“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him”
Isaiah 30:18
Here at Everyday Living, you have been on lots of trips with us! We’ve taken you halfway across the world, but it’s not necessary to travel out of the country to see such scenery-we do have some of the most beautiful places right here in the good ole’ US of A! The drive down the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey to San Simeon is like no other! Butch and I flew into San Francisco and rented a car and headed to Monterey where we stayed for three days as we enjoyed driving along the Pacific Ocean, Pebble Beach, Carmel, and Big Sur. We then drove back to San Francisco for a couple of days before flying to sweet home Alabama! The weather was beautiful and we had very little fog. October is a perfect time to go! Since Northeast Alabama has experienced below freezing temps and even a “dusting” of snow this past weekend, we thought it might be fun to re-visit sunny California on this winter’s day!
Monterey is on the central coast of California. Cannery Row is the waterfront street and was the site of a number of sardine canning factories. It was here that the setting of John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row took place!
The crashing waves on the rocks are magnificent!
The Pacific coast is so different than our more familiar Gulf Coast. Each one has its own beauty!
The Lone Cypress, standing on a granite hillside off California’s scenic 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, is said to be the most photographed tree in North America. It is possibly as old as 250 years and has been scarred by fire.
More scenery along the 17 Mile Drive
The golf is legendary at Pebble Beach
The lodge envelopes the 18th green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the most exciting closing holes in golf. Love the ocean view from the entrance!
To enjoy the scenery along the Pacific Coast Highway, you must rent a convertible!
Big Sur offers stunning views! Many classify Big Sur as the segment of California State Route 1 from Carmel south to San Simeon
Butch and I had to take a short hike to see these magnificent rock formations in the Pacific!
The water is very cold in comparison to the warm waters of the Gulf!
Elephant seals come ashore and form colonies for only a few months of each year to give birth, breed, and molt.
The Hearst Castle built by William Randolph Hearst is a prominent landmark in San Simeon along Highway 1
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This massive assembly room in the castle is adorned with historic Renaissance and Baroque tapestries and masterpieces of neoclassical sculptures
The expansive gardens!
Spectacular Neptune Pool with its colonnades and statues provided the setting for lavish parties for Mr. Hearst and his guests!
The meticulously detailed indoor Roman Pool was modeled after ancient Roman baths. It is tiled from ceiling to floor, and features copies of eight ancient Roman marble statues.
Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey
Chateau Julien in Carmel
We have been fans of John Denver since we were married in 1973. Butch has been told more times than we could count that he sounds just like him singing! It was out from these rocks that his experimental airplane crashed in 1997.
“This is my autograph, here in the songs that I sing. Here in my cry and my laugh, here in the love that I bring. To be always with you and you always with me.”
John Denver
We enjoy our time spent together!
“Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!”
Psalm 93:4
Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Dedicated House, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, Karens Up On The Hill
Beautiful pictures Pam and what a wonderful trip – sounds perfect to me!! Perfect too with the blue skies and lovely views in these dark wintery days!!
Thanks, Joy! It is a gorgeous drive with picture perfect scenery everywhere!
Beautiful pictures! Hope to visit all these places when I retire! My brother and his wife lived in Monterey years ago while he attended the war college located near by. Thanks for sharing!
Karen, I hope you can make the trip when you retire! You will love it!
Blessings,
Pam
We’ve done that trip, Pam, with a very similar itinerary. I love seeing the USA!
Rita, we have beautiful scenery in the USA, and we don’t have to travel very far from home to see it! Thanks so much!
Maravillosas imágenes de ese paseo por tierras tan bellas.
Acabo de mirarme al espejo para ver si mi piel se había vuelto de color verde…bueno, sí, por eso de la envidia…hhahahaha
Si hay una fan de John Denver aquí la tenéis. Me encanta el sonido de su música, es un country diferente a todas las demás, su poesía, su buen hacer…En varios de mis trabajos musicales he puesto como fondo algunas canciones de él, así que no me extrañaría estar verde de envidia al ver que estáis pisando sus tierras, su hábitat…enhorabuena y gracias por tan magnífico reportaje de las bellas tierras de América.
Con cariño
Dolores
Wonderful images of that land so beautiful stroll.
I just look in the mirror to see if my skin had turned green … well, yes, why envy … hahahaha !!
If a fan of John Denver here it is. I love the sound of his music, it’s a different country to all others, his poetry, his good work … In several of my musical work I put some songs as background of it, so it would not surprise me to be green with envy to see that you are stepping on their land, their habitat … congratulations and thanks for such a magnificent story of the beautiful land of America.
Fondly
Dolores
Saludos Dolores, Gracias por tus dulces comentarios en nuestro viaje por la costa del Pacífico en California! Estados Unidos es un país hermoso! ¿Ha visitado aquí, y si es así, ¿dónde? Estoy encantado de que compartimos el amor por la música de John Denver. Sus letras y melodías son intemporales. lo vimos en concierto al menos 15 veces y él era el mejor comunicador que he oído en mi vida! Le deseamos una hermosa resto de la semana! Bendiciones, Pam
Greetings Dolores, Thanks for your sweet comments on our trip down the Pacific Coast Highway in California! America is a beautiful country! Have you visited here, and if so, where? I am thrilled that we share a love of John Denver’s music. His lyrics and melodies are timeless. We saw him in concert at least 15 times and he was the best communicator I have ever heard! Wishing you a beautiful rest of the week! Blessings, Pam
We made that same trip (less the Hearst Castle) last Fall….such a gorgeous drive…we stayed on the Monterey Bay in Seaside…hopefully we can make it back there soon…so much to see….loved Big Sur and ate at the most fabulous restaurant with incredible views there…Glad you had a wonderful trip…and those Elephant Seals are the best…we loved learning about them and their habitat…
Yes, Shirley the entire area is beautiful! I remember your pics from Instagram and was thinking you were probably having a wonderful trip!
Beautiful pictures. Looks like a fabulous trip that I would enjoy again. I was in my twenties and don’t remember much except a shop in Carmel.LOL!
I am intrigued by elephant seals and looking them up. The Hearst Castle we did not see and I can tell it was beautiful from your pictures. Thanks for sharing the beauty.
Thank you, Bonnie! It was a wonderful trip that we thoroughly enjoyed! We love that coastline and have made many trips to San Fran and Napa! I don’t remember very much about the trips we made in our 20’s either!
Blessings,
Pam
Dear Pam, It was so nice to see your post this morning-firstly because hubby and I lived the first 57 yrs of our life in No.Ca. and are well acquainted with this area and secondly because two weeks ago we were back there for a visit. WE stayed with friends in Carmel Valley and drove down to Big Sur for lunch on Saturday. WE also love this coastline; lunch at Nepenthe was incredible. I hope this helps as you see the reality of snow; we are having sunny days here in Colorado, but snow isn’t gone and we have more to come.
Hugs, Noreen
Noreen, thanks so much for your sweet comments! The area has so much natural beauty and we have enjoyed all of our trips to Northern California! We love San Fran and Napa! Blessings, Pam
These are wonderful photos of the area – probably the best one ever of the Lone Tree Cypress (it wasn’t the scarring from any fire that closed it to the public, it was people taking pieces of it which almost killed it) I’ve ever seen! So glad you enjoy your trips here as even on a foggy day, the area is most lovely. A small suggestion —- if you’re near The Lodge (and this goes for anyone), go into what the locals call the Great Room and just sit yourselves down and enjoy the view. A cup of coffee or tea and you’re set for about an hour. If you really want some fun, go downstairs for a casual meal at The Bench (where you’re at ground level to the golf course), or eat upstairs at Stillwater (one of our favorite restaurants) which is fabulous and has great views, at a little higher elevation.
Thanks for sharing; these are incredible photos of each place; nice trip!
Margaret, thanks so much for your sweet comments! I love your suggestions and hopefully we will go back one day. We have made several trips to San Fran and Napa, some because of business! We do love all of that are!a! So beautiful! Thanks again and blessings!
i’m so glad you enjoyed our beautiful California! I live in Central Ca., but have been to the coast many times. Our times there just can’t be beat! Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures!
Thanks so much! We have had great experiences traveling in your beautiful state. We have been to San Francisco several times and to Napa a couple of times! We love it all!
We take the drive up to Carmel, Monterey and San Francisco at least once a year. Our daughter lives in SF and we prefer to drive up Highway 1 and hug the hillside rather than hugging the coastline on our way down. You got lucky with your weather in the fall. The last time we made the trek in the fall, we had the top down for the whole drive and were a bit cold. But then we did the same drive last August with the top down the entire way and we were roasting in the heat. No matter what, it’s wonderful to visit Monterey and Carmel.
Thanks for Sharing Your Cup!
We loved that beautiful rugged coastline! Hope to return one day!
I recently returned from a long weekend in LA. Beautiful there as well, though I adore spending time in the Carmel area.
I recently returned from a long weekend in LA. Beautiful there as well, though I adore the area around Carmet.
Sarah, I have only flown into LA. Hopefully we will spend some time there soon! Thanks and have a lovely week!
Last spring we took almost the same trip. San Fransisco to Carmel to Big Sir to Yosemite to Sonoma wine country. It was the best trip we’ve ever taken.
Cindi
Cindi, That is such a beautiful drive! I hope we get to return one day!
Yes, a convertible is a must for a ride down the California coast! What a beautiful place! My husband’s friend used to run a small hotel on the beach in Malibu and we visited there once. I would love to go back and I know my husband would love to play Pebble Beach someday! Thanks for sharing at Take Me Away! Enjoy your weekend!
Shelley
Shelley, the ride down the California coast in a convertible was fabulous!