Super-romance for a night in California?

March 24, 2008 9:46 PM

Where should the lady and I stay on our (one-night) honeymoon on the Central Coast?

So, my sweetheart and I carefully scheduled our wedding so that we'd have a week to honeymoon before law school started back up... then we found out that there's going to be a pre-school orientation for three days of our honeymoon week. Blech.

We're getting married in San Francisco on a Saturday night in August. Orientation starts on Tuesday morning in LA. Can anyone recommend a beautiful, romantic spot (inn, hotel, b&b, cabin, whatever) that's between the two where we can spend the night Sunday? We're thinking somewhere in the Central Coast (Carmel, Monterey, whatever) or perhaps as far south as San Luis Obispo or something, but we're open to pretty much anything. Price shouldn't be insane, but several hundred dollars would be OK, since, well... the real honeymoon's off.

One catch: they have to allow (small) dogs. We have one, and unless we decide to FedEx it to LA, it'll be along for the ride.

In conclusion, never, ever go to law school.

posted by YoungAmerican to travel & transportation (26 comments total)

I've always wanted to stay at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.
posted by cali at 10:05 PM on March 24 [1 favorite]

I know lots of people who swear by the Madonna Inn in SLO. Not sure about the dog, though. Phone number's on the site, after you click reservations.
posted by ctmf at 10:13 PM on March 24

If you want to stay in Monterey proper, check out the Hotel Pacific. It's lovely. Great location, great beds, nice rooms.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:07 PM on March 24

good news - there is tons of cool stuff in that area. the madonna inn is awesome but also consider jalama beach, a completely isolated little campground area not too far from vandenberg afb. another great place is half moon bay. finally... monterrey.
posted by krautland at 2:11 AM on March 25

Ragged Point Inn -- spectacular views and fabulous restaurant. Enjoy - and best wishes for a marvelously happy future.
posted by peace_love_hope at 4:06 AM on March 25

Seconding cali's reccomendation of the Post Ranch Inn.
posted by Perplexity at 6:35 AM on March 25

The Post Ranch Inn looks lovely - but I noticed they don't allow pets.

I don't know if this would appeal to you, but I just stayed at Point Montara with my boyfriend and we had the best time. I know this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea for a honeymoon - but I know I would enjoy it, so I thought I'd respond. I couldn't find a pet policy on their website...
posted by eleyna at 6:50 AM on March 25

I vote call the law school and get an exception.

You're getting married.

Married.

Seriously.

They have to understand that some things are more important than going to their orientation. They're dealing with exceptional students who have been in the studenting business for 16+ years, often consecutively. I know, law school is not the same as anything else you've done before. BFD. Schedule appointments with your advisers as soon as you get back, to get any information you need. I'm guessing this orientation is something you overlooked. But maybe not. If it's something they just sprung on you, just keep pestering them, relentlessly.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 6:52 AM on March 25

Alright, and sorry to not directly answer the question. I know you're probably tried that route. My point is, in my opinion, you're completely in the right to keep trying, no matter how much it bugs them, and how much they say you are the ones being unreasonable. I, and I think most others, think they are the ones being unreasonable. Like I implied before, getting married and going on a honeymoon is a BFD. Law school is a BFD. Law school orientation is not a BFD. It's a valuable program that I'm sure will offer you lots of information to help you succeed, which any diligent, hard working person, which anyone likely to succeed in law school already is, can find individually if they have an important conflict with said orientation.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 7:00 AM on March 25

ctmf
I know lots of people who swear by the Madonna Inn in SLO.

I've gone to this Inn with family, and while its interesting, I'm not too sure what you'll think of it. My mom didn't find it romantic at all (but she was with family and has been married to my dad for about 20 years already.) And I felt it was cute, but it could easily be seen as "kitschy" if you like something like that then your good.

I don't know whats wrong with showering together at a red roof inn, if Alex Baldwin and Edie Falco can do it I don't know why more people don't do it.
posted by Del Far at 7:56 AM on March 25

Fabulous spot in Big Sur: Ventana Inn. Pricey, and I don't know about their pets policy. But definitely worth a look.
posted by cameradv at 8:08 AM on March 25

This practical lawyer says: I got married before my 3L year, and we delayed the honeymoon until after the bar exam when we could take a lot of time off without any stress or concern. There's nothing inherently romantic about planning a vacation AND a wedding AND dealing with classes at the same time.

On topic: We honeymooned in SFO, Napa, and the Redwoods. It was freaking awesome. Napa is only a couple of hours north and would be not terribly out of your way.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 8:16 AM on March 25

If the Ventana Inn accepts pets, it gets my vote. Stay there. If you had longer I would recommend Tassajara.
posted by billtron at 8:59 AM on March 25

Oops. I meant Tassajara.
posted by billtron at 9:01 AM on March 25

Unfortunately, Gaucho, this is an orientation for a third-year clinic, so there's no way of getting out of it, and no way to have known (besides my fiancee asking, "does the clinic I'm going to apply for have some sort of crazy, before-school-starts training I'll be required to attend with no exceptions?"). Law school really, really, really blows.
posted by YoungAmerican at 9:06 AM on March 25

The Post Ranch in is pretty spectacular, but I can't see us spending $1000+ on a night somewhere. We're looking more in the two, three, four hundred dollar range.
posted by YoungAmerican at 9:09 AM on March 25

I would recommend the Ventana Inn near Big Sur as well. I camped there when I was in college and it was an incredible place and I've always wanted to go back and stay at the Inn there.
posted by mathowie at 9:14 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]

We've actually stayed at the Montara Point Lighthouse before... it's great, but since we're basically only getting one night, we thought we might stay somewhere we wouldn't otherwise stay, as, you know, members of the working poor.

Madonna Inn is also fun, but not exactly the romance we were looking for.

Ragged Point in is definitely no pets. We can look into Tassajara and Ventana Inn, I didn't see a pet policy on either site.
posted by YoungAmerican at 9:20 AM on March 25

We did what you're doing in Pacific Grove, just a short walk away from Monterrey. But we stayed for a couple-few nights.

Still, there are plenty of relatively cheap B&Bs, and we had a brilliant time just wandering around, when we weren't honeymooning, that is. We had no pets, and I have no clue what any given B&B's pets policy may be.

I also have no idea how long it wold take to drive from Pacific Grove to LA. (We were in SF.) I do have some idea of what it's like to get married in the middle of law school, since I got hitched right before my 2L year (just after write-on competitions for L.Rev.). As such, I offer the following advice:

DO splurge on your honeymoon.

DO take another, better, honeymoon as soon as you can, preferably one involving naps on beaches, and tropical beverages in silly umbrellas.

DON'T try to get an extension/waiver/whatever for any of your law school stuff.

DON'T live apart after getting married.

DO take the advice of my Evidence professor, which was something to the effect of 'Don't forget that the practice of law, like life itself, is an open-book exam. Once you're done with this class, you won't need to remember Rule 4(b) or even any single one of the hearsay exceptions verbatim. You will, however, need to remember your spouse's birthday, and the type of chocolate she prefers. Even after law school, you still need to focus on the details of those things that are truly important, and the FRE just ain't one of those things.'

Oh, and congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. Here's to years of happiness for Mr. & Mrs. YoungAmerican. !Salud!
posted by deejay jaydee at 9:26 AM on March 25

Nthing Ventana. Not as "cool" as the Post Ranch - but fantastically relaxing. If you stay at Ventana at least have lunch at the Post Ranch (it's right across the highway). Their restaurant is built on the very edge of a cliff and the view is amazing.
posted by Wolfie at 10:14 AM on March 25

There's also the Tickle Pink in Carmel. Has quite the "romantic getaway" rep, but I've never stayed there. Congrats on getting hitched, and remember you're a team now, so help each other get through law school.
posted by ChromeDome at 11:06 AM on March 25

bah. bay woof just had an article listing dog-friendly mendocino hotels, but they have some kind of 1998 web presence where only 'selected' articles are available online.

If you're in the bay area right now, you might pick up an issue and take a look. I just threw mine out yesterday, otherwise I'd copy it down for you.
posted by fishfucker at 1:08 PM on March 25

Unfortunately, fishfucker, I don't think we can head north before heading south, or we'll spend the time driving instead of canoodling.
posted by YoungAmerican at 4:40 PM on March 25

ack, pardon my geodiocy.
posted by fishfucker at 7:19 PM on March 25

Ventana, nth'd. That's my old hood.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:08 AM on March 26

If you don't necessarily need to service set that involves staying at a nice hotel, you might try contacting a property management company in one of the cities you think might be nice to stay in and seeing what vacation rentals they have available. My mom is from near San Luis Obispo, and my family used to go out to Cayucos every summer for a while and stay in a beach house for a few days. About three years ago we did it again; I think the cost for a week was under $2400 (and this was for something right across the street from the beach access). Lots of places want minimum rentals periods, but some will rent for a night and I'm sure you could get something for under $400. This may help you get around pet restrictions, too.

I've heard the San Luis Bay Inn in Avila is nice. I'll ask my Mom and see if she has any other ideas.
posted by weston at 12:49 PM on March 26