17 Mile Drive, Big Sur, & Hearst Castle

We started our next day of our trip leaving Monterey and paying the $9.25 to cruise through the 17 Mile Drive. After reading many mixed reviews, we decided to bite the bullet and really enjoyed the drive, of course the best part was hanging out at the 18th green of Pebble Beach. Following the 17 Mile Drive, we jumped back on Highway 1 and began our drive from Monterey to Cambria, spending the next several hours exploring the coast through Big Sur. Amazing views and scenery, the coastal highway runs right along the ocean, and one minute you will be 100 feet above sea level, and then the next minute you were 1000 feet above sea level. Despite the skies being overcast and only about 60 degrees, we enjoyed the drive as it was meant to be, in the convertible with the top down. We through our fleeces on and enjoyed a great ride. After we left the mountainous section of Big Sur and into the flat plains close to Cambria, we pulled off to the side of the road to check out a bunch of elephant seals ticked off at each other, and what a obnoxious noise did they make! We made it to the Hearst Castle visitors center around 2pm, caught the 40 minute IMAX film of the castle, and then went on the main tour of the castle. From the castle, the sweeping views of the coast were amazing, and the main pool breathtaking. Following a long day along the coast, we crashed for the night at some seaside lodge just outside of Cambria.