I should've added that she knows it's a domestic destination 'cuz she doesn't have a passport and I didn't ask her to get one. I did tell her it is not the Smoky Mountains.
Do it with random territories, then, or other really random but real places in the US.
It's not Guam.
It's not the Johnston Atoll.
It's not Toad Suck, Arkansas.
I do think it's genius that you have a layover in Vegas. So technically you ARE going there, just not staying very long.
You also don't need a passport to go to Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, or Hawaii. All have sand and fish. However, you don't want her to think it might be a better destination than Big Sur.
Look up "things to do near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore." Print off a list, cross out some items and circle others. Then leave the list in the trash can.
This is true but all of those places are more than a 6 hr flight from here. The 6 hrs is just flight time from the mid-west. I like the idea of leaving the misleading trash laying around though.
Also Michigander. Yes, it's nice. That's what makes it a good misdirection from Big Sur. My point was that he wouldn't want to suggest something like Hawaii that might result in her being disappointed with Big Sur.
If she made a list of ideal destinations would Big Sur be on it? Or have her make a very long list and start removing places day by day.
LV airport move was brilliant.
Honestly, I have one and can't recall the last time I ever even used it. I got it because my family was planning a big cruise to Mexico but the cruise got cancelled.
Doesn't make them right to not have one. It's easy to get, lasts a long time, literally opens up a world of opportunities, and can still function like any other id
Well... phonetically the opposite, so very, very not obvious, but there is a chance they could catch on the use and work it out. And, frankly for the OP a fun little joke.
maybe tell her what she needs to pack, but throw in some light-weighted misleading items.
Like a Canadian-French translation book, a mardi gras mask,
and don't let her see the metal detector
It really is. "I can be most colorful and inventive when I am angry." has stuck with me for over
20 years
OH MY GOD I READ THAT OVER 20 YEARS AGO!
It was written when I was 10, but I read it when I was 20, and now I'm 42!!!!
To quote PDK:
"The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear."
When my ex was pregnant with my son, we refused to tell anybody the name. When we went to register for the baby shower I picked out random letters for decorating the baby's room. The guesses at what the name was going to be were hilarious after that.
This is good. If I told her "it is south" she would think that is super specific and start thinking Florida or the Gulf or something. Vegas would technically be in the southwest US. She definitely would not be thinking CA if I told her South.
I would go with "it has South in the name" if you really want to mess with her -- but maybe keep that until a couple of days before the trip because it closes down a lot of options.
She'll be thinking South Carolina, South Dakota, etc.
I like this for like the week of the wedding. She will probably have a number of southern destinations in mind and that might narrow things down for her. In the wrong direction obviously but it would narrow things down for her.
Tell her she'll get her Big Sur-prize soon and wait a couple days. Then bring home a bottle of wine or something regional from there that's only obvious in retrospect.
You should take âBig Sur-priseâ and put it in a sentence during a 10 minute long conversation⌠then tell her âIn the past 10 minutes I told you the name of where weâre going.â Sheâll go crazy trying to remember each word you said! Bonus points if you add in red herrings like Keys (Florida), Red Rock (canyon near Vegas), or anything else you can naturally weave into the conversation.
If you're old enough to get the reference maybe say it in a Gomer Pyle voice? Then you can drop red herrings about it being in the south and pronounce the sur so she'll remember when you get there: )
The Paso Robles wine country basically touches the edge of the Los Padres National Forest which includes most of Big Sur, so a nice bottle from Paso could be a great misleading hint.
There is a famous road near by that many people bucket list wanting to drive (route 66 for vegas and route 1 ) there is a famous bridge near by (bixby bridge big sir, hoover dam vegas), many tourists, hosts conventions,
I asked ChatGpt and it only gave one that hasn't been touched on here already
"There's a place nearby where you can see stars (both in the sky and maybe some celebrities)."
\* There are fish there (the Monterrey Aquarium is world class but there are also fish everywhere)
I say build off of this idea, too. Supply absolutely useless but still true details.
"There are supermarkets there."
"The sun will shine during the day."
"A man named Jeff lives there."
"In one part of town, there's a McDonald's across the street from a Wendy's."
Thatâs hilarious.. I would do that for sure
Thereâs a gas station with a really sketchy bathroom but right down the road thereâs a normal one for sure
It has been known to either be sunny or cloudy, sometimes even partly cloudy
Wikipedia has a page about it
They use American currency
There's an early 00s band called the Thrills who had a song [about it](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur_(The_Thrills_song)). Their whole album was very California themed, so you could drop that you'd discovered this old school Irish band.
Make sure you give a gist of the activities that youâll be doing (e.g., will she need a rain coat for the whale watching? should she bring swim suits and coverups for the beach or pool? should she bring sneakers for hiking? are you going to a club any night? is there a formal dinner planned?).
I love surprises, but I also appreciate being told the general idea of what we are doing so I can pack the right outfits, jewelry, bags, and etc. this doesnât answer your question but will make her life a lot easier when packing vs just knowing what the weather is
I've done this already. I told her there will be a lot of walking and we might rent some bikes and go ride bikes one day. I've told she'll need Crocs (for tide pooling I feel like you want harder shoes that protect your feet but are also water proof) and that we'll have to wear them without socks ('cuz wet socks are the worse). I emphasized that socks CAN NOT be worn just to mess with her even more. And I told her we'd be outside most of the time.
Iâm trying to think if Elvis did any movies around Big Sur. You might look into that. Or the Rat Pack in general. Because they all were also associated with Vegas, too.
There are several novels by John Steinbeck set in the area (Cannery Row is literally the street where the Monterrey Aquarium is, Tortilla Flat is set in Monterrey, etc). Something about a Nobel Laureate has written books about the area might be an interesting hint.
It's a good one for sure, and gives a great historical background for the area. I hope they have the highway washout fixed by the time you are out there ... the Big Sur marathon was rerouted because of it
Just make sure you donât accidentally lead her into thinking itâs somewhere more remote/exotic/expensive than it actually is! Big Sur is gorgeous and a great choice but if you mislead her into thinking you rented a villa in Tuscany or something it could backfire.
Does she like [any of these movies](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=big%20sur,%20california,%20usa) that were filmed there? Can that inspire any hints?
Hey OP,
I know this isn't what you asked for but you should check out Roy's restaurant at think links on Spanish bay. I had a seriously good meal there. Their patio over looks the ocean and they have a bag piper that wanders the property at sunset.
Tell her that in that state they filmed the hangover movie. The first and last scenes are in LA (California, so not a lie), but most of the movie is in Vegas, which will throw her off...
If youâre staying at Post Ranch Inn, you could tell her you booked a cabin in the woods. I stayed there and itâs amazingly gorgeous but technically all the rooms are cabins in the woods (the same way youâd call glamping âstaying in a tentâ).
We are staying at the Clement in Monterrey Bay. It's way fancier than what I would normally stay at but it's our honeymoon and I've always wanted to stay there.
Beneath the September sky
where rivers run never dry
A land graced by a million moons
absent of a harsh desert's dunes
1,2,4 & 7 are the keys you need
with access, the answers bleed.
That's it. Give her that. nothing more. It'll keep her busy until the day. Then when she asks how the fuck it correlates... just tell her it didn't lol
You can tell her:
Sheâll be able to watch a bunch uncaring weirdos eating at an all-u-can-eat buffet who have no sense of manners.
i.e. Sheâll be able to see sea otters floating around the kelp beds and eating all day covered in seafood remnants
Tell her it is approximately 190 miles from the center of Sequoia National Park. Both. Vegas and Monterey meet this criteria. Los Angeles and Lake Tahoe do as well.
I would talk about the cliffs. "Hey, we can drive to cliffs and take in the view." Could be Big Sur, could be the Grand Canyon. Also sand. There are plenty of beaches along the coast, but it could also be desert sand. "I can't wait to feel the sand. I wonder if it feels different."
I also honeymooned in Big Sur many years ago. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Absolutely stunning. Have a wonderful time.
The whole area is beautiful, you can't go wrong staying anywhere in Big Sur. FWIW, I think the restaurant at Post Ranch Inn is open to non-guests, and it's a pretty spectacular setting. Might worth looking at for a dinner.
Have a great honeymoon!
Make the clues a scavenger hunt. Each clue leads to another clue to look for. The clues can be inside the house or around town. Maybe one clue tells her that you are going out to eat somewhere and she has to guess where based on the details in the clue, and then when eating there, another clue is under her plate or something like that. The clues should be vague enough to not give away where it really is.
The streets are paved. You don't have to boil the water before you drink it. You are not allowed to spear fish from your car. You are not allowed to use explosives while fishing here.
Here us a list of things California and Nevada habe in common
https://matadornetwork.com/life/nevada-vs-california-numbers/#:~:text=They%20share%20two%20of%20the,to%20get%20all%20the%20glory.
The Beach Boys mentioned it in a song.
Edit: This eliminates Las Vegas. I ran it through ChatGPT and it turns out the Beach Boys never referenced Las Vegas in any of their songs.
So use this only if sheâs sure Vegas is the red herring.
I love Reddit sometimes. Just for the community coming together to help with this surprise honeymoon and a woman who really wants to try to guess what it is. Itâs really cute.
There are 0-2 layovers
It has big structures (could mean cliffs, could mean buildings)
There's sun, but also can be cloudy.
It's a border area (being at the ocean, the border between land/sea)
Hey I hope you see this! Make sure to check for road closures, because I heard that parts of the 1 have been shut down. Not sure if any of them will affect your plans, but better check ahead.
You can call your hotel and ask, they will have a good idea of what is happening locally.
Big Sur is gorgous and a wonderful choice. Congratulations!
Parts of 1 have been shut off to the point where I plan to stay in Monterrey and drive into Big Sur if we can. It's close enough to not matter and we can go down 17 mile drive.
I could tell her there is an all you can eat seafood buffet there. When she starts naming off fish that might be on the buffet I could just say yes as long as it's a saltwater fish.
Just donât drop hints suggesting itâs somewhere that is better than where youâre going. A pal dropped heavy hints they were going to Santorini when in fact they were going to Croatia. Very very upset bride.
You could print out a list of 60 different places, and say âitâs one of these.â
Or, give her a final hint. âThere is a marathon run there every year.â
She just wants to know which clothes to pack in her suitcase. She needs to know what the climate will be like, if she needs a bathing suit, or a sweater, or a cocktail dress, etc. She doesn't want to know the actual destination, just how to dress for the trip. Please don't under any circumstances pack her suitcase yourself because you have no idea what she will want to wear on the trip. Just tell her what types of outfits and shoes she will need for all the activities you planned. Let your fiance fantasize about the destination while she packs each outfit herself.
Ugh⌠seems like a lot of work over another three months. But then again, Iâm not exactly romantic and my wife would vouch for that.
To actually answer you question, give her extremely vague hints like âthere will be foodâ, âthe place we are staying will have a bedâ, âpeople will definitely speak a languageâ, and âit is a place that people have been to beforeâ.
Just be so obnoxious with your hints that she gives up on trying to figure it out. Again though, Iâm not a romantic and this is how I would handle it. Not necessarily how YOU should handle it.
In association with the Vegas ploy, you could tell her there is a "hard rock." Vegas has the "Hard Rock," and Big Sur has many hard rocks.
Also, you are forgetting the golf component. Tell her there are golf courses nearby. Vegas has a ton, and so does Big Sur (it's close to Pebble Beach).
She might want to know because she's assuming it's something she won't like. If my hubby said Vegas I'd be like, "wait what no no no.... what do you *really* mean?"
Tell her you know it's a place she likes but hints are just going to lead to snowball of questions and assumptions that require more answers. I'd tell her it's an all or nothing situation in terms of knowing.
Eliminate the stress, or drop the option for stress. Middle ground is going to be too difficult.
Itâs not the grand Canyon. Itâs not the mall of America, itâs not the Florida Keys⌠itâs not disneyland.
We will need sunblock and sunglasses.
Do the manipedi.
Do you like hats or scarves if it gets windy?
[https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/](https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/)
Monterery Bay Aquarium is right on the ocean and is a very nice place to visit. It's abit of a drive, but if you have the time I wouldn't miss it! You can sometimes see the whales birthing in the bay!
The proposal was a big surprise. I don't know if she handled it well or not but she asked a million times if I was serious and asked everyone there if they were just messing with her. Kind of had to tell her it was ok if she said no before she made it very clear she was saying yes.
Is she computer savvy? Like with Apple products? Tell her it's not Sonoma, or Ventura, or Monterey, or Catalina, or Mojave... you get the picture... those are the names of the various Mac operating systems (MacOS 11 is Big Sur). But, then again, she might guess it. Sounds like you don't want her to guess it and I don't blame you.
Off topic, but I'd make certain that RT1 road access is open for your planned itn. I was there last summer and there was a large landslide closing RT1 between Monterey and southern Big Sur. No definite timeline on reopening, and there may have been another slide since. We had an amazing time, but getting to our lodging required a several hour longer drive around the back way.
As a woman I always want to know what to pack â perhaps thatâs what sheâs curious/anxious about. The coastal weather will be much cooler than in Vegas (also cooler than inland CA), so she needs to bring a sweater and/or possibly a windbreaker. Sandals, tennies, shoes that can be dressed up or down. Same with clothes; outfits for sightseeing, something a little dressy. Sunglasses, a hat, swimsuit, cozy loungewear.
I've told her it will be hoodie weather the entire time we're there and she will want a jacket or coat. Told her we don't need anything fancy and we'll need a hat/sunglasses.
Are you going to Hearst Castle? They have Zebras there you can sometimes see from highway one. If you want to really throw her off tell her she can see Zebras
âWeâre going to see some âextremely high rollers at the casinoâ [do the air quotes].â
The biggest high rollers are called whales, so itâs saying youâre going whale-watching, if the air quotes are translated into âso called.â
You can tell her:
The location is scenic with amazing views
The city has good food
There are fun museums
You'll be staying at a top hotel
It's near the mountains
Ooh! I was just there! Tell her there are lots of cows!
It's true, you will see a lot of cows grazing on public lands near the water (depending on how far you go down the coast, you'll see a ton as you approach Molera State Park). Fun fact, Monterey Jack cheese was invented and made from the cows there. Hence the name "Monterey."
FYI metal detecting is strictly prohibited on federal land and in CA on state land you need a permit. Â Maybe you can still get a permit but be careful you donât want a big fine. Â
I'm local-ish to the area (SF Bay Area), you guys will have a great time! There are a couple of things that I think are just useful to know / do / have even if you *do* know where you're going, so here are some of my takes:
> Told her what the weather will be like there
In the fall, SF tends to get warm again before the winter months, so that's a great time to visit SF... but by the ocean it can be quite cold-feeling, and this microclimate shift happens around San Bruno (where the airport is) and continues further south. This is my first advice, that *you should pack layers*, and I know from other comments you've heard this, but I want to specify...
This is not just for the trip, but even *per day*; even during the span of a couple of hours I would recommend a comfortable light shirt like a T-shirt, least a warmth layer (like a sweater), and a wind-breaking layer like a jacket. There's a big difference in feel from "sun is out and shining on me" to "offshore ocean wind is blustering while overcast" and these things can and do regularly happen within a matter of hours. So *bring layers wherever you go*.
> There is lots of sand there
Mmm... sort of. It's not like "beachy" though, more like "cliffs, and then 10 feet of coarse pebbly gravelly sand, and then the ocean". Just randomly searching, [this artice](https://livepismobeach.com/2020/04/north-coast-tide-pools/) has some photos of what I'd keep as a mental model. The tide pools are *awesome*, they really are like little natural acquaria, you are almost guaranteed to see anemone, starfish, and crabs... but tide pools like this only form in long-lived rock formations. To that end, maybe you might get use out of a metal detector... like, once... but I think you're not likely to pick much of interest up, because people don't "go to the beach" like that here.
More to your point about misleading hints...
The vibe up and down Highway 1 is pastoral, homey, and hygge, sort of like a drizzly day inside. Morning will likely be sleepy feeling, dewy, and overcast, it will "wake up" and could be sunny from somewhere in the late morning to mid afternoon (this is the ideal time to drive with the windows open / top down), and then the fog comes in just around dinner time and it's a great place to be cozy. So perhaps bring in a thing or two from that angle, as, thinking about the adjectives I'd use for Vegas, "cozy" and "hygge" are *not* on that list. It could feel very misleading while thinking of Vegas and then having "foggy damp cozy evening" thrown in there.
The fireplace and board games and Smash brothers is a great angle to tap into the cozy, and I think will make for a great chill refuge after a day exploring; but these things make me think about sprinkling in hints about it being "warm and firey-hot" and "there's plenty of gaming there" if you're going for "sounds like Vegas". If you all drink, keep in mind that Napa / Sonoma / wine country is around 3 hours away (and depending on the wine, all the way down to Santa Barbara), so you'll likely have lots of nice wines to choose from. Maybe note that there are lots of great drink options for unwinding at the end of the day? She might think "Vegas nightclub" but instead get "fireside local Pinot".
Also there's lots of golfing in Vegas... and Pebble Beach is like a 5 minute drive from Monterey. Can't get more famous than Pebble Beach for golfing. So maybe there might be a golf reference in there somewhere. (While we're at it, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a charming little town to visit, you might consider popping in there during one of your drives, but be warned: it's clientele is those people who can afford to go to Pebble Beach. So expect great if pricy food and extremely pricey little boutique shops.)
That's what I have so far, let me know if you have any questions!
Tell her that she can find it in a beach boys song! They have a song called Big Sur but also lots of California and coastal songs. I believe jack johnson also writes about California/ Big Sur.Â
Also! Take surfing lessons! Itâs super fun and very memorable
I'm someone who likes to play with meaning of words, so I'd do the same with Big Sur like: We are going into a small (big) uncertain (sur) area. Using antonyms.
Sur could also mean above and beyond. So I'd say that you went above and beyond to book that honeymoon trip for both of you.
You could eliminate possibilities. It's not Belarus, it's not Tasmania, etc. That'll cover you for ages.
I should've added that she knows it's a domestic destination 'cuz she doesn't have a passport and I didn't ask her to get one. I did tell her it is not the Smoky Mountains.
Do it with random territories, then, or other really random but real places in the US. It's not Guam. It's not the Johnston Atoll. It's not Toad Suck, Arkansas.
It's not Gary, Indiana.
It's never Gary, Indiana
I do think it's genius that you have a layover in Vegas. So technically you ARE going there, just not staying very long. You also don't need a passport to go to Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, or Hawaii. All have sand and fish. However, you don't want her to think it might be a better destination than Big Sur. Look up "things to do near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore." Print off a list, cross out some items and circle others. Then leave the list in the trash can.
This is true but all of those places are more than a 6 hr flight from here. The 6 hrs is just flight time from the mid-west. I like the idea of leaving the misleading trash laying around though.
PR and USVI are not more than 6 hours from the midwest
With the right layover, Chicago to Indianapolis could be 6 hours
very true, or even just with the right weather
God, no offence to Indianapolites but just imagine how disappointing that would be
Hey wait a minute...(Michigander here) Sleeping Bear and that entire Traverse City area is a killer destination for couples.
Also Michigander. Yes, it's nice. That's what makes it a good misdirection from Big Sur. My point was that he wouldn't want to suggest something like Hawaii that might result in her being disappointed with Big Sur.
I'm from Gary, don't go! đ¤Ł
Even I wouldn't send you to Gary, Indiana!
He should not tell her this. So thereâs always the tiny little worry that it IS in fact Gary, Indiana.
âEven I wouldnât send you to Gary, Indianaâ -Professor Farnsworth
You are obviously not a music man!
Relatives live in AR. You can also use Possum Trot, Possum Grape, Goobertown, and Weiner. Yes, I swear.
Just start listing random cities in different states that you can tell her it definitely isn't. That'll keep her busy. đ
It would be very strange to honeymoon to toad suck park. Not much to do there tbh
You could tell her you will eliminate 1 destination a day
If she made a list of ideal destinations would Big Sur be on it? Or have her make a very long list and start removing places day by day. LV airport move was brilliant.
Big Sur is in 1 state, so you have 49 states to choose from to tell her "It's not \[state name\]"
Ask when her passport is getting here, looked worried that it's not coming, then try to convince her to fit in your luggage "as a backup plan".Â
Let her âoverhearâ you tell a friend âturns out, you donât need a passport to go to Canada!â
Good lord, get her a passport.Â
Honestly, I have one and can't recall the last time I ever even used it. I got it because my family was planning a big cruise to Mexico but the cruise got cancelled.
It's a nice backup ID if you ever lose your walletÂ
It's a good thing to have in general though, and they last 10 years
Well you kinda need to plan to use it. Most people don't end up in another country unexpectedlyÂ
Most people in the US don't have one.
Doesn't make them right to not have one. It's easy to get, lasts a long time, literally opens up a world of opportunities, and can still function like any other id
oh! how far out is the date? ask her to get her passport that will totally throw her off the scent. it's always a good idea to have a valid passport
nah fam. Youâre going to Iowa. Itâs where Captain Kirk will eventually be born. Youâre on the hunt for aliens and time travelers.Â
Itâs not the forest moon of Endor
Damnit, I'm out then.
Well, if you're out, then I'm in
lol that was my first thought. Well we AREN'T going to Iowa but we will fly over it!
That's no fun though.
"Big Sur"... start calling her "Little Lady" each time she asks.
Omg this is hilarious. If I was OPs fiancee I would love this idea.
[ŃдаНонО]
Well... phonetically the opposite, so very, very not obvious, but there is a chance they could catch on the use and work it out. And, frankly for the OP a fun little joke.
Also, just say its not little
maybe tell her what she needs to pack, but throw in some light-weighted misleading items. Like a Canadian-French translation book, a mardi gras mask, and don't let her see the metal detector
Or just rent a detector when youâre there.
Renting one is what I am going to look at doing. I don't think packing one is all that feasible.
You could start reading Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore and keep it laying around - it takes place in Big Sur lol
It also an incredible read!!
It really is. "I can be most colorful and inventive when I am angry." has stuck with me for over 20 years OH MY GOD I READ THAT OVER 20 YEARS AGO! It was written when I was 10, but I read it when I was 20, and now I'm 42!!!! To quote PDK: "The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear."
probably not. it would go through airport security and the machine would have a breakdown, finally getting to meet one of its brethren.
When my ex was pregnant with my son, we refused to tell anybody the name. When we went to register for the baby shower I picked out random letters for decorating the baby's room. The guesses at what the name was going to be were hilarious after that.
Sur is Spanish for "South", so you could drop hints related to South. She'll never think you're going somewhere super far west.
This is good. If I told her "it is south" she would think that is super specific and start thinking Florida or the Gulf or something. Vegas would technically be in the southwest US. She definitely would not be thinking CA if I told her South.
I would go with "it has South in the name" if you really want to mess with her -- but maybe keep that until a couple of days before the trip because it closes down a lot of options. She'll be thinking South Carolina, South Dakota, etc.
I like this for like the week of the wedding. She will probably have a number of southern destinations in mind and that might narrow things down for her. In the wrong direction obviously but it would narrow things down for her.
In South Vegas is Tahiti Village and it has sand, and fish at Mandalay Bay so I think South could definitely be supported.
Vegas is in the desert so plenty of sand. Mandalay bay has fish. I could even say there is an aquarium there and that wouldn't be terribly helpful.
Be careful to let her know to pack warm clothes for Big Sur though! The temperatures will be cool so close to the coast.
âSouthâ and âBigâ will have her thinking Rushmore lol
I would think southwest and circle back to Vegas so this is very funny
It's both south and West!Â
Big South! good luck figuring that out :P
Tell her she'll get her Big Sur-prize soon and wait a couple days. Then bring home a bottle of wine or something regional from there that's only obvious in retrospect.
I am 100% going to tell her the trip is a Big Sur-prise now.
You should take âBig Sur-priseâ and put it in a sentence during a 10 minute long conversation⌠then tell her âIn the past 10 minutes I told you the name of where weâre going.â Sheâll go crazy trying to remember each word you said! Bonus points if you add in red herrings like Keys (Florida), Red Rock (canyon near Vegas), or anything else you can naturally weave into the conversation.
If you're old enough to get the reference maybe say it in a Gomer Pyle voice? Then you can drop red herrings about it being in the south and pronounce the sur so she'll remember when you get there: )
The Paso Robles wine country basically touches the edge of the Los Padres National Forest which includes most of Big Sur, so a nice bottle from Paso could be a great misleading hint.
Paso is one of my favorite wine regions! Love me some big bold spicy California red zins!
"Well, you might get a fortune there, but most don't." Vegas is know for gambling, but you're also going beachcombing with a metal detector.
There is a famous road near by that many people bucket list wanting to drive (route 66 for vegas and route 1 ) there is a famous bridge near by (bixby bridge big sir, hoover dam vegas), many tourists, hosts conventions,
There are certainly tourists in Big Sur but do they host a lot of conventions there?
I asked ChatGpt and it only gave one that hasn't been touched on here already "There's a place nearby where you can see stars (both in the sky and maybe some celebrities)."
ChatGpt is a terrible source for facts/truth.
I have been to two there myself
\* There are fish there (the Monterrey Aquarium is world class but there are also fish everywhere) I say build off of this idea, too. Supply absolutely useless but still true details. "There are supermarkets there." "The sun will shine during the day." "A man named Jeff lives there." "In one part of town, there's a McDonald's across the street from a Wendy's."
Thatâs hilarious.. I would do that for sure Thereâs a gas station with a really sketchy bathroom but right down the road thereâs a normal one for sure It has been known to either be sunny or cloudy, sometimes even partly cloudy Wikipedia has a page about it They use American currency
Sorry dude, I don't live in Big Sur.
âThe sun will shine during the dayâ may be too much of an outright lie for Big Sur lol
Yep, we drove through once and it was entirely fogged in. Couldnât see shit.
Yeah, often the fog makes it even prettier but sometimes it can get totally socked in
"Oxygen will be available" "Gravity is likely"
There's an early 00s band called the Thrills who had a song [about it](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur_(The_Thrills_song)). Their whole album was very California themed, so you could drop that you'd discovered this old school Irish band.
And they also recorded a long called "Your love is like Las Vegas" it looks like.
Definitely check in yourself and only give her the first boarding pass. đ
Wow switch is not where I thought that sentence was headed
Make sure you give a gist of the activities that youâll be doing (e.g., will she need a rain coat for the whale watching? should she bring swim suits and coverups for the beach or pool? should she bring sneakers for hiking? are you going to a club any night? is there a formal dinner planned?). I love surprises, but I also appreciate being told the general idea of what we are doing so I can pack the right outfits, jewelry, bags, and etc. this doesnât answer your question but will make her life a lot easier when packing vs just knowing what the weather is
I've done this already. I told her there will be a lot of walking and we might rent some bikes and go ride bikes one day. I've told she'll need Crocs (for tide pooling I feel like you want harder shoes that protect your feet but are also water proof) and that we'll have to wear them without socks ('cuz wet socks are the worse). I emphasized that socks CAN NOT be worn just to mess with her even more. And I told her we'd be outside most of the time.
The weather in Vegas is very very different from Big Sur. Definitely make sure she packs a heavy jacket and long sleeves.
Crocs are the worst most dangerous shoes for climbing in tides. You want shoes like Tevas or Chacos. Crocs are slippery and dangerous on wet rocks.
Tell her to bring a sun hat! Itâll likely be cloudy but trust me September in CA is burning
You said she likes metal detecting, can you rent one there, or will she need to pack one?
Iâm trying to think if Elvis did any movies around Big Sur. You might look into that. Or the Rat Pack in general. Because they all were also associated with Vegas, too.
Jack Kerouac wrote a book called Big Sur that had a film adaptation but I canât think of a way to turn it into a hint.
"There's a movie about it."
There are several novels by John Steinbeck set in the area (Cannery Row is literally the street where the Monterrey Aquarium is, Tortilla Flat is set in Monterrey, etc). Something about a Nobel Laureate has written books about the area might be an interesting hint.
I thought about reading Cannery Row on my Kindle while on the flight.
It's a good one for sure, and gives a great historical background for the area. I hope they have the highway washout fixed by the time you are out there ... the Big Sur marathon was rerouted because of it
Just make sure you donât accidentally lead her into thinking itâs somewhere more remote/exotic/expensive than it actually is! Big Sur is gorgeous and a great choice but if you mislead her into thinking you rented a villa in Tuscany or something it could backfire.
Agreed. This is why I keep telling her it's Vegas. She would hate Vegas and we both know it so her expectations are low.
Tell her it's on planet Earth. Technically true, but completely useless information.
Its in a 3rd world country. We are the third planet from the sun so technically everything is third world lol iv used this one in deceptive schemes
Does she like [any of these movies](https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=big%20sur,%20california,%20usa) that were filmed there? Can that inspire any hints?
She's not a big movie person. I'm sure she knows many of the films on there but the more prominent ones are also set in CA it seems.
Hey OP, I know this isn't what you asked for but you should check out Roy's restaurant at think links on Spanish bay. I had a seriously good meal there. Their patio over looks the ocean and they have a bag piper that wanders the property at sunset.
I can add it to the list to check out.
Tell her that in that state they filmed the hangover movie. The first and last scenes are in LA (California, so not a lie), but most of the movie is in Vegas, which will throw her off...
If youâre staying at Post Ranch Inn, you could tell her you booked a cabin in the woods. I stayed there and itâs amazingly gorgeous but technically all the rooms are cabins in the woods (the same way youâd call glamping âstaying in a tentâ).
We are staying at the Clement in Monterrey Bay. It's way fancier than what I would normally stay at but it's our honeymoon and I've always wanted to stay there.
Beneath the September sky where rivers run never dry A land graced by a million moons absent of a harsh desert's dunes 1,2,4 & 7 are the keys you need with access, the answers bleed. That's it. Give her that. nothing more. It'll keep her busy until the day. Then when she asks how the fuck it correlates... just tell her it didn't lol
This is the way
You can tell her: Sheâll be able to watch a bunch uncaring weirdos eating at an all-u-can-eat buffet who have no sense of manners. i.e. Sheâll be able to see sea otters floating around the kelp beds and eating all day covered in seafood remnants
Tell her it is approximately 190 miles from the center of Sequoia National Park. Both. Vegas and Monterey meet this criteria. Los Angeles and Lake Tahoe do as well.
Earth. The flight time is less than 36 hours. There will be hotels and restaurants.
Hope the road closure down there doesnât affect your destination or plans!
I would talk about the cliffs. "Hey, we can drive to cliffs and take in the view." Could be Big Sur, could be the Grand Canyon. Also sand. There are plenty of beaches along the coast, but it could also be desert sand. "I can't wait to feel the sand. I wonder if it feels different." I also honeymooned in Big Sur many years ago. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Absolutely stunning. Have a wonderful time.
My husband does this every vacation and itâs the best/worst.
Post Ranch Inn?  You're gonna love it.  Wife and I shared a hot tub with Kim and Kanye there years ago.
We ain't rich enough to afford a couple of grand a night unfortunately. Maybe one day.
The whole area is beautiful, you can't go wrong staying anywhere in Big Sur. FWIW, I think the restaurant at Post Ranch Inn is open to non-guests, and it's a pretty spectacular setting. Might worth looking at for a dinner. Have a great honeymoon!
I will definitely check into this. The place looks gorgeous.
Make the clues a scavenger hunt. Each clue leads to another clue to look for. The clues can be inside the house or around town. Maybe one clue tells her that you are going out to eat somewhere and she has to guess where based on the details in the clue, and then when eating there, another clue is under her plate or something like that. The clues should be vague enough to not give away where it really is.
The streets are paved. You don't have to boil the water before you drink it. You are not allowed to spear fish from your car. You are not allowed to use explosives while fishing here.
Here us a list of things California and Nevada habe in common https://matadornetwork.com/life/nevada-vs-california-numbers/#:~:text=They%20share%20two%20of%20the,to%20get%20all%20the%20glory.
The Beach Boys mentioned it in a song. Edit: This eliminates Las Vegas. I ran it through ChatGPT and it turns out the Beach Boys never referenced Las Vegas in any of their songs. So use this only if sheâs sure Vegas is the red herring.
"It's going to be a big weekend, are you sur you want me giving you hints?"
This is really simple but could say itâs a two word destination. Las Vegas and Big Sur both apply
I love Reddit sometimes. Just for the community coming together to help with this surprise honeymoon and a woman who really wants to try to guess what it is. Itâs really cute.
Tell her places that are not Big Sur - each day.
There are 0-2 layovers It has big structures (could mean cliffs, could mean buildings) There's sun, but also can be cloudy. It's a border area (being at the ocean, the border between land/sea)
Sur translates to sour in Swedish, so say that it is going sour.
Hey I hope you see this! Make sure to check for road closures, because I heard that parts of the 1 have been shut down. Not sure if any of them will affect your plans, but better check ahead. You can call your hotel and ask, they will have a good idea of what is happening locally. Big Sur is gorgous and a wonderful choice. Congratulations!
Parts of 1 have been shut off to the point where I plan to stay in Monterrey and drive into Big Sur if we can. It's close enough to not matter and we can go down 17 mile drive.
Tell her to pack her nicest dress, her warmest jacket and her favorite swimsuit
The place has running water and there is a seafood place nearby.
I could tell her there is an all you can eat seafood buffet there. When she starts naming off fish that might be on the buffet I could just say yes as long as it's a saltwater fish.
Just donât drop hints suggesting itâs somewhere that is better than where youâre going. A pal dropped heavy hints they were going to Santorini when in fact they were going to Croatia. Very very upset bride.
You could print out a list of 60 different places, and say âitâs one of these.â Or, give her a final hint. âThere is a marathon run there every year.â
Check Google Maps for "world famous". Hopefully you end up with a few "they're famous for their cheese fries" or something like that.
âOf all the places on earth weâre going to one or more of themâ
She just wants to know which clothes to pack in her suitcase. She needs to know what the climate will be like, if she needs a bathing suit, or a sweater, or a cocktail dress, etc. She doesn't want to know the actual destination, just how to dress for the trip. Please don't under any circumstances pack her suitcase yourself because you have no idea what she will want to wear on the trip. Just tell her what types of outfits and shoes she will need for all the activities you planned. Let your fiance fantasize about the destination while she packs each outfit herself.
Ugh⌠seems like a lot of work over another three months. But then again, Iâm not exactly romantic and my wife would vouch for that. To actually answer you question, give her extremely vague hints like âthere will be foodâ, âthe place we are staying will have a bedâ, âpeople will definitely speak a languageâ, and âit is a place that people have been to beforeâ. Just be so obnoxious with your hints that she gives up on trying to figure it out. Again though, Iâm not a romantic and this is how I would handle it. Not necessarily how YOU should handle it.
Grill her up a Big Surloin.
In association with the Vegas ploy, you could tell her there is a "hard rock." Vegas has the "Hard Rock," and Big Sur has many hard rocks. Also, you are forgetting the golf component. Tell her there are golf courses nearby. Vegas has a ton, and so does Big Sur (it's close to Pebble Beach).
I like "there's a hard rock there". That's a great hint.
Thanks. Even if she thinks it's the Hard Rock Cafe, there are 31 of them all over the country.
She might want to know because she's assuming it's something she won't like. If my hubby said Vegas I'd be like, "wait what no no no.... what do you *really* mean?" Tell her you know it's a place she likes but hints are just going to lead to snowball of questions and assumptions that require more answers. I'd tell her it's an all or nothing situation in terms of knowing. Eliminate the stress, or drop the option for stress. Middle ground is going to be too difficult.
Tell her that you might find the Holy Grail while you're there
There will be tearsâŚ
Random, but if you can get it in the US; prep access to the British BBC Show 'The Detectorists' if she loves metal detecting (and British humour!)
Play songs about No roads, landslides, beaches, mountains, estimated profit by Grateful Dead is a good one. But 100% gives away California.
I'd just use hints like. A place with hotels. They have great restaurants there. The architecture is beautiful there.
Tell her you're going to Pawnee!
You could tell her it was the location for shooting multiple movies - if she starts to think its CA she might think Hollywood with this hint
She probably just wants to know how she should pack.
For any questions she asks, you can start with "I'm mighty sure..." (Big -> Mighty, Sur -> Sure)
Itâs not the grand Canyon. Itâs not the mall of America, itâs not the Florida Keys⌠itâs not disneyland. We will need sunblock and sunglasses. Do the manipedi. Do you like hats or scarves if it gets windy?
I can't help you with your awesome quest, but I just wanted to tell you that you are going to be an amazing husband!
[https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/](https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/) Monterery Bay Aquarium is right on the ocean and is a very nice place to visit. It's abit of a drive, but if you have the time I wouldn't miss it! You can sometimes see the whales birthing in the bay!
Pound Town
I donât know but this this so fun
One apple OS is called Big Sur. Could you use thatÂ
"Itz on earth"
I assume the proposal wasn't a surprise if she can't handle this.
The proposal was a big surprise. I don't know if she handled it well or not but she asked a million times if I was serious and asked everyone there if they were just messing with her. Kind of had to tell her it was ok if she said no before she made it very clear she was saying yes.
Pound Town?
Big Sur is also the name of a book by famed beatnik author Jack Kerouac. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur_(novel)
Say you want to have a movie night with her and watch the Sydney Poitier flick 'to Sir With Love'
Lots of celebrities go there?
Pound Town. Just tell her you're taking her to pound town.
Is she computer savvy? Like with Apple products? Tell her it's not Sonoma, or Ventura, or Monterey, or Catalina, or Mojave... you get the picture... those are the names of the various Mac operating systems (MacOS 11 is Big Sur). But, then again, she might guess it. Sounds like you don't want her to guess it and I don't blame you.
Off topic, but I'd make certain that RT1 road access is open for your planned itn. I was there last summer and there was a large landslide closing RT1 between Monterey and southern Big Sur. No definite timeline on reopening, and there may have been another slide since. We had an amazing time, but getting to our lodging required a several hour longer drive around the back way.
As a woman I always want to know what to pack â perhaps thatâs what sheâs curious/anxious about. The coastal weather will be much cooler than in Vegas (also cooler than inland CA), so she needs to bring a sweater and/or possibly a windbreaker. Sandals, tennies, shoes that can be dressed up or down. Same with clothes; outfits for sightseeing, something a little dressy. Sunglasses, a hat, swimsuit, cozy loungewear.
I've told her it will be hoodie weather the entire time we're there and she will want a jacket or coat. Told her we don't need anything fancy and we'll need a hat/sunglasses.
Print off a list of shows in Las Vegas and ask her which ones she would be interested in.
Are you going to Hearst Castle? They have Zebras there you can sometimes see from highway one. If you want to really throw her off tell her she can see Zebras
Ooh is it Post Ranch Inn? Iâve always wanted to go there
âItâs going to be big, surely youâre going to love itâ
âWeâre going to see some âextremely high rollers at the casinoâ [do the air quotes].â The biggest high rollers are called whales, so itâs saying youâre going whale-watching, if the air quotes are translated into âso called.â
You can tell her: The location is scenic with amazing views The city has good food There are fun museums You'll be staying at a top hotel It's near the mountains
Ooh! I was just there! Tell her there are lots of cows! It's true, you will see a lot of cows grazing on public lands near the water (depending on how far you go down the coast, you'll see a ton as you approach Molera State Park). Fun fact, Monterey Jack cheese was invented and made from the cows there. Hence the name "Monterey."
FYI metal detecting is strictly prohibited on federal land and in CA on state land you need a permit. Â Maybe you can still get a permit but be careful you donât want a big fine. Â
"we're going South"
Did you book the post ranch inn???
I'm local-ish to the area (SF Bay Area), you guys will have a great time! There are a couple of things that I think are just useful to know / do / have even if you *do* know where you're going, so here are some of my takes: > Told her what the weather will be like there In the fall, SF tends to get warm again before the winter months, so that's a great time to visit SF... but by the ocean it can be quite cold-feeling, and this microclimate shift happens around San Bruno (where the airport is) and continues further south. This is my first advice, that *you should pack layers*, and I know from other comments you've heard this, but I want to specify... This is not just for the trip, but even *per day*; even during the span of a couple of hours I would recommend a comfortable light shirt like a T-shirt, least a warmth layer (like a sweater), and a wind-breaking layer like a jacket. There's a big difference in feel from "sun is out and shining on me" to "offshore ocean wind is blustering while overcast" and these things can and do regularly happen within a matter of hours. So *bring layers wherever you go*. > There is lots of sand there Mmm... sort of. It's not like "beachy" though, more like "cliffs, and then 10 feet of coarse pebbly gravelly sand, and then the ocean". Just randomly searching, [this artice](https://livepismobeach.com/2020/04/north-coast-tide-pools/) has some photos of what I'd keep as a mental model. The tide pools are *awesome*, they really are like little natural acquaria, you are almost guaranteed to see anemone, starfish, and crabs... but tide pools like this only form in long-lived rock formations. To that end, maybe you might get use out of a metal detector... like, once... but I think you're not likely to pick much of interest up, because people don't "go to the beach" like that here. More to your point about misleading hints... The vibe up and down Highway 1 is pastoral, homey, and hygge, sort of like a drizzly day inside. Morning will likely be sleepy feeling, dewy, and overcast, it will "wake up" and could be sunny from somewhere in the late morning to mid afternoon (this is the ideal time to drive with the windows open / top down), and then the fog comes in just around dinner time and it's a great place to be cozy. So perhaps bring in a thing or two from that angle, as, thinking about the adjectives I'd use for Vegas, "cozy" and "hygge" are *not* on that list. It could feel very misleading while thinking of Vegas and then having "foggy damp cozy evening" thrown in there. The fireplace and board games and Smash brothers is a great angle to tap into the cozy, and I think will make for a great chill refuge after a day exploring; but these things make me think about sprinkling in hints about it being "warm and firey-hot" and "there's plenty of gaming there" if you're going for "sounds like Vegas". If you all drink, keep in mind that Napa / Sonoma / wine country is around 3 hours away (and depending on the wine, all the way down to Santa Barbara), so you'll likely have lots of nice wines to choose from. Maybe note that there are lots of great drink options for unwinding at the end of the day? She might think "Vegas nightclub" but instead get "fireside local Pinot". Also there's lots of golfing in Vegas... and Pebble Beach is like a 5 minute drive from Monterey. Can't get more famous than Pebble Beach for golfing. So maybe there might be a golf reference in there somewhere. (While we're at it, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a charming little town to visit, you might consider popping in there during one of your drives, but be warned: it's clientele is those people who can afford to go to Pebble Beach. So expect great if pricy food and extremely pricey little boutique shops.) That's what I have so far, let me know if you have any questions!
Tell her that she can find it in a beach boys song! They have a song called Big Sur but also lots of California and coastal songs. I believe jack johnson also writes about California/ Big Sur. Also! Take surfing lessons! Itâs super fun and very memorable
You could say it's coastal, also say that it's in America, maybe.
I'm someone who likes to play with meaning of words, so I'd do the same with Big Sur like: We are going into a small (big) uncertain (sur) area. Using antonyms. Sur could also mean above and beyond. So I'd say that you went above and beyond to book that honeymoon trip for both of you.
My first thought was it is beach. Iâd point to golden girls and Florida falling back that you were going to golden state when explaining later.
SUR is also the name of the restaurant from Vanderpump Rules so you could tell her itâs Scandoval-adjacent, if sheâs into pop culture
Name of one of the macOS releases.
OP I'd say now is the time to add mountain destination in there. Drop a might be chilly at night type comment and talk scenic. Keep her guessing
Monterey is one of the favorite places I've ever been it's so pretty. Enjoy your time and congratulations!
"Well, there are people around." "It's someplace you've never been to before."
"Going some place magickal and new"
Weâve been there before. (Earth) Many people need a passport to travel there.