Walking & Biking Pacific Gardens Inn to Monterey

A few questions about day trips from the Inn.

We are not frequent bikers but not totally uncoordinated. My biggest concern would be the drivers on curvy Oceanview Blvd? Also, are there hills to traverse between PG and Monterey?

Does one buy/rent a lock with bike and is there a place to lock up outside if we combine this with a visit to the aquarium? Is this about 3 miles one way?

Asilomar is a short walk from Pacific Gardens Inn? So if we take a stroll after dinner will we have access to beach/park and should we bring flashlights?

And one more unrelated sort of:

Driving down to Big Sur for the day, what is a recommended place to buy sandwich supplies?

thanks!

Walking %26amp; Biking Pacific Gardens Inn to Monterey

Hi. I%26#39;ll answer your questions as well as I can, although I%26#39;m not a bike rider.

1. The best and safest route is the recreation trail, which you can pick up at Lover%26#39;s Point, at the foot of Forest Ave. in PG. Maybe I%26#39;m just chicken, but if I were you, I%26#39;d ride along Lighthouse Avenue into downtown and then turn down toward Lover%26#39;s Point. Ocean View Blvd. is winding in places, and many of the drivers are tourists who can get easily distracted by the views (no offense to tourists). There are some hills between the hotel and downtown PG, but they%26#39;re small.

2. Adventures by the Sea is a good bike rental place, and all rentals comes with helmet and lock. Because I don%26#39;t bike, I%26#39;ve never noticed bike racks outside the aquarium, but there have to be some. I looked at the aquarium%26#39;s site to see if they mention them, but didn%26#39;t find anything. This is a bike-friendly area, though.

3. When are you coming? If you come in the summer (or even in September), it will be light enough to access the beach with no problem. The hotel folks will be able to tell you the best walking route to the beach.

4. If you%26#39;re coming within the next week, Big Sur could be a problem due to fire-related road closures. Hopefully, things will improve soon, but the fire is only about 3 percent contained right now. Should you want picnic supplies, though, Grove Market in downtown PG is good. If you want ready-made sandwiches, try Goodie%26#39;s deli, also in downtown PG.

Walking %26amp; Biking Pacific Gardens Inn to Monterey

Thanks for prompt response and clear directions.

Yes, I%26#39;m one of those tourists that would be distracted on Oceanview.

I%26#39;m glad helmets and locks are provided. :)

Well, we are arriving in 2 weeks and I booked in Pacific Grove because our Big Sur reservations might be undoable depending on the persistence of the fire.

We still hope to go as far up (from SLO) and down Route 1 (from PG) as would be safe, and worth the trip, determined by the conditions those days.

One more question - Do you know if Monterey Aquarium tickets are typically available for same day purchase BY PHONE?

We may visit if we can%26#39;t spend as much time in Big Sur as we planned. When we visited in %26#39;04 we ordered online a week in advance and picked them up the day we arrived.

Definetely best aquarium we have visited! But we won%26#39;t make time this trip unless it is a last minute alternative and then probably enter about 2pm.

If we choose to WALK to the Aquarium, instead of biking, where is the public parking in PG to do this?

Or is it THAT close to Pacific Gardens Inn that we can leave from there? I would want to keep the walking to under 2 miles in case of sudden inclement weather.

Hi again. The number to call for aquarium tickets is (800) 756-3737. I don%26#39;t know how they handle same-day phone purchases, but since it%26#39;s a toll-free number, you could call now and ask them that.

I would say that it%26#39;s between 2.5 and 3 miles to the aquarium from your hotel. As far as sudden inclement weather, the worst that can happen is that the fog rolls in, and if you have a sweater or light jacket with you, no problem. Right now, with all the fires burning, we%26#39;d LOVE a good downpour, but it simply doesn%26#39;t happen in the summer.

If you want to drive partway and walk the rest of the way to the aquarium, you can park for free on the numbered streets that run perpendicular to Ocean View Blvd. Starting around, say, 12th St, drive the block between Ocean View Blvd. and Central Avenue. Just go up and down those blocks and find a parking space. From there you just walk down to the water and get on the recreation trail. It%26#39;s a nice walk. The lower the numbered streets go, the closer you are to the aquarium.

I hope Big Sur works out for you. Someone just posted that Post Ranch is reopening tomorrow and that the road from Monterey is open again. I don%26#39;t know what the air quality will be like for the next while.

Let me know if I can help further.

PGd

Have they started charging for parking along Ocean View Blvd in your fair town?

No K-mom, not yet--never, I hope! The reason I tell people to park on the side streets is that there is less traffic and less in-and-out parking going on.

Thank you! You had me worried there for a bit. I know they%26#39;ve been talking about implementing meters along Ocean View Blvd and at Lover%26#39;s Point.

The City if Pismo Beach installed parking meters this past March at the pier parking lot(to the tune of $900,000+) and it has proven to be a failure. Visitors just flock to the free lot at the end of downtown or park further away and walk to town.

Stoopid city councils! Monterey can get away with paid parking, but Pismo Beach is no Monterey!

Uh... that should be City OF Pismo Beach, but ';if'; kinda fits %26#39;em.

thanks again for the thorough reply!

You%26#39;re welcome, Mom of Teen! K-mom, don%26#39;t get me started on City Councils! I could tell you stories that would curl your hair!

And I have stories of my own that would curl yours!

Our city council put a skate board park across the street from where I live! NOT brilliant!

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