Casa Munras Garden Hotel Monterey

... caught up on sleep after San Fran. Up at 9am and headed towards Fisherman's Wharf and looked in lots of gift shops. Rich got tempted by clam chowder so we had lunch on the pier, sitting next to lots of huge pelicans outside the window! Very scary. Then drove down Cannery Row, named after a John Steinbeck novel! Went in a shop that sold things that ...

... there we'd find out. I'm not entirely sure it was a town so much as a point or small region. We found the Big Sur State Park and decided that it was the best option and turned on in. Although the woman at the front stand was a bit concerned for us, we knew Lola would do fine...she's seen it all. We decided to do a hike up to see some Redwoods and Pfieffer? Waterfall. Christa learned at the Grand Canyon and on that hike I learned...flip ...

... rundown, so instead we picked a little town just outside Santa Cruz called Capitola.<br><br>Although not quite the Big Sur that we would be travelling down later on in the week,the drive along the coast was fantastic and we stopped off a number of times at beautiful deserted beaches with rough, Pacific waves. <br><br>When we arrived at our b&amp;b, The Jewel Box, we were so pleased, it was really sweet and had a ...

... at the top of the hill where we ACTUALLY parked Lola. I yell out to them all "IS IT THERE?" and of course Sumner and his smartass reply shouts, "NO!!" (even though it was)<br><br>Meanwhile, Christa lets the boys mad dash from the restaurant, and she jumps in a police car parked out front. She directs the cop to where Lola is and explains that it's being jacked at that moment. Calling me from the backseat she's trying to figure out what happened as I weakly reply "It might not be Lola ...

... of course, and witness this rather unusual site. Apparently elephant seals were nearly extinct a few decades ago, but there are now over 15,000 living off the Pacific Coast.<br><br>The signs announced we still had around 250 miles to go to reach LA, so I put my foot down and we sped off. We stopped once more (for an "In n Out Burger" in Santa Maria), and eventually rolled into Nottingham Avenue at 9.45pm. Wow - a LONG day, but very worthwhile.

Actually, That's not really true, its not true at all. It is a nasty day outside. its blowing about 30-40MPH and pouring down rain. Its not a typically great combination and leaving the boat does not seem like that appealing an idea. But then again spending all day on a 28 foot boat when I have the ability to walk around does not seem that appealing either. So I decided to brave the storm and head to ...

... have stayed in Santa Cruz. With the children safely strapped in the back we headed off for Monterey down Highway 1. We were worried about trying to find our hotel in the dark without sat nav, but we had no problems.....I think luck was on our side as the Highway dropped us into the city at the right place.<br><br>It was just a case of lifting sleeping children out of the car, putting pjs on and then putting them to bed. Sleep time :-)

... and jar the mind awake. The fog that hovered and shrouded the surrounding peaks, only enhanced the magnetic pull of this region. A few memorable stops included viewing elephant bull seals molting on the beach, surveying the fantastic homes of Carmel by the Sea, and discovering a treehouse beach overlook located directly across from Pfieffer State Park near Big Sur. <br><br><br>

... in the shade which is perfect as you don't get too hot and bothered. The Golden Gate Bridge had perfect viability which is unusual most of the year as it often very foggy. Clare enjoyed looking at the Sea Lions down at Fishermans Wharf, and fortunately there weren't anywhere near as smelly as in mid Summer. I wanted to get to Haight Ashbury but our 2 loops didn't cover it so we walked there from Civic centre and all the way back to Union Square. I worked it out to be over 90 ...