Even though I would’ve loved to stay at the Anderson Inn for a full week, we had to get on the road. And so the real adventure heading north on Highway 1 began. My uncle gave the helpful tip that driving the highway northbound as opposed to southbound may alleviate some of the “edge of a cliff” kind of backseat driver issues. Not that I’ve ever been known to have those (ha-ha, if you know any of the Enright women), so both Wade & I were glad we listened to that tip.
The biggest bummer of the entire trip was the weather. This was the day we had the worst of it. Cold, cloudy, rainy, foggy, and cold. I had to work really hard at staying positive. But once you start driving and see sights like this, it’s not that hard.
Our first stop was the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. As I was planning the trip and trying to decide what stops made the cut or not, I almost didn’t include this. I kept thinking what’s the big deal about a rich guy’s big house anyway? It was one of the biggest surprises. We both loved the stop and thought the tour was very impressive. The place is enormous, and you feel like you’re in a European castle. Every inch of the place seemed to have some type of European origin from back to the 16th-17th centuries, but it was built in the 1920s. He had it all brought to the middle of nowhere in California, and the major player politicians and celebrities of that time all came out to stay there. Even after the majority of it was built, he only had a good 15 years to enjoy before he passed away. Kind of sad.
Despite the cold and rain, it was a really interesting tour, but I never could get a good picture of the main building because of the fog and clouds. The bus ride up and down the hill to the castle was impressive on its own. And I shouted out a big apology to these cows. As a thank you gift to my parents for watching Tate for four days, we shipped to them some of the Hearst Ranch steaks. Sorry cows, it’s all our fault.
Then just 5 miles north of the castle, we found this little cove, which is a seasonal home to thousands of elephant seals. I think we could’ve spent several hours here just watching them.
Don’t worry, they’re not dead or sick. It’s their molting season. So they’re all fasting and molting on the beach shore. It was bizarre and really cool at the same time. I loved that the CA Parks Dept. has done its best to keep everything in a natural habitat for them. Nobody is there selling elephant seal merchandise or letting you pay to pose for a picture with them. There are a few educational displays and the seals. That’s it.
We hopped back in the car and were amazed at the views of the next 60 miles. Here’s a quick video with the hillside and the oceanside views from the car.
I was very pleased that there didn’t seem to be many people on the road. And Wade & I were both pleased with my restraint. Yes, I asked him to slow down a few times, and I was quick to point out any change in speed limit or signs for a big turn ahead. But I kept telling him it could’ve been much worse. The bad part was when we saw a tow truck pulling a completely demolished car out and up from the edge of the cliff. Lovely.
Also by this point, the rain had stopped so we decided to brave the cold and were determined to take advantage of the convertible we had rented. So with the heat cranked up to high, we put the top down and enjoyed even more of the views. (Please ignore the roots…they should be fixed in just a couple of weeks.)
Next was a stop at the Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur for lunch. One of my favorite meals of the trip! The ambrosia burger was delicious, but the view from where were sitting outside was even better.
Then back on Highway 1 for more jaw-dropping beauty, and the next stop was the 17-mile drive. I’m not a golfer, but I can appreciate the beauty of a nice golf course. This stretch is home to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course plus several others. It was impressive.
Despite the cold and rain, it was a really interesting tour, but I never could get a good picture of the main building because of the fog and clouds. The bus ride up and down the hill to the castle was impressive on its own. And I shouted out a big apology to these cows. As a thank you gift to my parents for watching Tate for four days, we shipped to them some of the Hearst Ranch steaks. Sorry cows, it’s all our fault.
Then just 5 miles north of the castle, we found this little cove, which is a seasonal home to thousands of elephant seals. I think we could’ve spent several hours here just watching them.
Don’t worry, they’re not dead or sick. It’s their molting season. So they’re all fasting and molting on the beach shore. It was bizarre and really cool at the same time. I loved that the CA Parks Dept. has done its best to keep everything in a natural habitat for them. Nobody is there selling elephant seal merchandise or letting you pay to pose for a picture with them. There are a few educational displays and the seals. That’s it.
We hopped back in the car and were amazed at the views of the next 60 miles. Here’s a quick video with the hillside and the oceanside views from the car.
I was very pleased that there didn’t seem to be many people on the road. And Wade & I were both pleased with my restraint. Yes, I asked him to slow down a few times, and I was quick to point out any change in speed limit or signs for a big turn ahead. But I kept telling him it could’ve been much worse. The bad part was when we saw a tow truck pulling a completely demolished car out and up from the edge of the cliff. Lovely.
Also by this point, the rain had stopped so we decided to brave the cold and were determined to take advantage of the convertible we had rented. So with the heat cranked up to high, we put the top down and enjoyed even more of the views. (Please ignore the roots…they should be fixed in just a couple of weeks.)
Next was a stop at the Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur for lunch. One of my favorite meals of the trip! The ambrosia burger was delicious, but the view from where were sitting outside was even better.
Then back on Highway 1 for more jaw-dropping beauty, and the next stop was the 17-mile drive. I’m not a golfer, but I can appreciate the beauty of a nice golf course. This stretch is home to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course plus several others. It was impressive.
Finally, we headed to dinner at The Whaling Station in Monterey (which also served their artichokes with mayonnaise...I'm not strange after all!) and then to our hotel to crash. And doesn’t everyone need their own zen sand garden?
2 comments:
This trip is leaving me jealous! What beautiful scenery! It looks SO relaxing. Glad y'all had fun!
Wow that beach with the elephant seals is just amazing - I have never seen something like this!
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