Monterey & Santa Barbara - where to go/stay?

[wondersofwine]

If you haven't already departed on your trip...
I lived in Monterey for three years in the 80's and three years in the 90's. Bed and breakfasts in the area tend to be very expensive. One of the nicest is Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove (http://www.7gables-grandview.com)
Best Western Monterey Beach Hotel is nice--oceanside rooms are more expensive than gardenside (800-242-8627). I liked Casa Munras Garden Hotel right in Monterey on my last trip back (www.casamunras-hotel.com). Less expensive still is the Carmel Sands Lodge in Carmel (a few blocks from Carmel Beach)--www.carmelsandslodge.com. There are also a bunch of relatively inexpensive motels along Munras Avenue in Monterey. Some are listed on http://www.explorer1.com/monterey/monterey2.htm.
You must visit Monterey Bay Aquarium. Allow a couple hours and they have a nice gift shop. Almost all of the nearby parking is metered (bring plenty of quarters) or they have shuttle buses from some of the hotels to get to the Aquarium and around town. Beautiful nature walks (if weather cooperates) go from Lovers' Point in Pacific Grove toward Asilomar and the 17-Mile Drive or at Point Lobos south of Carmel (there's a fee to drive your car into Point Lobos area, also a fee to drive along 17-Mile Drive but it gives very nice views of the shore and exclusive homes.) The baby may be a little young for the carousel (indoors near Cannery Row) and for play in Dennis the Menace Park.
Don't know if you and hubby are interested in touring the historic adobe homes in Monterey (I use to be a volunteer tour guide at Casa Amesti one Sunday a month). The Maritime Museum in downtwon Monterey might be of more interest to you. Carmel is full of expensive shops but also quaint houses on crooked tree-shaded streets, nice art galleries, etc. and lots of good restaurants.
Pacific Grove has a lot of Victorian homes (originally vacation cottages but now lived in year-round).
Several wineries have tasting rooms in Carmel Valley (Chateau Julien and others.) Bargetto and other wineries are represented in a tasting room in the Cannery Row area. Ask the receptionists at your inn or hotel or motel or check the telephone directory.
Rosine's in downtown Monterey is a great place for lunch--reasonably priced. For splurge dinners you have a lot of choices--including Anton & Michel in Carmel-By-the-Sea, John Pisto's Whaling Station Inn, IK's favorite the Sardine Factory. Probably in the more moderate cost category would be Monterey Joe's on Fremont Street (Italian food). The Barnyard (a wonderfully landscaped shopping destination in Carmel) has a number of restaurants in the reasonable price range.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 09-17-2003).]