Carmel by the Sea

To get away for a long weekend, Phil and I caught a plane on Friday afternoon and met his parents at the San Jose airport. Together, we drove down to Carmel by the Sea, and checked into a quaint hotel his parents had discovered. Our room had a fireplace, which qualifies it for the designation "amazing" in my book, especially with the weather still crisp out.

On Saturday, the four of us enjoyed the famous 17 mile drive, seeing rich golfers and beautiful scenery alike. We also went to Point Lobos and absorbed sun and surf while walking around the park. I'd highly recommend checking out the park if you ever go... it's relaxing and not as crowded as I expected.

The next afternoon, we took a chance on the Ewoldsen Trail in Big Sur State Park. The hike was mainly through the woods, but completed with a sweeping view of the coastline. I loved it, and Phil's parents were total troupers. (It ended up being a little more difficult than the ranger made it out to be.)

We went to a fantastic restaurant Sunday night, where not only did I adore my meal, but I even tried some of Phil's steak. Shocking, I know! But I will admit, it was delicious. The waiter explained to us that many of the million-dollar plus homes in the neighborhood were third and fourth vacation homes. Wow!

Monday we drove into Monterrey and stopped at the aquarium. If you've never been, you should go. It's huge. And amazing. We also took our time walking around, checking out the waterfront and some of the stores along the way.

We lucked out in terms of the weather the entire trip, which made the time away that much more pleasant.