17 Mile Drive Stop in Pebble Beach
California is just beautiful.A few hours north from Los Angeles and it's just more so. Driving up PCH and Highway One is just stunning in so many ways.
From the cliff-side rugged beaches, to the cerulean blue water, to even to freshness of the air caressing your face as you zoom past the hustle and bustle of city life, the best way to experience California is by driving through it....
And when you keep driving north, past Los Angeles, Ventura, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo...you arrive at one of the most beautiful places in California: The Monterey Peninsula.
The crowing jewel of the Monterey Bay Peninsula is Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Sunset from my balcony at Hofsas House in Carmel
A quaint town, and as the name suggests, is a seaside village located in the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel-by-the-Sea is known to charm their adult childless travelers, dog-loving couples and girlfriends escaping their 9-5 routines with boutique shops, art galleries, upscale restaurants and wine tasting rooms.
Dog-friendly Amenities at Hofsas House
Looking to reboot after a long semester in school, my hubby, Maya and me drove to Carmel-by-the-Sea and stayed at the Bavarian-inspired Hofsas House Hotel.Hofsas House is a woman-owned hotel that has been a Carmel staple for 60 years and continues to impress guests with it's warm hospitality and small town charm. While all the rooms have a unique flair, our suite-style dog-friendly room had a private balcony overlooking the pool, a fireplace, large bathroom, cocktail area and wetbar. Wifi was also available and easy to access, although, with the beauty of the sunsets, or sunrises, I can't say that we used it much.
Upon our arrival to Carmel, Hofsas House greeted us with a Monterey wine and cheese selection from The Cheese Shop in Carmel, which was a welcome afternoon snack before we got dressed to go to the pool.
Maya was also greeted with the Hofsas House 'Tail Wagging Package,' which included a special dog bed, collapsible dog bowl, treats, and a letter from the hotels pet concierge that included a few insider tips and recommendations!
The Monterey Wine & Cheese Pairing ($30) can be added to your stay
After an hour or so poolside, we gathered our things to return to our room and get ready for dinner. Unlike Los Angeles, however, once you arrive to Carmel, you rarely use your car.We simply got ready and walked with Maya to La Dolce Vita, a lovely dog-friendly Italian Restaurant that happened to host live music.
Parmesan Calamari Steak over a bed of Risotto
Carmel is a safe town, and made us comfortable enough to explore the small streets with Maya in tow before we headed back to our room....and then something amazing happened: The TV was turned off before we went to sleep. That's when I knew that we had fully disconnected and were enjoying our time together.
The next morning I woke-up with the ocean breeze softly swinging the hotel curtains, and the seagulls making their oh-so-famous ocean-sound in the background.
I left hubby and Maya in bed, and walked to the lobby where Hofsas House provides daily continental breakfast that you can take back to your room.
Instead of hanging out with the other guests, I took a breakfast tray and set-up in our balcony while Hubby and Maya cuddled a bit longer.
That afternoon we walked with Maya to the main area of town and stopped by various wine-tasting rooms with our 'Wine Tasting Passport,' which gave us the opportunity to walk through town and try different wineries.
We also viewed a few galleries and did a little shopping at Kris Kringle of Carmel, Diggidy Dog Boutique and Lula's Chocolateries. By midday we had a light take-out lunch from Salmuria Luca and later stopped by to taste the yummy organic juices from Carmel Belle.
By early evening we headed back to Hofsas House to get ready for dinner at Abalonetti Seafood, located at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, which was a short drive from Carmel.
Abalonetti Seafood has incredible service and even had a dog-friendly menu for Maya. Of course we couldn't resist and ordered a burger patty for her - that was served on a doggy saucer. As for human food - what can I say? We're huge seafood fans, and Monterrey never disappoints.
As most weekend getaways tend to be, they seems too short by the end of the weekend. But before we headed back to Los Angeles, we picked-up a packed lunch at 5th Avenue Deli to enjoy at the dog-friendly leash-free beach with Maya.
This was Maya's first time being off leash at a beach, and trust me, she truly enjoyed every moment of running around the white sand dunes of the Carmel Beach!
Before we left Carmel, we drove through the 17 mile drive (Pebble Beach) and took Highway 1 from Carmel to San Luis Obispo. Although it added a couple of hours to our drive, the view was entirely worth it!
Until our next visit - we have created many new memories of the beauty that the Monterey Peninsula is!
To plan your visit to Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula, contact Hofsas House and ask about their weekend getaway promotions or add-on's to make your stay more memorable. That's exactly what we did - and it absolutely made our stay more remarkable because we left the planning to them.
Web: http://www.hofsashouse.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hofsashousehotel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hofsashouse
Ana Lydia
