Need suggestions for my road trip this long weekend
11-19-2007, 10:17 AM
#1
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Need suggestions for my road trip this long weekend
I live in San Jose - I'm planning on taking a road trip down to Santa Barbara and back. Here's what I have planned - am I being too ambitious? Not sure what traffic will be like especially on the way back.
- Thu morning: head down hwy 1. Check out carmel, big sur, etc. Maybe get a hike in. Drive down to San Simeon and stay overnight.
- Fri morning: Hearst castle. Check out Morro bay, san luis obispo, solvang. Stay overnight in the area.
- Sat: Spend the day in Santa Barbara, maybe check out a couple wineries. Stay overnight
- Sun: Drive back
- Thu morning: head down hwy 1. Check out carmel, big sur, etc. Maybe get a hike in. Drive down to San Simeon and stay overnight.
- Fri morning: Hearst castle. Check out Morro bay, san luis obispo, solvang. Stay overnight in the area.
- Sat: Spend the day in Santa Barbara, maybe check out a couple wineries. Stay overnight
- Sun: Drive back
11-19-2007, 10:53 AM
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Some suggestions...
For your Friday morning, Hearst Castle, Morro Bay, and SLO are relatively in the same area. Solvang is a little bit farther down south, pretty much close to Santa Barbara. Probably near an hours drive south (from SLO). If you're into gambling, there's Chumash Casino down the road from Solvang.
While in SLO, I recommend Firestone Bar and Grill on Higuera. There is also a Firestone equivalent in Cambria, but the name escapes me.
On your drive back, if going through 101. Watch out for CHP in and around King City.
Ah, I need to head back down there and hit up the good ole spots. It's been several months.
While in SLO, I recommend Firestone Bar and Grill on Higuera. There is also a Firestone equivalent in Cambria, but the name escapes me.
On your drive back, if going through 101. Watch out for CHP in and around King City.
Ah, I need to head back down there and hit up the good ole spots. It's been several months.
11-19-2007, 11:02 AM
#3
It might be a bit ambitious, depending on how thorough you want to be and who is going.
Carmel itself has many hidden alleys in which to stroll and check out art/food/wine. It can be a weekend in itself if you let it. But if nothing else, the beach at the bottom of Ocean Blvd is very nice if not fogged in.
The drive down to to San Simeon can be done just fine so long as there are no serious delays in traffic. Stop at Nepenthe for lunch about 20 minutes south of Carmel.
Hearst can take easily half a day. Morro Bay has fantastic fish shacks down at the harbour - which also has the views of the rock. Trying to fit Solvang and SLO into that day is probably too much. Maybe find a place to stay at Avila Beach near SLO and then hit SLO next morning?
The wineries and traffic will probably be busy around Santa Barbara. How about heading up to Paso Robles instead? Not sure how you wish to incorporate them, but highways 58, 166, and portions of 33 provide good opportunities to turn the wick up on your driving. Orcutt Rd between SLO and Arroyo Grande is not bad, but a bit too busy with farms.
The drive down to to San Simeon can be done just fine so long as there are no serious delays in traffic. Stop at Nepenthe for lunch about 20 minutes south of Carmel.
Hearst can take easily half a day. Morro Bay has fantastic fish shacks down at the harbour - which also has the views of the rock. Trying to fit Solvang and SLO into that day is probably too much. Maybe find a place to stay at Avila Beach near SLO and then hit SLO next morning?
The wineries and traffic will probably be busy around Santa Barbara. How about heading up to Paso Robles instead? Not sure how you wish to incorporate them, but highways 58, 166, and portions of 33 provide good opportunities to turn the wick up on your driving. Orcutt Rd between SLO and Arroyo Grande is not bad, but a bit too busy with farms.
11-19-2007, 01:03 PM
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2nd the Carmel idea. It's a great stop. One of our favorites.
And if you have time, this is a great route, which my wife and I took at April's suggestion when we went to Carmel last September.<ul><li><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=CA-85+S+%4037.253960,+-121.880550&daddr=Camden+Ave+%4037.208690,+-121.825680+to:Uvas+Rd+%4037.126880,+-121.733430+to:Watsonville+Rd+%4037.013450,+-121.650320+to:Sta
11-19-2007, 02:50 PM
#6
carlito's
if you have any sort of affection for mexican food <a href="http://www.carlitos.com/">carlito's</a> in downtown santa barbara is a must stop, just order half the amount you normally would.
if you skip the actual wineries and just visit the tasting rooms you'll get a lot done in a short amount of time. avoid <a href="http://www.kalyrawinery.com/">Kalyra</a> and its adjoining winery. long flights, but super gross. I think we enjoyed <a href="http://www.sbwinery.com/">santa barbara winery</a>, whatever they were pouring at <a href="http://www.cellar205.com/">cellar 205<</a>, and i think <a href="http://www.carrwinery.com/">carr</a> still needs some time but a pretty cool warehouse/cave like tasting room, plus they let us keep a bucket of monkeys with our tasting glasses.
carr
<img src="http://www.adecadentexistence.com/images/Santa%20Barbara/images/dsc_5649.jpg">
thrifty's ice cream (remember those?, still a buck)
<img src="http://www.adecadentexistence.com/images/Santa%20Barbara/images/dsc_5581.jpg">
if you skip the actual wineries and just visit the tasting rooms you'll get a lot done in a short amount of time. avoid <a href="http://www.kalyrawinery.com/">Kalyra</a> and its adjoining winery. long flights, but super gross. I think we enjoyed <a href="http://www.sbwinery.com/">santa barbara winery</a>, whatever they were pouring at <a href="http://www.cellar205.com/">cellar 205<</a>, and i think <a href="http://www.carrwinery.com/">carr</a> still needs some time but a pretty cool warehouse/cave like tasting room, plus they let us keep a bucket of monkeys with our tasting glasses.
carr
<img src="http://www.adecadentexistence.com/images/Santa%20Barbara/images/dsc_5649.jpg">
thrifty's ice cream (remember those?, still a buck)
<img src="http://www.adecadentexistence.com/images/Santa%20Barbara/images/dsc_5581.jpg">
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11-20-2007, 10:21 AM
#10
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My Wife worked at Carlitos for three years!
They also have a sister restaurant in Montecito (which I like better) called Cava.
I would NOT go to Santa Barbara and skip Brophy Brothers (in the harbor) or the Brown Pelican. FWIW, I would also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Modern Art....very nice place.
For nice Italian cuisine on the beach, I would also recommend Emilios (on Cabrillo at East Beach).
I would NOT go to Santa Barbara and skip Brophy Brothers (in the harbor) or the Brown Pelican. FWIW, I would also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Modern Art....very nice place.
For nice Italian cuisine on the beach, I would also recommend Emilios (on Cabrillo at East Beach).