I'd fly into San Jose. I haven't been to Pinnacles, but it is high on my list.

Plenty of posts in here under California - and much info - and different opinions.

If you have the choice - I would suggest you fly into SF or San Jose (or even Oakalnd) and start south from there - as the lane closer to the ocean/heading south gives you better views.

Between the cute little town of Cambria (by San Simeon/Hearst Castle) and Paso Robles - hiway 46 is it - only about 30? miles - it goes along a number of very scenic/beautiful wineries and there are a number of B & B's along there.

Also check out Moonstone Beach by Cambria - just beautiful.

And October is usually a great time. Even if an early fall/winter storm blows in - it should clear out fairly fast - and you probably won't have too much fog/marine layer.

Either SFO or Oakland or San Jose. Traveling south on 1/101 you have all right turns toward the ocean views. You want to avoid left turns across traffic.
Spend the first night in Monterey or Carmel. I've never stayed in any of the towns between Monterey and Santa Barbara so will defer to others.
To save a bit of money we stayed in Carpenteria and commuted to Santa Barbara and the UCSB student housing in Isla Vista where DS, DIL and GS's now live.
If you don't find what you want in SLO, check Pismo Beach. We had a good lunch there at Marie Callendar.

You can fly into Santa Barbara. It's a great little airport. Limited flights, though. United serves it, for one.

re: LAX or SFO?

Both Santa Barbara and Monterey have airports. Here are the current daily flight schedules for each airport:

http://www.flysba.com/flight_schedule

http://www.montereyairport.com/documents/sept2012fltsch.pdf

If you want to use only LAX or SFO, I'd probably go with LAX and drive to Santa Barbara that first day.

I don't think it makes any difference whether you fly into SFO and drive to Konterey the first day, or Fly into LAX and drive to Santa Barbara the first day. It WOULD make a difference if you could fly to San Jose, which will cut out 30 miles and a bunch of bad commute traffic.

The best way to do it is to fly into one city and fly home from another. No backtracking. There are airports in SBarbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, San Jose, Monterey...but not all have good flight service from all cities in the U.S. Where are you flying in from?

As to one of your questions, arriving at LAX if it's a weekday, brings terrible traffic heading north after 3:30pm.

Definitely do open jaw if you can. Into SFO (or better - San Jose) and home from LAX (or Burbank) or vice versa.

Or, IF you can get reasonable fares into any of the smaller coastal airports mentioned, in to one of them and home from LAX/SFO/SJC/BUR

We did the SF to Santa Barb tour this past May.

Mission Ranch in Carmel.
Lovely place and you never know who you may run into in the restaurant/bar. We stayed in a Main Barn room but when we go back it will be one of the Meadow View buildings.

In Cambria we stayed at one of the many and nice hotels/motels on Moonstone Dr. We stayed at The Sea Otter Inn. Huge room/firelace and a nice sunset view. Beach is right across the street.

Short walk to Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill. Prior poster is right. Nice stretch of road.
Short ride to "Downtown Cambria".

I suggest SLO, Ventura/Ojai (about 15 miles apart), and Monterey/Pacific Grove (even closer together), but unless you have already been there, you should not miss SF.

Your suggestions for different airports are just what I needed. Will definitely consider San Jose and Burbank. Unexpectedly low fares, too. Unfortunately, Delta, which we must use, doesn't fly into SB or SLO.

We did a similar trip for our 25th anniversary, but only had 5 days. Now that we're up to 40 years, we have more time to explore without rushing. We want to include both coastal scenery/walks as well as interesting places a bit inland. I love everything about food and remember that Salinas and Watsonville are big agricultural areas. Anything of interest in that area or is it all purely production? Any thoughts on Pinnacles?


Had lunch at Mission Ranch and have thought of staying there as Kal suggested. Any other places (either to stay or visit) that a person from the east coast may not find on her own? Any "best" wineries to visit in that area? Hear that the wineries are more like Napa/Sonoma were years ago. Also love eating outside at wineries or other spots. Too many restaurants in the east have al fresco dining on noisy, smelly, busy streets and I yearn for places like I've experienced in CA.

Thanks for any more suggestions you can think of.

San Jose airport is pretty much brand new. Nice and easy.

We've only been twice, but we do enjoy stopping at Falafel's Drive In (not far from airport)and is on you way to/from coast.

Places we enjoyed dining on coast:
Sardine Factory (Sand Dabs and ice cream bon bons for desert)
The Tuck Box (breakfast or afternoon tea-scones are the thing)
Cafe Dametra(Moussaka-what I call Greek Lasagna)
First Awakenings(breakfast-huge pancakes and crepeeggs)

We really enjoyed kayaking in Elkhorn Slough(just north of Monterey a bit)

McWay Falls and Heart Castle were both great

I don't really see what all the hype is about Nepenthe. I know many would disagree with me. It does have great views. The food was nice, but super small portions and pretty pricey for what you got. Expect a wait.

I haven't been to Channel Islands National Park, but it is also high on my list. Not for sure what the weather would be there in Oct.

Sounds like a good trip

I should have also mentioned Point Lobos, it is really nice.

If you decide on doing the one-way thing, like flying into Burbank and flying home from San Jose, check car rental rates before booking your flights. The rates are wacky and change all the time, it could be twice as much to drive north as it would be to drive southbound....and at other times of the month it is the opposite. Kayak.com lets you check one-way car rental rates when you have your dates.

I stumbled upon this network of independent hotels, which includes quite a few in California:

http://www.stashrewards.com/hotels

DH just had back surgery 3 months ago, so thinking that we may have to do a "closer to home" trip. By that I mean, in the area between Monterey and SB, what would be a good location to possibly rent a small cottage/condo for a week and use that as a base for easy, do as we want, day trips? He would be content to do easy thereputic strolls and drink coffee at an outdoor cafe while I explore further afield.

How about Carmel? Lots of restaurants and cafes your DH can walk to and many day trip possibilities for you (Point Lobos, Big Sur, Carmel Valley, etc).

I was going to say that Pinnacles is an all-day trip, but given your husband's situation, this would not be a good time to climb the Pinnacles.

Yes, to staying in Carmel - cute town. We rented a wee little cottage one year for a week and had a great time.

We recently rented a very cute bungalow in Santa Barbara. Huge back patio with hillside views. Very good price. Not by the beach, but in a nice neighborhood up the hill. Right by a Trader Joe's. Very relaxing. All on one level-- no stairs to climb even at entryway.

To stay a few days, SB would be good. Except you can't fly there.

My sis found it on VRBO. I still have the owner's name and phone. If you want them, post your e-mail address and I can send.

"My sis found it on VRBO. I still have the owner's name and phone. If you want them, post your e-mail address and I can send."

You can just post the vrbo property number here . . .

I just did a week in SB last spring. It is a great place for a week with lots to do. You can fly in but not easy and expensive but can be done.

Great walking, museums, mission, library to visit. Great restaurants or walks on the beach and historic theaters right in town. There is an on line app SB Travel Pro that will give you all the info including videos tours is some of the sites.

You could also stay more central coast - say Cambria - (right on Moonstone Beach would be spectacular) - and get to nearby Hearst Castle/San Simeon - and/or drive a little way further up the coast to see beauitful Big Sur, or consider the 5 little towns by Pismo Beach - - and most importantly - there are nice wineries around/above Cambria and a lot of them (with nice B & B's) on 46 - which heads back into Paso Robles from the Coast.

see: http://www.paso46westwineries.com/

Fiddely Foo: Lost another post trying to get a webpage.

Anywhoo - you could easily stay on beautiful Moonstone Beach for a week - http://www.cambriachamber.org/motels-beach.php or you might break it up and perhaps stay a few days an hour and a half further south (pretty straight road) at the cute little Danish themed town of Solvang http://www.solvangcc.com/ (about 45 minutes north/above Santa Barbara) - in the Santa Ynez Valley - which also has a lot of wineries/tasting rooms.

And if you haven't seen the humorous movie - Sideways - it's a natural "guide" to some of the wineries in the area. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375063/

"You can just post the vrbo property number here . . ." I do not have the number, or I would have given it.

I recommend stopping by Ragged Point resort. It is about 10 miles north of Cambria and the views there is gorgeous. If you like farmer market consider stopping in San Luis Opisbo (near Hearst castle) on Thursday. We happen to be there during one of our trip and and it was the biggest farmer market I have seen. They have been open every thurs for past 30 year. It was in middle of downtown and went on for like 5 blocks. Great way to sample the local fares.

We really enjoyed the Thursday night market in San Luis Opisbo, too. Live music, street food, fresh produce, and plenty of shops/restaurants behind it all if you are so inclined. Parking was kind of a hassle and we had to walk a ways, but it was fun.

I really like San Luis Opisbo and wished we had more time there.

If you fly open jaw I would arrive in SFO or any northern airport and drive down the coast. You will always be on the side of the ocean and have easy pull outs and the views are sensational. If round trip I would drive south on the coast and north inland.

If you fly into SFO you will have access to the carpool lane which will help. If you decide to hit the coast (hwy 1) from Santa Cruz make sure you get through the mountains (Los Gatos)before 4 pm or you will be stuck in gridlock traffic. If you take 101 through Gilroy to Monterey still traffic but if lucky not as grueling. I would be out of the airport by 3pm or wait until 7 if you don't want to experience the grind through Silicon Valley. Trust me, I work here!

Pinnacles is an all day trip but worth it only if you can hike, it is the only thing here. A very long drive and hiking will be difficult with stairs, climbing and sometimes crawling. Not much to see from the parking lot.

To get to Pinnacles you pass through the town of Hollister which has a California Mission, San Juan Baustista. Alfred Hitchcock filmed a movie here. A good Mexican meal at Ester's.

The central coast has lots of California Missions starting in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Hollister, Carmel, SLO, Solvang, Santa Barbara and many more that I have missed. All are unique, my husband and I will pack a picnic and visit a different mission each time we are in the area, lovely gardens and foto ops.

You can make home in 2 or 3 locations. The distance north to south isn't much but the winding roads and sites make the drive longer. Maybe Monterey, Cambria and Santa Barbara. I love Moonstone beach in Cambria. There is a boardwalk walking trail and one of the inns has nightly entertainment. If you go to Hearst Castle make your reservation now. We did a night tour with period dressed docents. Don't know if it is still offered but was very enjoyable.

I personally would get accommodations on the coast, more places to eat, walk and enjoy in the evening and during the week rates are reasonable. Inland towns are not far. I would make the exception with SLO. It has a mission, farmer's market, river and it's own wharf with cafes. Smaller hidden towns might not have much to offer for 2-3 nights stays.

Towns for short stops/lunch: Cayucos, Morro Bay

October is a perfect time for the coast, you will have a wonderful time.

The OP's plans changed mid-thread:

DH just had back surgery 3 months ago, so thinking that we may have to do a "closer to home" trip. By that I mean, in the area between Monterey and SB, what would be a good location to possibly rent a small cottage/condo for a week and use that as a base for easy, do as we want, day trips? He would be content to do easy thereputic strolls and drink coffee at an outdoor cafe while I explore further afield.

That's why I recommended the bungalow rental in Santa Barbara.

THE mission to see, IMHO, is the La Purisma Concepcion

http://www.lapurisimamission.org/

It is south of Santa Maria and north of Santa Barbara and will be more or less on your way south, only a slight detour to the town of Lompoc.

There are 21 missions and 19 are still in the hands of the Catholic Church. The other two are state parks and La Purisma is one of the two. It has been rebuilt to resemble what a mission was like during the Spanish occupation of California, so important a part of California history. The rangers dress in period costumes and you are given a sense of exactly what it took to live in a mission. It's a very different experience than from visiting the Catholic-held missions in cities like San Francisco or Santa Barbara.

If you're driving down along the coast, La Purisma is well worth a stop.

Thank you everyone for your comments. We could likely do two places during the time we'd have there.

Moon Beach sounds interesting and seems to have a lot of choices of places to stay. Does anyone have a favorite, or perhaps more important, a place to avoid?

Carmel and SB could certainly be good locations, but both seem to be quite pricey.

I know I would absolutely LOVE visiting the Farmers' Market in SLO. Just went to a very small one in NYC yesterday and even with that one came out on a great high. I LOVE everything about food especially seeing what is available in different areas.

Thanks for mentioning that Pinnacles isn't a "drive through or parking lot view" park. We both really love to hike, but that wouldn't be happening on this trip.

IS anyone aware of any wineries that also have rooms available. Think that could be a nice spot. Will also look into Mission Ranch.

I know I'm limited by making plans so late, but just got the official permission to travel yesterday. Not sure how this will all work out.

Carmel can be pricey but if you stay during the week prices are usually lower. Check out livingsocial.com or travelzoo.com for daily deals. We use them a lot for traveling. Monterey is lovely and more afforable you can stroll the wharf in the evening, watch the sunset and sample everyones clam chower.

Forgot to mention, I have stayed in many places in Cambria and never had a bad outcome. But there is a hostel there that I have never stayed at and am thinking about the next time we visit. Look it up it looks very nice.

There are less expensive places, if you know where to look.

For example, if you are interested in San Simeon hotel, the Best Western Cavalier is oceanfront and a very good value. My room had a small fireplace, and coffee-making bar, which was great for a foggy evening. Restaurant on-site, too.
http://www.cavalierresort.com/

And this is a very cute little drive-up 'motel' just across from the water, in Santa Barbara. Very affordable, recently updated and clean, offers continental breakfast, free parking.
http://www.sbcastilloinn.com/

To your question about a winery that has lodging, try the Fess Parker, in Los Olivos, near Santa Barbara.
http://fessparkerinn.com/main/rooms.html

There are vineyard cottages in Carmel Valley, around Paso Robles/Templeton and in the Santa Ynez Valley, just depends on where you want to be. Have you looked on vrbo.com?

today travelzoo.com has carmel river inn for $69.00 rated 4.5 star on tripadvisor and also for $25.00 a whale watching cruise. bloomspot.com has montecito inn with wine in santa barbara for $120.00 also rated 4.5. remember you don't have to stay in carmel or santa barbara. you can stay in pismo beach or monterey. each beach community has its own charm.

Actually Carmel River inn has 3.5 stars on TA and reviews of the "budget" rooms are a bit concerning. http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g32172-d113841-Carmel_River_Inn-Carmel_Monterey_Peninsula_California.html

Near Santa Barbara, look at www.BallardInn.com