A Valentine’s Day Excursion // 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
Michia likes to surprise me for Valentine’s Day, so I never get to know where we’re going until we’re on our way, sometimes not until we get there. So prior to us getting to our first stop, all I knew was that it would probably be chilly, we’d be doing a good bit of city and nature walking, and that it would be more convenient to leave from and return to San Jose.
We were spending the weekend with my parents in San Jose, because it was Lunar New Year on Friday, and we left the house early, for a full day adventure. I told Michia that the only thing I suspected we were doing today was going south to Monterey or Santa Cruz because that would make more sense than going north, only to return home to San Jose, but he surprised me when he said our first stop was in San Jose. I mean, what is there to do in San Jose?
15 minutes later, we pulled into a condo complex one of my friends coincidentally lives in. Confused, I followed him to meet a man, and when I saw the man was dressed casually, I had a feeling we were renting a car for a nice day drive. Lo and behold, as we turned the corner, there was a beautiful, white BMW i8 sitting on the driveway.
Some background: we’ve been thinking about getting a new car, and the i8 is definitely a contender on the list, so we had talked about renting the car for a day to test drive it. Turned out Valentine’s Day was that day.
Michia rented the car on Turo, and it was a very seamless process. In all of 5 minutes, we had the keys, loaded the car, and drove off to… Monterey! (It’s really hard to surprise me.)
We were slightly worried about the weather, but the drive was beautiful, and soon we were seated at Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar for brunch. To get there, we had to go downstairs, through the beautiful, historic lobby of Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa.
The outdoor seating at Schooners was perfect, and though it was cold, they had enclosed the space in plastic, and heaters by every table. For drinks, we ordered their Big Little Lies and Spritz Before the Spa cocktails, and for food, their Dungeness Crab Benedict and Braised Lamb Hash. Would highly recommend.
The crab benedict was shredded crab, not crab cakes, and was Michia’s favorite crab benedict ever.
We left brunch absolutely stuffed, and walked around Monterey for a bit, before spending some time in Pacific Grove, on our way to the main attraction for the day, the 17-Mile Drive.
I grew up in the Bay Area, and I had never heard of it, but the 17-Mile Drive is a road that passes through an exclusive neighborhood (one with eight golf courses), with an entrance fee for vehicles and all. The ocean views, homes (that can only be called estates), and golf courses along the drive are all spectacular, and it’s the only way to access the Lone Cypress, or visit Pebble Beach.
Pebble Beach and TripSavvy both have great guides for visiting the Drive, but here were some of the highlights for me.
We entered through the Pacific Grove gate, and drove the trail counterclockwise, following the numbers in the guide map they give you. The first and my favorite stop was the Inn at Spanish Grove (this is not a numbered stop on the map, but definitely stop here!)
From here, the road follows the coast, twisting and turning from one stellar vantage point to another. The turbulent waters were such beautiful colors, even with the overcast skies.
Of course, we couldn’t do the entire drive without a small car photoshoot.
Every stop is marked with signs, so even if you don’t really follow the map, as long as you keep your eyes out, you’ll know when to stop. The rows of cars at each of these points also gives it away.
Along the drive are locations where seals are known to gather and give birth. We didn’t see any seals sunbathing, but the rocks were beautiful, nevertheless.
It took us about 3 hours to do the entire loop, with a 30 minute car photoshoot to remember the day with. We’d highly recommend renting a nice car to make this drive with. It’s so beautiful, and the car adds to the heightened sense of luxury that the neighborhood exudes.
When we returned the car that evening, the car’s owner asked how Michia did, and the only possible answer was that he deserved an 11/10. It was an amazing day trip, and I highly recommend it if you live near Carmel or Monterey!
Some tips for the 17-Mile Drive:
Go on a sunny day, if you can. While the overcast skies still made for a great day, more sun would have made the day even better. The colors in the ocean and along the coast would also have popped a bit more, which is great for photos.
Pebble Beach Market has a wine, cheese, and crackers section, perfect for a picnic if you didn’t come prepared. There are lots of picnic tables along the coast (the guide tells you where), so definitely take advantage of those on a nice day.
If you go through the loop faster than you anticipate, Carmel and Monterey are both great cities to explore!
Grab lunch or dinner at the Inn at Spanish Bay. The outdoor dining at Roys at the Inn at Spanish Bay looked so romantic, with views over the golf course and the water. We decided that trying to walk in on Valentine’s Day wasn’t a great idea, but we’ll definitely be back. Eating inside the loop also reimburses your ticket, so the meal is immediately discounted $10.50!
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My Outfit Details: Calvin Klein coat (no longer sold, similar), BB Dakota sweater, Liverpool Jeans, Naturalizer boots
Michia’s Outfit Details: Banana Republic coat (no longer sold), Banana Republic cashmere sweater, Uniqlo pants, Cole Haan shoes (no longer sold, similar here and here)