• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Missing Lokness

Easy Everyday Recipes

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • So-Cal Travel Guide
  • Privacy Policy

Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip (Central Coast)

November 6, 2015 By Lokness 5 Comments

Pacific Coast Highway

Last week, Bryan and I went on a getaway to Central Coast, California. We have always heard about Big Sur, but never been there. Since Bryan has max out his vacation days at work , we decided to take a couple of days off for a road trip through Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Monterey to Pismo Beach. PCH runs along the coastline of California. The route was built in 1934 for drivers to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Nowadays, most people would choose other highways over PCH. There are too many turns on PCH and it takes much longer time to travel. However, PCH continues to be one of the best scenic drives in the world.

We first drove up to Monterey. Monterey is a beautiful town with friendly locals and great things to see, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and wild sea otters. And of course, there is our favorite restaurant, Passionfish. It is our must-visit place when we are in the area. We are always satisfied when we came out of the restaurant. Their food is simple, flavorful and clean. Their fish dishes are superb, especially the scallops. If I can be there every week, I would. After dinner, we went back to the hotel for the night.

The next morning, we started our day with a big brunch. Since there aren’t many towns and restaurants on that stretch of the PCH, we needed to make sure we are filled up. We went to Katy’s Place in Carmel-by-the-Sea. By surprise, it was some of the best brunch places we ever had. The eggs were perfectly poached for the egg benedict. The sauce was savory and creamy. My Swedish pancakes were just as good. They were stuffed with fresh berries and whipped cream. I have never seen any restaurant that would put out so many berries on one plate. Impressive and delicious!

Time to hit the road!

1st stop: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

It is just 5 minutes away from the city. But man, what a gorgeous state park! Because we were on a tight schedule, we only picked two short trails, Cypress Grove Trail and Bird Island Trail. The stunning cypress trees along the cliffs were incredible. Some of the cypress tress were orange in color, because they were covered by algae. It was unique and different. I was in love with them. The rocks and cliffs were also impressive. We even saw some harbor seals and sea otters (happy dance!). There are so much to offer. If we have time, we would like to spend at least half a day to explore. Bryan and I don’t hike, so I was a little concern before the trip. No worries. These are the easiest trails that even children can do it. Just watch out for poison oaks. They were seriously everywhere and along the trails. Yuck! Good that we didn’t get any on us.

Point Lobos State Reserve

Bryan and I at Point Lobos State Reserve

Point Lobos State Reserve

2nd stop: Garrapata State Park

The park is along PCH. We just stopped every once a while and get some pictures. The Garrapata beach is pretty nice, but it was too windy that day. We did a quick walk and moved on. One funny thing was that I almost got ocean water in my shoes. I was bending down to take some pictures and videos with my phone. The waves moved in all the sudden (watch the video). Good that I kind of saw it coming, I quickly turned back and ran and ran. Bryan said if I was 1 second late, my shoes would be soaked with water. Close call! 😛

3rd stop: Bixby Bridge

The world-famous Bixby Bridge! If you don’t know what I am talking about. I guarantee you have seen it at least once on TV for a car commercial. I saw one last week, although I can’t remember what car it was for. We got a few pictures and continued our drive.

Bixby Bridge

4th stop: Pfeiffer Beach

Getting there wasn’t easy. For the last 2 miles, we were driving on a narrow winding road. Many stops and turns. Two things about this beach: purple sand and giant rocks. Even though not every inch of sands were purple, it was still very beautiful. The view of the rock arch and rock formation with the crashing waves was breathtaking. We wish we could stay longer.

Pfeiffer Beach

Driving through Big Sur was a completely different experience. We were surround by big and tall tress. We didn’t get the feeling that we are near the coast. It was like in a forest. In the middle of the forest, there was the Big Sur Bakery. We made a very needed stop. We were getting hungry and little sleepy. We shared a hot mocha, butter croissant and ham and cheese croissant. Everything was tasty. We got our energy back.

5th stop: Elephant Seal Rookery

The drive from Big Sur to San Simeon took almost 2 hours. There was no phone reception most of the time. The road was curvy. By the time we got to the rookery, it was about 5:30pm. Sun was supposed to set at 6:15pm. We made it on time for some elephant seals’ actions. The seals were too adorable! I love it there. It was a perfect setting to be able to enjoy the sunset with the seals.

Elephant Seals at Elephant Seal Rookery

Sunset at Elephant Seal Rookery

With the sun already set, we rushed to San Luis Obispo downtown for dinner. We ate tapas and paella. It was fairly good, but nothing too spectacular. For the night, we stayed at a hotel in Pismo Beach next to the ocean. We had a good night sleep.

6th stop: Pismo Beach Monarch Butterflies Grove

The next day, we went to the close by park to check out some Monarch butterflies. They migrate from Canada and Northern states to escape winter. Pismo Beach is one of the areas that the butterflies like to stay and come back every year. They gather and cluster on Eucalyptus trees. I am scared of bugs of all kinds. I thought I would freak out, but I didn’t. They mostly stayed on the trees and didn’t move, so I was fine with it. If you don’t pay attention, you wouldn’t even know there are butterflies on the tree. They looked like leaves. There are tons and tons of butterflies. The sight was awesome. That makes you wonder the magic of nature.

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterflies Grove

7th stop: Los Olivos

On the way back home, we passed by Los Olivos. This is a small town near Santa Barbara. It has been blooming in recent years, because they are packed with wine tasting rooms. There are more than 30 tasting rooms within a few blocks. Truly amazing! We have been here once and absolutely fall in love with one particular tasting room, Saarloos & Sons. They have a cupcake shop inside their store. They pair wine with cupcakes. Oh, so good! I’m a horrible drinker. I got tipsy with barely a few sips. But that day, I pretty much finished my 5 cups of wine. My face was burning hot and my head was spinning (see the picture). I can hardly walk out the store. After lunch, we continued our drive home. I was completely knocked out on the way home. 🙂

This was a really wonderful trip. We were so amazed that there are places like that in California. One moment we were in the beach and the next moment we were going through a forest. There are too much out there for us to explore California. We will need to do more road trip like this for sure.

Thank you so much for reading this long post. Hope you are still here by now. If you are interested of doing a road trip through Big Sur, please let me know. I can send you my itinerary, which should be helpful with planning. Have a good weekend!

*P.S. Bryan was the photographer of the trip. He took all these photos.

Attractions:

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Garrapata State Park

Bixby Bridge

Pfeiffer Beach

Elephant Seal Rookery

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterflies Grove

Food:

Passionfish

Katy’s Place

Big Sur Bakery

Filed Under: Live, Travel Tagged With: Big Sur, California, Carmel, pacific coast highway, Pismo Beach, road trip, San Simeon, travel

Previous Post: « Swedish Meatballs
Next Post: Smoked Sausage and Corn Loaded Mashed Potatoes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Monica says

    November 11, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    You guys have the best getaways. : ) The other summer, we drove from LA to SF on Highway 1. We rented a convertible…and while my hubby was enjoying the ride, the little guy (who was stuck in back) and I were wind-swept, freezing, and ready to fly next time! : )

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      November 11, 2015 at 3:53 pm

      LOL! Poor little one! That sounds like a really rough ride. Haha! Yeah, it is too long of a drive on PCH. It scared me that we were turning so much and going close to the cliffs. Good that I didn’t have to drive!

      Reply
  2. AiPing | Curious Nut says

    November 12, 2015 at 10:44 pm

    Oh my god. If I ever leave LA, I’d better take this trip up. So amazing. Now I’m really inspired to make this trip.

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      November 16, 2015 at 2:14 pm

      You really need to do a trip like this. It is incredible to see the other side of California. And of course, a good glass of wine to end the trip. Right? 😛

      Reply
      • AiPing | Curious Nut says

        November 18, 2015 at 10:25 am

        Lol. Wine sounds good… only I don’t drink. 🙂

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hello there!

Welcome! I'm Lokness. Currently live in Los Angles. Grew up in Hong Kong. Obsessed with chocolate & ice cream. Cooking is something I love. This is where I share my stories and recipes. Want to know more? Click here.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Popular Posts

  • Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup #soup #hongkongfood #vegetables #beefbone #borschtsoup | The Missing Lokness Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup
  • Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) #magnoliabakery #copycatrecipe #banana #pudding #bananapudding #partyfood #nilawafer #dessert #dessertrecipe | The Missing Lokness Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch)
  • Easy Sushi Bake #sushibake #hawaiianrecipe #imitationcrab #avocado #easyrecipe #furikake #seaweed #dinner #dinnerrecipe #appetizer | The Missing Lokness Easy Sushi Bake
  • Purin (Japanese Caramel Custard Pudding)
  • Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower #sidedish #pastasalad #couscous #curry | The Missing Lokness Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower

missinglokness

🍩 Recipe Developer & Food Lover (I cook & eat around the city!) 🐹 Animals Lover 🏠 Los Angeles🌴(From HK 🇭🇰)

Happy Year of the Rabbit (& Cat)!🐰🐱 May this Happy Year of the Rabbit (& Cat)!🐰🐱 May this new year brings you good fortune, happiness & prosperity. Gong Hei Fat Choy! 
恭喜發財! 龍馬精神! 好事連連! 萬事如意!

The food in the picture is sweet glutinous rice dumplings w/ black sesame 落湯糍(糯米糍). The word “糍” sounds similar to “錢”, so the dumplings represent money. Eating them will bring you lots of wealth! 

The dumplings are chewy & gooey like mochi. Coated in black sesame seeds. Right before eating, dip them in sugar. Perfect sweet treat for the new year! 

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2013/02/13/sweet-glutinous-rice-dumplings-with-black-sesame/
We just can’t get enough of @somisomiicecream! T We just can’t get enough of @somisomiicecream! Their soft serve is creamy, yet not too sweet. Lots of choices too, like ube, matcha, black sesame etc. The taiyaki is crispy on the outside & filled w/ goodness, like Nutella, red bean & custard. My only wish is that they open a store in the San Gabriel Valley, so we don’t have to travel far every time!😆

🌟 Somi Somi (Many locations in CA)
📍 9828 Garden Grove Blvd #105, Garden Grove, CA 92844
2022 is coming to an end! It has been a much bette 2022 is coming to an end! It has been a much better year for me personally. We traveled a bit more (Denver, Monterey, Maine, & Boston) & ate lots of incredible food. I’m drooling just thinking about some of the food. Also, my parents flew in from HK. We finally got to see each other after 3 years. We spent time together & attended my sister’s wedding. And we all finally got covid. It’s looking like things are getting back to normal. I truly hope it is! 

For the blog, although I didn’t post many recipes this year, they’re recipes that I would use again & again. For the Top 6 recipes of 2022, swipe to see what recipes they are! ➡️ The bonus last picture is my favorite pick of the year! 

I can’t wait until 2023, because we’ll be heading to the UK very soon! 

Happy 2023! 

For top 6 ranking & direct links of recipes, visit my blog.⬆️ #linkinprofile #TheMissingLokness 

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/30/2022-top-6-recipes/
When it’s cold outside, this Tapioca Pearls w/ T When it’s cold outside, this Tapioca Pearls w/ Taro 芋頭西米露 is the dessert I crave! It’s hot, sweet, & earthy. It’s a very classic Cantonese dessert that you can always find in Chinese restaurants. 

This is the last recipe of 2022 from me. Happy New Year! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the loves & supports! ❤️❤️❤️

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/27/tapioca-pearls-with-taro/
Happy Holidays! Wish you all a warm & joyful time. Happy Holidays! Wish you all a warm & joyful time. We already had a slice or two of the Christmas cake (@parisbaguette_usa)! 😊🎄
Galbi mandu (dumpling) from Chang Hwa Dang (CHD) a Galbi mandu (dumpling) from Chang Hwa Dang (CHD) are so damn GOOD! 🥟 Smokey, little sweet, meaty, & crispy skin. I could eat a few plates of those! We first tried the sampler, but was most impressed by the galbi ones. We like the pork too, but the jalapeño one was way too spicy for my taste. It actually has half of a jalapeño in it.🔥

🌟 Chang Hwa Dang (CHD)
📍 3377 Wilshire Blvd Ste 104 Los Angeles, CA 90010
❣️ Galbi mandu, pork mandu
Got the treats ready for Santa! Lemon cookies, str Got the treats ready for Santa! Lemon cookies, strawberry marshmallows, chocolate marshmallows & of course chocolate chip cookies. All of my favorites! Making all these treat took me a few days, but hearing everyone enjoyed them is all that matters. 

// What are you baking this year? //

Recipe links in profile ⬆️ #TheMissingLokness
Getting into the holiday season w/ a festive cockt Getting into the holiday season w/ a festive cocktail, Fresh Cranberry Gin & Tonic! Elevate the classic w/ sweet & tart cranberries. I get drunk easily, so this cocktail is heavy on flavors & not too boozy. In other words, you can have a few of these!😜 

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/12/01/fresh-cranberry-gin-and-tonic/
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · The Missing Lokness · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...