From Ukiah we bombed south to Monterey. I’ve never explored that area, and Big Sur has been on my bucket list forever. The plan was to stay two nights, but we ended up staying for three because Highway 1 south of Big Sur was closed due to a landslide, which kept us from continuing south from there as we’d planned.

This first night we splurged on an ocean view hotel room. We couldn’t help shaking our heads at the choices the hotel’s architect made though. The view was truly gorgeous, but why would you have the public hallway run in front of the floor to ceiling windows? Why design the railing with such thick, view-blocking beams? And why, oh why, did the laundry and ice machine room need a view?

Still, it was amazing to sleep with the sound of the waves right outside, and we walked the beach and watched both the sunset and sunrise from our room. I will forever feel most at home by the ocean.