Traveling to San Luis Obispo, Carmel, Monterey- Lodging, Dining, Activities driving up Highway 1- June 2021
Take a trip up Highway 1 through San Luis Obispo (also known as SLO) up to Carmel/Monterey for a fabulous vacation.
Day 1 First stop was Avila Beach for kayaking by Avila Beach paddle sports. We then took a visit to Sycamore Springs Spa nearby to soak for an hour in their outdoor hot tubs. Last stop was the Ocean Grill in Avila for a fantastic dinner. Then we drove about 30 minutes to SLO and checking into the Kinney Hotel.
Day 2 Started with breakfast at the Big Sky Cafe. Then we went wine, cider and olive oil tasting before a delicious lunch at Thomas Hill Organics. Back to the hotel to relax, swim and take a bike ride to downtown SLO and grab a bite and drink at Mother’s Tavern.
Day 3 started with a fabulous breakfast at Louisas in downtown SLO before driving up north on highway 1 stopping along the way for some beautiful views and a hike in Big Sur. We made it to Carmel to check in at the Hofsas House and then dinner at Alvarado Street Brewery.
Day 4 After breakfast at the hotel, we made our way to Adventures by the Sea for a combined adventure with E Bikes on the 17 mile drive and then kayaking in the Monterey Bay. It was Outstanding and beautiful. We came back to the hotel to change and then head to the Carmel Grill House for dinner. Wow is all I can say.
Day 5 was spent driving back with a stop in SLO for dinner at the Brasserie.
Overall, just wonderful. See more details below on each of the places we visited and covered.
Lodging:
The Kinney by Hilton: This newer sleek hotel is located 1 mile from downtown San Luis Obispo, which is within walking and cycling distance of the Hotel. You can rent one of their bicycles to explore the beautiful downtown area and cruise around. Other amenities include their outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, Wi-Fi and flat screen tv’s in every room. Additionally you can play ski-ball and shuffle board arcade board games at the hotel. Currently the hotel has a grab and go breakfast, with on location Leroy restaurant open Wednesday thru Sunday. We had a clean and spacious room with modern art detour. The king bed was very comfortable, with a microwave and refrigerator in the room. Overall we enjoyed our hotel stay and recommend the hotel.
The Kinney San Luis Obispo, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, invites you to embrace your inner coed, bringing cultivated on-and-off campus vibes to the forefront. From our 100 newly redesigned guest rooms to their on-site restaurant and bar called Leroys, to oh-so-flexible event space, there’s more to delight in at the newest addition to The Kinney collection. Take a dip in our heated pool, unplug with a drink at Leroy’s, and see all that our hotel has to offer.The Kinney hotel in San Luis Obispo is the perfect vantage point for uncovering everything San Luis Obispo, including Cal Poly SLO, downtown delights, Morro Bay, and beyond.
HOFAS HOUSE in Carmel
We had a beautiful spacious suite with beautiful views of the ocean in the distance. A pleasant surprise was falling asleep to the sound of the ocean waves with the light of the fireplace flames. The suite had 2 separate rooms; 1 king bed and 2 day beds which were all very comfortable. The two bathrooms had 3 sinks. Wi-Fi, cable TV, a refrigerator, coffee maker and free parking was included.. Other amenities included a continental breakfast; coffee, juice, yogurt, various cereals, fruit and muffins. The heated outdoor pool and sauna provided an opportunity to relax after a long day.
One of the best amenities is the hotel location which is just blocks away from downtown Carmel and a mile walk to the beach. The hotel staff was very welcoming and friendly. The hotel is spread out and is on three levels. See the Hofsas. See our lodging page for a full story on the Hofsas House.
RESTAURANTS:
Ocean Grill Avila is located across the street from beautiful Avila Beach has both outdoor and indoor seating. This is a must visit eating experience when you are in Avila Beach. Our server Merissa was very professional and friendly. We started the meal with some fabulous appetizers which included Ahi Poke and crispy brussels spouts, which were our favorite. (There were the apple balsamic vinaigrette salad with goat cheese. They have a variety of salads and flatbreads. For entrees we ordered the half roasted chicken with potato gratin & roasted broccolini was amazing. The glazed salmon over quinoa with sweet green onion was very tasty.
Do not miss the pan seared scallops and pork belly over miso garlic quinoa. They have a nice selection of wines and beers, including a cider that we ordered to enhanced our meal. Lastly the peanut butter chocolate cheesecake, and chocolate chip brown butter skillet cookie were to die for. Reservations are encouraged, especially on the weekends. https://oceangrillavila.com/
Thomas Hill Organics is located in downtown Paso Robles. The manager David was very hospitable and our server Jack was very good. Our table was located in an beautiful outdoor patio. We started with Marinated Baby Beets, and Black Lentil Tacos with fresh fruit.
Our main entrees considered of Cured Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast, their specialty Saffron Fettuccine with rainbow chard, English peas, braised onions, smoked pecorino and pine nut gremolata. Also enjoyed the Hippie Bowl with grilled market vegetables with house made seiten, avocado puree, pickled carrots, spicy greens, cashew coconut grains, legumes and black sesame tahini. We finished our meal with the key lime pie, pecan tart and a scoop of fresh fruit gelatos.
https://www.thomashillorganics.com/
Mother’s Tavern is located in downtown San Luis Obispo and has both indoor and outdoor seating available. The friendly staff and homestyle food were excellent while we watched sports on one of their many large screen televisions. We enjoyed the Not Yo’ Mom’s Tuna sandwich served with a side of sweet potato fries which was very tasty. Also had Sesame Ahi Salad, which we enjoyed very much. http://motherstavern.com/
LOUISA’S PLACE
We highly recommend this breakfast gem located in downtown San Luis Obispo. This place specializes in gourmet breakfasts and we can see why. They have a variety of 15 – 20 four egg omelets. Other choices were their specialty pancakes (buckwheat, buttermilk, chocolate chip and gluten free). One of their specialties is their huevos rancheros omelets. The best dish was the eggplant parmigiana omelets, which we had never heard of before but delicious. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and was crowded. This place is a definite must visit on your next SLO visit. The owner Aubrey was very hospitable and welcoming. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast experience. https://www.louisasplace.com/
Brasserie SLO:
This fine dining establishment in Hotel Cerro is located in downtown San Luis Obispo. There are 3 separate eating selections; the front outdoor patio, indoors and our recommendation the backyard patio which has a number of fireplaces. Their new chef Derek Brooks has taken over the popular menu while creating some creations of his own. One is his new panzanella salad with ( arugula), croutons and tomatoes over a cheese fondue. Our recommended starters is the Avocado Hummus. with warm flatbread, the oven roasted beets with Burratta cheese, glazed carrots with za’atar, tahini & sweet garlic as well as the Hamachi Crudo (yellowtail).
For our entrees the wild grilled salmon with fingerling potato, roasted fennel, pickled mustard seeds and crème fraiche was a big hit. We also had the seared scallops with Farro Risotto. Highly recommended is the grilled half chicken over greens. Enhanced your meal with one of their specialty cocktails such as the Cerro Breeze with coconut rum, pineapple juice & blue curacao. They also have a nice wine and beer selection. Do not miss their incredible desserts made by their special desert chef. The Chocolate chest pie was rich but out of this world. The chocolate chip pecan cookie was to die for. https://www.hotelcerro.com/slo-restaurants/brasserie-slo/
CARMEL GRILL HOUSE
This was our favorite meal of the trip. You walk into a Mediterranean feel; with décor and lights of French, Turkish environment. All of the staff and servers were extremely professional, warm and knowledge. This Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant was unique and super special
The head chef Gazi from Turkey is a star yet very humble. He has worked with top chefs around the world including Wolfgang Puck and at the French Laundry. You will find dishes here that you will not find at many other places that are out of this world. The brazed Spanish Octopus was the best that I ever had. The duck leg confit with roasted Brussels spouts and whole grain mustard sauce was tasty as well. The hummus and baba ghanoush served with warm pita bread are not to be missed. The signature saganaki is a typical Turkish dish filled with cheese, apricots, figs and toasted bread and flamed with brandy at your table.
For the main course the whole Mediterranean sea bass (branzino) was outstanding along with sauteed Idaho Trout topped with toasted almonds. The creamily orzo risotto was a great addition. They have a nice selection of local wines to accompany your meal. Two desserts not to be missed were the pistachio baklava (less sweet than the regular baklava with syrup) was incredible, however the dessert not to be missed is the kunefe. This Turkish specialty has shred filo dough, cheese, syrup and ice cream on top. We will remember this dinner for a long time. https://carmelgrillhouse.com/
Alvarado Street Brewery
The Alvarado Street Brewery which is located in downtown Carmel was a treat. They have a large selection of draft beer, many of which are locally brewed. Other options were spirits, wine and cider. For starters try the fried calamari, signature fried Brussels sprouts, and burrata cheese and tomato appetizers. For entrees try the mahi mahi tacos, warm grain bowl with an assorted of fresh vegetables and pesto pasta.
The manager Wendy was extremely helpful and friendly. The staff of Ben, Houston and Molly were top notch and super professional. Their many fresh desserts are not to be missed! https://asb.beer/pages/carmelbistro
We stopped in at the Big Sky Cafe for a delicious breakfast in SLO.
You order at the bar and the food is brought to your table. The omelets are fantastic and the place was jamming showing how popular it is. Definitely a must visit with head chef Greg cooking up some great items. They have a wide assortment of breakfast items and their lunch/dinner menus looked amazing so we will have to come back and try that sometime in the future.
More at https://www.bigskycafe.com/
ACTIVITIES- KAYAKING
Avila Beach Paddle Sports- Located in Avila Beach, surrounded by beautiful hillsides, we enjoyed an afternoon of wonderful kayaking on a sunny afternoon. We enjoyed the sight and sounds of sea otters and sea lions. We were greeted by friendly staff people, including Ryan who ensured we had everything we needed to make the afternoon safe and fun. The weather was calm for the most part with light winds here and there. They have single and double kayaks
This activity is not to be missed in Avila Beach, which is located 15 minutes south of San Luis Obispo. https://www.avilabeachpaddlesports.com/
WINETASTING. In the afternoon we enjoyed a scenic drive to Austin Hope Winery (pictured above), which is located west of the 101 fwy in Paso Robles. In a private outdoor lounge we sampled a variety of wines while learning this history of each by their knowledgeable staff ambassador Tracy.
OLIVE OIL TASTING OLIVAS DE ORO: Take a trip to Tin City which is located next to Paso Robles. We tasted over 25 different samples of olive oil while gaining knowledge from Rachel and Laura. They have a great variety of flavors to sample and purchase. Jams, pesto and other items are available to sample.. Reservations are highly recommended.
Tin City Cider– After olive oil tasting we walked over to Tin City Cider for tasty local cider tasting.
Cycling and Kayaking:
ADVENTURES BY THE SEA:
Our favorite activity in the Carmel/Monterey area was spending the day cycling and kayaking with the Adventure by the Sea company. We cycled the beautiful 17 mile drive from Monterey on ebikes. If you are comfortable riding an ebike the route takes you along the side of the ocean with great views of Monterey, pass Pebble Beach.. We came across numerous deer sightings while cycling. There are many opportunities for photo stops along the route. This was an awesome way to spend a few hours getting exercise while enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Ocean.
After a few hours of cycling We traded in our ebikes for kayaks with the same company. The highlight was padding out and seeing numerous sea otters while kayaking toward the Monterey aquarium.
We also came across seals sunbathing along with a variety of birds. https://adventuresbythesea.com/
One great stop to soak in one of their intimate hot tubs in the forest is Sycamore Springs Spa. Great way to end the day and relax as you can rent a hot tub for an hour. https://www.sycamoresprings.com/
Written by Todd Elliot/ Assisted and photos by Jeff Zimerman