Road Trip

 
Before my graduation from grad school, my mother and I decided to go on a road trip from Irvine, Ca up to Carmel, Ca. It was a six hour drive but well worth the effort.

We spent two nights in L.A. at the famous Beverly Hills Hotel. The "Pink Palace" was the reason why Beverly Hills got its name. The service at the hotel is impeccable.

The hotel room where they leave fruit and cookies.

The outside patio of the famous Polo Lounge. Many of Old Hollywood dined here.

We went to the Grove where we got drinks at Mixology.  

A fountain at the Grove

Mixology is known for its variety of drinks.

I tried the Last Word. A drink from the early 1920's.

The day we planned to leave, we decided to make a stop at some of the famous places in L.A.

We visited the Walk of Fame and the famous the TCL "Grauman's" Chinese Theater.

We also went to Madame Tussauds. The wax figures are very life-like.

Hanging out with Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Morgan Freeman to name a few. 

Having explored some of the famous parts of L.A., we decided to start our road trip. The route we took showed a part of California that isn't normally seen. It was fun driving through this area. There were surprises around every corner. We saw miles of oil rigs, farms, and mountains. We also saw the last stop of James Dean and the intersection where he crashed his car.

James Dean's Last Stop, Blackwell's Corner, offers a variety of homegrown nuts and fudge. It also has a mannequin of James Dean sitting at one of their stools. 

They have a giant James Dean sign as well.

We arrived at Carmel that night to a rustic hotel overlooking Big Sur. 

It had no air conditioning but the view was awesome.

The little town of Carmel is quaint and small. Boutique shops line the streets and the town is dog friendly. At a local bakery, we were able to buy some fun dog treats for my dog. We also toured the Carmel Mission nearby. It is one of the 21 missions that is connected by El Camino Real. 

The front of the Carmel Mission

We also drove 15 minutes down the road to Monterey where we saw Cannery Row. The old Cannery District is now a thriving shopping area. On the way back, we hit the 17 mile drive at Pebble Beach. The drive is scenic and allows you to see wildlife that lives nearby.

Pebble Beach is full of smooth rocks that look like pebbles.

See that speck in the ocean? That's a sea otter. 

The Lone Cypress Tree. It's the logo for Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The Famous Golf Course.

After two nights at Carmel, we headed back to Irvine. We stopped at a couple more missions along the way but we were tired by the time we arrived home. The drive was exhausting but was worth every minute. This road trip showed me a part of California I never would have seen. 

~A.E.  Keener

For more info on my trip:

The Beverly Hills Hotel: http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/

Mixology: http://www.mixology101.com/

The Last Word Recipe: http://cocktails.about.com/od/ginrecipes/r/last_word.htm

Madame Tussauds: http://www.madametussauds.com/Hollywood/

Carmel Mission: http://www.carmelmission.org/

Pebble Beach 17 mile drive: http://www.pebblebeach.com/activities/explore-the-monterey-peninsula/17-mile-drive