Coastal California?

[Roger Hicks]

Mision S. Antonio is between SLO and Big Sur. I'd second Pismo Beach as an 'unassuming Americana' place to stay, unless you like good beer (for which the SLO brewery is good).

You'll also be passing Nipomo (Migrant Mother) but there's bugger all to see there.

Cheers,

R.

 

[tim_n]

+1 regarding Point Lobos. One consideration is that the total number of cars admitted is limited at the gate. On busy vacation days, you need to arrive early, or you may have to wait outside the park until enough cars depart for you to enter.

A nearby photogenic site is the coast along Asilomar and the rest of Pacific Grove as far as Lovers' Point. Tide pools, rocky coast, sand dunes with native plants. There is easy access to walking paths from the road. Just a bit farther is Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but as others say above, that is a congested tourist stop.

 

[ferider]

Here is what I would do:

Cut it down to two days. Stop in Santa Monica, stay in (Santa Barbara or San Simeon) and (Carmel or Big Sur) (20 miles apart), visit Hearst Castle, Monterey Aquarium, Point Lobos. Enjoy the coastal drive, etc. Add a night in Palo Alto or Napa Valley. As I said before, there is more to San Francisco than the city.

Rent a convertible.

Best,

Roland.

PS: when you leave Point Lobos, check for ticks ("Zecken").

 

[RayPA]

HWY 1 goes rural from San Luis Obispo thru Devils Slide. Just about any stop along the way is fabulous.

+1 You really can't go wrong with the central coast along this stretch of highway. Good eats along the way too. There's a little coastal drive through Carmel that I recommend. It winds past some fabulous coastal homes in Clint Eastwood's neighborhood (not sure if it's part of the 49-mile scenic drive). It's a lot of fun and doesn't take too long. There's also a Leica shop in downtown Carmel 😉.

p.s. San Mateo county is cutting a tunnel around Devil's Slide and will soon eliminate this precarious stretch of highway 1 that has frequently washed out during winter rains and disappeared into the ocean 200 ft. or so below. It's worth the drive through (in fact, it's unavoidable if you drive the coast down from SF). You can't stop and get out though.


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[RayPA]

As I said before, there is more to San Francisco than the city.

+1 here too. I often feel sorry for some of the die-hard SF residents who never get out of town (there are a lot!). Their perception of NorCal is that SF is the beginning and end of the trip, when in fact, the beauty of the northern California is mostly in the surrounding bay area cities and counties.



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[andredossantos]

+1 on Pescadero State Beach. The day I was there it was awesomely atmospheric.

Also, someone mentioned the Davenport roadhouse as a place to stop and eat. I stayed there a couple days as they also rent out rooms (the rooms are very nice). If you walk across Highway 1 from the roadhouse there is a path down to a very large beach which was always empty and very nice. All along this particular stretch of road there are unmarked and beautiful beaches accessible from the road which were MUCH less crowded than the other marked spots along the road.

 

[ferider]

+1 on Pescadero State Beach. The day I was there it was awesomely atmospheric.

Also, someone mentioned the Davenport roadhouse as a place to stop and eat. I stayed there a couple days as they also rent out rooms (the rooms are very nice). If you walk across Highway 1 from the roadhouse there is a path down to a very large beach which was always empty and very nice.

The Davenport beach looks like this at 6am:

My record from Palo Alto to Pescadero State Beach is 35'. 🙂

 

[ampguy]

interesting

interesting

never timed that route, I don't think, but did sky londa to san gregorio in 13' on 84. 4 wheels (mostly...)

The Davenport beach looks like this at 6am:

My record from Palo Alto to Pescadero State Beach is 35'. 🙂

 

[Santafecino]

Any trip that doesn't include Point Lobos is a waste of good free time. Point Lobos is the one place along the coast that simply brings tears to my eyes, it is so violently tragically beautiful. You can sense the ghost of Edward Weston lurking, waiting for the light to change.

 

[ampguy]

yeah, but

yeah, but

there are some beaches not too far from Sunset beach where you can see Edward Weston's wife on the sand, in the flesh ...

Any trip that doesn't include Point Lobos is a waste of good free time. Point Lobos is the one place along the coast that simply brings tears to my eyes, it is so violently tragically beautiful. You can sense the ghost of Edward Weston lurking, waiting for the light to change.

 

[RayPA]

I'd pass on Monterey, unless you're planning to go to the aquarium, or have a thing for Cannery Row nostalgia. It's a bit ghetto from how it used to be.

😱 WTH, Ted! Absolutely do NOT pass on Monterey! It is Nowhere near being a "ghetto". Go to the aquarium, check it out (it's great! it's easy to park and it won't take long). There's a nice lookout area at the back side of the aquarium, above where they give scuba diving lessons (yes you can take a lesson). If it's a sunny day, the view of the bay and the waters from the lookout is nice (it's not a spectacular view, it's more of a panoramic that gives a nice view to the shape of the bay).



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[ampguy]

Hi Ray

Hi Ray

I'm giving advice to Jamie - unless he has a couple hours or more to burn there, I don't think the Aquarium/Cannery Row is worth it. I can see all of those views elsewhere without an entrance fee.

We do go there every other year or so, and unless there's a great white shark in the tank, even then is too often for me.

Then again, my great grandparents founded most of California. My grandmother was rushed out of her house in the 1906 earthquake by grandfather just as the house came tumbling down.

After "camp" they settled back on the Peninsula and founded other areas, just like Lewis and Clark did in the Pac NW.

😱 WTH, Ted! Absolutely do NOT pass on Monterey! It is Nowhere near being a "ghetto". Go to the aquarium, check it out (it's great! it's easy to park and it won't take long). There's a nice lookout area at the back side of the aquarium, above where they give scuba diving lessons (yes you can take a lesson). If it's a sunny day, the view of the bay and the waters from the lookout is nice (it's not a spectacular view, it's more of a panoramic that gives a nice view to the shape of the bay).



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[ramosa]

semilog: really like that first landscape photo.

 

[ramosa]

all great recommendations. man, that is god's country. the mention of it makes me wish i were planning this trip. another cool place, up on the northern portion, is san gregorio beach. it always seems desolate, powerful, with ocean and cliffs.

 

[Jamie123]

The great recommendations keep coming. That's awesome!

I'll definitely try to incorporate some of the photo ops. However, while my photographic talent is without a doubt on par with Edward Weston's (where's that sarcastic smiley??), my girlfriend doesn't seem to have Charis Wilson's patience when being photgraphed, nor her willingness to get naked in the outdoors. Go figure.. 😉

 

[Argenticien]

+1 You really can't go wrong with the central coast along this stretch of highway. Good eats along the way too. There's a little coastal drive through Carmel that I recommend. It winds past some fabulous coastal homes in Clint Eastwood's neighborhood (not sure if it's part of the 49-mile scenic drive). It's a lot of fun and doesn't take too long. There's also a Leica shop in downtown Carmel 😉.

All — I am planning a trip out that way, found this thread, and will definitely use a few of the suggestions above. Thanks!

@Ray: Which shop is/was that? Based on some cursory Googling, seems like Camera West fits your description (although in Monterey, not Carmel), but they have now moved to Palm Springs!

--Dave