Our Road Trip To Carmel And Monterey And Sale Reminder
We normally try to take at least one vacation each year to Europe during summer. However, since Covid 19 came into our lives, this is the second summer we have not been able to do that. Even though we could have gone to Europe this summer, we were still a bit hesitant and decided to wait until next year.
Since August is my birthday month, we decided to take a little road trip to Carmel, Monterey and the Big Sur area which is in Northern California. It was my first time there, but my husband has been before, so he knew the area well.
The drive up on the 5 and 101 was pretty uneventful but as you got closer to the Paso Robles area, it became even more scenic and beautiful. Our first stop and base where we stayed was in Monterey.
We stayed at Intercontinental the Clement Monterey which is in a great central location next to Monterey Bay and a 2 minute walk to Cannery Row. We had a wonderful panoramic ocean front suite which was so nice. I highly recommend the hotel and you can see their website HERE.
We arrived in Monterey early Monday afternoon and walked around a bit and had a nice drink by the ocean at the Plaza Hotel. The first day was also my birthday so my husband had made reservations for dinner at a nice restaurant in Carmel, called Anton & Michel. We sat in their courtyard which was beautifully decorated and romantic, and the food was delicious. You can see their website HERE.
The second day Tuesday we drove back over to Carmel and had breakfast at Mission Ranch Inn, which is a hotel and restaurant owned by Clint Eastwood the famous actor, who used to be the mayor of Carmel years ago.
The ranch is so beautiful and there is a whole history behind it which will be too long to write about, but you can see their website HERE where you can read all about it. After a wonderful breakfast we did a bit of walking around the Hotel which has beautiful grounds which was so relaxing.
Next, we drove over to Carmel beach, and walked a couple of miles on the famous white sand beach. It was so pretty, but a bit cold I might add, I even wore my wooly hat!! Can you tell I am a Southern California gal?
After the walk we continued our scenic drive along the famous 17 Mile Drive. We stoped at various vista spots, one of which was the famous Lone Cypress Tree in Pebble Beach. The tree is a Western icon and has been called one of the most photographed trees in North America.
On our final we started our drive back down PCH Highway 1 from Monterey to Los Angeles we stopped by the famous Bixby Bridge on the Big Sur Coast. If you have ever watched the HBO show “Big Little Lies” then you will recognize this bridge from the intro to the show. It is a beautiful bridge in a magnificent setting and the scenery is breathtaking.
We then stopped by Nepenthe Restaurant for breakfast/lunch, which is perched on a Big Sur Cliffside with spectacular views. You can see their website HERE.
Continuing on our drive we then stopped at McWay Falls and some other scenic vistas. The drive is full of stunning scenery all the way - unfortunately we could not visit Hurst Castle as it is closed for repairs to the access road - next Time.
Our last stop on this day was in Cambria for some wine tasting. There are many wineries in this area but we chose to stop by the Stolo Vineyards and Winery which has beautiful grounds and it is a small family owned winery.
It was such a nice setting, and the wine was not too bad either :) We ended up buying a few bottles to bring back home and have been enjoying them since. You can see their website HERE.
As for what I wore on this trip, thank God I took a few of our jackets, cardigans and scarves as it was much cooler than LA. Below, I have listed all the items I wore from our store with a link so you can purchase if you like. Remember they are all part of our Sale.
Off White Jean Jacket - Click Here
Ivory Long Sleeve V Neck Top - Click Here
Black Faux Leather Double Breasted Jacket - Click Here
White Stand Collar Long Sleeve Blouse - Click Here
Oatmeal Cable Knit Cocoon Cardigan - Click Here
Have you been to any of these destinations and how did you like them?
Comments
Sinziana said:
What a great trip … gorgeous photos!
I love your outfits, so chick and modern: I especially love that golden jacket, the pink shades scarf and the red shoes.
Great blog and instagram…new follower!
Joanne said:
What beautiful views! That sounds like a really wonderful way to celebrate your birthday. For the last couple of years I’ve requested a weekend trip just the hubby and I for my birthday and we are having lots of fun discovering new places to explore along the New England coast.
Nancy M. said:
Beautiful, beautiful pictures! I’ve been to that area several times. It’s so scenic and the views are breathtaking. I’ve been to Nepenthe, and have seen the Lone Cypress Tree. That’s all that is familiar to me from what you list. Thanks for sharing. I’m going to go check out your sale now. From what you list and wore in this post, I love the ivory jacket. So cute!
Linda Bell said:
Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
The pics were beautiful!