Hi. We are planning our honeymoon and trying to decide which month is best to see the beautiful CA coast and mountains. We are considering the early part of August for the full moon or early October or early November. August seems crowded so are we right to consider October/ Novemeber? Which of these two months is best for places like Albion, Point Reyes, Carmel, Monterey, Cambria.
Also how about romantic places to stay but nothing over 250 night. and fun things to do together. We do want a lot of rest and cuddle time and we also like activites. We are eager to hear your replies. Thank you so much. Tammy and Brian

Well I don't know if there is a bad time to see northern california----one thing you might think about is that most of the yosemite roads close in early sept. The Ahwanee is a great hotel in yosemite---and is open all year---in carmel highlands, the highlands inn is fabulous and i think in your price range. there are some nice b & bs in pacific grove, near monterey---

Traditionally, September and October are our nicest months.

Late September (after Labor Day) and early October would be ideal. Rain starts sometime in November on the north coast.

Thank you so much for the responses so far. They are helpful, so please keep them coming in. We are not interested in the Awahnee but it was a good idea. How about places to stay in the Point Reyes area and Pacific Grove for honeymooners? Can't wait to hear from all you knowledgeable people out there.

Went to the coast south of San Fran in late Sept. last year - beautiful! Great weather then. Have you heard of Moss Beach? It's about 30 min. south of San Fran and about 2 hrs. north of Monterey. There's a 4 diamond B & B there called the Seal Cove Inn that we stayed in - beautiful, lovely setting, quiet and romantic. It sits back within walking distance of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and a beautiful grove of Cypress trees lining the coast. There are trails through the Cypress and down to Moss Beach where you can see little tidepools and the surf and walk the beach. The Moss Beach Distillery restaurant is adjacent to the area up on a cliff, overlooking Moss Beach and the ocean of course. We didn't eat there, but pulled into the parking lot at high tide to see a magnificent view and seals frollicking in the tide. Our room was $200/nt., breakfast, wine & hour dourves (sp?) and complimentary fridge full of drinks including a bottle of wine for 2 all included. South of Moss Beach about 10 miles is Half Moon Bay where you can visit the Obester winery for a quick taste and wine purchase if you like. I recommend their champagne and Rhiesling (sp?)

Have a wonderful time wherever you end up!

Hi--
On our honeymoon, my husband and I stumbled upon the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge and Conference Center. It was great! I highly recommend it! The cost was about $250/night, but well worth it! The suites were beautiful and the service and was great. Here is their website...
http://www.pointreyesseashore.com/

Have a great time!!!!

Just for the benfit of those reading this I'm not aware of any Yosemite roads closing in early September. Weather is still quite good. Roads don't close over Tioga Pass until it snows. I've been to Yosemite many times in the fall including late September. It's still very warm there with plenty of visitors still.

we have stayed at Fairwinds Farm in Inverness twice. It's a couple of miles inland from Pt. Reyes Station. It was incredible and we both love the area for a couple of days. Ate dinner at Manka's which also gets great reviews for rooms.We went in late August both times so I really can't talk about later in the year. We have done 2 coastal trips in N. Cali and Fairwinds has been a highlight- make sure you ask for the separate cabin. It has large circular fireplace and own hot tub facing the woods. awesome for about $125/night.

In the Point Reyes area we stayed at a very rustic and unique romantic inn in Inverness called Manka's Lodge. We splurged for the stylish Fishing Cabin which had a private hot tub on the deck, a 2 person old fashioned clawfoot style tub. Complete w/ stone fireplace, piped in music, fabulous bedding, outdoor shower, etc. They have a website www.mankas.com describing all accommodations. It was in the high $200's per night. They have a renowned restaurant on site which unfortunately was closed for renovations during our stay. Be sure to visit Tomales Bay and stop at the oyster stands by the waterfront to bbq your own oysters fresh out of the water. Best Wishes & Enjoy!

My husband and I stayed at the Vine Hill Inn in Sebastopol. It was next to a vineyard and about 20 minutes to the coast. Close to Pt. Reyes. It was a beautiful place. www.vine-hill-inn.com

We also thought about staying at the Applewood Inn in the Russian River Valley but it was booked (very popular; especially for honeymooners). Beautiful place and beautiful location (among redwoods). www.applewoodinn.com

Hi everyone. Your replies have been very helpful. Our favorites so far are Manka's but $365 a night for the fishing cabin is just staggering, at that price Tammy looses interest. The others we really like are Applewood Inn and Vine HIll Inn.(Thanks Kelli). They are beautiufl and peaceful with prices that sound reasonable. The other places we are considering are a little further down the coast, as we have a long drive coming from Lake Tahoe and going into Ventura. So we are looking at the Blue Dolphn Inn in Cambria and the Blue Whale Inn. Has anyone stayed here? Should we go for our own private hot tub at the Blue Dolphin or the private B&B of the Blue Whale. They say the Blue Whale is the only 4 star B&B right on the coast in these parts. How about the ragged point inn - has anyone stayed there? We are open to all your suggestions. Eagerly awiting your reply. Tammy and Brian

Personal recommendations: Ragged Point Inn has one of the most beautiful views--you can ask for a room with an ocean view. It's at the very southern tip of Big Sur and close to Hearst Castle. If you want a pretty beach to walk along, the Fogcatcher Inn on Moonstone Beach in Cambria. A tiny B&B in a quiet part of Cambria is the J. Patrick House. In the Pt. Reyes area--10 Inverness Place or The Inn Between the Tides in Bodega Bay. I'll second Suzie's statement that roads are open in Yosemite in September. Have a great honeymoon.