After that, we stopped a while so we could see the solar eclipse before driving on to the coast.
We checked into the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina. It was pretty nice, but I'm not too sure that it was worth the price. We were given a deluxe "ocean front room." The ocean was about 500 feet away, across dunes that you are not allowed to walk on. This means that to get to the beach from your room, it can be quite a hike. We were in room 701, all the way at the left of the property. Our view was only partial, in my opinion:
Rooms to the right of ours:
The staff that we encountered were nice and accommodating - there just wasn't many of them. We had quite a wait for check-in due to there being only one person at the desk who was on a long phone call. Once we got checked in, we were loaded up in a golf cart and taken to our room. They don't allow cars down by the guest rooms, which was awesome. Instead, you have your own personal golf cart.
The room overall was nice. There were a couple of things that were a little aggravating, but not deal breakers. First of all, there are no nightstands, so you have nowhere to set a glass of water or anything of that sort near you in bed. There is no counter in the bathroom, just pedestal sinks, which makes girlie primping difficult. Also, the bathroom was neglected. The toilet seat was chipped and stained, the wall paint was peeling, and there was a dead plant outside the window.
Those are the only negatives that I found worth noting, other than the price of course. We slept fantastic, listening to the waves through the open window.
On to the food! The first night, we ate at California Pizza Kitchen since we don't have one near us anymore. We didn't eat much of our pizzas, so we took them back to the room and had them for breakfast for the remaining days that we were there. I did have my first hot chocolate of the trip, though:
The next day, we wandered around in Carmel and at lunch at the Grill on Ocean Avenue. This was the second time we ate there. This time, we both had the sand dabs and the chocolate mousse cake:
We then walked back up the Ocean Avenue hill and drove to the Carmel Mission. There's free parking, but a $7 admission fee. That place is gorgeous!
After wandering around in there for a short while (it's so much easier on a weekday to see everything), we drove down Highway 1 toward Big Sur. I highly recommend this drive, but be sure to pack your patience - the drivers here either go 10 below the speed limit, or pass on blind corners. Be careful! Our favorite place to stop is Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. There's a $10 parking fee, and you get to wander along a trail that leads to a cliff overlooking the ocean, and this:
Worth it!
After admiring the view, we went back to our hotel in order to get ready for dinner at the Chart House. This is one of our favorite places to eat, in part because that's where we had dinner the night of our wedding. Definitely make reservations, and show up early to try to get a table by the window. The crab cake appetizer is wonderful, as are the Midori Margaritas!
After checking out the next morning, we headed for the Cannery Row Antique Mall. This place is two stories of goodness! Make sure you check the small lot for free parking so that you don't have to feed the meter. Everything was a lot of fun to look at, but we left empty-handed.
Shopping makes us hungry! We headed to Fisherman's Wharf to refuel and browse. Lunch was at the Old Fisherman's Grotto, which unfortunately seems to have gone downhill a little bit. The fried calamari was just what I was wanting, but our entrees left something to be desired.
After we ate, we browsed the shops at the wharf, then decided we'd better head home as to not get stuck in rush hour traffic.
All in all, it was a fun little getaway. I would love to do it again sometime - midweek in the Monterey area is fantastic!
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