is yes.

abmj-jr

+1 on the above. Your day SB-Carmel is just too much.

The Hearst Castle tours are each several hours. You leave your car in a lot at the base of the hill and take the shuttle bus up to the castle for the tour, which takes longer than most expect. I also agree with the above suggestion to book ahead. The tours are very popular and sell out often. There is no "independent tour" option. You have to go on one of the guided tours.

I'd suggest spending the night before Hearst Castle nearby and trying for a morning tour. After that, you could take the afternoon to drive up through Big Sur and on to Carmel. You would be well served to plan on going slowly through that stretch as the scenery is amazing. Stops along the way will reward you with wonderful views.

Overnight spots along the central coast before Hearst Castle are found in San Luis Obispo, which is not actually on the coast but is well-situated to access the various wine tour areas; Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, Morro Bay, Cayucos, Cambria and San Simeon, which is closest to the castle. Your preferred type of property will dictate where to stay. Higher-end properties may be found in Avila or Pismo and Cambria. San Simeon is primarily inexpensive chain hotels. There is one seafood restaurant in San Simeon of which I am fond, called the Manta Rey (sic.) If you don't mind a night in a lackluster motel, dinner there might make up for it.

In another thread I listed several places to go in this region and a few web sites that might be helpful. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/calif...alifornia.html

The central coast is an area to savor, not just to speed through.

MADPhil

One thing to bear in mind is that CA1 is not a road for fast driving unless you can get rid of all the other traffic and enjoy real excitement. In any case there is so much to look at that you don't want to rush it. Depending on what you like you might want to stay in Big Sur rather than Carmel. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is fantastic but takes time. However, if your time is really constrained then the best bet might be not to do too much but scope things out and plan to return!

armagebedar

Thanks for your comments, TWA884, abmj-jr, and MADPhil. I've driven CA 1 north of SF to Eureka before, so I definitely understand what the driving will be like, hence my concern! But I've decided to add a day in order to better enjoy the region, as this is something I've been looking forward to for a long time.

My next question would be: where should we stay? Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, and SLO are at the top of my list, with SLO being slightly lower as it's not on the ocean (though someplace with a great view would certainly be fine, since we'll be staying oceanside in SB and Carmel). Morro Bay is furthest north which puts us closer to Hearst Castle the following morning, but I've been told it's a bit sleepy compared to SLO or Pismo. I hadn't considered Cambria since we're both around 30 and thought it might be a bit too "quaint" for a stay (but perhaps worth a visit the next day). Being able to walk to restaurants, bars (and/or tasting rooms) would also be a plus. We'd be staying on a weekday, and our budget is about $150-200.

Thanks again!

TWA884

It's been a while since I have stayed at Morro Bay; to the best of my recollection there was absolutely nothing to do there after dinner.

Pismo Beach is right on the water, so most hotels will have bars and lounges (and rooms) with ocean views.

SLO may be more to your liking. As the home of a major university, CalPoly, you are more likely to find lodgings within walking distance of bars and restaurants there. I believe that most tasting rooms close at around 5:00 or 6:00 pm.

Need

Make sure you get your tickets online or at the hotel. We were there 2 weeks ago. We got ours online and when we got there, the line to get tickets was so long that you can't see the end of it. We just walk straight in with our pre-printed tickets.

MADPhil

A good tip, we have always visited as guests of a member which gets you a private entrance.

abmj-jr

SLO is not very far from the coast but, as mentioned, is not right at the shore. It has a bit of a funky vibe, being a college town. I like it a lot. If you are there on Thursday night, be sure to check out the downtown farmer's market-craft fair-street party. On other days, the historic mission is a nice visit. First timers to coastal California should see at least one of the old Spanish missions. If you miss SLO, the mission at Carmel is also a very nice visit.

SLO has a nice Embassy Suites that is NOT in walking distance from much downtown but has several decent places nearby. Downtown has several properties that would be within walking distance of downtown dining/drinking options. If you have to drive, Google parking garages in downtown SLO and use the one right near the mission. You can walk from there to the farmer's market, downtown bars and restaurants and the mission. For an "experience stay," look at the Madonna Inn in SLO.

TWA884

I'd describe it as a "kitsch stay."