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Old 09-17-2017, 12:43 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
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If I were you, I'd wait until I could get 10 days. But the redwood forests in NorCal are a good bet. Yosemite, depending on time of year (shoulder seasons are best to avoid crowds and for better pricing).

If you did Yosemite, the Monterey Bay area (beaches, redwood forests) and Big Sur, and drive up Highway 1 from Santa Cruz up the coast to SF, you could end your visit with a few days in SF & the Bay Area. That would be a 10-day trip, right there. 1 week would be pushing it.
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Old 09-17-2017, 04:35 PM
 
Location: In the Redwoods
30,286 posts, read 51,752,562 times
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Just don't call it "Cali" while you're here, and you will be fine.

Seriously though, it would help to know what you like doing! I'm partial to San Francisco, of course, having lived in/near SF for most of my life... so I'd start there, and maybe take an overnight trip down the coast (Santa Cruz & Monterey/Big Sur). Or if you aren't much of an ocean person, head north to Muir Woods and the Redwood Forests for a day instead. The time of year also factors in, since I'd recommend Lake Tahoe if you're here in the winter and like skiing (or summer if you're into boating). So much to do/see in this BIG and wonderful state!!

Last edited by gizmo980; 09-17-2017 at 04:58 PM..
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Old 09-17-2017, 05:52 PM
 
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Do you plan to rent a car while you're here, or will you want to rely on public transportation (i.e., buses, trains, uber, etc.)?

You didn't mention your age, but just in case you plan to rent a car, know that most car rental agencies here won't rent to anyone under age 21, and they'll also charge a hefty daily surcharge if you're 21-24.

If you can't or prefer not to rent a car, that will limit some of your options, such as heading to the National Parks (or even some state parks). But there's still plenty of great places here that you can explore without a car, so don't let that stop you.

As others have already hinted, California is much bigger than most first time visitors expect. With a week, it really would be best to pick one of California's three main cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco and plan your trip around sights and activities in and/or nearby.

Each of these cities have their own unique personalities, weather, attractions (and costs) so you might want to read up on what they have to offer and see what appeals to you most. LA and San Diego are an easy drive or train trip apart so even in a week, it would be possible to get a taste of both.

Here are the tourism sites for each of these cities, which will give you TONS of ideas about what they offer, both in the city and nearby to give you a good starting point:

https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/

https://www.sandiego.org/

San Francisco Travel

Sacarole also gave you a GREAT recommendation of the California tourism site, which, as sacarole indicated, has lots of information as well.

One last bit of advice: If you're coming from the East Coast, it's a long flight and adjusting to a different time zone can zap one's energy for a day or so. So, be sure to factor that in when planning both ends of your trip, coming and returning home.

Enjoy planning your trip!
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