On Thursday night, my parents came in to visit us for the weekend. My mom grew up in Pacific Grove, Calif., so they spent two nights in San Francisco (in a killer suite at the top of the Hyatt Regency) and one night with us at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey.
We drove down Highway 1 from San Francisco, one of the most scenic and beautiful drives in the country, if not the world. Once in Monterey, we visited my mom’s childhood homes, Asilomar Beach, Lover’s Point and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The Aquarium was fantastic, as always, but we particularly enjoyed two of their special exhibits right now—seahorses and jellyfish. (We also spent about two hours watching the sea otters do their thing. They’re my mom’s favorite animal and a lot of fun to watch.)
On our second day in Monterey, we drove along 17-Mile Drive to Carmel. We stopped a few times along the way and splashed in the water, watched sea lions and admired some of the impressive houses.
The Lone Cypress along 17-Mile Drive.
One time, several years ago, I was driving with my parents along 17-Mile Drive when we ran into a construction crew blocking the road. We asked one of the flaggers what was going on and he told as that were moving a giant door into one of the house. Not just any door though—a door imported from a castle in Spain, if that gives you an idea of the type of house along this revered stretch.
Once in Carmel, we strolled around the village, which really is more of a “village” than the super-commercialize seaside towns that most people think of, before hopping back in the car and taking the quick route back up toward the Bay.
– Laura
Smith & Ratliff 