<p>My husband and I are thinking of a long weekend in the Carmel-Monterey area. I have never been there before. Any recommendations for a good place to stay? We would like a nice, relaxing inn sort of place. Restaurant choices would also be welcome.</p>
<p>I can fully recommend Pacific Grove as a relaxing area locale.</p>
<p>I’ve stayed in the Gosby House Inn ( <a href=“http://www.gosbyhouseinn.com/[/url]”>http://www.gosbyhouseinn.com/</a> ) and can heartily recommend it, although I’m told its sister B&B in town, Green Gables Inn, is even nicer (and it’s right on the ocean!), although harder to get into ( <a href=“http://www.greengablesinnpg.com/[/url]”>http://www.greengablesinnpg.com/</a> ). If you like fresh, local, sustainable etc etc seafood, I can also strongly recommend Passionfish ( <a href=“http://www.passionfish.net/[/url]”>http://www.passionfish.net/</a> ) – FABULOUS food and excellent service (and only a block’s walk from Gosby House Inn, if you’re staying there). </p>
<p>Drop a PM if you want more details. I also have a recommendation for a whalewatching boat company, if you’re looking to go out… :)</p>
<p>Concur on Pacific Grove - low key and lovely. If you want fancier, I hear the Tickle Pink Motel in Carmel is very nice.</p>
<p>Eat at Bubba Gumps in Monterey. Check out the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium.</p>
<p>Another vote for Pacific Grove. You can walk all around town. We loved the bookstore and local restaurants. There is a something lodge that was nice-by the cemetary and ocean. AAA has lots of places listed.
If you are playing golf at Pebble Beach call immediately. Spy glass is probably possible. Pebble Beach impossible unless you are staying there or booked last yr. Pacific Grove has a nice course also, alot less money but it isn’t PB.</p>
<p>I second the vote for Tickle Pink Inn in Carmel Highlands – gorgeous views, nice wine and cheese. We stayed there last year and enjoyed our stay tremendously. Go to <a href=“http://www.ticklepinkinn.com%5B/url%5D”>www.ticklepinkinn.com</a>.</p>
<p>hate to disagree, but Bubba Gumps is avergae at best. Try Roy’s in Pebble Beach if you love good Pacific Rim/Fusion coooking.</p>
<p>Bookiemom - are you coming from out of state or in state? Just asking because there is also the whole wonderful question of how are you getting there…driving down the coast, up the coast, where to stop along the way…I personally love Half Moon Bay and Princeton-by-the-Sea for example. Also will you do 17-mile drive, also will you go down to Big Sur…what wonderful choices to make.</p>
<p>Passionfish is a wonderful restaurant recommendation in Pacific Grove.
We did the 17 mile drive which was interesting but the ride down to Big Sur – suggested by a couple we met in a restaurant – was out of this world and far spectacular.</p>
<p>Last year my son and I spent a nite in Carmel…and it was a lot of fun to walk around town…loads of shops…so, I vote for a place within walking distance? We also had dinner at The Forge in the Forest…and I recommend it as a really nice dinner spot… here is a link to a site on restaurants that features this place, the site offers menus and maps… the pictures are fun to see:</p>
<p><a href=“http://restauranteur.com/forge/[/url]”>http://restauranteur.com/forge/</a></p>
<p>it was within walking distance of our hotel, but the hotel wasn’t worth raving about, just very reasonable and also available with no notice. We were on a California college tour and opted to spend the last nite before Palo Alto in Carmel…wanted to show him the 17 mile drive and we went to Clint Eastwood’s restaurant in Carmel to check it out but the wait was too long…hence the Forge…</p>
<p>As an aside, have you ever been to the Hearst Castle? depending on where you are coming from… you might want to spend time there… it is absolutely worth seeing…I think they have a 3 hr tour… you can get tickets ahead of time on the web…only a couple of hours south of Carmel…is my recollection…</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for your ideas! We were just talking this over at dinner and decided to stay an extra day so we could see the Hearst Castle! Thanks for the tip about getting tickets ahead of time.</p>
<p>We are coming from out of state, flying into San Jose probably. My H is from CA and has seen all this, but I have wanted to go to the area for a long time. We found a hotel in Carmel within walking distance as I will be on my own part of the time. My H is going to be at some car racing events part of the time.</p>
<p>Concerned dad: we will look into Roy’s at Pebble Beach! We have eaten at Roy’s in Maui and in Seattle as well.</p>
<p>We have not had any real vacaton in YEARS, so we are excited for a few days of R and R!</p>
<p>A book you might want to read prior to your trip is East of Eden by Steinbeck. I read it after my trip and really enjoyed it… it is set in the valleys in that area… it mentions Gilroy, I think it is a town famous for Garlic… bring that home as souvenirs for everyone!! The book is harsh at times, but it is excellent at capturing the feel of the environment. </p>
<p>Definitely use the web to explore the castle ticket options… makes it much easier to plan your timeline. They have a lunch/barbeque setup there… you can watch a movie, which I really enjoyed… kind of describes his childhood…trip to europe with his mom as a young man etc… then we ate, then we took the tour… it is truly an incredible place… have fun!!</p>
<p>If you drive down the coast highway to Hearst Castle (which truly is memorable, over-the-top but that outdoor pool is to die for…), try to stop at Nepenthe (beautiful building overlooking the ocean) or Ventana, both in Big Sur, for lunch–I haven’t been to the latter since it was taken over, so I don’t have any current information. Nepenthe is awesome and their Ambrosiaburger truly scrumptious. </p>
<p>If you’re into outdoor adventures, you can rent a kayak on Cannery Row in Monterey and paddle next to seals and otters in the bay…
Carmel is great for window shopping and gallery-hopping, and the Carmel Mission is also quite lovely.</p>
<p>IMHO, even better than Nepenthe is Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn. This hotel is rated something like #1 in the world and for good reason. You can eat lunch there, see the view, and it’s wonderful. Also make sure you see the indoor pool at Hearst Castle. Driving from San Jose it’s best to go straight there, you will pass Gilroy, the souvenir Garlic Shoppe is right there. Also really good outlets, but you guys have a better plan. Congrats on the vacation.</p>
<p>Thank you so much! This site is a gold mine of travel info. My H does not like shopping (sigh) so I might not get to do any outlets…</p>
<p>Maineparent: I read East of Eden in tenth grade! Maybe I’ll read it again before going. I also saw a TV production many years ago with Jane Seymour. She was great in that role.</p>
<p>I loved the movie of Citizen Kane from the first time I saw it in college. Can’t believe I get to see the real place.</p>
<p>I’ll make notes of all these restaurants!</p>
<p>If you happen to spend an afternoon at Hearst Castle, I have two recommendations for dinner: </p>
<p>a) The Sow’s Ear in Cambria. A limited menu but what they do, they do well. Fairly decent wine list. Tell Patrick, the maitre d’, that one of his regulars recommended you. Also, The Black Cat is pretty good.</p>
<p>b) Go a couple of miles south of Cambria and then take the left turn (there’s a light there) that takes you on the road across the coastal hills to the 101. Take the 101 South and get off at the third exit for Templeton…it’s about 5 miles or so. Turn left, go over the 101 and past the high school on the right, turn left on Main Street. Go about 3/4 of a mile until you hit what passes for downtown and there’s McPhee’s Grill on the left. (Right next to it as a fairly wicked chocolate shop but it usually closes around 6:30 or so…irrregular hours.) Don’t let the down-home atmosphere fool you…McPhee’s has terrific food and we can never decide what to get and if you get an appetizer than it’s hard to save room for desert and-- </p>
<p>The wine list is superb. I once ordered a very nice bottle of wine and then had Buyer’s remorse that I hadn’t ordered instead a bottle of something called “Fait Accompli,” the result of a project between Mondavi and UC/Davis. I excused myself to go to the men’s room, found the waitress, and asked her to bring a bottle to the table, already opened. That way, I presented TheMom with a…fait accompli. Fortunately, she saw the humor in it though she says that while I’m cute I’m not as cute as I think I am.</p>
<p>If you’re in Cambria for a light lunch or early afternoon snack, I highly recommend The Tea Cozy…it’s on one of the side streets off to the inland (east? north?) side of Main St. but they have great scones, a staggering selection of teas, etc. Tell LeeAnn or Barry that the dad of the ballet dancer sent you.</p>
<p>TheDad,
I am having dinner with you next time I am in Cambria…you are making me thirsty!!</p>
<p>Bookiemom: if you are going to do all that and see Hearst Castle you either have to get up very early in the morning or leave an extra day. The drive from Carmel to Hearst Castle is 3-4 hours without stopping, and you’ll want to stop, as it has spectacular views of the ocean. Hearst Castle tours themselves are 2-3 hours long (there are several different tours).</p>
<p>In Carmel, walk all the way to the bottom of the main street (Ocean St.?) for a great small free city beach.</p>
<p>If you have an hour or two to stop on the way from Carmel to Hearst, stop at the ranger station by the side of the road near Big Sur and ask how to get to Pfeiffer-Big Sur state beach.</p>
<p>And just so everyone can say Ahhhh for a minute, look at this:
<a href=“http://www.postranchinn.com%5B/url%5D”>www.postranchinn.com</a>. Of course, it unfortunately is not free.</p>
<p>
Gasp! Sputter! Choke! You can say that again.
Well of course I didn’t mean literally, but… yes indeed. I say, “Ahhhh…!” as I pat my wallet, safely tucked waaaaaay down in my purse. 
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.</p>