Wife and I will be leaving Santa Rosa, stopping at SFO to drop someone off on July 18th. We have a reservation at Wawona on the 21st. We would love to do some light mountain biking, light hiking and canoeing for a few days before heading into Yosemite for about 5 days.

Both Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake seem ideal, except that the drive from Santa Rosa would be, if not mistaken, over 6 hours.

1) Any suggestions for similar area between SF and Yosemite that would offer similar activities (biking, hiking canoeing)?

2) If nothing else worthwhile on the way that would save on driving, which would you recommend between the two lake areas, Mammoth or Mono?

Thanks for any input!

Are you from Santa Rosa and have your own bikes and canoes.Or, will you be renting. Also, are you camping or need lodging?

I'd go to Tahoe myself. Not only would Mammoth/Mono take HOURS, you'd be driving through Yosemite to get there.

There is PLENTY to see/do for your 2-3 days.

Just visiting Santa Rosa for 3 days from east coast. Would need to rent bikes and canoes. Will have camping gear, but would prefer lodging as we'll be camping in Yosemite.

Isn't Tahoe also out of the way? And won't it be overcrowded at that time?

"Isn't Tahoe also out of the way?"

Nope. Santa Rosa to Northshore Lake Tahoe takes about 3.5 hours if you go late enough in the morning to miss the commute through Fairfield and Sacramento. (or very early in the moring so you are through Sacramento by about 7AM). Southshore slightly longer.

"And won't it be overcrowded at that time?"

Not nearly as crowded as Yosemite. The Tahoe basin is very large and absorbs the crowds pretty easily.

There are some lakes/rivers in the Sierra foothills -- but they will be HOT, dry, and not as nice as tahoe at that time of year.

I agree with Janis. Go to Lake Tahoe, particularly the north shore.

Thanks for your feedback.

We're actually going through SFO from Santa Rosa. So, going to Tahoe would about an hour and a half on the way, but then it would be an extra hour and half more to Yosemite (compared to Mammoth/Mono Lakes). Do you think its worth it?

How do the opportunities for canoeing, mountain biking compare in the two areas?

Agree completely with the suggestion of Lake Tahoe. Mammoth is more for sking and Mono Lake isn't half an interesting place than Tahoe, especially in terms of sports activity. Tahoe has a plethora of sports facilities.

Put the person on the Airport Express bus and drive up to Tahoe. There's hiking, biking, and kayaking at Camp Richardson and the Emerald Bay area on the South Shore. Avoid I-80 due to road construction.

I also agree with janisj go to Tahoe first then to Yosemite and over the Tioga Pass to get to Mammoth.
There are 2 toll bridges over the southern end of San Francisco Bay (92 and 94) that will save you driving past SFO on your way to I-880 and I-80. Don't drive past SFO and through the city to go over the Oakland Bay bridge on I-80.
I'm sure you can find kayaks and or bicycles for rent somewhere on Lake Tahoe (more likely north Tahoe).

Otis has the best idea. Is there a reason you need to drive so far out of your way when there is an express shuttle bus to SFO.

http://airportexpressinc.com/home.html

After Tahoe and Yosemite -- Mammoth in summer will be a big let down.

I think I'm convinced. Now I just have to tell my mother that I'm not driving her to the airport

I'm going to start a new post asking for specific suggestions in Tahoe.

Thanks everyone for your advice!

A "back way" to Lake Tahoe from SFO is to cross the San Mateo Bridge, go across on I-580 (which continues as I-205) to I-5 and then from I-5 in Sacramento take Highway 50 to South Lake Tahoe. You avoid I-80 which is really the nightmare route to Lake Tahoe.

Or, even more back country is to continue on I205 to Manteca and then take Highway 99 to Lodi and the take the two-lane roads up to Placerville to join Highway 50. Look on a google map and check out this route.

We sometimes go that way from San Jose to Lake Tahoe. It's really quite a nice drive.

easytraveler:I think we convinced him they don't need to drive to SFO.

". . . cross the San Mateo Bridge, go across on I-580 (which continues as I-205) to I-5 and then from I-5 in Sacramento take Highway 50 to South Lake Tahoe. You avoid I-80 which is really the nightmare route to Lake Tahoe."

Unfortunately, I-5 and Hwy 50 are as bad (though for a shorter distance) as I-80.

janis: the OP did say it was his/her mother and I can't imagine my telling my Mother that I wouldn't be dropping her off at the airport because some strangers on the internet advised me not to do it! But you may be right.

Highway 50 - we were just over earlier this summer - is NOWHERE as bad as I-80. So, I beg to disagree.

"we were just over earlier this summer - is NOWHERE as bad as I-80. So, I beg to disagree."

it ALL depends on the time of day. (I'm on it almost every day - or at least several times a week)