CA vacation advice please

[LDH]

I too think flying into San Francisco would be a good idea. You could stay there for a day or two and then head down to Carmel/Monterey. Make sure you take the 17-Mile Drive where you will see some of the most beautiful coastline. Monterey also has the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I would then continue down Highway 1 to visit Hearst Castle which is in San Simeon and stay in Cambria. Cambria is a nice, little town right along the ocean. You can then head on over to Yosemite for a couple of days. Then if you have time up to Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley.

Google Maps is a good tool to use to see distances/driving times to help you map out your trip.

[tickyul]

Hang out in Downtown San Diego......the East side.........you can Watch Urban Campers in their natural habitat.

[NYSD1995]

Fly into SF (1-2 nights)
Drive south through Santa Cruz and Monterey (1 night)
Drive east through the Central Valley to either Sequoia or Yosemite (1 long day drive, 1-2 nights)
Drive south to Los Angeles (1 long day drive, 1-2 nights)
Drive south to San Diego (1-2 nights)

That's basically 10 days right there. Even if your goal is to see CA's natural splendor, you can't visit CA and not go to SF or LA. Unless you are a serious hiker or backpacker you are not going to be able to penetrate the CA wilderness in a car without spending some serious time in the backcountry with very little in the way of amenities. Sequoia and Yosemite are packed with tourists in summer anyway - don't expect any peace and quiet at the campgrounds and motels.

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Fly into SF (1-2 nights)
Drive south through Santa Cruz and Monterey (1 night)
Drive east through the Central Valley to either Sequoia or Yosemite (1 long day drive, 1-2 nights)
Drive south to Los Angeles (1 long day drive, 1-2 nights)
Drive south to San Diego (1-2 nights)

That's basically 10 days right there. Even if your goal is to see CA's natural splendor, you can't visit CA and not go to SF or LA. Unless you are a serious hiker or backpacker you are not going to be able to penetrate the CA wilderness in a car without spending some serious time in the backcountry with very little in the way of amenities. Sequoia and Yosemite are packed with tourists in summer anyway - don't expect any peace and quiet at the campgrounds and motels.

I disagree about having to see LA. I cannot imagine spending one day of "vacation" there. If you want the SoCal flavor, come to San DIego or go to Santa Barbara. Do yourself a favor and avoid LA.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by JakeDog

I disagree about having to see LA. I cannot imagine spending one day of "vacation" there. If you want the SoCal flavor, come to San DIego or go to Santa Barbara. Do yourself a favor and avoid LA.

LA may not be to your liking, but it does have stuff to see. Offhand, I can think of the Getty, La Brea Tar Pits, the Farmers Market, Santa Monica pier, Universal Studios, Disneyland, ...

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by oddstray

LA may not be to your liking, but it does have stuff to see. Offhand, I can think of the Getty, La Brea Tar Pits, the Farmers Market, Santa Monica pier, Universal Studios, Disneyland, ...

Disneyland isn't in LA. The Santa Monica Pier isn't worth seeing, nor are the La Brea Tar Pitts, Farmer's Market? Really? How about grafitti, gangs, traffic (OH MY GOD THE TRAFFIC IS HORRIFIC), smog, stress, ugly landscape. I guess if you have already seen San Diego, Santa Barbara, Orange County (where Disneyland is- no need to drive 1+ hours in LA traffic to get there), Big Sur, Yosemite, Sequoia, Napa, SF, Santa Cruz, Carmel, Shasta, Redwood national forest, Marin, Palm Springs, Mammoth, etc. and you wanted to see your worst nightmare of what America could become if we don't control crime, uncontrolled sprawl, vapid selfishness, and gangs, go to Los Angeles. Otherwise, don't.