It had been since our honeymoon of 2011 that we had gone on a distant trip by ourselves, yet here we were, sitting at the airport with just each other and it was a kind of incredible, kind of odd feeling. I had wiped the tears from my eyes just hours earlier after we dropped the girls off at my mom’s and I knew I would miss them. But the promise of a little one-on-one time (longer than the couple hours we typically get on date night) with Tyler made me feel better. We hopped the plane from MSP –> SJC (San Jose) and kicked back for a relaxing 3.5 hour flight. No kids, no bottles, no entertaining of little hands, it was admittedly so nice!
We picked Carmel, CA because I wanted to check out the Hofsas House which has award-winning views of the ocean from your room. It also offers the history and quaintness of a fun little getaway that you don’t get at big chain hotels. Each room has a different theme and they just made it feel so homey!
We received accommodations and press discounts along the trip, however all opinions/thoughts are mine.
Since SJC airport was about an hour from the Hofsas House, we rented a car and chose to cruise the coast, checking out all the scenery along the way. We made sure to stop at Lover’s Point in Monterey County which I would definitely recommend. The views were unparalleled and we even got to see a few surfers brave the cold water (it was early May and that water was pretty chilly!) The weather was amazing though, it wasn’t too hot or cold, it felt just right. If you’re aiming for warmer beach weather though, I’d recommend going maybe later in the year (July, August, September?) But for us Minnesotans, the sunshine and fresh air was just what the soul needed.
Before getting to the hotel, we also took a drove up 17 Mile Drive (in Pebble Beach) which ends at Pebble Beach Golf Course where they just hosted the U.S. Open (golf, for those of you unfamiliar!)
Let me tell you, the houses on 17 Mile Drive are breathtaking. They have the most picturesque scenes from their balconies and I can’t even imagine living there. I’d never want to leave my house. Like, ever.
We checked into the Hofsas House around 3-4pm that day and got a little tour of the grounds and our room. They’re actually one of the few places to stay in Carmel that have a swimming pool, which is another plus for us normally. We didn’t have much time to do a whole lot of swimming though with a quick weekend stay, but had we had the kids or more time we probably would have taken a little dip as it looked inviting!
After getting settled in, we wanted to grab a drink and have some dinner in Carmel. There were plenty of options but we first checked out Scheid Vineyards for a glass of wine and then popped over to Mulligan Public House (obviously a local favorite). Both of which were awesome, and set the bar very high for the trip! We loved the Scheid wine so much we bought some to have at home. Side note: it didn’t last long.
Saturday morning we woke up early and got started with our adventures! To be fair, “early” in California is a loose term as they’re 3 hours behind in their time zone so at home it was 9:00am, when in Carmel it was 6am. It’s probably the one time you’ll find me up and functioning at that time.
Anyways, after a quick stop the 5th Avenue Deli for picnic supplies, and a coffee stop at Starbucks we hit State Route 1 and took it all the way down the coast until we hit McWay Falls (eek! waterfalls, one of my favorite things!) Unfortunately the park was closed that day so we didn’t get to see them, but I settled for the amazing views along the way instead. What do they say? Something like it’s not about the destination but the journey to get there. And that was the case, because we really enjoyed the journey to get there!
The plan was to take our picnic from the deli and eat it at the Falls but that didn’t quite go as planned, so we found a quiet place up the coast on the beach and enjoyed some wine, some sandwiches and each other’s company all at the same time. Because life’s all about improvising, right?
You can’t tell me that view isn’t spectacular! It was just miles upon miles of scenic views, each one more breathtaking than the last. How is that even possible? Minus going home to the kids, I really didn’t want to leave. I felt like Moana, the part of her song, “See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me, And no one knows, how far it gooooooes…” Something like that, I’d say.
We got back to the hotel in time to get ready for dinner and venture out to Monterey. We had reservations at Abalonetti at Fisherman’s Wharf, which was kind of a neat area. The whole pier is full of shops, restaurants and it’s surrounded by sailboats. It was neat!
The food was delicious, and it was amazing to eat some seriously fresh coastal options! We started with some crab cakes (which are my favorite!) and then Tyler went with a platter of shrimp, calamari, cod and fries. I was feeling spent from all of our travels and just wanted some good comfort chicken and veggies. It was all super tasty and fresh – plus the views of the pier and wharf were pretty cool to look out at as well!
When we were finished, it was pretty chilly out! We headed back to the hotel and enjoyed some wine (compliments of the hotel) next to our real/working fireplace. Hubby lit it up and it smelled SO good. And it felt so nice to just sit and relax next to the fire with a glass of wine and one of my favorite people in the world! (Our daughters have to come in at a close second.)
I couldn’t believe how fast the trip went, and how much ground we covered but there was so much to see and do that it just went so fast. We absolutely loved our stay at the Hofsas House and Carmel was SUCH an amazing town. We both said on the airplane home that we would absolutely go back someday, even if it meant bringing the girls.
If you ever find yourself in the area, whether it be Pebble Beach or Monterey, or anywhere near there – I would definitely, hands-down recommend visiting Carmel and staying where we did. We made so many amazing memories in just the few days we were there! I can’t wait to go back someday <3
Happy travels,
Sarah
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