1. Big Sur Inn
2. Seals near San Simeon
3. Hearst Castle
4. 17 Mile Drive
5. Monteray Aquarium
6. Overnight at Prayer Mountain
7. Camp Redwood
| DescriptionWe wanted to visit some places in our driving distance of home that we had never visited before. Two things that I had heard of for a long time were "Big Sur" and "Hearst Castle". We set of Wednesday about noon and took the lazy drive along highway 1 across the Golden Gate Bridge, through San Francisco then along the Pacific coast through Half moon Bay and Santa Cruz. We arrived at the Big Sur Inn Jus before dark. We scouted a few local restaraunts and indulged in a great meal at the Nepenthe Restaraunt. The next morning we went for a short hike in Pfieffer State Park, up to a lookout point and then to a waterfall. We left about noon and drove slowly down Highway 1 again. There was lots of construction. Just before Hearst Castle, we saw a pod of elephant seals cast upon the sand, looking like large stones. We spent while admireing them and then wen for our tour of the Hearst Castle. It was a wonderous yet sad place. So much gaudy wealth to impress and entertain friends. We drown south, then caught highway 101 going north. We got to Monteray after dark and found a good hotel. In the morning we dove the 17-mile drive, then spent the afternoon at the Aquarium. That was a great place to just sit and watch the fish / turtles / jellyfish swim as if performing. It was a feast for the eyes. We spent that night at the Korean prayer mountain near Santa Cruz and then spent Saturday with Salvation Army.. It was a pleasant way to spend four days. |
