Photo Credit: Ed Bierman on Flickr (Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)), Photo Credit: Jeremy Thompson on Flickr (Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)), While waiting for your swimsuits to dry, why not head to the oldest corner in town, the, Finally, end your Los Angeles to Monterey trip with a fine dining experience at, Now that youve made it down our list, were sure youre packed and ready to go! The halfway point is Kettleman City, CA. Or maybe, it was the TV show Then Came Bronson, as Michael Parks road his motorcycle across the Bixby Creek Bridge in opening credits. We arrived at the airport rental car drop off on time, thanks once again to our Sprint Navigation service on my cell phone, which by the way worked flawlessly the entire trip..We would surely have been lost many a time on our two week trip had it not been for the Sprint Navigation app.At the rental drop off, we took a short ride on the airport tram to the main terminal, where we found the Super Shuttle we had previously reserved for our trip to our hotel accommodations for the next 3 days, the Marriott at Fishermans Wharf. Your trip begins in Monterey, California. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The Most Romantic City in the USA boasts splendid sceneries to soothe your soul. ), we loaded up the convertible, popped in the Beach Boys/60s music CD I had made for the trip, and started out towards Long Beach, with the plan of staying off the freeways and instead using less traveled roads close to the coast. Orlando is the Theme Park Capital of the World, but there are plenty of other amazing attractions that you have to visit in the area! "Such dramatic landscapes on one road . breathtaking! Total Distance. (3 answers), Avery from Berkeley asked:Things to do with the kiddos besides the aquarium (2 answers), Cheryl from asked:hotels in Monterey, CA (2 answers). Soon we were cruising along the Pacific coast on Hwy 1, passing by world famous Venice Beach, enjoying the warm sun and the refreshing ocean breeze.North of Santa Monica, the drive towards Malibu was just stunning, as we drove with the mountains to the immediate right edge of the road, and to our left, views of the Pacific and white sandy beaches for as far as we could see. Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Los Angeles? We list down all the iconic sights you can discover in your journey, plus the best car rental deals, the nearest hotels, and the most budget-friendly Las Vegas and Los Angeles attractions in this handy guide. But what we did see was something we had been missing.a Pacific Coast Highway sign! The available seafood items are so fresh and limited in availability McCormick & Kuletos reprint their menus twice a day. This was the Trip of Our Lifetime, and hope to again someday return to some of the places we grew to love during our time in California. I wish I did looking back on it. We dined at Lattitudes at Lovers Point, which routinely serves celebrities who come to relax in the Monterey Bay area (most recently one of the Beach Boys and movie star Rene Russo). (103 mile drive: Cambria to Pacific Grove) We started out driving North on Hwy 1, retracing part of our route from the previous day, past San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. I'm so glad I finally got to see it. He calmly slammed on the brakes, looked in his rear view mirror at me and said quite confidently, I saw her.We arrived in one piece at the Marriott, and checked our bags at the front desk as we were early and our room wasnt available yet. After we crossed the bridge, we stopped at a vista point to look back at where we had been, and were treated to another of those Kodak moment type of views, with the tops of the Golden Gate towers just visible through the fog.At the vista point, we took Bay City Bikes excellent directions I touched upon earlier and walked our bikes down some seldom used steps to a catwalk under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a bit like being a kids again, exploring something new and wonderful which wed never been exposed to before. We travelled this road from Los Angeles to San Francisco. If you do nothing else in your lifetime, take this drive! Not at all like the sandy beaches of San Diego, Capistrano Beach had a courser sand, and quite a few rocks strewn about as well. Review of Pacific Coast Highway Reviewed February 25, 2010 California, you have a real natural treasure! We took the bus ride from the welcome center just off of Highway 1, up the mountain and its switchback turns, to the very top where the Hearst Castle estate resides. I can't say enough about this truly amazing drive and scenery. Drawing closer, the marine biologist identified it as a Blue Whale, the largest mammal ever to have lived (even larger than the dinosaurs we were told). If you're planning a road trip, you might be interested in seeing the total driving distance from Los Angeles, CA to Monterey, CA. They look strikingly similar, as they were designed from the same engineering team, but the Bixby Creek bridge is different in that the roadway is actually a curved span over the chasm.We left behind the scenic and challenging drive of Big Sur, arriving mid afternoon at our destination area for the next few days, Monterey Bay. Oceano Dunes is the only State beach in California where vehicles are allowed to drive on the beach itself, so it was a little unnerving being on horseback with all of the noise from the trucks and ATVs.the horses didnt seem to mind the commotion at all though. Some of the kiteboarders could do acrobatic moves, hitting the crest of a wave just right and having the kite then pull them high into the air. You'll also learn about getting an International Driver's License and tips on driving on the left side of the road! Anne from Durham, North Carolina asked:Restaurant recommendations for a large group dinner? Explore more destinations in California and enjoy, A Short Guide to Booking a Klook Car Rental and Driving Abroad. We found out later Catalina Island law only allows a fixed number of cars on the island. At the bottom of the hill, the road took us back under the Golden Gate Bridge, and within a stones throw of the San Francisco bay. Lost Hills Around picturesque Solano Beach, S21 changed into Hwy 101 (a nice, peace full drivenot at all like driving Hwy 101 further up the coast). We had to scratch the parasailing, as we were disappointed to find a sign on the business stating Closed on Thursday.of course, today was Thursday. Those kind of little things are probably taken for granted by folks who have lived in the area for years, but for us from the Midwest, it was those kind of things that ended up making our trip so special and memorable.Leaving Capistrano behind, a few miles up the road just South of Dana Point, we turned onto the Southernmost starting point of the Pacific Coast Highway, Hwy 1. Now theres a view you dont see every day! 9 Places to Visit on a Las Vegas Desert Road Trip. Not sure how many miles it was to Coit Tower, but it was one steep walk up the hill to it, having to take in rest breaks every so often. Take 280 South to 85 South (San Jose area) to 17 South (Santa Cruz) to Hwy 1 South. The total driving time is 5 hours, 7 minutes. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, We called the Catamaran Inn, who gave us some back road directions to get around the water main break. A short taxi ride later, we arrived in Avalon, one of two villages on the island.The town of Avalon surrounds Avalon Bay, with charming village shops, several small beaches (shaded by soaring palm trees) and beautiful views no matter which direction you looked. . You have to realize, with Sherry and I being from Kansas, any beach which had sand which didnt resemble something you would use to make concrete, is a beautiful beach. With all of the beautiful mountain and ocean views wed seen over the past 5 days, we did a double take when we spotted a large hill jutting up in the Pacific. The best part is the entrance to the trail is completely free! trip dates & more! Your trip begins in Los Angeles, California. If you have ever dreamed of a relaxing, extended vacation and have the opportunity to take one, the Pacific Coast Highway is waiting to make it the Trip of Your Lifetime. So far, so good you think, right? Home to about 29,500 residents, Monterey strikes the sweet spot between small and big, laid-back and vibrant. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 4:09 pmdrive for about 27 minutes, 4:36 pm arrive in Montereystay at Mission Ranch Hotel, Six Flags Magic Mountain (10 mentions) We walked around the downtown area a bit longer, around Union Square park area, before trying to catch a cable car back towards Fishermans Wharf. It ends in Monterey, California. 3:49 pm Parkfield (California) stay overnight and leave the next day around 10:00 am. Here are some more hotels people talk about: Want to research more popular hotels in Monterey? Maybe that was best for me anyways, since I have that problem with heights :). Sept 4th(83 mile drive: Long Beach to Oxnard) Leaving Long Beach behind, we continued North on the Pacific Coast Highway, meandering through some of the older parts of Los Angeles which didnt appear to be the best of neighborhoods. If you're planning a road trip to Monterey, you can research locations to stop along the way. We stayed overnight at Monterey which made it an easy drive on the 2nd day. Travel another 40 miles to Monterey. The distance between Los Angeles and Monterey is 5.4 km. Definitely one of the more memorable things we did during our trip.We ate that evening at Lombardis , a local Italian restaurant. 5 hrs 31 mins. What to do for a family outing in Monterey? At, Think Santa Monica Pier but much more serene and peaceful thats exactly what, Savor the sweet, nutty flavor of Pacific Rockfish (USD24.95) from, Photo Credit: Linh Pham (@lhpham12) on Unsplash, If you need a break from all the food fest, a relaxing stroll around. As one surfer walked by with her kite still flying above, we could see the amount of force she was having to use to keep herself from being pulled along the ground by the kite. The story goes the football player couldnt control the Segway to save his soul, crashing it into a tree stump and flying over it like he had just been sacked, then blaming it on the Segway. So we were late in getting back to the Pelican Inn and missed out on desert tasting (yes, complimentary). As we were walking, we saw an older gentleman hunched down behind some freshly cut eucalyptus branchesall of a sudden he jumps out from behind them and scares some passerbys. Flew in from NY and took the drive from from LA to San Francisco. We hired a Mustang convertable for this trip which handled the tight curves very well. and leave at 3:05 pm. Solvang Photo Credit: Soly Moses on Pexels Let's get the ball rolling with a visit to the "Danish Capital of America." Nestled in California's Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang is the prime destination to get your sausage, eggs, and delicious Danish treats! Back on our bikes, we slowly road down the steep, winding road, riding our brakes most of the way. Sherry had a turkey avocado sandwich and I had a crab cake sandwich, items which we would have never had back in Kansas. Nonstop drive: 320 miles or 515 km Driving time: 5 hours, 7 minutes Realistically, you'll probably want to add a buffer for rest stops, gas, or food along the way. Here are some more restaurants people talk about: Want to research more popular restaurants in Monterey? My desire to explore California this way must go back to my younger days.maybe it was when I was growing up in the 60s, watching a commercial with the then new Camaro (appropriately nicknamed The Hugger in the ads), as it sped around curves along the narrow mountainside roads of Big Sur. Looking back, I should have pulled over more often at the turnouts along this part of Highway 1, to relax a bit and take in the breathtaking views. Both entrees have won top honors for three years straight in the Schweppes Great Chowder festival in Newport Beach, RI (where they know a thing of two about chowder!). Although it is a longer drive, we highly recommend this scenic drive for anyone who enjoys nature and breathtaking viewsCheck the weather before you start as it wouldn't be fun driving this on a rainy/foggy day At Least Once In A Lifetime, Everyone Should Drive The Pacific Coast Highway! Guess we wont be retiring there. Interested in a scenic SF to LA drive? This Epic 5-Day Road Trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles Should Be Your Next Adventure. The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, Route description. with eateries and shops, stretches into Monterey Bay. Of all of the places we would stay on our vacation, this is the one which we loved staying at the most and look forward to revisiting someday. looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb? Salinas (4 answers). It ends in Los Angeles, California. On the path you can see attractions. These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy: Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions The average train journey between these two cities takes 9 hours and 16 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 8 hours and 42 minutes. We followed the narrow catwalk, looking up at amazement at the highway directly above us, and soon emerged on the other side of the bridge which had a vista parking area for Southbound traffic. In the background, we could hear the bellowing of fog horns on the boats below us, but looking out over the edge all we could see was the thick white fog. By this point in our trip, we learned to put on sunscreen before we put the top down on the convertible each morning, as our red arms and the top of my head had felt the brunt of the sun while in the car. After being set free from Alcatraz, he returned years later after it was closed and served as a tour guide of the facility. We soon found what they were so interested in..sea-life everywhere, captured temporarily in the countless tide pools. Maybe someday.As the clouds thickened and the fog began to roll in, today would be the first day of our vacation in which we werent able to enjoy some beach time, or watch the sun set over the Pacific. Photo Credits: (L) Linh Pham (@lhpham12) on Unsplash, (M) @mana5280 on Unsplash, (R) Vladimir Kudinov (@madbyte) on Unsplash, Photo Credit: Emily Karakis (@iemyoung) on Unsplash. Here's the quick answer if you are able to make this entire trip by car without stopping. #2 Monterey. So, ready for your R&R getaway? Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Once back on the mainland, we walked the boardwalk at Shoreline Village and dined at Parkers Lighthouse, with a table overlooking Long Beach harbor and another spectacular sunset. Read about the 35 best attractions and cities to stop in between Monterey and Los Angeles, including places like Santa Monica, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Venice . Luckily my back held up the entire trip. We could have watched the kite surfers all day, but we had another appointment just up the roadHearst Castle.Everyone we had talked to before our trip said if we did just one touristy thing while in California, we needed to tour Hearst Castle. It again was one of those things that looked closer than it actually was. We would find out later we had seen The Bushman, a peddler who has been startling folks since 1980.We ate a light lunch at Blue Mermaid Chowder House & Bar, specializing in, what else, chowder. A bonus of the nighttime tour, the park rangers gave additional programs and insights into the prison and the criminals who were incarcerated there over the years. This is truly a must see. We found this area a great place to catch some sun, walk the boardwalk, observe some interesting local folks and just become immersed in the California experience.Right between Belmont Amusement Park and the South Mission Beach boardwalk, is The Wave House restaurant. The only regret of our stay in Cambria was we wouldnt be staying here longer.only one night and it would be back on the road again. Traveling with a dog or cat? So thinking back, was it the sight of Morro Rock from Hwy 1 that led us into this little town, or maybe it was the faint, undetected smell of the cinnamon rolls? The temperature was in the 60s, so it was a bit chilly on the beach, but we made the best of it as we knew this would most likely be our last time to relax on a beach during the remainder of our trip. What a great feeling that was, knowing we were finally on this historic highway I had thought about for so long, and which would be our main road for the majority of our trip. Its referred to many different ways.PCH, Hwy 1, or just The One, which to me describes its ranking of scenic highways in America.For years I had dreamed of taking a vacation and driving the Pacific Coast Highway. Afterwards, we sat on the beach and watched our first of many sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.We ended the day with a nighttime cruise around Mission Bay on the steamboat Bahia Belle, compliments of the Catamaran Inn! The samples they were handing out as we entered were melt in your mouth deliciousso good in fact, that I went back through the line several more times before feeling guilty and purchasing some chocolate bars we could enjoy once back home in Kansas.We dined out for our last time on vacation at McCormick & Kuletos, known for their fresh seafood from all over the world. Ideally this road is made to be travelled by a sportsbike or sportstourer. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:46 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 3:52 pm Lost Hills We could only hope the rest of the vacation was as enjoyable as our first day in California.Sept 2nd..(103 mile drive: San Diego to Long Beach) After a great, full menu breakfast, compliments of the Catamaran Inn, (how many times have I said complimentary along with Catamaran Inn!the place was great! Engineered and built by Wrigley, while its called a casino, it was never used for gambling. Restaurant recommendations for a large group dinner? The beautiful church is known as The Italian Cathedral of the West for its twin towers and stately architecture.With still half the day to go, we walked back to the Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39, where we saw hundreds of harbor seals lounging around in the sun on the docks. We walked off the calories with a relaxing stroll around Sausalitos marina and Town Square park, before catching the ferry back to San Francisco.We thought wed take an early ferry ride back to San Francisco, instead of waiting another hour for the next one. Read our. which included wine tasting, beer, burgers, hotdogs and a potato salad that was out of this world! because there's an entire community of travelers talking It's about 300 miles away or roughly a. We stayed in Pacific Grove, which is in close proximity to Monterey, Carmel By the Sea, and Pebble Beach, and much more affordable than those areas. 500 Tyler Street Monterey, CA 93940 Directions In addition to the Monterey Transit Plaza Bus Stop,Amtrak Thruway Service connects you from the Coast Starlight train in Salinas, CA to several other stops in Monterey: Monterey, CA - Marriott Bus Stop (MYM) Monterey, CA - Travelodge Bus Stop (MYT) Monterey, CA - Hyatt Regency Bus Stop (MYH) Once again, were very pleased with the Residence Inn, with the same equally excellent accommodations and staff as in Long Beach, and also our now accustomed to free breakfast buffet and internet. There are 9 ways to get from Monterey to Los Angeles by plane, tram, shuttle, train, bus or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. 7 minutes family outing in Monterey an International Driver 's License and tips on on! 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