Need recommendations for US-1 (Cali guys???)

HELP make this thread on-topic... please post pictures of your rides on US-1


Long story made short... and sorry if this is OT

Wife, 3 y.o. daughter and I are flying into San Jose tomorrow and heading down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Wife doesn't want to go down US-1 along the coast to get to Tulare for a family function on Thursday. Last year our daughter was 2 and didn't enjoy the car ride... lot's of whining and screaming. I'm going to accidentally take a wrong turn (get where I'm going here?) and we're going down the dam'n coast. Where's a decent and affordable area or place to stay tomorrow night? I was thinking the Cambria area or ???

If she thinks we're flying all the way out there, we're going to be that close... and I'm not going to drive one of the most scenic drives in the country... she's out of her mind.

Oh... and if anyone wants to borrow me their hot-rod or take me for a joy ride down US-1 please pick me up at the MB Aquarium around 4:30 and she can take the dam'n rental car and drive through the dam'n desert.

Once again... sorry if this is OT... but I don't know where else I'd ask this that a bunch of left coasters hang out online that could give me any decent advise.

HELP make this thread on-topic... please post pictures of your rides on US-1

 

cambria is your best bet. i donno what the weather is supposed to be like, but you may want to have a look at the report....weather has been pretty shitty on and off around here. either eay....if you're taking hwy 1....drive safe!

 

San Simeon(Close to Hearst Castle) just a couple miles north of Cambria usually has reasonably priced motels.

 

While there, don't foget to visit Hearst Castle..... my folks live in Cambria, the pix below is them swimming in the pool at the Castle. Said it was cold as could be, but didn't want to say no.

 

***

 

thanks... and if by "shitty" you mean temps in the mid 60's... I'll take it.

it snowed here last week... tommorow's high temp here will be in the 30's

 

I'd really love to see the Hearst Castle as well... but it might not be in the cards on this trip.

Can we stay at their house? Do they like kids?

A bar... do they serve food as well? not that it's really important to me.

C'mon guys... where's the pictures?

 

Weather is beatiful on the central coast today,probably tomorrow too

 

Cambria. I was just there two weeks ago, and prices at motels right on Moonstone Beach were very reasonable, and your wife will love it.

 

Well since I live smack in the middle of your "accidental " turn...
Out of the airport go south on 880 ( not 101 ! ) it will change to 17 at hiway 85 interchange. Continue south over the hill to santa cruz. exit 17 to south 1.
Then just stay on 1. It gets real pretty past monterey..Don't forget to wave when you drive by the Castroville exit. LOL... (just past moss landing )
Cambria is great and + 1 on staying at moonstone beach.. Then you can shoot east on 46 (paso robles ) to get to Tulare.
If you are in my area before 2pm call my cell and i will take you to lunch at my friends restraunt in Moss landing..
PM me for my cell #
Have a safe trip
Dave

 

right by the Hearst Castle is a turn off with Elephant Seals if they are in season. Smells like hell, but hte kid will love them! It really is an amazing site! There is also a turn off to Naciemento Ferguson Rd, which is a beautiful ride and takes you through Ft Hunter Ligget with the oldest running mission on the West Coast and on down through Paso Robles (101). I recommend that route! I miss that place!

 

Its been YEARS since I've driven that. When I was a kid, (72), we did it on bicycles.
Cant go wrong with 101 unless you do it at night.

 

Mizz, now that you mention it...lotsa seals on the dock in Moss landing, visible as you cross the bridge on hiway 1.
Dave

 

Let's hope so...

That's good to hear... I'm not in the $200+ hotel budget league

Thanks for the pointers... we're going to bee-line it for the Aquarium after getting the rental car though as our day will start out around 4:30 am CST tommorow and we land in San Jose around 11 am PST. It's a lot of sitting time for our overly active "little one" so we have to play it by ear a lot. We might end up staying right in M.B. though... who knows. What's the name of the restraunt?

That'd be cool to see! Part of the reason we decided to fly into SJ was to go to the Aquarium. We could've flown into Fresno... but. Hearing about the seals might help with my coaxing on the US-1 run. Do you know precisely where the rookery is?

What happens at night?

I hope so... I love to make stops to get her out of the car to see wildlife and surfing... fact is I wish I had time to go catch a few waves myself... but that isn't gunna happen on this trip.

Once again... thanks everyone!

 

The restraunt is Moss landing cafe....If you end up staying over wed. nite I will sport you to breakfast thurs...They open @ 6am..Lotsa farmers and fishermen around here.
They do breakfast and lunch sunday/thursday and dinner as well fri/sat.
If you decide to stay wed, book a room in marina..decent rooms, not monterey prices! and 10 min from the aquarium..
Dave

 

I did the Aquarium thing a while back for the wifey!!
$ 30.00 bucks a head to look at a bunch of fish!!

 

If you go by Point Lobos be sure to stop and spend a couple of hours walking around.

Charlie Stephens

 

Thanks!

Aww c'mon... you probably got lucky that night... right?

Got'cha! Thanks a bunch man... you've been a ton of help.

 

We live here on the coast, weather for tomorrow is 78 on the coast. We have a shop "Bear Metal Kustoms" in Morro Bay which is 20 minutes south of Cambria on the coast, stop by then you can take 41 East from Morro Bay. We had a hammer from London in the shop yesterday.

 

If you have the time ^^^^^^^^.
I would go if i had the time and an invite !
Dave

 

Our shop is open to all that stop by. We have had alot of Europeans through lately. Here is a photo shot through the back door at sunset time looking out on the ocean and the big rock.

 

Stop at Nepenthe, about 45 minutes south of Monterey down Hwy 1. Sit on the deck, buy your daughter some french fries, but your wife a Margarita. Everything will be good.

 

From Monterey take Hiway 68 east to Salinas, then take 101 Freeway south to Paso Robles, Go east on Hiway 46 till you get to 99 freeway,go north to Tulare..

101 will take you to Monterey from San Jose. turn off at the Castroville exit, it will put on Hiway 1 about 20 miles before Monterey... Hope this helps....D

 

Las Vegas to Santa Monica to Monterey and back in the '62 Impala this past winter. Couldn't find a bad spot the entire trip...Hurst Castle, watching sea lions, Big Sur, fresh sea food. Fantastic.

 

might want to drive down to the pismo area...if it's a nice day then you will have a blast

 

The weather will be outstanding all the way down the coast Wed., so take the hwy 1 all the way down to Morro Bay (West Coast Customs) then on to hwy 101 to SLO(San Luis Obispo) It's all good, any which way you go!!! We are having a small mild heat spell just before winter that will last a week---- then??? You couldn't have picked better weather Now you will find out why we stay here with all the bullsh*t

 

I just drove it this weekend, from San Diego to the Bay. Have to wait for the film to be developed, but I will post them soon.

 

What time are you arriving in San Jose?

 

We often drive Hwy 1 from Santa Cruz to Cayucos to retrace our honeymoon trip 37 years ago. The River Inn in Big Sur is one of our favorite places for breakfast, they have bent willow chairs set out in the middle of Big Sur River, and you can sit out there on the water (or on the river bank) and have your ham and eggs. I see they currently have an inexpensive room special listed on their web site that includes breakfast.