Cibo Ristorante Italiano, moderate, Monterey, (831) 649-8151

Cielo, expensive, Big Sur, (831) 667-4242

Deetjens Big Sur Inn restaurant, moderate, Big Sur, (831) 667-2378

Flying Fish Grill, moderate to expensive, Carmel, (831) 625-1962

Nepenthe, expensive, Big Sur, (831) 667-2345

SHOPPING
Cannery Row, www.canneryrow.com

The Phoenix Shop, Big Sur, (831) 667-2347

ATTRACTIONS
Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur, (831) 667-2315

Henry Miller Memorial Library, Big Sur, (831) 667-2574

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, (831) 667-2315

Robert Talbott Vineyards, Carmel Valley, (831) 659-3500

We Said...
Where we get away in Monterey Bay


LODGING
Big Sur River Inn, moderate, (800) 548-3610. What more could you want from a Monterey County hotel than to kick back in a comfy deck chair amid a stand of redwoods while being serenaded by the soothing sounds of trickling water? Being able to enjoy it all while surfing the web, of course. The inn's rooms may not have telephones or TVs, but this cozy spot now features high-speed Internet access, a technological touch that doesn't detract from its rustic charms.

Treebones Resort, moderate to expensive,
(877) 424-4787. Want the remote wooded locale that only campers seem to get, but without having to really rough it? Book one of the 16 yurts at this ecofriendly lodge. They look like tents but feature pine floors, wicker chairs, queen-size beds, locking doors, and portable heaters. You'll still have to trek to the bathroom, but it's a small price to pay for this back-to-nature experience.

DINING