Mellowing Out in Monterey

Today we said goodbye to San Francisco and headed south to Monterey, about 3 hours away.  It was a beautiful day and a very scenic drive.  The pictures are very nice, but this drive is something you need to experience.  The area along the beach is relatively undeveloped unlike the East Coast which is loaded with hotels and shore houses.  The weather up here is cooler and the water temperature even cooler so the beach is nice to look at but you dont want to swim in that water..

"Eyes on the Road" Ida was at the wheel today for the first leg of our drive down the Pacific Coast Highway.  US 1 

The area was dotted with farms growing all kinds of vegetables.  Sometimes the road was right on the coast and sometimes it weaved inland. It seemed like we were being teased with glimpses of the beautiful coastline.

 

At 115-feet tall with a 140-year legacy, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an icon of the Pacific coast, as well as one of its tallest and oldest structures. The lighthouse is home to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and is still in use by the Coast Guard, though its original Fresnel lens has been replaced with an automatic one. Named for the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon, which crashed near the point in 1853, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is perched on a rocky headland that's become a landmark for ships approaching the San Francisco Bay from the south. - See more at: http://norcalhostels.org/news/tour-california-lighthouses-along-coastal-highway-1#sthash.PiudBMUd.dpuf

At 115-feet tall with a 140-year legacy, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an icon of the Pacific coast, as well as one of its tallest and oldest structures. The lighthouse is home to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and is still in use by the Coast Guard, though its original Fresnel lens has been replaced with an automatic one. Named for the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon, which crashed near the point in 1853, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is perched on a rocky headland that's become a landmark for ships approaching the San Francisco Bay from the south.

Part of the Aquarium building was an old sardine factory that was reconverted. A couple of buildings here seem to have also been converted in a similar way.  It seems that this process is still ongoing because there were a number of buildings that were just old rubble waiting for someone to put a hotel there.

Follow the Leader

Cross Legged Starfish

Seahorse

Jellies

A School of Fish

A Seabird

Who Am I

Who Am I

Its time to play who is that silouette

Who Am I

Who Am I

These two pearls liked their aquarium visit.











We then drove the 17 mile highway to Pebble Beach and drove through Carmel by the Sea.  The 17 mile highway had really beautiful views of the ocean with the surf often pounding against the rocks.

Spyglass Golf Course

Mansion in the Hills

Beautiful White Sand Beach

Bird Island

The Happy Couple

Sisters on the Beach

Waves Pounding on the Rocks

The Lone Cyprus Tree

Then it was back home to check in at our beautiful hotel and we had a nice dinner at Schooners Restaurant in the hotel.  After dinner we relaxed by the fire pit and took a stroll along the shops.

At Schooners

Beautiful View from our table

Beautiful Night Lights of a Nearby Town

Hotel Fire Pit

Relaxing By the Fire

At 115-feet tall with a 140-year legacy, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an icon of the Pacific coast, as well as one of its tallest and oldest structures. The lighthouse is home to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and is still in use by the Coast Guard, though its original Fresnel lens has been replaced with an automatic one. Named for the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon, which crashed near the point in 1853, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is perched on a rocky headland that's become a landmark for ships approaching the San Francisco Bay from the south. - See more at: http://norcalhostels.org/news/tour-california-lighthouses-along-coastal-highway-1#sthash.PiudBMUd.dpuf

Leaving a little later than planned, we did not stop in Santa Cruz but kept rolling until we got to Monterey, about 3 hours away.  After a light lunch we headed into the Monterey Aquarium which is located on a beautiful spot on the bay.