<p>zebes … If you haven’t left yet, I am sure you are checking the road conditions. Hiway 1 south of Monterey is CLOSED and probably will be for a long time. The fire is still less than 10% contained. Looks like most of the Los Padres Nat’l forest is going up in smoke.</p>
<p>here’s a link to the road conditions
[Road</a> Conditions](<a href=“http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi]Road”>Division of Traffic Operations - Road Information - California Highway Information)</p>
<p>and yes, as of now, Hiway 1 is closed</p>
<p>[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA]
IS CLOSED FROM 3.4 MI SOUTH TO 10.7 MI NORTH OF PFEIFFER BURNS STATE PARK
(MONTEREY CO) - DUE TO A WILDLAND FIRE - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE </p>
<p>(hmm. S1 is working at a camp in Pfeiffer Burns State Park this week, and due back on Monday. I will rest easier once he is back;)</p>
<p>Thanks all</p>
<p>we leave today. Won’t be in Monterey until Friday and were hoping for Hearst on Sunday or Monday. Will definitely keep checking.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>OP here … thanks for all the info … traveling without kids and looking forward to it! :)</p>
<p>A little late to the party…and probably too late for OP and a few of the others going to SF…but want to 2nd whoever suggested driving down Route 1 to Half Moon Bay…a magnificent ride…less than 1.5 hours…and a quick “feel” for the Calif. coast. </p>
<p>Also…received a wonderful suggestion about 6 months ago…on CC…to stay at a lighthouse. Did it…just north of Half Moon Bay…and highly recommend it. Probably more difficult to get a reservation in the summer than it was in the winter…but well worth it. Run by Youth hostels so rooms are sparse, and you have to make and strip your bed…but there are private rooms…with a view of the ocean…can’t beat it! </p>
<p>[Pigeon</a> Point Lighthouse Hostel - Welcome to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel](<a href=“Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA”>Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA)</p>
<p>[Point</a> Montara Lighthouse Hostel - Welcome to the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel](<a href=“Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA”>Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA)</p>
<p>Took a leap of faith and followed CC suggestion to check Priceline for good hotel rate in SF. First time getting a hotel on Priceline…but it worked. Got a “boutique” hotel for $70/night within 3 blocks of Union Square.</p>
<p>Alcatraz with taped guide well worth the time and expense. (Then watch The Rock with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage!)</p>
<p>Regarding the wineries … if we can only visit one valley, which one do you recommend? Any favorite wineries in either one? What is the approximate cost?</p>
<p>Also - should we aim for wine tasting on a weekday or a weekend … what’s better traffic-wise?</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>We’re not exactly wine connoisseurs, but really enjoyed this tram tour suggested by our hotel concierge: [Benziger</a> Family Winery - Reviews and Ratings of Sights in Sonoma Valley - New York Times Travel](<a href=“Travel - The New York Times”>Travel - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Heading down to San Simeon (Hearst Castle) no local would ever take HWY 1 - Takes too long and while incredibly beautiful, is not so wonderful when staring at the back of an RV. </p>
<p>Locals leaving from Monterey would take HWY 68 over to Salinas and then 101 south through Steinbeck country. Stop for wine tasting in Paso Robles. Continue on to Morro bay and then head up the coast to San Simeon. With the stop for wine you will still get there faster :)</p>
<p>Carmel Valley has incredible, unknown wines. Try the Parsonage or the Talbott wines… every bit as good as what you will find in Napa.</p>
<p>Local restaurants:</p>
<p>In Carmel - Rio Grill offers one of the worlds finest artichokes as well as lots of local celebrities</p>
<p>In Pebble Beach - Roys has great seafood and views</p>
<p>In Monterey, Montrio’s for california cusine</p>
<p>In Carmel Valley Bernardus (Marinus) is very high end, Cafe Rustica for california meets france</p>
<p>While here don’t miss the aquarium. If you have 6 and unders, Dennis the Menace park in Monterey is awesome. Older kids would enjoy adventure by the sea -rent a canoe and paddle out in the kelp forest.</p>
<p>Music festivals happen on a regular basis - some of them are world class - check with your hotel for the blues festival, the bach festival etc.</p>
<p>Golden State theatre in Monterey runs a variety of events in a classic old theatre that is not to be missed. The Forest Theater in Carmel is also wonderful and unique.</p>
<p>Hope this helps</p>
<p>Bumping up again… I’m in the process of finalizing our plans tonight. Am using lots and lots of credit card points to basically cover air fare and accommodations for four people! I’ve been once, 15 years ago, and H has been once, a short business trip. Ds have never been before… they are 19 and 21.</p>
<p>The travel agency that I am working with (have to use the one through the credit union credit card) has basically given us three options for accommodations as all the other places are sold out of their reward rooms. They are the Holiday Inn at Fisherman’s Wharf, the Sheraton at Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Hotel Palomar, more toward downtown. </p>
<p>Day trips we’d like to do that will involve renting a car are the wine country (I was convinced to do it on another thread even though D2 is only 19), and Carmel/Monterrey. I also have as priorities Muir Woods and Alcatraz. It was suggested to just rent the cars for the day for these trips as parking downtown at the hotels can run $20/day.</p>
<p>Of the three lodgings that we have to choose from, does anyone have any opinions?</p>
<p>I would love to hear a report back from those who have just gone.</p>
<p>Just got back from SF. We stayed at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, directly across the street from the Holiday Inn. We didn’t go into the hotel, but we ate at the Denny’s associated with the hotel. 
We loved that area for our trip, and we also got there on points from frequent flyer mileage and credit card points. There were four of us, including 17 year old D and 19 year old S. Our kids were glad that we stayed in the Fisherman’s wharf area, as they’re not really into the whole “shop til you drop” in all the big time stores downtown. We did not have a car rented for our first five days, as we solely sightseeed in SF those days. Cable car behind the Hyatt (end of a line which you can catch to chinatown), walking distance to fisherman’s wharf and muni lines, and we caught the double decker bus across from Boudin’s (yummy bakery) for two days of on and off sightseeing. (that’s when we got off downtown to wander for a bit). Within walking distance of fisherman’s wharf hotels, so we wandered all the little kiosks down by ghiardelli square and all along the wharf area to pier 39. Lots of music and people, I even bought a CD from a guitar player I was enjoying. There’s an Avis and Hertz there, too … within a block of the holiday inn. Got our car at the Hertz (on beach street, I think). From there traveled to Muir Woods. Magnificent!! and down to Monterey where we stayed for several days at the Embassy suites in Seaside, essentially Monterey. Went whale watching (saw six humback whales, one surfaced practically under our boat, and 3 species of dolphins, seals, seal lions and otters.)Loved it! Drove to Hearst Castle, avoiding the fires by taking 101 down instead of the pacific highway. Great fun! Spent a day in Carmel by the Sea (parked in public parking near downtown) and walked through the town, poking around, down to the beach where the surfers were. Then we did the 17 mile drive, which I’d highly suggest. Great way to see the coastline (on and off stops for 20 points in your own car), especially if you can’t get closer to the coastline near Big Sur. Saw tons of sea lions. And, Hubby had to have his picture taken at Pebble Beach. <g> All in all one of the best vacations we’ve had. Thanks CC and CA people for all your great advice.</g></p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>P.S. Alcatraz was fascinating and beautiful. (weather 65 and sunny)Loved the ballpark in SF, too. Two cubs games. Cold!! But for a FL girl, perfect. :)</p>
<p>from an ignorant person… will there still be whale watching anywhere up or down the coast within a couple of hours of SF in mid-August? If so, this will move up on our priority list.</p>
<p>Check out Monterey Bay Whale Watch; that’s who we used. They talk about which times of year you see which types of whales. Apparently, this has been an outstanding July for humpbacks.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>Definitely try to find the winery Quixote on Silverado Trail for eccentric architecture. It should be fun for even the non-drinker in the group. <a href=“http://www.quixotewinery.com/faqs.html;[/url]”>http://www.quixotewinery.com/faqs.html;</a> you’ll need to schedule the visit in advance.</p>
<p>We returned from our week (actually five nights) July 4.</p>
<p>We stayed at the JW Marriott Union Square and were very pleased with the location and accommodations. We did an overnight in Sonoma (Inn at Sonoma, very charming), but could have easily did it same day. BTW, at the wine tasting we attended, they made an announcement that only over 21 may participate, but there were some who looked underage who weren’t carded. We did Muir Woods on the way to Sonoma and Sausalito on the way back. The view from Sausalito was breathtaking and my wife picked up a few things in the shops. We had both done Alcatraz years ago, was considering doing it again, but totally sold out (if you want to do it, book now!).</p>
<p>We ate some incredible meals: Gary Danko (big splurge, but worth it!), dim sum at Yank Sing as recommended was outstanding, some great sushi restaurants and noshed at the Ferry Building. Did a ton of walking, hit the wharf, the Haight, Chinatown, Japantown and rode the cable cars a couple of times. Since it was just the two of us (first vacation in a while without kids), we just relaxed, played it by ear, and had a great time.</p>
<p>Hi there:</p>
<p>Humpbacks are all over Monterey Bay this summer - can be seen even from shore but taking a cruise is a way to get much closer and to have a much higher probability of success. </p>
<p>Another great way to enjoy Monterey Bay is through Adventures by the Sea on Cannery Row. You can rent Kayaks and paddle out a short distance into the kelp beds. The Sea Otters are also on full display right now - I saw probably a dozen of them last week. </p>
<p>While in Monterey, also consider extending your wine tasting tour to Carmel Valley. The Parsonage Tasting room and Talbotts are both worth the trip out the Valley. </p>
<p>Don’t bother renting a car while in SF - parking can be as much as $50 a day - more than the car rental. Day rentals are the way to go.</p>
<p>Grab an In-n-Out burger.</p>
<p>Napa Valley is gorgeous and not to be missed since you are so close. It is advisable to stay at least one night, a day trip would be too hectic. Book restaurant reservations on [OpenTable</a> Restaurants and Restaurant Reservations](<a href=“http://www.opentable.com%5DOpenTable”>http://www.opentable.com) well in advance (that goes for SF too!). Yountville is the best spot for eateries and St. Helena for shopping. Visit a winery or two. Monticello Winery in Napa is nice has a picnic area to use, bring your own lunch after wine tasting.
Lived in SF for ten years and doing the top tourist sites - you can’t go wrong. If you’re into museums -the Legion of Honor, the De Young and the SF Museum of Modern Art (great lunch restaurant) are all worth the trip and all have nice gift shops for SF trinkets.</p>
<p>We returned from SF this morning on the red eye. Many thanks to all of the CCers who offered great insights to their city. We took the advices of a poster and stayed at the Lombard Motor Inn ($89/night with free parking!) which was a few blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf. We walked back and forth many times with no problem. The Wharf was touristy but we enjoyed walking around. We caught a great street performer at Pier 39 and saw one sunbathing sea lion while there. We ate at a wonderful restaurant - can’t think of the name right now but the view was breathtaking and the food was excellent. While wandering around the Wharf, we were asked to attend a 90 minute time share event the next day. As an incentive to go, we were given a $75 gift card to a choice of several outstanding restaurants, a $50 Arco gas card and two free all-day cable car passes. We had never done anything like this and had loads of time (just the two of us) so we figured, what the heck - we could spare 90 minutes. Needless to say, we did not buy a time share but our dinner in North Beach was wonderful and we appreciated the free gasoline. We rode the cable cars several times one day, lunched in Chinatown and walked around Union Square. We did the Alcatraz tour which we had booked online several weeks ago from the National Parks site. On the third day we rented a car at Enterprise on Beach Street for the rest of the week.</p>
<p>We found SF to be not too crowded … true, there were tourists everywhere, but we never had to wait on line anywhere. We were able to park on the streets in the evenings after meters went off.</p>
<p>We went to Coit Tower - did not go up as it was a big foggy but enjoyed the view nevertheless. We had Sunday brunch in Castro - loved seeing all the “Congratulations Newlyweds” signs. We ate at 22/23; I think the buttermilk pancakes with strawberries and blueberries might have been the best I’ve ever had. From Castro we went to Haight -Ashbury … walked around, strolled through the shops … and viewed the Grateful Dead house. </p>
<p>We went to Sausalito on the way back from Muir Woods. The redwoods were beautiful. Luckily we met up with a volunteer tour guide who was fantastic. Highly recommend a guided tour. We hiked on one of the trails; it was great.</p>
<p>We spent a day in Monterey and Carmel. We liked Monterey better … did the 17 scenic mile drive though we were a bit put off that they charged $9.25 for this drive. Saw lots of seals. The beach at Carmel was gorgeous but we found the shops very upscale. Of course we had clam chowder in a bread bowl in Monterey.</p>
<p>From Carmel we drove down Big Sur for about 15 miles. I highly recommend this; the views are beyond belief. Big Sur is closed about 30 miles south of Carmel due to the fires.</p>
<p>On the way back we stopped of at Half Moon Bay - another CC suggestion. We took 92 to get there which was one of my favorite scenic roads. </p>
<p>The last two days we spent in the wine country. The first day we were in Napa. We went to Beringers first, which we later determined was a rip. The wineries were just beautiful and of course the tastings were fun. We did see them carding anyone who looked young.</p>
<p>In Napa we ate at an Italian restaurant that was converted from a bank. I can’t say enough about it. (PM me if you need specific restaurant names.)</p>
<p>The second day we went to the Sonoma Valley. Again, at the advice of a poster, we went on the Benziger Family Winery tractor tour. This was terrific… highly recommend it. Much better than the Beringer tour. Get there early to be sure that you can get tickets. </p>
<p>From Sonoma we drove to Reyes National Seashore and walked on the Earthquake Trail. This was okay … very pretty area and we learned a bit about plate tectonics. We would have spent more time there and hiked more but our plane was leaving that night.</p>
<p>Heading back to SF … we stayed on 1 … and we had no idea what this would be like. We had not realized that our gas tank was almost on empty. This road went around the top of a mountaintop and had me white knuckled. At one point we were on the ridge. Seeing the gas gauge on red didn’t help things either! Truly, it was gorgeous; however, we thought it made Big Sur look tame! Don’t they believe in guard rails in California? Laid back is one thing, but …</p>
<p>Oh, we also drove through Palo Alto and Berkeley … being a good CCer, I wanted to take a drive-by look at both campuses. We were looking for the tree sitters in Berkeley, but didn’t know where to find them.</p>
<p>I’m sure I left off a few things that we did … this was a quick ramble … but many thanks again to all who gave suggestions.</p>
<p>I can definitely see why Californians have a hard time coming back east for school and have all those questions about winter coats and boots!</p>
<p>It is just gorgeous out there. We had a wonderful time. To those of you going soon, enjoy! :)</p>
<p>Oh yes, we ate at Fish in Sausalito. Thanks, Alumother!</p>
<p>And DadofSam … we tried to go up Mt. Tamalpais … but it was closed because it was so dry.</p>
<p>I think we made up for it on that drive down 1 though.</p>
<p>FYI, the Berkeley tree-sitters are close to the Stadium.</p>