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Old 05-11-2013, 10:08 AM
 
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My husband and I are taking a two week road trip from Seattle to either San Francisco or San Diego, depending on how much there is to see.

What are the "must sees" for San Francisco and northern California?

Any ideas for south of San Francisco would be great too!

We're thinking of flying with a tent so we can camp on occasion.

I'd love to hear your ideas!
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Old 05-11-2013, 10:12 AM
 
Location: The East
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For a beautiful road trip try to stay close to highway 1. When driving from SF to SD you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in America. Be sure to enjoy the Big Sur area along highway 1 and stop at some of the scenic overlooks of the Pacific.
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Old 05-11-2013, 10:17 AM
 
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Thanks, Matzoman! Big Sur must be awesome!

I'd love to hear what's between SF a SD since my husband seems to think we can stop our trip at SF.

Thankfully, I'm the one planning this trip! I'm determined to create an awesome itinerary!
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Old 05-11-2013, 11:55 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopes View Post

I'd love to hear what's between SF a SD since my husband seems to think we can stop our trip at SF.
If you stop at SF you will miss some of the best parts of CA. Here are just a few examples of the many places to go.

http://www.yourstoryawaits.com/bouti...G_07_Ebook.pdf

http://www.sunset.com/static/pdf/Big...tions_More.pdf

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/23071/...esmagazine.pdf

http://www.sandiego.edu/documents/oa...mpingGuide.pdf

http://www.santabarbara.com/communit...tors_guide.pdf
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Old 05-11-2013, 12:10 PM
 
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Thanks for the links, capoeira!

I suspected we'd miss a lot if we stopped at San Fran.

My husband thinks we're trying to cover too much ground in two weeks.

I'm trying to create an itinerary to make it possible to go all the way.
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Old 05-11-2013, 12:58 PM
 
Location: Anaheim
1,962 posts, read 4,467,168 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopes View Post
My husband and I are taking a two week road trip from Seattle to either San Francisco or San Diego, depending on how much there is to see.

What are the "must sees" for San Francisco and northern California?

Any ideas for south of San Francisco would be great too!

We're thinking of flying with a tent so we can camp on occasion.

I'd love to hear your ideas!
None. Nothing you absolutely HAVE to see. Now you are free. Create your itinerary. Your husband sounds like a wise man; you probably are trying to get too much "done" in a two week vacation.

Look at the map and choose your favorite highway numbers (flip a coin, whatever) and book your lodgings accordingly; it may not be THE California experience (whatever that means) but it will be YOURS. Nothing worse than tens of thousands of people all seeking to have an "authentic" experience. Try to avoid the crowds in order to get something of a true feel for a place.

Just a suggestion.
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Old 05-11-2013, 02:45 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
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I think you should take your time through the north of Northern CA, seeing at least a couple of redwood forests. The Trinity Alps are beautiful, good for hiking, and redwoods. The town of Arcata on Humboldt Bay would be a good stop, after you cross the NorCal border from Oregon.

North of the Bay Area, you can see the Russian fort that used to trade with the Mexican outpost in San Francisco, when Alaska belonged to Russia. And of course, San Fran itself has a lot to see, and there are beaches on the coast of Marin County, just north of SF, that are worth a stay. http://www.fortrossstatepark.org/
http://stinsonbeachonline.com/

As someone mentioned, south of SF is the Big Sur coast, and more redwood forests. The town of Santa Cruz is worth a stay for a couple of days: beach, an interesting university, and redwood forests just to the north and south. The artichoke capital of north America is in Half Moon Bay just north of Santa Cruz, where you can pick your own 'chokes, if you're a fan. You could base yourself in Santa Cruz and drive the Big Sur coast on a day trip from there.

I'd place the southern limit of the tour at Big Sur. That way, you'll have plenty of time to savor the NorCal scenery in all its grandeur. And don't miss Yosemite National Park--a must see! Plan 4-5 days for there, and make your reservations early. There's a wide choice of accommodation, from the historic lodge to platform tents. If you're planning this for this summer, your choices will be limited already--it books up early.

::: Ignore the little man behind the curtain who says there are no "must sees". Smoke and mirrors do not a pundit make.
Enjoy. And consider getting back to us after you've made the trip. We'd love to hear about it.

Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 05-11-2013 at 03:04 PM..
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Old 05-11-2013, 03:43 PM
 
3,229 posts, read 6,269,597 times
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Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
I'd place the southern limit of the tour at Big Sur. That way, you'll have plenty of time to savor the NorCal scenery in all its grandeur. And don't miss Yosemite National Park--a must see! Plan 4-5 days for there, and make your reservations early.
Yosemite is one place I would definitely avoid! Too crowded! I would drive to the farthest southern point of the trip first,whether it is Big Sur, San Diego, Malibu or Santa Barbara and gradually work my way back.


Yosemite travel alert - YouTube
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Old 05-11-2013, 03:54 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
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Quote:
Originally Posted by capoeira View Post
Yosemite is one place I would definitely avoid! Too crowded! I would drive to the farthest southern point of the trip first,whether it is Big Sur, San Diego, Malibu or Santa Barbara and gradually work my way back.
True, timing is very important for a Yosemite visit. The "shoulder" tourism period: early-to-mid Autumn, is best. Not crowded then, all the kiddies are in school, summer vacation is over. Accommodations are cheaper in that window, too. Maybe Yosemite could be saved for the next trip, OP, unless you're planning a fall trip this year.
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Old 05-11-2013, 04:11 PM
 
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Will Yosemite be to crowded May 25th through June 9th?

That's when we will be traveling.
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