I’ve always wanted to stay at CVR, but it can be pricey! Luckily, Leon had found an amazing deal through a discount golf website, Golfmoose.com and we were booked for one night, and Leon had unlimited golf during that time! We got an early start on the day so we could hit the coast and visit a couple wineries too!
The weather was definitely less than desirable! But, it’s to be expected along the California coast in May and June (May Gray/June Gloom). We bundled up and set out to see the ocean, birds, and squirrels too! That’s one awesome thing about kids: they could care less how cold it is-as long as they are having fun! On a side note, we also got to see a little of the filming of the show Big Little Lies out on the golf course that morning too. Pretty sure I spotted Reese Witherspoon with her blonde ponytail!
We then made a quick stop at the Parsonage tasting room in Carmel to pick up a couple bottles and were bummed to find out that one of our favorite wines, The Hawk, didn’t taste as delicious as we remembered it. Turns out that the smoke from all the Carmel Valley fires had a real affect on the grapes and it gave the wine a VERY smokey flavor. So interesting how the environment can affect the grapes and in turn, the taste of the wine!
Our final wine stop was Folktale Winery. We originally discovered this gem because Leon’s niece, Serina, worked there for a while. It’s really a beautiful location (would make a great wedding venue!) with an indoor/outdoor tasting garden! It’s definitely a must-see if you’re traveling to Carmel. Perfect spot to let Brayden run around while Mommy had a few sips!
And then we were off to Carmel Valley Ranch to grab a quick lunch and Leon had to make his tee time. One thing I quickly realized is that CVR is a huge property! 500 acres, give or take! You definitely need a vehicle to transport you from the room to the lobby/restaurants/pools, etc. (Not so convenient with a little one. But, they do offer a shuttle that treks guests around the property.) We stayed in the room for the most part though since it was a pretty chilly day out. Entertaining a 17 month old in a hotel room for upwards of 4 hours is not an easy task…especially when he doesn’t want to take a nap! We did take a few stroller walks around the grounds and even caught a quick pic of a sweet deer!
We decided to do room service for dinner since it was just too daunting a task to get everyone ready, loaded up in the car, and head out to the restaurant. Everything seemed perfectly fine…Brayden had fallen asleep in the crib (housekeeping brought one over for the evening, no charge) while Leon and I had a little floor picnic of wine and cheese & crackers.
About an hour into his sleep, Brayden woke up screaming. Not your run of the mill crying…screaming bloody murder. We tried to comfort him and nothing worked. We couldn’t get him to stop crying! (And for reference, Brayden doesn’t cry…ever!) He was also super sweaty and was leaning/shaking to one side. This is when we started to really freak out. We ended up calling 911 because we just had no idea what was wrong. Better to be safe than sorry!
One ambulance ride and a short stay at the ER later, and we find out that there was nothing medically wrong with him!?! We were completely relieved, but also so very confused. We chose to forgo our stay at CVR and head for home at 1am! We just wanted Brayden to sleep in his own bed at home so we could all feel more secure. So lucky we weren’t too far from home!
After chatting with his pediatrician, it seems like Brayden may have had a night terror (even though they are most common in 4-12 year olds) and was not even awake for most of the trauma that we experienced! Turns out that night terrors can be brought on by many things, but pure exhaustion is a main factor. Brayden hadn’t napped more than 25 minutes the whole day! We have now learned that keeping him on his nap schedule is crucial, especially while traveling!
Hopefully we will get a chance to stay at Carmel Valley Ranch again in the future. The staff were super amazing to us during the whole ordeal. They came to our room to check on Brayden before we left in the ambulance, and even called us the following day to check-in. They offered us a free room upgrade when we decide to return. It was so nice to feel truly cared for.