From: maslak@unix.SRI.COM (Valerie Maslak)
Newsgroups: ba.food
Subject: Re: Monterey to San Simeon: food & lodging
Date: 21 Jan 93 21:54:00 GMT
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, California

Monterey to San Simeon is a HUGE area: make sure you take out a good
map and scope it out. Also, the coast highway that connects them,
Highway One, has a nasty habit of washing out/landslides this time of
year. It can take MONTHS to get such landslides fixed. Keep informed.

Basically, what you're looking at is a long narrow strip of land
between mountains and sea. Monterey is the biggest town, Then, going
south, you find Pacific Grove, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Big Sur,
and then not much til you get to San Simeon and Cambria.

That said, you'll be looking at one of the most spectacularly
beautiful parts of California. (Keep your camera handy and loaded.)
There are lots of hotels, large and small in Monterey itself,
and you may be able to get a corporate rate at some of them.
There's a Doubletree in Monterey, for example.
But the Monterey-Pacific Grove-Carmel-Big Sur area is also great for B&Bs
and small inns.  So you can get a larger hotel in a commercial area,
a smaller hotel in a more scenic area, or a very small guest house.
It depends on how much you want to spend. I suggest you call 800
information for the number and talk to the California state
tourist information service. They can send you comprehensive lists.
Anyplace you call, ask for special rates or promotions. Times is
tuff, and places may deal.

Names I can suggest in various price ranges are the Monterey Inn,
Spindrift Inn, Hotel Pacific, Highlands Inn, Mission Ranch,
Adobe Lodge, Cypress Inn, Pine Inn, La Playa, Ventana, Post Ranch, 
Deetjen's Big Sur Inn, Inn at Spanish Bay, Carmel Valley Ranch 
Resort,.........endless.

For places to eat, there is a similar variety. Try the Sardine
Factory, Nepenthe, Fresh Cream, Abalonetti on the wharf,
several nice little places in Cambria....heck, it's been too long
since I've been there! I used to like a little place in Monterey
called the Clock Garden, but I don't even know if it's still there.
There is a deli on Ocean Avenue in Carmel that will help you put
together a great picnic for a day on the beach.

Anyway, there are tourist things you shouldn't miss. You'll need
reservations for Hearst castle tour at San Simeon.  The Monterey
Aquarium is worth a visit. Call Esalen in Big Sur to find out when their
famous cliffside mineral baths are open to the public. Walk through Point
Lobos Park; my favorite spot is China Cove.  Carmel Mission is worth
a quick stop. Seventeen Mile Drive may or may not be worth
the admission price to you. If it is to you, I think you
get a credit for your admission at the bar at Del Monte Lodge, as I
remember, if you want to stop for coffee. The "Poor Man's 17 Mile
Drive " with no admission is a road that goes along the water
in Pacific Grove. It goes past the secret Place To Stay
called Asilomar Lodge, a state conference
center that may have rooms when everyone else is full. Not all rooms
are created equal however, so make sure you know what you're getting
(some are really dormitories), but it's in a great location and very
scenic. Pfeiffer Beach is hard to find, down a small, bad road on
the right side off HWY One, but might be worth a stop to see
crashing surf and huge rocks, very California....

Have a great visit!

Valerie Maslak



Newsgroups: ba.food