My mom is turning 70 this year and wants to take my sisters and me on a girlfriends weekend. She wants to see Hearst Castle, Monterey/Carmel, and Napa. I think there are a few quilt shops in the Monterey area she wants to see. We have 4 nights in all.
Here%26#39;s what I%26#39;m thinking so far: Fly into SF, drive south to Hearst Castle. First night in San Simeon. Second night in Monterey. Last night in Napa.
My question is about the third night. Should we stay two nights in Monterey or Napa? Is there more to see and do in one area over the other?
Any help would sure be appreciated. I%26#39;ll ask over on the Napa forum too. Thanks much!
Planning my mom's 70th birthday
Two nights in Monterey would be nice since you are already staying a night in San Simeon. Do you have lodging there yet? The Best Western Cavalier Oceanfront resort is nice, there are also some very nice Inns along Moonstone Beach in nearby Cambria. www.centralcoast.com
What is your budget for lodging? There is a new hotel in Monterey called the Clement Intercontinental that is very nice, check Travel Zoo for some great rates, the front desk clerk recommended I check there when I did a quick tour of the hotel a few weeks ago. There is also the Monterey Plaza Hotel %26amp; Spa which is wonderful, the have two great restaurants there.
If you%26#39;re not totally set on staying in Monterey, Carmel is very quaint and lovely. We just spent two nights at the Highland%26#39;s Inn in the Carmel Highland%26#39;s area and one night in Carmel Valley at the Carmel Valley Ranch. They have an outstanding restaurant there called Citronelle that would be a perfect place for a birthday dinner. You can make reservations on opentable for this restaurant. I highly recommend Carmel Valley Ranch for a place to stay, it is reasonably priced, also.
Enjoy your planning and Happy New Year! :)
Planning my mom's 70th birthday
That%26#39;s an awful lot of driving over such a short period. I would recommend two nights in Monterey. If the appeal of Napa is the wine tasting, there is some nice wine tasting in Carmel Valley, just outside of Monterey.
Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach, which all are sandwiched together on the Monterey Peninsula, are full of beauty, and there%26#39;s plenty to do. On the drive back up from San Simeon, you can stop for lunch in Big Sur (Nepenthe has great views). See www.bigsurcalifornia.org for ideas about easy hikes, beaches, etc.
Carmel is full of shops and galleries for browsing. Pacific Grove is a quaint, old-fashioned town with a gorgeous coastline. I highly recommend Red House Cafe for lunch. www.redhousecafe.com After that, you can walk two blocks down to the water and walk along the recreation trail. Also, Back Porch Fabrics, a quilting shop, is in Pacific Grove.http://www.backporchfabrics.com/
As I mentioned, Carmel Valley has some nice wineries--Chateau Julien and Bernardus are both nice to visit. If you go all the way out to Carmel Valley Village (about a 25-minute drive from Hwy 1 and a very pretty drive), lunch or dinner at Cafe Rustica is excellent. Or you can eat at Wickets, which is at Bernardus.
If you like hikes/walks, there are some easy trails overlooking the ocean at Point Lobos State Reserve, just 4 miles south of Carmel on Hwy 1. The views are spectacular, and you%26#39;re likely to see seals, otters and possibly dolphins.
There is also whale watching, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Carmel Mission (self-guided tour), walking tours of Carmel (www.carmelwalks.com) and Monterey. No shortage of things to do.
Happy birthday to your mom and happy travels!
Dear wildmom -
I have to agree with PGdenison, it%26#39;s not really worth it to drive all the way to Napa for only one night.
I would spend the first night near Hearst Castle and the last three nights in Monterey or Carmel. Personally, when I travel with my mother-in-law, she loves the town of Carmel - easy to walk to shops, restaurants and the ocean.
Wine tasting in the Carmel Valley at Bernardus is lovely.
I think there is so much to see and enjoy, four nights in this location is perfect.
Have fun, it will be wonderful.
The Red House Cafe is a great suggestion, we had a very nice lunch there when we were in the area. Loved the Grilled Cheese and the Tomato Basil soup here! I have a review of our time there. Anton %26amp; Michel in downtown Carmel was also very memorable. A very nice choice for dinner in Carmel. :)
I have to agree with PGdenizen that you%26#39;ll be doing too much driving for the short amount of time you have.
The Monterey Peninsula is such a beautiful area with so much to see/do.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos State Reserve for easy hikes in a stunning coastal area, Carmel%26#39;s quaint shops and beautiful white sand beach, Cannery Row and the lovely town of Pacific Grove have more than enough to keep you girls busy.
And as PGdenizen mentioned: there is wine tasting available in this area and without the hordes of people that descend upon Napa.
If you want to stay somewhere special in the Monterey area for your mom%26#39;s special day, consider one of the beautiful Victorian B%26amp;B%26#39;s overlooking Monterey Bay in Pacific Grove: The Seven Gables Inn (www.pginns.com) or The Green Gables Inn (www.foursisters.com).
There%26#39;s a wonderful recreational trail across the street from both inns with short walks into Monterey%26#39;s Cannery Row and the aquarium. Lover%26#39;s Point Park and Asilomar Beach are especially pretty areas to visit. Asilomar Beach is a beautiful spot to take in the sunset.
I thought of another wine country option for you.
If your flight lands early enough on the first day, you could head straight for Paso Robles wine country, which is close to Cambria/San Simeon. There are several excellent wineries off Highway 46 West to choose from.
A right turn at Vineyard Drive will put you in some excellent wine country and pretty countryside, as well. One of the prettiest vineyards/tasting rooms is on Chimney Rock Road at the Carmody-McKnight property. There%26#39;s a man made lake with a beautiful willow tree on the lawn nearby. The tasting room is an old farmhouse built in the 1800%26#39;s, which has been remodeled to accommodate tastings and art work.
Next door to Carmody-McKnight is the popular Justin Winery. Also a lovely property nestled in the coastal foothills.
If your flight arrives too late on the first day, you could always spend 2 nights in the Cambria/San Simeon area and visit Hearst Castle in the morning and the wine country in the afternoon. Then you have the whole 3rd day to explore the Big Sur coast.
Just a thought/option for you to consider.
Wow! These are such great ideas! Thanks to everyone for your help. I%26#39;ll pass them along to the rest of the ';committee'; and see what we come up with. Thanks again!
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