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Old 04-09-2016, 09:01 PM
 
5 posts, read 4,714 times
Reputation: 10

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Hey Guys,

I know it's early but I am trying to figure out a plan. My family is coming to CA from NY and I want to drive up the coast from San Diego to Monterey on the 5 and then take our time coming back down. I am trying to figure out where to stop for dinner along the 5 on the way up. I plan on leaving SD on a week day at about 9:30 so looking to stop in Crystal Cove (Newport Beach area) to hang out and then get lunch around 12:30. Then get back on the 5 and stop for dinner around 5:30 so we can get into Monterey to crash for the night.

So here are my questions:

1) Where to stop for dinner along the 5 after having lunch in Crystal Cove? It looks like mostly desert to me on the map.
2) How much time to allow for Monterey and Carmel? Can we do this in a day from morning until late afternoon and then head down to Big Sur? I want to get to Big Sur to explore and back to civilized roads before dark. Or do we need to head to Big Sur on the second day?
3) Any recommendations on which stops to make along the coast? Morro? Pismo? We have been to Santa Barbara and Ventura but would maybe like to get lunch near UCSB.

I also don't know if I should allow 3 or 4 days for this trip as my family is only coming for a week and they have other people to see while in SD. I want to be sure to get to Griffith Park for sunset on our last day before heading back to San Diego though.

Any thoughts, comments or concerns are greatly appreciated!
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Old 04-10-2016, 03:52 PM
 
70 posts, read 148,235 times
Reputation: 98
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grateful Deb View Post
Hey Guys,

I know it's early but I am trying to figure out a plan. My family is coming to CA from NY and I want to drive up the coast from San Diego to Monterey on the 5 and then take our time coming back down. I am trying to figure out where to stop for dinner along the 5 on the way up. I plan on leaving SD on a week day at about 9:30 so looking to stop in Crystal Cove (Newport Beach area) to hang out and then get lunch around 12:30. Then get back on the 5 and stop for dinner around 5:30 so we can get into Monterey to crash for the night.

So here are my questions:

1) Where to stop for dinner along the 5 after having lunch in Crystal Cove? It looks like mostly desert to me on the map.
2) How much time to allow for Monterey and Carmel? Can we do this in a day from morning until late afternoon and then head down to Big Sur? I want to get to Big Sur to explore and back to civilized roads before dark. Or do we need to head to Big Sur on the second day?
3) Any recommendations on which stops to make along the coast? Morro? Pismo? We have been to Santa Barbara and Ventura but would maybe like to get lunch near UCSB.

I also don't know if I should allow 3 or 4 days for this trip as my family is only coming for a week and they have other people to see while in SD. I want to be sure to get to Griffith Park for sunset on our last day before heading back to San Diego though.

Any thoughts, comments or concerns are greatly appreciated!
Question 1: You say you want to take 5 up the coast, but I assume (based on what you say later) you know that 5 is quite far from the coast and as you said is mostly desert. Assuming you do leave CC at lunch, by 5:30 you would be close to getting to the Monterey area by that time (depending on speed, traffic, stops, etc.) Even if you were an hour out, you'd be near Soledad/Gonzales/Salinas which don't offer a ton in terms of restaurants. If you're interested in a variety of good restaurants, I highly recommend you stick it out until the Peninsula where you'll find vastly more options.

Question 2: That's so tough to answer. Can you see the big tourist spots in Monterey and Carmel in a day? Sure. Will you miss out on lots of details? Obviously. It really depends on what your goals are and what you are interested in seeing. You could spend a day in Monterey, a day in PG, and a day in Carmel and still have other things to see or do. I'd recommend you give an entire day for Big Sur just due to its vastness and the greatness of seeing it in the daylight (I hope you are lucky enough to get a sunny day). It's all up to you. We can answer more specific questions and plan a rough itinerary and recommendations if you let us know what interests you.

Question 3: Depends on what interests you again. I like history so Hearst Castle is neat. I also love hiking so going up to Cone Peak is a fun side trip for me. Morro or Pismo have never had the same allure as the Peninsula to me so I've usually preferred to stop in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara since I love the small compact downtowns they offer.

As far as how many days? Again, so tough to answer. You are covering a 500 mile stretch between SD and Monterey. There's a billion neat little places in between. If time were truly crunched, I'd say fly from SD to MRY directly and skip 5, but I assume money/rental cars makes that unattractive. A Griffith Park sunset is a neat thing and of course there are lots of other places along the coast that have great sunsets too.

So if you have some more specific questions we can most certainly help you narrow your options a little. I understand wanting to see everything in limited time. Only so much money and so many days off and so much to do!
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Old 04-10-2016, 06:46 PM
 
Location: Carmel, CA
23 posts, read 47,831 times
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You can't get to Monterey on the 5. You'll need to head toward the coast at some point and the quickest way is probably to take 46 to Paso Robles and then 101 to 68. Assuming an hour to eat lunch and getting back on the road by 1:30, I would say Paso Robles is your best option if you want to eat around 5:30 but there's also the variable of traffic through LA so you may or may not even make Paso by 5:30.

There's a lot to stop and see through Big Sur so I'd recommend starting the drive the following morning. You can decide how far you want to drive the following day depending on your interests but I think you need at least 3 nights for this trip.
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Old 04-12-2016, 08:59 PM
 
5 posts, read 4,714 times
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Thanks so much guys! I am going to allow the first whole day for Monterey/Carmel, then leave the next morning for Big Sur. I was hoping to make a quick stop in Cambira if anybody thinks it's worth it. Somebody mentioned it to me but if there is really nothing to see I will skip it. I figured to do sunset that night at Morro Bay then stay overnight in Pismo. The next morning check out Pismo and then head to LA for La kind of stuff and Griffith Park. After sunset head back to San Diego. I drove up to Santa Cruz once so I do know I have to take the 46 to the 101. It was 102 degrees that day so hopefully it won't be that hot this time. We are going the 19th through the 22nd. Here is San Diego the weather is stellar at that time. Anybody know what I can expect up north at that time of year?
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Old 04-13-2016, 10:34 AM
 
Location: On the water.
21,575 posts, read 16,079,852 times
Reputation: 19596
A much nicer route to Monterey is to take the 5 out of SD and transition to the 405 SD freeway as you get up to Irvine. 405 to I-10 just past LAX, and the 10 to Hwy-1 at Malibu.

From Malibu driving north on 1 to 101 at Oxnard is not freeway, but it moves along most of the way at a pretty good pace - think about 50 mph most the way to Oxnard. And it's a lovely, scenic, famous drive all will enjoy.

From Oxnard north on 101 is freeway / highway, 65/70 mph as you go to Salinas to pick up 68 for the short hop across west to Monterey.

The above route is scenic the whole way pretty much - and faster than the 5 and then west. Great options for character stops in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo in particular.
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Old 04-13-2016, 12:36 PM
 
Location: Eureka CA
9,519 posts, read 14,650,333 times
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If you end up stopping in Cambia, the Bluebird Motel is a nice, non-chain choice.
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Old 04-13-2016, 09:31 PM
 
70 posts, read 148,235 times
Reputation: 98
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grateful Deb View Post
I drove up to Santa Cruz once so I do know I have to take the 46 to the 101. It was 102 degrees that day so hopefully it won't be that hot this time. We are going the 19th through the 22nd. Here is San Diego the weather is stellar at that time. Anybody know what I can expect up north at that time of year?
You never said the month, but given the context, I'll assume its Jun/Jul/Aug. Weather here in the summer is highly dependent on location, just as in SD. Anywhere inland more than 10-20 miles will be warm, with typical highs anywhere between 80 and 100. Expect your drive on 5 and through the Salinas Valley (101) to be hot.

Anything north of Point Concepcion on the coast will be on the cooler side, consistently so on the Monterey Peninsula. A typical day starts with low clouds and ends with most areas east of the Presidio getting sun in the afternoon and rising to a high of 65-70. PG, Pebble Beach, and Carmel will linger in low clouds longer and will be closer to 60 to 65. Winds start off calm and pick up in the afternoon (do any seafaring trips in the morning).

You might get unlucky and not see the sun all day and be left with highs in the 60s and a consistent wind off the ocean. You might also get lucky and an off-shore pattern will develop and it will be sunny all day and warm on the coast.

Your typical Peninsulite's uniform in the summer is pants with a shirt + jacket. We live slightly inland with ample sun and warmth in the summer, but we always remember to dress warmer when on the coast. Many locals who live on the Peninsula consider the heart of summer to be the worst weather during the year with consistent low clouds and lack of sun.
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Old 04-14-2016, 08:05 AM
 
5 posts, read 4,714 times
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Thanks so much for all the info guys! We will be travelling in July so hoping to catch at least a little sun at the coast but you never know. We will definitely bring sweatshirts for the coast.
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Old 06-19-2016, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Salinas, CA
15,408 posts, read 6,151,395 times
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I have eaten at Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill twice on visits to the Cambria area and recommend it! There is a nice trail along the coast just across the street from it.

Home - Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill - Oceanfront Restaurant. Cambria, CA.
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Old 06-20-2016, 01:09 AM
 
8,364 posts, read 7,553,732 times
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Tulemutt gets bonus points! Follow Tulemutt's directions. Between San Diego and Cambria, stop in Malibu, Carpinteria or Santa Barbara for lunch.

The California tourism board has the route mapped out for you, with ideas for what to see along the way: Highway One Classic | Visit California

And this article will also give you some ideas for stops along the way:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/tr...oast.html?_r=0

Have a nice trip!
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