There are plenty of posts in here under Carmel/Monterrey - Big Sur, etc.

My choice would be to spend a few days in the Carmel/Monterrey area - and then drive through Big Sur to Cambria.

There are any number of great places to explore - and ou might also check out Pfeiffer State Park http://tinyurl.com/be7pp54 as one of the places to walk on the beach - and the Pt. Lobos reserve south of Carmel is also beautiful. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571

And don't forget to pull into to the beach overlook a couple of miles north of the entrance to Hearst Castle - to see the Elephant Seals. They are BIG.

And for hotel "deals" - check out the Marina area - about 5 minutes north of Monterrey. Long - uncrowded beaches and inexpensive rates. http://www.expedia.com/Marina-Monterey-Hotels.0-n6055632-0.Travel-Guide-Filter-Hotels

Thanks, tomsd, for answering & for the information. I appreciate the time you took to post.

We have waded through some of the hundreds of posts about this same area but frankly there are not enough hours in the day with work & family obligations to sit in front of a computer. What we were hoping for was advice from someone who has been to this area recently & could recommend a good restaurant, an especially beautiful area to photograph, fun activity or a great hotel/b&b that isn't listed in a guidebook.

Sorry for asking about the same topic that a lot of others ask about. No doubt, we will enjoy our trip anyway.

<<<great hotel/b&b that isn't listed in a guidebook>>>

No such thing.

<<<an especially beautiful area to photograph>>>

The entire coast between Monterey and Cambria, especially the Big Sur Area - Bixby Bridge, Point Lobos, Pfeiffer-Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach.

Redwoods are readily seen near Santa Cruz (Big Basin State Park, Henry Cowell State Park). The southern most limit of redwoods is in Big Sur State Park.

These pictures cover in reverse what you are thinking of as an itinerary:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/sets/72157624512998387/show/

Maybe spend your first night in Santa Cruz. Friends like to stay at the Sea and Sand Inn. But then move on and spend a couple of days in in Monterey, Carmel or Pacific Grove. The Marina area offers lower price options, but there is a reason why: not as charming and a little grittier, but it is fine. If you can find something in your budget, really try to stay in Carmel.

Move down Hwy 1 and stay in Cambria or San Simeon and visit Hearst Castle. Since this is Easter vacation, reserve ahead for HC. If you want some lower price options, stay in Morro Bay or Paso Robles. Weekends will required 2night minimums, so plan for that. There will also be opportunities for wine tasting in Monterey County, Carmel Valley, and Paso Robles.

Several years ago, we needed a one night stay in Cambria and the only place we found was a b&b up in the foothills:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mccall-farm-bed-and-breakfast-cambria

It was wonderful, not on the ocean, but charming and I would stay there again.

Hope you get more recs today.

Michelle-thanks so much for your advice! Just what we were looking for!!

Michael-thanks for taking time to answer & advise about the redwoods. And your pictures are amazing!!

As for restaurants - there are plenty of good restaurants in the areas where you are headed. Suggest you google away and bring up such sites as Yelp, Chowhound, Blackboard Eats, etc. and find the type of food, atmosphere and price level you are seeking.

We drove down from SF to SD last fall - and actually dined at a place on Cannery Row/Monterrey - a fish place - at the end of one of the piers - with a nice ocean view - and they had a very good selection of fresh fish.

Carmel is also known for their charming - more intimate places to dine - and Cambria has a fairly good selection too.

BTW - if you really like seeing coastline - I would head over to charming Half Moon Bay from SFO - and then on down to Santa Cruz. Very pretty drive, and Half Moon Bay also has some cute places to dine, have lunch, etc.

If you really want to do it up right for your introductory night - and/or feel like you are staying in say Scotland - hit the Ritz. http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HalfMoonBay/Default.htm

Between Santa Cruz and Monterey is Moss Landing. There is a giant power plant, so you can't miss it. In ML is Phil's Fish Market. Be sure to stop for a meal as this place is famous and has great seafood. I think Bobby Flay did a Ciopino throw down a few years back. Sorry I can't think of any others off hand. I have eaten years ago at the Fish Hopper on Cannery Row- good but not great. If you get up the Carmel Valley, there is a Tex Mex fun place called the Baja Cantina.

Santa Cruz will be very touristy and run over with teenagers if it truly is spring break.It was not our favorite. The drive from SFO through Half Moon Bay and down sounds good.There are places to get out and walk on the beach.

For a young couple, I can recommend the Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola (just slightly south of Santa Cruz) for a (not cheap) romantic evening. Best to go not on a weekend unless it's for Sunday brunch. Has it's own small cable car.

http://www.coronadovisitorcenter.com/CVC/index.html

You can check out their reviews on Yelp or Chowhound.

Sorry, the Shadowbrook is for older couples too!

Thanks guys for all of your different suggestions-you save me so much time!

tomsd-will plan on the Ritz-Carlton at HMB if we ever win the lottery!! $600/night for the cheapest room is just a tad over our budget! But I read somewhere else that if you can't afford to stay, you should at least go to the bar for a drink & appetizers-I'll let you know how it is! The place does look like it belongs in Scotland!

haha easytraveler-our children call us the "old hippies" so I hope the Shadowbrook can handle us!

So sorry, arwin! Don't know why I thought you were in your 20s or 30s.

Santa Cruz lodging isn't that great. Try Carmel.

In Carmel, try the Mission Ranch (NOT the Carmel Mission Inn), which is partially owned by Clint Eastwood. In March, it should be within your budget. Reputedly it has a great restaurant and bar, although we've never tried it.

http://missionranchcarmel.com/

Carmel Beach is great for walking.

Then, if the weather is clear, you're just a couple of miles from Point Lobos, absolute jewel along that part of the coast.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571

Just drive straight in after the entrance kiosk until you can't drive any further. There will be a small parking lot and a ranger there. You can trade your car keys or license for a pair of binoculars - well worth having. Plenty of hiking trails for different levels, almost all along the seashore.

Further south and a bit inland is Feiffer Big Sur State Park with plenty of trails to view the coastal redwoods.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570

I always tell people to bring a hat as once I had a fat banana slug land right at my feet, missing my head by an inch

http://tinyurl.com/a9wdnnd

Long sleeves and sturdy shoes help too.


Just a couple of miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur is Nepenthe - right when the road reaches the coast and you can see the ocean. Absolutely gorgeous view.

http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/


Further south is Julia Feiffer Burns State Park, where there is a small waterfall that falls into the ocean.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25207


Then on to Cambria, Hearst Castle, etc.

easytraveler-oh to be back in our 20's or 30's-sigh. However, we would rather be 50-something than the alternative! Holy cow, you have just made a great plan for us along the coast-thanks so much for taking the time to help! We have made our hotel reservations in Cambria at the Sand Pebbles Inn and now just need to decide about Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove. My husband found a great deal at the West Cliff Inn in Santa Cruz for stay 2 nights & get 2 free-makes the room less than $150 a night which will be hard to beat. But going on yours & others recommendations, I will look at other places to base for those 4 days. Thanks again!

Nah, don't stay in Santa Cruz for 4 nights.

Hi Michelle-I'm curious about why Santa Cruz is a bad idea(well other than the fact that it will be spring break for UCSC). Can you help me out so I can make my argument with the hubby? I do get the distinct feeling that SC has a bad rep!

How do you feel about Capitola? Just looking at all of the options along that route.

Santa Cruz is Ok for a night but the Monterey area, particularly Pacific Grove or Carmel are much nicer and charming. Santa Cruz is a Chevy and Carmel is a Cadillac. I haven't been to Capitola in over 20 years, but more charming than SC.

Thanks, Michelle-great explanation. Ok-one more question please. How would a downtown Monterey hotel be? We are staying at a beachside inn in Cambria for three nights so proximity to beach is not terribly important for this part of the trip. I assume we could get to the beach easily from downtown though if we chose?

Thanks for letting me pick your brain!

Monterey would be OK, it's a Buick. Pacific Grove or Carmel are better. More charming and would be my choice. I am sure others here will recommend Carmel over the others

LOL. You really have stirred up some good responses.

A college buddy of mine lives by the Ritz (they can go through their own gate on a golf cart ) - and we enjoyed a couple beverages at the bar - overlooking the ocean. Think you will love it for an "interlude".

And even though you might have a deal in Santa Cruz - also recommend the Carmel/Monterrey area. BTW - a not so "gritty" hotel at Marina is the 3 star Sanctuary - and it's next to the beach/marine reserve/park.

http://www.expedia.com/Monterey-Hotels-Sanctuary-Beach-Resort.h527074.Hotel-Information?chkin=02%2F18%2F2013&chkout=02%2F21%2F2013&rm1=a2&hashTag=roomsAndRates&#roomsAndRates

<<<Santa Cruz is Ok for a night but the Monterey area, particularly Pacific Grove or Carmel are much nicer and charming. Santa Cruz is a Chevy and Carmel is a Cadillac. I haven't been to Capitola in over 20 years, but more charming than SC.

Monterey would be OK, it's a Buick.>>>

This is a great description. To add to it, Pacific Grove is low-key, on the bay (with a really nice path to walk or bike), the kind of place you can just exhale and relax in. The main street in Pacific Grove looks like the main street in any nice suburb. Carmel is storybook charming - very cutesy, also very upscale. Monterey is a bigger city, and has more that is specifically geared to tourism than the other two.

I like Santa Cruz, and don't think you should skip it, but I agree, one day is probably enough. Wander downtown (pretty nice since it was rebuilt after the '89 earthquake), the UCSC campus, the boardwalk. It's a good place to ride bikes.

Capitol is a very cute beach town, but for me, unless you're going for the relaxation/beach, it's good just for a couple of hours.

Here's a thread I posted a few years ago when we took a day trip from south of San Francisco, as far as Nepenthe and back.

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/little-trip-report-day-trip-down-the-ca-coast-part-way.cfm?38

sf7307-thanks for your explanations-that's the kind of detail I was hoping for! Husband & I have decided to split the difference(he wants Santa Cruz, I want Pacific Grove area)so will probably stay in SC for 1st two nights at the West Cliff Inn and then move on to PG or Monterey for 2 nights before moving to Cambria for the next 3 nights. Can you suggest a decent hotel/motel in a good area in either PG or Monterey? I would love some input. I am trying to find time to read reviews but would rather get someone's opinion also.

Thanks again!

I recently stayed at the Sunset Inn in Pacific Grove. It appears to be an older place that has had a complete remodel- it is clean, nicely furnished- no views but short walk to beach where there are some nice walking trails.
There is no restaurant, pool or hot tub- just a place to lay your head at night. So if you are not looking for a place with a lot of amenities , this would be a good choice.

sunbum-funny I was just looking at that on TA & Expedia! It looks pretty good to me. We'll have views in SC & Cambria so not too worried. Mainly looking for somewhere close to the beach so we can walk & clean of course. Do they have parking close to the cabins? Which kind of room did you have?

Thanks for the info-that helps a lot!!

We had a room with 2 queen beds, parking is close- not directly outside the room but just steps away- it was maybe 2 blocks to beach trails. Staff was very helpful in suggesting restaurants-

No complaints- I would stay there again

Thanks hon-i think we'll go with the Sunset Inn then. Can you suggest any good restaurants that you tried while there? Have heard about Passionfish but haven't checked on others yet.

We had a breakfast at Lou Lou's Griddle in the Middle- on the Municipal Wharf. Its a kind of funky place, very small with maybe 6 tables outside and some inside seating- food was good- think I had a seafood omelet.
It is a working wharf so lots of fishermen, commercial marina, small beach- we thought it was kind of fun and totally different feeling than Old Fishermans Wharf.

We also had dinner at a restaurant at place on Ansilomar Ave recommended by motel staff but cannot remember name - the staff there gave us several recommendations, Passionfish being one of them.

Thanks hon-i think we'll go with the Sunset Inn then. Can you suggest any good restaurants that you tried while there? Have heard about Passionfish but haven't checked on others yet.

A couple of weeks ago we had a terrific Mexican dinner at Pepper's Mexicali Cafe also in "downtown" Pacific Grove, would go back in a heartbeat. http://www.peppersmexicalicafe.com/

Also wanted to mention that the Sunset Inn is around a 10-min. walk from the Monarch butterfly sanctuary (accessed next to the Butterfly Grove Inn, Lighthouse @ Ridge.) The Monarchs should still be there in quantity during your visit, something you shouldn't miss.

When they're not fluttering by: www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8413177538

When they are: www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8416481427

And also don't forget the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas/San Simeon - www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8444694219

Also don't miss the 17 mile drive - which is very beautiful. Goes by some beautiful beaches, mansions and the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Course. pics: http://tinyurl.com/axshf5g

Gardyloo-the Cafe looks just like a place we would love! And I can't wait to see the Monarchs!! Holy moley-amazing pictures! Thanks for all of your help & suggestions!

sunbum-we like the "funky"-thanks for the rec!

tomsd-my hubby would love to see Pebble Beach Golf Course! I'm sure it's much more beautiful than it looks on tv!! Hope we have time to do it. Thanks for the pics!

We drove as far as Nepenthe Restaurant- it is so beautiful and we had to stop so many places it took more time than we had planned. Try to get as far as Nepenthe - amazing views -

There is also a butterfly grove near Santa Cruz and one down near Pismo Beach. You may catch the tail end of their winter vacation.

In the short trip report I posted above, I included a link to some pictures taken with my phone -- a few each of Capitola, the view from the deck at Nepenthe and Pfeiffer Beach.

sunbum-we do have Nepenthe on our list of must-do things & can't wait to see it. I looked at the webcam-wow! Thanks for the heads up about the time it takes. We'll make sure to allow plenty-I do enjoy taking pretty pictures!

Michelle-I am so excited about seeing the Monarchs. Hope they are still around at the end of March!

sf7307-loved your trip report! Lots of helpful tidbits in there. Couldn't get the pictures to work-tells me the page can't be found.

Try this (can't promise, but I reset the link)

https://picasaweb.google.com/104348838789281544581/CaliforniaCoast?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOWOodexkqTlJA&feat=directlink

Oh thanks, sf! It worked this time-great pictures! So looking forward to seeing the California coast!!

We have all of our hotel reservations made now. First 2 nights in Santa Cruz, then 3 nights in Pacific Grove, on to Cambria for 2 nights and then back to San Francisco for the last two nights so that we can hopefully have a day at Muir Woods before we head back to the East coast. Now we just have to figure out how to see everything & try all the great sounding restaurants in the amount of time we have!

Sounds like a nice - doable plan.

Leaving Santa Cruz - if it's a clear day (no Marine layer/coastal fog) - I would suggest you consider going for it - and drive as far south through Big Sur as you can. You never know what the visibility may be like.

Nepenthene is a fairly easy hour or south of Carmel (without stops) and you can also dawdle another hour or so south - enjoying the great scenery. Would also suggest you stop at the parks on your drive back.

Here is one map to give you a better idea of the layout. http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/map.html

arwin: isn't there some part of all of us that wishes we were back in our 20s again?

I was only trying to make some suggestions for you to think about, not laying out a trip plan for you. You're free to take part or all or none of my suggestions.

Sounds like a great trip in the making - and welcome to California!

oh yes, easytraveler-let's see, no responsibilities to speak of yet, children still a wish for the future, jobs plentiful-I could go on & on! I do still dream of my 20's-long sigh! Your plan was actually very close to what we were looking for but didn't know it!! Thanks for all of your advice & the time spent answering(and the friendly welcome too). People like yourself are what make Fodor's forums successful!!

Tomsd: that is a great idea to keep driving if the weather is clear! And what a great map-you just saved me a bunch of time! Thanks for all of your help in making our trip an amazing one!!

While in Santa Cruz a visit to Big Basin State Park would be worth a visit. Redwoods are beautiful, lots of trails for a hike. A good place to picnic.

Walnut Cafe downtown Santa Cruz good for breakfast or lunch. Wharf restaurants are mediocre. check out Capitola too, Paradise Beach Grille, Shadwbrook is expensive but they have a good Happy Hour and you get to ride the team.

Back to say of you want fresh fish in Santa Cruz check out the Crows Nest, nice view on the Harbor.

I love Big Basin, but if I were staying in Santa Cruz, I'd probably head to Henry Cowell instead.

nancytwo: thanks for the restaurant recs! And I was actually going to ask if there were places at Big Basin & Henry Cowell to have a picnic lunch. All of these ideas are really building the excitement for us-can't wait!

sf7307: you always give such good advice to everyone on this forum! So if we only have time for one or the other, we should visit Henry Cowell for the redwoods? We will have a couple of days in the Santa Cruz area & then will probably come back through on our way back to San Francisco at the end of our journey.

Henry Cowell is closer to Santa Cruz, it is good place to see the redwoods.

I love both, and recommended Henry Cowell because of its proximity to Santa Cruz. If you're coming back through the area on your way to SF, you could go to Big Basin on the way back!

sf, you read my mind! Thanks again & if you think of any other helpful advice I would be most grateful!

Definitely Henry Cowell over Big Basin - much closer to Santa Cruz. (Closer by about 40 minutes than Big Basin, and just as awe inspiring.) Take Highway 9 up from Santa Cruz, as the entrance for the park and redwood loop in HC is on that side of the park. The other entrance off Graham Hill Road is just the campground.

It's a beautiful 15 or 20 minute drive from Santa Cruz through the redwood forest. Entrance to Henry Cowell will be on your right before you get to Felton, with a huge horizontal log as a sign. You can drive in and pay about $8 for parking, or park along the highway (you'll see lots of cars parked on the road) for free and walk in along the river trail. To walk in from Hwy 9 and then walk around the .8 mi redwood loop and back takes about an hour or so with time to look at all the trees. There's a visitor center and a small nature museum, as well as free printed self-guides.

If you aren't locked into your Cambria hotel, I can highly recommend the Best Western Cavalier, in San Simeon. It is oceanfront, with about three wood-burning fireplaces lit on the beach, and chairs set out. It is gorgeous.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33039-d80074-Reviews-BEST_WESTERN_PLUS_Cavalier_Oceanfront_Resort-San_Simeon_San_Luis_Obispo_County_California.html

I didn't pay extra for an ocean view room, but my less expensive room opened onto an open-air walkway anyway, that looked right at the ocean. And my room had a small metal wood fireplace, which is ready to light. It was perfect for the foggy night. Great coffee bar, with K-cups and I think a small fridge. Free parking.

The street it is on is relatively uncrowded. Very nice place. Awesome value.

scdreamer, you just made my day! I am so happy to get that kind of detail about where to go, etc-it will make things so much easier for us! Do you live in or close to Santa Cruz? Maybe you could suggest some other activities & restaurants for us? My husband is bummed because he wanted to see the Grateful Dead Archives at UCSC but it will be closed during the time we are there while they put up a new display. Well, thanks again for taking time to answer-your post was perfect for us! Can't wait to visit CA!

PeaceOut: thanks for the suggestion on the Best Western. I looked at it briefly & it looks super. I'll be checking their rates in just a sec.

arwin, glad I could be of help. I've had so much assistance on these boards, it feels great to return it in kind.

Yes, I live near Santa Cruz ... in Ben Lomond (Santa Cruz Mtns), to be exact. I work in Santa Cruz, about a 15-20 min drive from my home, so I'm there a lot. And I walk in Henry Cowell Park about three or four days a week.

Other activities (I'm going to skip the Beach-Boardwalk, as I rarely go there, but I know tourists like the amusement park)- not sure how active you like to be (and of course the weather will play a part), but I love walking or biking along the wide waterfront sidewalk on West Cliff Drive. I usually park on a side street near Santa Cruz Ave, and walk west (it will seem north because of the angle of the bay) to Natural Bridges State Park (about 5-6 miles round trip, but you can always turn back sooner if you don't want to walk that far.) Along the way, you will see some lovely beaches just below the cliffs, as well as occasionally dolphins and otters playing in the water. You will pass through Lighthouse State Park, and if the waves are decent at Lighthouse Point, you will have an excellent view of surfers.

Or, you can drive about ten minutes north of Santa Cruz on HWY 1 and go to Wilder State Park (on your left) for a nice walk along the ocean bluffs. Wilder also has an old restored farmhouse and barns that were once a dairy farm.

Capitola is also a great little village for a stroll, lots of charming shops and the beach is right there. After you park (find the pay lot up behind the police station)and walk through the village, head up the stairs to Depot Hill to see some lovely homes and more great views of Monterey Bay and the beach.

A drive up to the UCSC campus is worth a thought - it's a beautiful place with some great views, even if the Grateful Dead exhibit isn't open while you're there.

Restaurants - depends on what you like:

If you go up to Henry Cowell in the morning Friday - Sunday, Oak Tree Ristorante is very close-by (you will pass it on your way to HC - it's on your left) and has great breakfasts and lunches at a reasonable price (dinner is very pricey). You can sit outside under the trees if it's nice weather.

Amazing Happy Hour deal at Stagnaro's on the SC Wharf M-Th from 3 - 5 p.m. Three dollar glasses of wine and half-off yummy appetizers, and if it's good weather, there's great seating on the deck overlooking the water. They also have some dinner specials that are pretty good.

Other places we like to eat: Splurge at Shadowbrook in Capitola or at the Crow's Nest at the SC Harbor. Good Mexican food at El Palomar in downtown Santa Cruz. Excellent Chinese at Omei on Mission Street, SC. Very good Italian at Lillian's on Soquel Ave (but there's generally a wait, as it is a small restaurant).

If you're looking for fast and filling Mexican, there are a zillion taquerias in Santa Cruz ... many people like the massive burritos at Taqueria Vallarta - there are three or four throughout the town. Also Tacos Morenos, one on Water Street and another on Capitola Road near 41st Ave.

Charlie Hong Kong's on Soquel Ave or the Crepe Place (just across the street) are two other places locals frequent. If you like sushi - and there are lots of sushi places in SC - Pink Godzilla at the beach end of 41st Ave is good, and it's a short walk from there to Pleasure Point for some great ocean views, beaches, and surfer viewing.

Another great option is to go to New Leaf Market or Staff of Life, and get delicious pre-made food (sandwiches can be made to order or find soup, salads, etc.) and have a picnic. Plenty of ocean-view benches along West Cliff Drive, and free parking.

You can probably google all the places I mentioned to see locations and figure out what you're interested in. Hope you have a great visit!

scdreamer, you are a lifesaver! You have saved me a lot of time and I was hoping to get suggestions from local folks-this is just great!! We are actually staying for a couple of nights at the West Cliff Inn so sounds like we'll be in a good spot for walking by the beach. Now if the weather will just cooperate. These restaurants all sound great-we're gonna have trouble deciding where to eat! I had heard about Shadowbrook as a splurge so we may make reservations there for one nice meal. Boy, you are so lucky to live there close to the beach, the redwoods, the mountains-sounds like you make the most of your surroundings though. Thanks again for taking the time to post all of this info for me. Hopefully I'll get to help someone else this way sometime too!

If you're going to spend any time in Santa Cruz, a trip down Pacific St. is worthwhile. Love the Bookstore there, where you can get your "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" coffee mug. The little restaurant next door, "Chocolate" has pretty good food.

On Big Sur/Nepenthe -- it takes 30 minutes from Carmel/Ocean Avenue to the River Inn at the beginning of Big Sur, even if, like right now, there's one lane of traffic with a traffic light to move north/south traffic on Hwy 1 just north of Bixby Bridge. I think they're doing reenforcement. Anyway, was there this past Saturday and it's going on.

The Ambrosia Burger has stabilized at $14.50 and the 3 bean salad is now 2 beans.

Surfergirl, the bookstore sounds like our kind of place! Can't visit SC without bringing home something with that slogan on it! We have actually planned some time to spend on Pacific Avenue. And thanks for the heads up about Hwy. 1-geez I hope we don't run into any problems.

The bookstore really is fabulous, an SC institution. I still have my "What would SCOUT do?" bumper sticker I got there on my office wall celebrating To Kill A Mockingbird's 50th Anniversary.

Just down the street from there is the Catalyst Club, where the likes of Neil Young and a zillion others have played over the years. Still going strong, always fun to take a peak inside.

For those of you who are familiar with San Francisco, I have another question. The last day of our trip(which will be a Monday)we planned to have a free day in SF before flying home on Tuesday. Can anyone tell me their thoughts/advice about taking a ferry ride to Sausalito for lunch & shopping, then ferry back(if the weather is decent that is)? We are debating a visit to Muir Woods as our other choice. Our previous trip to SF was short & didn't have time to do either of these. And as I'm typing this, I realize we didn't get to do the Alcatraz tour either! So many choices, so little time! We would have all day on Monday as we will arrive in SF on Sunday evening. Thanks in advance for your ideas!!

If you're going to drive to Muir Woods, you can stop off in Sausalito on your way to/from Muir Woods.

Skip the ferry ride and use the time to drive around SF, since you seemed to have only a short trip the last time.

Personally, I'd skip Alcatraz too since you have one day only, but others may have a different opinion.

Thanks, easyt-your idea makes a lot more sense. We will still have the rental car so doing both wouldn't be any trouble. Our previous trip to SF was mainly for visiting Berkeley & Stanford with our younger daughter but we had enough time to do a couple of things that she wanted to do(City Lights Bookstore, Camera Obscura/Sutro Baths & biking the Golden Gate Bridge). About how long should we count on for Muir Woods if we should decide to do that?

I'd say plan on about an hour's drive from SF to Muir Woods. Either have a good map or GPS, there are a couple of really squiggly parts that will either slow you down or else get you off on the wrong trail if you're not paying attention.

You can spend about 1-2 hours on the main circular trail in Muir Woods. The other trails will take a lot longer and may not be worth it if you're already planning to hike in Big Sur.

http://www.nps.gov/muwo/planyourvisit/index.htm

After you leave Muir Woods you can plan on having lunch in Sausalito. There are a few bayside restaurants, my favorite has been the Spinnaker

http://www.thespinnaker.com/

The food is OK, the view is wonderful. You can either have valet parking for your car or, just before getting to the Spinnaker, there's a public parking area. Before or after lunch you can walk around Sausalito, then retrieve your car and return to SF.

Others may have their favorites in Sausalito.

This should leave you with several hours in the afternoon to explore SF by car.

Wow those views from The Spinnaker are pretty great! Many thanks for the recommendation.

And now that I'm thinking about it, we will have done some hiking at Henry Cowell, Big Basin & possibly other places down south. Are there some other fun & interesting things we could do in SF or north of SF in the one day instead of Muir Woods?

I do appreciate your input, easytraveler! You do an awesome job on this forum!

Since you are going to Cowell or Big Basin or both, skip Muir Woods. No need.

Is the Spinnaker the old Trident? If so - loved that place - and it had a great bar way back when.

My first time visiting there - on a Saturday afternoon - a guy smoothly sails about a 30 footer - into the dock - and jumps up on the restaurant deck - and throws me his rope (i was standing outside admiring the view) - thinking I guess that I was the valet - and he walks into the bar/restaurant.

I thought about taking it for a spin around the bay - but then just tied it up for him.

BTW - I think the ferry ride to Sausalito is special and you can't get a better view of the bay/SF, etc. Used to commute on it to downtown SF - and some times during the year - you could see the sun set under the Golden Gate - while sipping on a glass of Chardonnay and checking in the weekend's party list with other "commuters".

That obviously was on the afternoon/early evening ferry back to Sausalito. In the morning - enjoyed a cup of coffee. And I really had it down. Could jump up when the alarm went off - shower and shave and be at the ferry dock in about 20 minutes. Oh - those were the days my friend.................. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KODZtjOIPg

I just realized you'll be in the Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel area in late March.

There is something that's really gorgeous out in Pacific Grove right by the ocean and that's the "pink" ice plant which tends to bloom between Feb/Mar to May/June.

Photos don't do it justice.

http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/

Or you can scroll through these photos.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2012/05/10/pacific-grove-rivers-of-flowers-to-the-sea-fort-ord-my-birthplace-national-monument/

Call the Pacific Grove city offices to see if the ice plants will be in full bloom or not when you're there.

If so, it might be well-worth it to stay in that Pacific Grove B&B along the ocean - what's the name? Seven Gables?

The main reasons so many visitors ask about Muir Woods are 1) it is the only park most have heard of, and 2) it is the closest to SF so it is all they have time for. Both Cowell and Big Basin (especially Big Basin) are superior to Muir Woods. W/ your short time you really don't have time for Muir Woods - and don't need to squeeze it in since you will see Redwoods elsewhere.

Muir Woods really requires 1/2 a day - 2 hrs drive time (and parking down the hill and using the shuttle bus if the parking lot fills up) plus 2-3 hours to see even just part of it.

I'd forget about Muir Woods/Marin County.

Thanks for helping me to see that Muir Woods is not necessary for this trip. We'll read up & see what else we can spend our day doing in SF. Don't think we'll have trouble filling a day.

easy: i do hope the ice plants are blooming while we're in PG-so beautiful!! I'll check with the city & thanks for the links.

tom: you always make me smile with your stories & I appreciate your willingness to advise. Too bad our politics don't mesh!

arwin, if you have a day to spend in San Francisco, take a walking tour! We have been to SF a zillion times, since we live less than two hours away, but last year for the first time we took "The Real SF Tour" and it was really great. Part walking, part on streetcars, BART, cable cars ... and we saw so much of the city we had just never noticed before, and learned a lot of history. Really knowledgeable and entertaining guide, and a small group. You can check it out on TripAdvisor - well worth spending your day with them.

Ice plants bloom along West Cliff Dr in Santa Cruz, too ... so you will see them.

janisj is right about Muir Woods. It isn't as grand as Henry Cowell or Big Basin, and would take up a lot of your day just getting there and back. If you visit Muir Woods after seeing the redwoods elsewhere, you will be disappointed. And I think HC is just as good as Big Basin for seeing the old growth redwoods - and way less driving.

Have fun!

scdreamer, so good to hear from you again! Funny, you must have ESP-just last night we were talking about our options for the one day free in SF and the idea of a walking tour came up! We just hadn't had time to do any research. Can you give me any other details, i.e. where it originates, do we need to book ahead of time, does it take the entire day, etc?

And glad to hear an opinion on HC vs. Big Basin in case we run short on time & don't get to do BB.

Things are falling into place with our planning. I've made reservations for dinner at Shadowbrook & a couple of other places along the way. Looked at Oak Tree Ristorante on your recommendation & will definitely do breakfast or lunch there the day that we spend at HC.

Thanks again for your kindness & taking time to help!

Hi again - we booked the SF walking tour online ahead of time. They only take ten people, so you do need to reserve if you want to be sure to go. As I recall, we met at the end of the line for the cable car - near downtown (we could easily walk from our Union Square hotel) and ended in an amazing art-deco era hotel atrium on Market Street. (The bar had an authentic and huge painting by Maxfield Parrish)The tour is about six or seven hours, and the time really flies by.

I highly recommend this tour - but check out the reviews online.

Definitely HC is as good as BB, and at least an hour or more less driving round trip from Santa Cruz. If you do go to BB, you will drive through my little town (Ben Lomond - not much to see from the hwy) and also Boulder Creek, which is kind of interesting. An old logging town, now mostly commuter residents who work in Silicon Valley or Santa Cruz. LOts of little shops and a few good restaurants. Scopazzi's just after you turn onto Hwy 236 (Big Basin Way) is an old lodge-style building, and has good food.

Have fun!

Another option are the San Francisco City Guides. These are free and sponsored by the library. We just did the tour of the Fairmont Hotel last weekend. Fascinating. Highly recommended here by others.

As I recall, we met at the end of the line for the cable car - near downtown (we could easily walk from our Union Square hotel) and ended in an amazing art-deco era hotel atrium on Market Street. (The bar had an authentic and huge painting by Maxfield Parrish)

End of the line would be at Powell and Market.

That hotel is the very historic Sheraton Palace and the atrium referred to is actually the Garden Court restaurant (where you could take tea if you're here on a Saturday and inclined to spend a small fortune on canapes and tea!) although the Maxfield Parrish mural is in a different room - Pied Piper Bar & Grill - in the hotel.

You've gotten a lot of excellent tips and advice here, especially from scdreamer.

I would just add that you might want to look into how much additional driving you have to do to get to Big Basin or Henry Cowell vs Pfeiffer Big Sur which is right on Highway 1. That is, in terms of how you want to spend your time.

There is a small section of Big Basin that reaches the ocean just by Highway 1. That strip is mostly cliff except for an opening by Waddell Creek, but you still have to hike quite a ways in before reaching the redwoods.

At Pfeiffer Big Sur, the moment you drive into the park from Highway 1, you'll be among the redwoods.

All the redwood parks are wonderful, but if you're trying to save time by not going to Muir Woods, then you might want to consider how much time you want to spend in getting to any one of the other parks. Just a thought.

I second MichelleY's suggestion of the SF city library tours:

http://www.sfcityguides.org/

If you take one of these tours, that'll leave you half a day just driving around San Francisco and sampling its many wonderful sights, from Coit Tower to Twin Peaks to the Presidio (just don't do it during peak traffic time!)

Thanks easytraveler! Forgot to post the link. We have also done SFcityguide tours to the Palace Hotel, Ferry Building, naughty& baudy, Chinatown. All very good and free.

I skimmed thru the replies but didn't see any regarding Natural Bridges State Park in SC. The best part about NBSP is the tidepools if that kind of thing interests you. Check the internet for low tide times and check them out.

Henry Cowell is near Felton, which is only 20-30 minutes from Santa Cruz. I haven't been there in several years, but one thing that I found fascinating was an albino redwood tree.....

Hi easyt-hey you've given me lots of great advice too!! All of you have really-the CA forum has such knowledgeable & kind people willing to help all of the newbies.

I doubt seriously at this point that we will even try to get to Big Basin. Will be in Santa Cruz the first couple of days so will probably try to get to HC before moving on to Pacific Grove for the next few days. Pfeiffer Big Sur sounds great too! Don't think we want to spend a lot of time trying to get to the redwoods so that would be ideal.

Appreciate the link to the tours. That's the same one that Stu Dudley writes about? Think I have read some of his posts on those.

Ok Michelle, which tour would you recommend to someone doing these tours for the first time? You have done quite a few-which did you enjoy most? And I like the "free" part!!

We do need a little bit of time to visit Japantown, so the shorter tours would be best for our schedule. Our middle daughter is studying Japanese with plans to live in Japan in a couple of years to teach, and we would love to find a kimono to bring back for her.

As always, thanks guys! Your help is invaluable!!

tenthumbs:i think you & I were posting at the same time! Actually, it's nice to have someone recommend Natural Bridges as we were planning that as one of our two days in SC. I am fascinated by the tidepools! And appreciate the heads up about the tide times-would that be on the NBSP website?

And we will definitely look for the albino tree(and probably take lots of pictures of it)!!

I like NB. Not sure if the high tide/low tide info is on their website, but it's easy to google or use www.tides.info. Another interesting thing about NB is that in November/December, thousands of monarch butterflies migrate there. It's an amazing sight. There are pictures in the visitor center, and there's a milkween patch that might have some caterpillars and chrysalides. Because of the timing of your visit, you might even be lucky enough to see some whales....

Something else you might consider if you like wildlife viewing~Ano Nuevo State Park, north of Santa Cruz. It's the largest mainland breeding colony for northern elephant seals. You must go on a guided walk in order to view the seals. You can get information on guided walks at the national park website.

Hi, Michelle! you're quite welcome!

arwin: you're very generous with you praise and acceptance, which is probably why so many of us are glad for your appreciation.

which tour to take really depends on which day you will be here, as they are usually different on different days. I would not recommend the Japantown one. SF Japantown was pretty much emptied out of the Japanese during WWII and it's really not quite recovered. Besides which, the younger ones move out to the suburbs. We go there for their restaurants mostly and our favorite there is a Korean restaurant! For someone like yourself, I'd also suggest missing the Ferry Building one (you can walk through it yourself) or the Japanese Tea Garden.

Anything with North Beach is good, especially the one about Tastes of North Beach. The one on Fisherman's Wharf is good (much as many on here don't like the touristy atmosphere of the Wharf). It's really more of the history of the Wharf and SF has always been a maritime town. Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square is excellent, particularly when given by Mrs Stu. The one on Nob Hill was pretty good.

Others may have their favorites.

It really depends on what is available on the day you will be in SF.

easytraveler, appreciate your opinions as always. I checked for April 1st(the one full day we'll be in SF)and looks like the best would be the Wharf tour. It meets at Ghiradelli Square-can you suggest where we would park in that area? Also, will the tour offerings be likely to change closer to that date? Although, I think that one would be enjoyable!

I am no expert on the SF tours, but agree on taking a miss on the Ferry building. I also did not care for the Naughty and Baudy-nothing to really see. I really liked the Palace Hotel and China Town tours and the Fairmont Hotel tour we took last weekend. We will have to go bad for more These are the same tours Stu recommends.

Another vote for SF City Guides. I have been on tours in other cities, where a tour guide was really catering to the Lowest Common Denominator. If you love history and had done some reading ahead of time, you could finish one of those other tours feeling very disappointed. Not the case here. On the Chinatown tour I took (two years ago or so), we all learned so much. We also went into places I had not been and I had visited Chinatown multiple times.

An unusual one that I enjoyed with SF City Guides was Coit Tower. This tour did not going through a neighborhood but just focused on the tower and those incredible murals. Only people on a tour are allowed to go up the stairs where there are many more great murals. If you just visit as a member of the public you may only take the elevator to the top.

Also wanted to mention that I too have appreciated the discussion about the different places to see Redwoods in the Bay area.