Sunday, January 10, 2010

Catch-Up CA road trip post

This is a catch-up post more than three years later but I wanted to put in our itineary from our road trip.  Kind of weird that I didn't write it up then, but oh well.  The trip featured the most amazing, sunny weather, which is apparently unusual for that time of year.

Sunday, 1/3: We drove up the 101 to Santa Barbara.  We stayed at the Hotel Oceana Santa Barbara (inc. Breakfast and 2 hour beach cruiser rental!).        

Monday, 1/4: We took the cruisers out and headed towards the Four Seasons for a nice bike ride in Santa Barbara.  Then we headed up to Hearst Castle and took a tour. What amazing views and grounds.   Tip: make advanced reservations online because they do sell out!  I loved the two pools.  Then we headed up to Big Sur, which we ended up driving in the dark along hair pin turns.  We stayed at the Big Sur Lodge and ate dinner up there.  Yum!
  
Tuesday, 1/5: We hiked in Big Sur- one trail behind the Lodge into the forest and then down to Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park that features the cool waterfall that at high tide empties directly into the ocean.  Then we went to Carmel and walked around.  We stayed at the Cobblestone Inn.  It was nice but we switched rooms in the middle of the night because of a HORRIBLE clinking noise that was constant and non-stop from the radiator.

Wednesday, 1/6: We drove around 17 Mile Dr and headed for Davenport.  We skipped Monterey- too little time.  We stayed in the Davenport Roadhouse.  There was a Prix Fixe Dinner that night at the restaurant $25/each and locally brewed beer.  Yum!

Thursday, 1/7:   Then we went to San Francisco. We walked the city, went to Coit Tower and had the best meetball sandwich at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Shop.  We went to Bourbon and Branch and had delicious drinks.  We stayed at Hotel Adagio.

Friday, 1/8:  We toured the Golden Gate Park/Presidio, mainly by car, ate at Tartine and then boomed down the 5 back to San Diego.