Tubulus

Do we have too much planned? This is for mid-June.
Fly in to SF on a Friday, stay in SF
Drive to Napa Monday, wine/hot air balloon/etc
Wednesday am drive to Monterey, then do Monterey/Big Sur/Hearst Castle.
Friday drive to Yosemite
Spend Saturday in Yosemite
Back to SFO early Sunday am.

I guess we are already way too late to find a hotel inside yosemite, and a tent is not quite our cup of tea (we like plumbing, and heat), so we'll have to stay outside. Will we be able to get into the park early Sunday morning to see the sunrise before leaving for the airport? Should we move Napa to after Yosemite? Is Hearst Castle worth it? The GF really wants to see it, though we could cut it out if we really need to.
Thanks a lot!

dew1990

Everything is Ok except for Yosemite in one day... Yosemite is so vast and magnificent you would want to possibly adjust other sights to increase time there....Yosemite Lodge just outside of the park is a fun place....right on the Mercer River

janisj

Yosemite Lodge is in the Valley/park. I'm pretty sure dew1990 meant Yosemite VIEW Lodge. A different place entirely.

Tubulus: Your plan is "doable" but you will be in the car a lot, and will be stuck in a lot of horrible traffic on the Wed morning. Your plan will be easier if you drop the drive south from Monterey to San Simeon.

You will have more than 1 day at Yosemite BTW - the drive over from Monterey isn't bad and you could be to the Park by mid-morning on Friday. So you'd have a bit more than 1.5 days there.

But as much as I love Yosemite (I even spent my honeymoon there) - I'd personally drop it. Especially since you probably can't stay in the Valley. SF, Napa/Sonoma, and Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur would be a much more leisurely/doable plan in the time you have.

bobludlow

SF to Napa - 50 miles.
Napa to Big Sur - 180 miles.
Big Sur to Yosemite - 250 miles.
Yosemite to San Francisco - 200 miles.

Sounds like a great vacation - if you like living in your car. I suggest visiting either Yosemite or Monterey/Big Sur - not both.

If you choose Monterey/Big Sur then you really should take the short trip further south to enjoy Hearst Castle. ESPECIALLY if your GF "really wants to see it."

MichelleY

If you are just going to Napa/Sonoma to taste the wine, then I would drop it and winetaste in Monterey County or the Carmel Valley. There are also wineries near Paso Robles, which is not too far from Hearst Castle.

Good luck,

MY

bobludlow

What kind of wine do you like? Paso Robles is known for their big, ripe, high alcohol syrahs. Carmel Valley tends to focus on cool climate chardonnays and pinot noirs. Napa is best at cabernet sauvignon but offers a wide range of styles including sparkling wines. Sonoma also offers a wide range, but certain areas focus on pinot/chard while others focus on zinfandel (red not white) and cabernet.

J_Correa

I agree with the others - doable, but you will spend a lot of time in the car. I would cut something out, but not Hearst Castle since your GF really wants to go. Since there are many opportunities for wine outside the "wine country", I would probably cut out that section. Carmel Valley, Santa Cruz mountains, Paso Robles/Santa Ynez Valley - lots of wineries to go around. There are even some near Holister and in other central valley locations.

MichelleY

As J Corea said, lots of other chances to taste. Even on the way up to Yosemite, near Mariposa are small wineries.

MY

Tubulus

Thanks for the responses. I think we will, sadly, drop Yosemite, and instead continue down to LA.
Current plan is:
4 nights in SF
1 night in Napa
2 nights in Monterey or Big Sur
2 nights in LA
The only reason we are doing napa is the hot air balloon ride - is this worth it? Are the rides in Santa barbara as good?

janisj

I personally would not plan a trip around a Balloon ride. I live nearby so it is different - I can go at the spur of the moment. But what if it is too windy to go up that day? Or too foggy (not likely but still a possibility).

If the hot air balloon ride is your main/only reason for going - I'd drop Napa and include Yosemite instead . . . .

travellamb

I believe most hot air balloon rides launch at dawn. If you decide to do that, I would leave san francisco the night before so you can make it to the hot air balloon ride from your hotel in Napa.