• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney
  • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Family & Life Over 45
  • Dogs
You are here: Home / Travel / Girls’ Trip to Carmel: A Coastal California Road Trip

Girls’ Trip to Carmel: A Coastal California Road Trip

July 15, 2017 By Donna Biroczky 2 Comments

Tweet
Share2
Pin
2 Shares

Day two of the #BloggerTrio girls’ coastal California road trip to Carmel started with an extra couple hours of sleep. We all underestimate the value of sleep, and most of us operate in the negative, so it’s a valuable part of a girls’ getaway weekend. We had a busy day planned and we wanted to be fully rested before we hit the road for our adventures.

disclosure

The beds in The Hofsas House were incredibly comfortable, so it was easy to sleep late. Window open to listen to the birds, I could have lounged in the plush bedding for hours, but there was also the lure of the continental breakfast, fresh orange juice and coffee in the lobby. Bed. Food. Bed. Food. Food won. The Hofsas House had laid out quite a spread of breakfast items, so I got a plate, sat for a few minutes by the fireplace and took a pot of coffee back to my room. So luxurious!

First on our agenda was taking the infamous 17 Mile Drive up to Monterey. If you’ve never gone, picture lazy, winding roads through the forest yet right next to the beach. Gorgeous homes on all sides and views of the coast and wildlife. It’s not unusual to see deer wandering, though we didn’t get to see any. We did, however, get to see a lot of sea lions at various lookout points. The views are beyond compare and words don’t do them justice, but they alone are worth taking the 17 Mile Drive. If you do it fast, you can be done in under an hour — and by fast, I don’t mean speeding, as there are posted limits for everyone’s safety. I mean, not stopping at all, but then you’d miss so much! Each site has a sign explaining the historical significance. I thought I already knew a lot about the Monterey Peninsula, but I was wrong!

coastal california road trip

We then headed to Monterey Wharf for our 2pm whale watching excursion with Discovery Whale Watching. It was a two-hour tour, so we packed a few snacks into our backpacks, I took two motion sickness pills and we were quickly on our way after exploring the wharf with all its shops, food booths and restaurants. If you like clam chowder and seafood, you will get your fill here!

California road trip

The whale watching expedition was nothing short of amazing. I’ve gone whale watching before, but up in Alaskan waters while on a Princess Cruise through the channel. This was an entirely different type of whale watching cruise. We saw a lot of Risso dolphins, which are scarred with scratches from other Risso dolphins, squid and parasites. They followed alongside our boat, the Sur Randy, in groups, jumping and diving while we all watched in awe.

coastal California road trip

Once further out of the bay, we saw quite a few whales in the distance. During June, the most commonly seen whales are Blue Whales and Humpback Whales. Our biggest excitement came when we saw their tales as they dove deep under water, where they’d sometimes remain for five to 15 minutes. We saw one extraordinarily huge whale, and it was astounding to see how big these beautiful creatures are in comparison to our boat.

The cruise was over too quickly, but it was so successful in that we saw a lot of sea life….and I didn’t throw up. Those motion sickness pills did the trick! The Discovery crew are fantastic, providing education about the ocean and its inhabitants while telling us where to look and keeping us safe. The boat was clean with plenty of seating and if you don’t want to be out along the boat’s edge, there is indoor seating. And, of course, the ever-necessary restroom. We did learn that if you do end up seasick, you don’t want to be inside; you want to be on the back of the boat, where it moves the least, and you can ‘feed the fish’ if your motion sickness pills don’t work.

Next up, we headed to Abalonetti Bar & Grill on the wharf for our dinner reservation. Right across the wharf from Discovery Whale Watching, we had a two-minute walk before we were sitting by the window, enjoying house margaritas and this calamari appetizer.

coastal California road trip

Each of us chose different entrees and all were delicious. I love squid and all types of sea food, so I was really looking forward to the meal. It was a large serving — all of our entrees were — and the beer, wine, cocktail and other beverages list was extensive. My glass of sauvignon blanc was a good pairing with my squid. We capped off our meals with the perfect creme brulee: crackling sugar top and creamy custard. Service was quick and not intrusive, and we really enjoyed our evening.

By then, we were exhausted. The drive back to The Hofsas House was under 15 minutes, so our big plans for the night were to shower and sit by our respective fireplaces in our pajamas, catching up on some social media tasks and maybe enjoying some more of the wine they provided.

If you want to get away on a coastal California road trip, consider driving up the 101 to Carmel, and if you want more coastal views, divert to the 1 to go through Big Sur. (It is partially closed at the time of writing this post, but they are working to clear the damage from a major slide a couple of months ago; you can still get through on both sides to the sites, just plan ahead and do your research to see where shuttles are going and be sure you know how far you’ll have to double-back.)  California truly is the only place I want to live — and I’ve lived all over the country. Our views are indescribable, our shore line is full of wildlife and top travel destinations, and even on our drive back home, we saw whales near Santa Barbara. Even if you only have a few days, this is a road trip that will refresh your mind, rejuvenate your spirit and get you back on track with a new, energetic mindset. Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this California road trip one for the books! (All of our accommodations, food and fun in this post was sponsored!)

california road trip

 

Tweet
Share2
Pin
2 Shares

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: california, lifestyle

Previous Post: « Outdoor Tech Gear, Making My Party Music Playlist Even Easier
Next Post: A New Kind of Taco Night at Trejo’s Cantina in Pasadena »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Agness of aTukTuk

    August 2, 2017 at 12:46 pm

    This seems like a unique road trip, Donna! Do you have any tips I should consider before going there?

    Reply
  2. Corporate Gifts

    April 30, 2018 at 7:01 am

    I just love road trip, it is just full of fun and surprise.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing. Join me in changing focus ands enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Mom life as the 4 kids grow up🥂
Lifestyle~Travel~Food~Crafts~Entertainment
Collabs: donna@dangerouscupcakelifestyle.com

Donna B ~ SoCal Blogger
So I guess it’s time to frame this beauty? I’m So I guess it’s time to frame this beauty? I’m so sad about today’s news. I still love Disney. Always will. I’ll be here when they’re able to reopen safely again for Disney fans everywhere. 

#disney #disneyland #disneypassholder #disneypass #disneylandpass #apholders #apholders #disneyparks #disneylandcalifornia #disneylandresort #disneynews
Oh, aye, Sassenach....we canna tell you how excite Oh, aye, Sassenach....we canna tell you how excited we are that this arrived today. It was a long trip from Scotland but worth all the wait. 

@sassenachspirits #sassenachwhisky #sassenach @samheughan #sassenachspirits #whisky #outlander #outlanderobsessed #outlanderstarz #outlanderfans #scotland #scottishwhisky #outlanderfans #outlanderseries #meninkilts #whiskydrinker #thesassenach #blendedwhisky
Ready to get up-close and personal with some dinos Ready to get up-close and personal with some dinosaurs, right here in Southern California? Tickets are available now for Jurassic Quest, a socially-distanced drive-thru experience with more than 70 dinosaurs to see from the safety of your vehicle…where you’ll avoid the swinging tail of the 80-foot-long Spinosaurus!

It’s the nation’s largest touring and interactive dinosaur exhibit, where the moving and life-like dinosaurs, including a 50-foot Megalodon are displayed in realistic scenes, complete with audible roars and sounds. 

For $49 per car (with up to 8 occupants), you’ll all get the simultaneous audio tour (available in either English or Spanish) during your hour-long ride back in time.

Tours also include one group photo (in your vehicle) with a dinosaur backdrop and an opportunities to visit with a baby dinosaur and dinosaur trainers!

The schedule below includes four centralized locations through SoCal, making it an easy field trip for anyone. Purchase tickets online at www.jurassicquest.com!

Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego: Jan. 1-10
Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena: Jan. 15-31
OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa: Feb. 5-14
Fairplex in Pomona: Feb. 19-28. 

#jurassicquestpartner @jurassicquest #jurassicquest #jurassicquesttour #jurassic #dinosaurs #dinosaurtour #socal #southernCalifornia #pomona #delmarfairgrounds #pomonafairplex #costamesa #rosebowl #rosebowlstadium #pasadena #sandiego #delmarsandiego #welcometojurassicpark
As a person who cannot eat red meat, I've found my As a person who cannot eat red meat, I've found myself so badly missing some of my favorite foods, especially a good taco salad. Now I don't have to miss out anymore, thanks to the new Impossible™ Meat foods available at Rubio's!

Impossible Meat is made from plants, so you can eat less real meat but still get a delicious protein substitute while eating out! It's available in place of the chicken or steak in Rubio's entrees, or in the three below new additions to the menu as of January 6. 

  Impossible™ Taco Salad: Impossible seasoned ground meat made from plants, romaine lettuce, black beans, roasted corn, salsa fresca, tortilla strips, sliced Haas avocado and signature pickled jalapeno ranch dressing.

  Impossible™ Burrito Especial: Impossible seasoned ground meat made from plants, handmade guacamole, chipotle white sauce, roasted chipotle salsa, citrus rice, black beans and salsa fresca in a warm flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips.

  Impossible™ California Bowl: Impossible seasoned ground meat made from plants, citrus rice, handmade guacamole, black beans, crisp romaine lettuce, salsa fresca, chipotle white sauce with your choice of salsa verde or roasted chipotle salsa.

The Impossible™ seasoned meat has all the protein of 80/20 ground beef but no hormones or antibiotics and it's gluten-free. Seasoned with the same Rubio's signature blend of Mexican spices you're used to, it's delicious! We're huge fans of Rubio's, usually going to our Ontario Mills or Rancho Cucamonga locations, and now we have more reasons to visit because we know everyone in our family will find something they like! So glad to continue to visit and support a restaurant that meets all our dietary needs while always expanding and keeping their menu innovative and healthy!

#RubiosPartner #RubiosXImpossible #ImpossibleFoods @RubiosCoastalGrill @MintPublicity #mexicanfood #impossiblemeat #burrito #food
When you finally get a group photo of all the kids When you finally get a group photo of all the kids in one room but two get cut out and you look like a creeper, you still post it. Life’s short and we don’t get enough time with our loved ones. Take the silly pictures and share them, proudly, no matter how weird they are. This is my crazy family finally together and celebrating a birthday. Mama Bear will do anything for this group. 

#family #birthday #birthdaygirl #familyphoto #familyphotos #familytime #birthdaycelebration
When I was a kid, I was a nerd. I read anything I When I was a kid, I was a nerd. I read anything I could get my hands on, and one day, it was a copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. I was hooked. I knew when the sun would set, when the moon would rise and when to plant what in my tiny garden of castoff seeds I’d find in my mom’s garden. I found an early interest in astrology and loved keeping track of full moons, holidays, tide patterns and more. 

Fast-forward to me being an adult and I still love this book. It comes out yearly and is just as much fun now as it was when I was eight. The accompanying website features snow prediction tools, zodiac profiles, word of the day and so many other things a fledgling gardener or suburban homesteader wannabe can use. 

I also received a copy of the Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, providing step-by-step advice for vegetable growing success, full of photos for your easy reference. Not sure what to plant when? And where? This book will answer all of your questions for only $15.95. (And the almanac itself is a steal at $16.95.)

Let your inner nerd flag fly high — grab this book and settle in for a read. Then let me know what you think! At the very least, you will have a lot of good conversation starters and you’ll be a great candidate for Jeopardy!

#theoldfarmersalmanacpartner @theoldfarmersalmanac #oldfarmersalmanac #oldfarmers #almanac #vegetablegarden #theoldfarmersalmanac #vegetablegardening #vegetablegardens #gardener #gardening #gardenersofinstagram #gardenersofig #gardenerslife #readbooks #gardeningbooks
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details.

Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2021 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.