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5-Day California Trip Offered plenty of options
Monterey Peninsula, Big
Sur Perfect for a Short Trip
Story and photos By Bob Lindsey
California Dreamin’ for folks in the Midwest usually means visions of traveling to the major tourist mega centers such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim or San Diego. But there’s another part of California that boasts beautiful beaches and ocean views, mountains, and rich California history, and can be enjoyed in just a few days.
The Monterey Peninsula has all this and more…and nearly perfect weather most of the year. When we were there in early October, it was hotter than usual, but the temperature dropped dramatically after dusk and there was very little humidity.
While planning our trip to coastal middle California, we thought we would have to fly into either San Francisco (2.5 hours north) or San Jose (1 hour or so north), but we were surprised to learn that Monterey has a small airport with connections to LAX, Phoenix and Denver. By watching the fares, we were able to fly into Monterey for about the same price as flying to SFO or San Jose. After landing and picking up our rental car, we were only 15 minutes from Sanctuary Beach Resort, our first stop.
The resort is appropriately named, but there’s so much more. When we arrived, we were given the keys to a golf cart to drive to our beachfront bungalow, because other vehicles are not allowed on the pathways through the sand dunes.
Sanctuary Beach Resort is the only beachfront property on the Pacific side of the peninsula. Nightly sunsets are part of the Sanctuary experience. Guests line the beach in Adirondack chairs to applaud the sun’s last rays as they seemingly sink into the ocean. And after dark, fire pits are ablaze for warmth and ambience.
The Hawaiian-themed Kula Ranch Island Steakhouse on the property also has great beach views and indoor or outdoor dining. Its full menu offers Pacific and Hawaiian cuisine, as well as burgers, pizza and other American favorites. But the seafood is the specialty. Try the Native Hawaiian Nachos, Coconut Panko Tiger Prawns. Other specialties include Big Island Fish Tacos, Mahi Mahi or island grilled salmon.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
We wished we could have arrived earlier or stayed another night at Sanctuary Beach, but we had a jam-packed itinerary starting the next day with a visit to Salinas and the John Steinbeck house and museum (see accompanying story). Then it was on to the quaint town of Carmel-by-the Sea right on the peninsula and the German-style Hofsas House, perfectly situated for glimpses of ocean views and short walks to the shops, restaurants and local amenities. Carmel-by-the- Sea is picture perfect California.
Carrie Theis is owner of the Hofsas House, which has been in her family for more than 60 years. We spent two nights at “the perfect European retreat” with views of the tall pines and Pacific sunsets every cloudless night. Carrie is a member of the city council (yes, the same government body for which Clint Eastwood was once mayor) and is the unofficial spokesperson for Carmel-by-the Sea. She knows everything about her town and where to go, the best spots on the beach and every not-to-be-missed attraction.
If we hadn’t talked with her, we might have missed the famous 17-mile drive on the Monterey Peninsula and its gorgeous coastal scenery, breathtaking ocean views, and best whale-watching lookouts (in season). With a few stops, you can drive it in about 2-3 hours. You’ll drive from the hills to the valley, past world-class golf resorts to some of the area’s prettiest beaches. One of the best views of Pacific coastline is from Cypress Point Lookout, where the famed Lone Cypress on a massive rock overlooks the Pacific.
We had dinner one night at Flaherty’s Seafood Grill in Carmel, which is known for its fresh seafood. Pat, a Cioppino lover, wished she had tried Flaherty’s version, but we also wanted to try the crab cakes, flounder and tuna. So, instead of Cioppino, we had the clam chowder and lobster bisque. We weren’t disappointed.
The next afternoon, after sampling almost everything on the lunch buffet at Jack’s Restaurant at the Portola Hotel in Monterey, it was on to Cannery Row and the best aquarium we’ve ever visited. Cannery Row has shops, restaurants and other touristy places, but you can still see remnants of some of John Steinbeck’s haunts that he described in his books.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is both large and impressive. Plan at least a half-day for your visit
and a full day if you have small children with you. The $39 adult admission ticket might seem a little steep,
but it is well worth it. The dozens of interactive attractions and exhibits include fish large and small, with
beautiful corals and jellyfish, sea otters, sea horses, stingrays, penguins, and schools of glimmering silver
sardines swimming in circles overhead.
The aquarium was founded in 1984 and is located on the site of a former sardine cannery. Its fresh ocean water travels through pipes pumping continuously from Monterey Bay. Ocean’s Edge Wing is a 28-foot-high, 333,000 gallon tank for viewing California coastal marine life. It was the first in the world to grow live California Giant Kelp. The Open Sea galleries feature one of the world’s largest single-paned windows. It is one of the few aquariums to hold the ocean sunfish in captivity and the only one to have both blue fin and yellow fin tuna. The entire facility is fascinating, especially to land-locked Midwesterners. For more information: www. montereybayaquarium.org
Our last evening on the Monterey Peninsula was in Pacific
Grove where we dined at the Beach House overlooking a gorgeous section of the bay. At every restaurant we visited, we noticed sand dabs on the menu. Not knowing what they were, we asked our server and learned that a sand dab is a thin, flounder-like fillet caught in the Bay. So, we had to try them. With a little panko breading, they were pretty tasty.
The next morning we left early for one of the country’s most notable drives, U.S. 1 through Big Sur heading toward the Hearst Castle, 90 miles south. Don’t rush this drive, as you’ll want to stop for more ocean views, short trail hikes and fantastic photo ops. Plan 5-6 hours with stops. The road is not just a twisting, turning 35 mph highway; there are a few straightaway sections where you can drive 50-55 mph.
Our stops included Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park for a
short trail walk along the seaside bluffs to McWay Falls; the scenic Nepenthe Restaurant perched 800 feet above the sea with fantastic views and good, inexpensive food; Salmon Creek Waterfall; Sycamore Canyon; and the not to be missed Elephant Seal Rookery where hundreds of sea lions call home.
The last stop on our drive was the Hearst Castle near San
Simeon, (see related page) and then it was on to Cambria, where we stayed at the beach front Pelican Inn and viewed another fantastic Pacific sunset from our patio. (see sunset photo above) After a great breakfast at the Pelican Inn, we drove U.S. 101 back to the Monterey Airport and our return flights home. We experienced a lot in a 5-day trip.
For more information on Monterey area attractions visit
