The Brisas del Mar was a great hotel. Roomy, quiet, beds of heavenly comfort, continental breakfast provided. It didn't have a view of the beach but it was only a short stroll away.
We departed early as we have a lot of miles to cover in just a few days. We all really enjoyed the journey up Highway 1, following the coast, marvelling at the view through the early morning mist, which lifted to reveal a sparkling ocean.
We had breakfast at Denny's in San Luis Obispo, and it didn't disappoint. Big meals, good service, and bottomless cups of awful coffee.
We stopped often to take photos of the cliffs, surf, fabulous bridges, elephant seals (yes, a whole beach full!) and sea birds.
It has been 15 years since I first made this drive, and it is even more spectacular than I remembered. Truly one of the world's great drives. I would like to try it southbound next time, as the view and the turn outs are on the coast side.
We drove through Monterey and stopped for coffee at Cannery Row. From there we drove to Half Moon Bay for Gab to check out the Mavericks, a renowned surf break. We arrived at dusk and couldn't access the beach, but I think she still felt as though she'd 'been there'. It was a lovely coastal town. In fact, many of the towns along the way have been 'pretty', with attractive houses and beautifully kept gardens.
We had intended to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Petaluma, so as to clear the heavy traffic of San Francisco. As we neared SFO the traffic worsened and night fell. Everyone was tired so we agreed that we should stay in town overnight and depart early. I knew where I wanted to stay - right in town. We drove straight to the Westin - St Francis. Luckily they had rooms available at a good price, so we dropped our bags and headed out into the cooling evening. The concierge gave us a few suggestions for dinner, and we decided on John's Grill, one of the oldest restaurants in SFO. Seated upstairs in a busy restaurant, the service, menu and food were all fantastic. It had a lovely cosy, dark interior, comfortable chairs and live music.
Back to the hotel via an eye-opening wander through Walgreens, and into the delightful Westin beds!
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