cchamp

My mom and I will be heading to the San Fran area the last week of March for a girls trip. We will be arriving late Friday night and leaving early Wednesday morning. For that reason, we plan to spend both Friday and Wednesday night in the San Fran area. We have both been to San Francisco before, so we don't plan on spending any more time in the city other than Tuesday afternoon/evening.

We are looking for ideas of how to spend our time. We definitely want to head south to Carmel/Monterrey/Big Sur area. I know there are closures around the Big Sur area. Would it be too time-consuming to also head farther south to the Cambria area? We are interested in exploring quaint towns, hiking, walking by the water, and enjoying some good dinners.

Ideas? How would you spend your time there?

Thanks!

aliced

Options to North: Point Reyes National Seashore is north of San Francisco but a spectacular place; we are big fans of Pt. Reyes blue cheese from the historical dairies still operating there; see Muir Woods en route if you haven't yet. Another option for a memorable setting is in Mendocino; from Pt. Reyes go back on the Interstate thru Sonoma, also very worthy of a stop; or then follow your maps cutting NW through the Anderson Valley wineries on to Mendocino, a charming seaside village.

cchamp

Thanks! Would you spend the night in Mendocino? or where? We would like to avoid having the rental car in San Fran.

AustinTraveler

Forget Cambria. The closure (mudslide) is on the southern part of the Big Sur area (at the town of Gorda) so you really should stay in the Carmel area and enjoy the beautiful scenery there and south toward Big Sur. Mendocino is nice but further away.

StuDudley

Here is what I would do:

Friday
Land at SFO, rent a car, and drive 30-40 mins to Half Moon Bay. Stay the night there and enjoy this charming small village (spend your time on Main St). Perhaps stay the night slightly north of Half Moon Bay on the water at Beach House at Half Moon Bay
http://www.beach-house.com/half-moon-bay/index.aspx
Have dinner next door at Sam's Chowder house.
http://www.samschowderhouse.com/
The drive to Half Moon Bay is very scenic (except for the first 10 mins). From the car rental place, head north on 101 towards San Francisco, and immediately get on Hwy 380 west (only direction it goes) to Hwy 280 south. It's scenic now. In about 10 mins, look for the exit sign to Half Moon Bay & follow the signs.

Sat & Sun
Head south on beautiful Hwy 1 along the San Mateo Coast through Santa Cruz and to Carmel. Spend 2 nights in Carmel. Lots to do in the area.

Mon.
Head to Pt Lobos just south of Carmel & spend a couple of hours at Pt Lobos. It is said to be "the most beautiful meeting of land & sea". Then head to Big Sur & stay 1 night in Big Sur at the Big Sur lodge. Have dinner or Lunch at Nepenthe. A+ views & ambience, and B food.
https://www.nepenthe.com/
Wander through the Phoenix shop below the restaurant.

You could do this as a day trip from Carmel & spend 3 nights in Carmel.

Tuesday
Have breakfast at the River Inn
https://www.bigsurriverinn.com/
Then head back up the coast & take 156 to 101 to 85 to 280 to 380 to SFO. Return the car at SFO & take a taxi or BART to San Francisco. Depart Big Sur before noon so that you can beat the Bay Area commute traffic.

Forget Cambria (per Austin) & Mendocino - the latter is tooooo far away and not nearly as interesting as Carmel, Pt Lobos, and Big Sur, IMO.

Here are more details about stuff to do in San Francisco, Carmel, and Big Sur.
https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...mendations.cfm

Perfect four days in Northern Calif.

Stu Dudley

cchamp

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. Sounds like that will be the plan for us. Just out of curiosity- why forget Cambria?

StuDudley

>>why forget Cambria?

janisj

Cambria simply isn't worth the detour to get there in such a short visit. Big Sur back north to Monterey, east to 101, south to Cambria -- then reverse your route back north to SF