KayF

Hi, we are having a holiday in California in September and would love some input. We fly in and out of LAX and the plan is to drive a sort of circle - north along the coast to the San Francisco area then across to Lake Tahoe, south to Yosemite and back to LAX. We prefer to travel slowly.

In no particular order, things we like are markets, bakeries, grand historic buildings, book shops, thrift shops (mainly for books), wildlife, beautiful scenery and views, walks that are not strenuous, maybe animal sanctuaries? ​We are in our 50s and have been to America many times on holidays and are not really interested in the city areas of Los Angeles or San Francisco. Small, attractive, walkable towns are appealing. I also love shopping but on a budget (think Sears not Bloomingdales).

All suggestions welcome.

Kay

aussiedreamer

Hi KayF......nice to see you are heading over again. We leave in 4 weeks today.....little bit excited.

We did a similar drive a few years ago, I thought I did a TR but apparently not. We loved the drive from LA to SanFran', we stopped in at Half Moon Bay for a couple of nights, just magical. http://www.sealcoveinn.com/ Awesome walk through a cedar grove down to the beach at low tide........so many seals.

We visited, Santa Barbara - Loved the pier, Carmel - found it really lovely, with lots of cute shops, Pebble Beach was fun for a look. We stopped off at Pigeon Point Lighthouse and just where ever we saw a parking spot along the coast, fluked lots of seals.

We loved Yosemite, stayed here http://www.yosemitepark.com/wawona-hotel.aspx and loved it.

We had also been to SanFran' before, this time we hired bikes at the Pier and road over to Sausalito across The Bridge. Had a great lunch and caught the ferry back, great views of Alcatraz. We still talk about the lunch we had at the Slanted Door Vietnamese restaurant. http://www.slanteddoor.com/

We also drove up to Muir Woods......wouldn't bother again, not if you are going to Yosemite.


Have fun planning.

happytrailstoyou

Pismo Beach, Ventura, Laguna Beach, Paso Robles and towns on historic Highway 49 come to mind: http://www.historichwy49.com/mainmap.html

HTtY

happytrailstoyou

Cambria, too.

KayF

This is a great start, thanks. I think getting into somewhere near Yosemite will be difficult but we'd like to visit there again if we can. Sausalito is also on my list. Thanks for all the links too, I'll check out the Historic Hwy. We stayed at the Wawona years and years ago and thought it was lovely, though had to share a bathroom. Yikes.

Aussiedreamer - have a great trip!

More suggestions very welcome. We visited an animal sanctuary near Denver a few years ago, from a suggestion on Fodors, and loved seeing the bears, big cats etc, though it was incredibly sad to read what people can do to animals.

Kay

StuDudley

Try to visit the Marine Mammal Center at the Marin Headlands. They do a lot of good work.

Here are some of my ideas.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

BarbAnn

One animal sanctuary that we visit and enjoyed is Vision Quest Ranch near Salinas (not too far from Monterey). The tour was very interesting.

http://www.visionquestranch.com/html...r_jungle-.html

enzian

Don't give up on Yosemite! It is still possible tonfindnaccommodationninsidenor very close tonthenparknif you start looking now, especially after Labor Day ( Sept. 7). Here are some suggestions:

The official website for lodging inside the park is www.yosemitepark.com

Checking now I found availability at Wawona Hotel and Curry Village for a 3-night stay mid-week after Labor Day. Vacancies may opennupnat Yosemite Lodge at the Falls at any time, but especially closer to the date.

For self-catering condos or cabins at Yosemite West try here:

http://www.yosemitewest.com/

This is a private community that is technically outside the park but access is from inside, near the Glacier Point Road. It is a 25-minute easy and scenic drive to the Valley floor.

For the high country near Tuolumne Meadows, try Tioga Pass Resort, a rustic lodge just outside the park at the Tioga entrance. They now take online reservations and Insaw several vacancies in Sept. mid-week after Labor Day.

It would help if you can time your Yosemite visit to avoid the weekends.

MichelleY

After the coast, You could loop up thru Grass Valley, Nevada City, Downieville, Truckee, Lake Tahoe. From there you could choose the eastern side of the Sierra and head down 395 to Bodie, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass to Yosemite. Or the western side and dow Hwy 49 thru Plymouth, Angels Camp and then to Yosemite.

KayF

This is great info, thank you. I will get cracking on booking Yosemite, though have to fit it in with everything else which is all up in the air at present. I love the planning though and the way it gradually comes together.

Any more ideas?
Kay

Patty

I agree with the recs to check out the western Sierra foothill areas on your way to/from Tahoe and/or Yosemite.

The Monterey peninsula/Big Sur region is excellent for coastal scenery and wildlife. Don't miss Point Lobos where you can go on some gorgeous, easy hikes. I recently posted some photos of our central coast wildlife http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...t-wildlife.cfm

Carmel is a very walkable small town. If you stay in town, you can easily walk to shops, restaurants, wine tasting rooms and the beach.

Patty

Oh yes bakeries... Big Sur Bakery, Parker Lusseau in Monterey, Pavel's Bakerei in Pacific Grove and also Salumeria Luca in Carmel just started turning out some great pastries.

What do you mean by markets? Craft, food or?

I don't know if you could call them grand but Monterey State Historic park has a collection of old adobes http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=575

The Tor House is interesting http://torhouse.org/

There's a lot of history in Carmel and I'd recommend a walking tour if you decide to come here http://www.calegacytours.com/

MichelleY

Check out some of the missions. Many to choose from as you travel north up the coast. San Juan Bautista is set in a nice little town. Carmel Mission a jewel. San Miguel, San Antonio, Soledad are lesser known.

KayF

Thanks for the ideas. By grand, I meant something like the Biltmore mansion we visited years ago, in Asheville NC. I realise places like that are probably few and far between in America.

We love any sort of markets, with farmers markets we are limited to what we can buy but still like to check out the fruit and veg etc. We do that in Europe when on holiday too and also sticky nose in the supermarkets to see what they sell overseas. I read about a market on Saturday morning in Santa Monica so will try and get there for a look, though our flight arrives early on Sat morning so it may be close to winding up by the time we get there.

Kay

Patty

You might enjoy Hearst Castle then.

The two larger farmer's markets here are Tuesday evening in downtown Monterey https://www.oldmonterey.org/oldmonte...ey-marketplace This one has more prepared food and also craft vendors. Or Friday at Monterey Peninsula College http://www.montereybayfarmers.org/ma...onterey-market This one is more for produce and also meat and seafood. This is the one most local chefs go to.

San Luis Obispo has a fun Thursday evening market if you happen to be in town.

There's a craft/antique market here almost every weekend. Many of them take place at Customs House Plaza in Monterey, Monterey Peninsula College or out in Carmel Valley.

KayF

Thanks Patty for the links and also the bakeries. I will add them to my notes to take with us. We went to the Hearst Castle years ago and have it on our list again, maybe do a different tour this time. Last time we just got tickets and went straight on the tour but it sounds like we need to prebook online this time.

Kay

KayF

Thanks to everyone for your ideas but we've had to cancel our trip. We are disappointed but my husband is not well enough to fly. I've done so much research and planning I feel sad and would really like to go next year, or maybe the year after, and still use a lot of my notes. So flights, hotels and car hire have all been cancelled

I'm really glad my husband is not too ill, just not well enough for a 14 hour flight.

Kay

MichelleY

Sorry your plans did not work out. We are kind of in the same boat. We want to visit family in Pamplona next June, but debating whether to get my knees replaced before or after. Hope your DH's health improves and you are on the road again?

Patty

Sorry to hear that! Hope you can make it next year.