San Francisco/Monterey/Carmel-by-the-Sea – Day 3 of a 8-Day California Road Trip
Day 3 started off in San Francisco, but ended with Monterey. Monterey is a city on California’s coast and is about a 2 hour drive from San Francisco. It is known for Cannery Row, which used to be home to a fish packing company. Today it is filled with shops and stores, and a well-known aquarium. Nearby is Carmel-by-the-Sea. Carmel-by-the-Sea is a beach city about a 15 minute drive from Monterey’s centre. It has cute fairy tale homes and a lovely beach.
Day 3
San Francisco/Monterey/Carmel-By-The-Sea
We woke up bright and early on Day 3, enjoyed the hotel’s breakfast pastries (the blueberry scones were delicious), packed our bags, and picked up the car. We had two San Francisco stops left – Painted Ladies and the Twin Peaks. The Painted Ladies is another iconic spot in San Francisco and consists of Victorian homes in various colours. Across from the Painted Ladies is a great spot for a picnic.
Next stop – Twin Peaks. I put Christmas Tree Point in to Google Maps and we were on our way. The location offers great views of San Francisco. The roads are quite windy, so drive carefully!
It was finally time to start on the road trip to Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. On the way out of town, we stopped at In and Out Burger. In and Out Burger is a popular California burger chain. Their burgers are simple, good, and reasonably priced. We ordered 2 cheeseburger combos (burger, fries, and drink).
After approximately a 2 hour drive, we finally arrived at Monterey. We stopped by Carmel Mission Basilica Museum, which is also an active parish. It was closed when we visited, but we were able to snap some photos.
Afterwards, we wandered Carmel-by-the-Sea and headed to Carmel Beach to watch the sunset. Ocean Ave is the main street in Carmel-by-the-Sea and is lined with art galleries, boutique stores, and restaurants.
After the sunset, we headed to Hula’s Island Grill for dinner. Hula’s Island Grill specializes in Island fare. We ordered the Duke’s luau pork plate and the Jawaiian jerk pork plate. The food was delicious and makes me want to go to Hawaii!
After dinner, we took a stroll along Cannery Row, which is lined with a variety of stores.
To conclude the night, we headed to Fieldwork Brewing Company. The brew pub is near a shopping centre and offers huge flights. To be honest, the beers were not my favourite, but the location was interesting.
Complete Day 3 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
9:00am: Head to the Painted Ladies. Have a picnic!
10:00am: Visit Christmas Tree Point at Twin Peaks (16 minute drive from the Painted Ladies).
11:00am: Pick up In and Out Burger for lunch on the way out of San Francisco (25 minute drive from Christmas Tree Point).
2:00pm: Drive to Monterey (1 hour and 42 minute drive from In and Out Burger). Visit the Carmel Mission Basilica Museum.
3:00pm: Wander Ocean Ave at Carmel-by-the-Beach (5 minute drive from Carmel Mission Basilica Museum). Watch the sunset at Carmel Beach.
5:00pm: Have dinner at Hula’s Island Grill (14 minute drive from Carmel-by-the-Beach).
6:00pm: Have a drink at Fieldwork Brewing Company (5 minute drive from Hula’s Island Grill).
8-Day California Road Trip Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 8-Day California Road Trip Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip in California!
Travels with Carolyne 