s9frey

Hello!
Am trying to plan a 7 day trip to California for a 25 year old and her mother at the end of February, but haven't been able to work out an itinerary. We are interested in sightseeing in San Francisco, going to Napa for winery tour and spa, seeing Redwoods and checking out the LA area. We will be renting a car. Is this too much in 7 days? Any suggestions?

janisj

"Is this too much in 7 days?" Yes - unless you just mean a couple of days in SF and the rest in the car. And driving from No Calif to So Calif in the potential storms and fog of Feb can be a real problem.

Since you mention wineries, spa and redwoods you are talking about a minimum of 2 nights in the wine country. Then a minimum uf 2 nights in San Francisco (though it really takes 3 or 4 to just see the basics of SF)

That barely gives you 3 days to drive the length of the state and "check out the LA area" - whatever that means. LA is absolutely HUGE - and just going to Santa Monica and the beaches is a full day's trip.

If you only have a week either

1) concentrate on SF and the wine country and (and maybe as far south as Monterey)

or

2) go to SF for a few days and fly to LA for a few days (rent a car in LA only - no need for one in SF)

LucieV

Another one of those questions that doesn't have a "right" answer -- because it totally depends upon your travel style. So, in my opinion, your plans are not too much! But that's cuz I like to move around a lot.

I am a native Californian, btw, and have driven all over this state, so I'm not just talking off the top of my head. You could spend a couple days in SF, a couple in LA, one in Napa, one in the Redwoods.

Sure, you won't even begin to "see everything," but hey I've lived here all my life & I haven't seen everything either!

SAB

If the question really, Is this doable? The answer is yes, if don't spend time in any one place and you don't mind staying on a schedule.

Is it my idea of a trip I would recommend, No because I'm a slow travel kind of person. But is it too much for these specific travellers. Who knows? How many actual days do you have? How much time do you want to spend in the car? Are you an explore in-depth kind of person? What do you actually want to see? Are you content just to drive by a place or just get out and look for a few minutes?

joesorce

You might want to hop a quick flight to L.A. from San Fran. They are $55 with advance purchase. Fly into Burbank instead of LA if your destination is Hollywood.

Plan your trip, then, to fly INTO SFO and to fly HOME from LAX or BUR.

The drive between the two is nice, but since Feb can bring lots of rain, and mudslides....better not to plan on it.

J_Correa

I was thinking that flying between SF and LA would be a good idea as well. The drive between the two cities is great, but it will be winter so weather could really disrupt your plans. Also, to do the scenic route, the drive takes quite awhile and you really don't have the time to do the drive AND see anything in LA. There is a fast road between LA and SF, but the drive is boring, so you might as well fly.

janisj

There are many native Californians on here - and I doubt any of us are talking off the top of our heads.

Just SF, Napa and LA is "doable" - but you are talking about 1) Feb, 2) a spa day, 3) wineries, and 4) San Francisco -- all before 5) driving 450 miles to LA

You can do the calculation.

s9frey

Thanks for the great advice. I was also thinking about flying to LA rather than driving. I appreciate your insights into February driving in California. I didn't realize how much the rain would weigh into plans. It sounds like this trip should be a focus on the San Francisco/ Napa area as I do like to have time to explore in each place I visit. Any recommendations on neighborhoods to stay in in San Francisco or better which to avoid? I'm not looking to necessarily be in the heart of everything, just a safe area with a few dining options. Thanks everyone!

suze

I think focusing on San Francisco makes more sense if you want to include a spa day plus time in wine country (and btw I also am a native of California!).

Personally I enjoy staying in the more central part of the city, around Union Square. Perhaps others will have suggestions of something more quiet yet still convenient? Don't forget to ride a cable car, I know it sounds corny, but it's one of my favorite things to do in the city.

Barblab

How about flying into SF, spending 2-3 nights then rent a car for 2 day drive to LA, then 2 nights in LA and then fly home from there? You would see the redwoods and could visit a winery in central Ca. while driving the spectacular coast route. San Simion might be a great stopping point. Just check with the hwy. patrol before heading down the coast to make sure it is not foggy. The rain in California is gererally not pouring but light and steady. You should not have a problem unless it has been raining for days. We drove the coast route last February and it was spetacularly clear - the best I have ever seen it.

It is true LA is enormus but think you would probably enjoy the sights of Hollywood and some time in Santa Monica / Venice area which you could do in 2 days without going crazy. You might want to check to see if Jay Leno is at the Comedy Club in Hermosa Beach while you are there, as that would be fun for both of you. Not seeing it all gives you a good reason to return for a second visit in the future! Enjoy!

LLindaC

Don't rule out Sonoma over Napa. Napa can be so congested and the driving and scenery in Sonoma Valley are far better.

janisj

I'd probably opt for Sonoma over Napa too . . .

(I think some visitors use "Napa" when talking about the wine country in general and don't realize it is a huge area w/ several distinct districts)

J_Correa

I've driven Big Sur in the winter and had spectacular weather too. That is one of the really wonderful things about living in this area - when the weather is good, it is fabulous and we can all go out and take advantage of it. Unfortunately, no one knows when that fabulous weather will be and if someone is visiting on a tight schedule, they don't have the flexibility to wait out a storm before driving down the coast. Also, if we get a couple big storms, the road through Big Sur can be closed due to mudslides.

I think it all boils down to what people's priorities are - what they want to see and do in SF, LA, the wine country, etc. versus how much they are interested in a coastal drive and how much flexibility they have to wait out the weather if they need to.

elnap29

Another native Californian here. SF is a lot of fun; we prefer to stay within a couple blocks of Union Square because we can walk everywhere. Last time we enjoyed Stanford Court on Nob Hill. It was nice, reasonably priced, safe, and we could walk to Chinatown, Union Square, Theatre District, various favorite restaurants, etc, plus it is on 2 cable car lines. The hotel was suprisingly quiet. You would probably want to spend at least 2 or 3 nights in SF.
I live in the Napa Valley and in February it is definitely not congested. There are some fun wineries and some interesting tours. There are numerous lodging and spa options and I think you would want to spend 2 nights, especially so you can enjoy the full relaxation effects of the spa treatment!
Many speak highly of the town of Yountville and the rooms and spa at Villagio. Less expensive options are in Calistoga. The Napa Valley is narrow with the town of Napa at the south end and Calistoga at the north end with several small towns in between. It is a 30 minute scenic drive from Napa to Calistoga.
Try www.napavalley.com for good information.
There are several options for seeing Redwoods, depending on what you want to experience and whether or not you want to get to LA. The grandest are further north on the Avenue of the Giants, but you may be happy visiting Muir Woods.
Personally, I would fly to LA. You can easily get to Sacramento Airport from Napa. Southwest and United have $49 flights to LAX. Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood are fun areas. Driving the coastal route to LA is beautiful,long, and fantastically windy, so going that way depends on how much time you want to spend in LA. Big Sur is on that route - another opportunity for redwoods.
Enjoy your planning and have fun!

JulieBlue

Before deciding to visit LA -- you should figure out exactly what it is you'd want to see..otherwise, you can have a great time for a whole week in SF. In Feb. you might have some rain. I agree -- stay in Union Square so you can walk everywhere; spend 1 day in Muir Woods; definitely Wine Country -- both Sonoma and Napa are very nice. Visit the coastal areas in Marin -- Marin Headlands is beautiful; could take a short trip to Santa Cruz which is very fun and has a great boardwalk along the beach; if you want to venture further to Carmel and Big Sur -- that's also a nice trip; and even a bit further down but easy drive to San Simeon to see Hearst Castle. So you could have plenty to do for a week in SF and if you venture max. 4 hours from SF plenty of other things to do and see without going to LA. Save Southern California for a separate trip. If you love nature, wine country, and a great city SF is your place. If you prefer warm weather and beaches in Feb with a lot of 'Hollywood' things to do and shopping malls, then LA is your place.

BMarie

Hello,
Just one thought, right now we are experiencing one of the coldest winters ever. If you are looking for sunshine and at least walkable beach-weather in L.A., this might not be the right year for that. My husband is in San Diego right now wearing a wool coat! But there is so much to see in California, filling up 7 days won't be a problem. I'd probably stick to the SF area, go to Chinatown since it will be Chinese New Years starting Feb 18th (parade is March 3rd), Alcatraz is fascinating but *cold* so dress appropriately, maybe get the ferry to Tiburon for lunch at Guaymas. Another day, eat lunch over at the Beach House at the end of Golden Gate Park while watching the waves crash. Maybe rent a car for 3 days, hit Muir Woods going out of SF (but allot half a day for this) and into Sonoma. Healdsburg is a super cute town, check out the Grape Leaf Inn, www.grapeleafinn.com, or Napa (eat at Mustards, nummm), then back to the city and return the car.
And of course, you have to ride a cable car any time you can! Have fun!!