Monterey to Santa Barbara (via Big Sur & Hearst castle)

Early bed time- that is the key, but like there is much to do in Monterey/Pacific Grove on a Sunday night.
We were on the road by 8am and started what was probably the most scenic drives, not mansions and golf courses, but sheer natural beauty- cliff meets the pacific in a striking way and a eerie fog at horizon level.

We hit the much raved about Nepenthe restuarant, a family run restuarant that has been around for generations. We stopped for brunch t enjoy the breathtaking Big Sur views.

The convertible really paid off at this part of the trip as the rolling hills, cliffs and windy roads continued.

By midday we reached Hearst castle. Due to a prompt arrival, we decided to adjust our itinerary accordingly to reduce driving time for the Santa Barbara to Vegas portion- essentially skipping a night at Big Sur and going straight on Santa Barbara.
Hearst castle, or more like a "priceless mansion estate", was a real feast into the ridiculous wealth of one media/publishing mogul, William Randolf Hearst. I'll let the photos do the talking:

We ended our day entering Santa Barbara by 6pm- A great driving day with fantastic views. In the evening we headed into downtown Santa Barbara for a meal followed by a short trip to a bar playing live music.