eganders

I am looking for interesting places to stay along the Pacific Coast Highway coming from LA to San Francisco and going down from Redwood National Park through Lake Tahoe and Sequoia National Park. Stopping places are:

An area around Hearst Castle
Big Sur
Monterey
Santa Clara/Sunnyvale area
San Francisco
Sonoma Valley wine country area (we have been through Napa Valley)
The area between Napa/Sonoma wine country and Redwood National Park
Redwood National Park (would like to stay in the park)
Lassen National Park area
Lake Tahoe
Yosemite (I have gotten 3 nights at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, so I have this covered)
Sequoia National Park

I would certainly like any suggestions since I don't know these areas at all.

sf7307

Just two questions (so far):

1) Why Santa Clara/Sunnyvale (there's not really anything "intersting" there)?
2) Do you know what part of Lake Tahoe you want to be in -- South, North or West?
3) Okay, a third question - what's your budget?

janisj

and 4) what month is this trip (and for how many days)?

boom_boom

Near Hearst Castle, try any of the several motels/inns along Moonestone Beach Drive in Cambria.
Sonoma- much depends on budget. Best Western in City of Sonoma itself. However, much prefer Healdsburg area for central location to more of Sonoma County wineries. Dry Creek Inn, Farmhouse Inn, Madrona Manor or Grape Leaf Inn
Never stayed in Redwood NP, but there's a nice B&B in Trinidad..Trinidad Bay B&B
Between wine country and RNP, if you stay on 101 all the way look at Willits, the Best Western or Super 8.
If you take the longer way on Route 1, Mendocino and Fort Bragg offer lots of options.
No personal experience and so can't help with the others.

POlson

We like Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia. It is a National Park lodge in the middle of the park. It is not the most luxurious but the food was really good, the location is amazing (from our room window we saw a little bear run through the thicket and into the surrounding woods, we think chasing after a deer we had just seen) and the rooms are comfortable (if a little dated). We enjoyed the boardwalk nature hike from the Sequoia Visitor's center (and saw a rather large bear sitting under a tree in the meadow, happy as can be).

ggreen

In Big Sur, I'd suggest the lodge at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park. In fact, it sounds a lot like the lodge in Sequoia that POlson just recommended! The food was really good and if I remember correctly, there's a pretty stream that runs past the dining room. www.bigsurlodge.com

Barblab

Best Western Cavalier oceanfront Resort near San Simeon. Look on line for a coupon. They have big fires you can sit around at night on the beach.

eganders

Folks,
Thanks a lot for the suggestions on places to stay. I plan on making reservations at Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia that POIson suggested and the Lodge at Big SUr that ggreen suggested. My budget for hotels is probably an average of $140. Nothing over about $330 (must be really special or convenient in a National Park). Still looking over your posts. I know NOTHING about Lake Tahoe, so I am open to suggestions. What are the differences between North, South and West??

tomfuller

My wife and I stayed at the Ravenwood in the little town of Klamath, CA which is between 2 sections of Redwood NP. Nothing special but quiet and family owned. There are no lodgings inside Redwood or Lassen. Maybe after seeing Lassen, stay in Susanville which has a Lassen Historical Museum. For Lake Tahoe I would stay in Carson City, Nevada and drive around the lake on a day trip. Depending on the month of the trip, you might like Yosemite better than Sequoia.

1JAR

Sonoma ---Bodega Bay Lodge (maybe you can get a webspecial or check travelzoo as it is alittle more than budget, but on the coast & not too bad of a drive (designated driver to Sonoma)


San Francisco--we prefer the Grand Hyatt Union Square

Monterey Bay---http://www.thesanctuarybeachresort.com/