Cali Coast Trip
 

Considering a trip this summer from TN. Want to spend 3 days in San Francisco, rent a car and drive down the coast (spending a night somewhere) and then spend a few days in L.A. We have two daughters, 11 & 13. I'd like some suggestions from folks familiar with the area on lodging in particular, we're not on a tight budget and we enjoy a nice place to stay but don't want to spend more than we have to. Any must see/do ideas are also welcome.

First of all, don't get the kids accustomed to calling this state "Cali". No one calls it that. It's California.

This subject comes up repeatedly on this Forum. Have you done a search? The coast drive is brought up in new postings on a practically daily basis.

I will say that you're projecting a good pace for your trip. A few days in SF and the LA area will only give you a tantalizing taste of each, but that should be enough. Be prepared to spend some serious Benjamins on lodging; if you want near the coast, you'll pay for the privilege.

Since the LA area is so huge, do you have an idea of what you'll want to do/see? Coastal towns all have distinct flavors (and for purposes of this trip, my definition of "LA" extends from Malibu to San Juan Capistrano-- really a two-county stretch encompassing dozens of towns). The must-sees for California would fill several weeks of travel, so try to give us some of your family's interests and we (the citizens and the expert visitors) will come up with a manageable list.

>>>First of all, don't get the kids accustomed to calling this state "Cali". No one calls it that. It's California.>>>

Could be worse - he/she might have said "Frisco" too !!!

3 days in "The City", 1 night along the coast, then a "couple" of days in that other place in the south of California is not much time. Almost anything you do in the LA area will take a lot of driving to/from (except if you "camp" at Disneyland for the entire couple of days).

Sounds like you are planning a 1 week trip. I really don't think going to LA for just a couple of days is worth it - too much time driving & not much time "seeing". In San Francisco, however, you don't even need or want a car - you can walk or take the Cable Car to about 60% of everything you want to see. The remaining 40% can be seen by taking our pretty good bus system.

I would spent 4 days in SF. Then rent a car and drive down the coast from the Great Highway in SF to Santa Cruz. I'm not a big fan of Santa Cruz, but your kids might like the beach , boardwalk, and fun zone there. It's the only "LA type" beach up here (usually the SF area gets a lot of fog at the beaches in the Summer). You could stay overnight in Santa Cruz if your kids want to visit the beach/fun zone. Then drive to Carmel & stay there 2 nights (only 1 if you stayed in Santa Cruz. Visit Pt Lobos while in Carmel, along with everything else the Carmel/Monterey area has to offer (which is quite a bit - don't miss the aquarium).

Early after your last night in Carmel, take a very slow drive down the fabulous coastal route - I've been driving it for almost 40 years now, & it still excites me.

Stay the next night in San Simeon & visit Hearst Castle. Then drive to the closest airport & head home - probably the SF airport since a RT ticket for 4 will probably be cheaper.

Don't pace your trip any faster than I've described here - you will regret it. If you need to stay near the SF airport for an early departure, stay in SF - not in the airport complex. From the downtown area (Union Sq) to the airport it's only a 30 min taxi ride - less on a Sat or Sunday.

Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca

Stu's alternative itinerary is also good, and you get a great big taste of The City (actually, always a good thing). This other place in the south of California (really, a collection of dozens and dozens of cities) is too big to grasp in a few days-- or weeks-- or years. Not just in area, but sheer number of things to do and see. How big?

Well, the whole of San Francisco County is only 47 square miles. The SF metro area, including Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties, is 1,954 sq mi. LA County is 4,061 sq mi, and with Orange County the LA metro area is 4,850 sq mi. And some people even throw Ventura and San Bernardino counties into the LA metro area, which would kick up the area covered to (get ready) 26,747 sq mi.

Just some concrete numbers....

When I first read the "Cali" title, my inclination was to advise the poster to transfer his question to the South America board on questions for Columbia - lo!

biscuithead - you've gotten advice from two of the best Fodorites. Please do tell us what you and your family are interested in, so that we can better answer your question.

To give you some idea of the distances, California consists of approximately 164,000 square miles. This makes it about four times the size of Tennessee (42,000 SM). Think about trying to spend one week in an area four times that of Tennessee and you'll have idea of the distances you have to cover in a week's time - besides staying locally to sightsee.

Hope this helps! :)

Thanks for the quick responses. Sorry about the "Cali", I was just trying to be cute with my title. We're kinda sensitive around here, in that, everyone thinks we're hillbillies. I have done a search and read several threads but they're often couples not as many families. I know how big California is and I lived there as a kid but that was forty years ago. We can stay longer than a week, probably about 10 days. I purposely left the time in L.A. vague at a few days. This early, nothing's set in stone.
To give you some idea of our interests here's a few things so far on my list:
Frisco-that's for you, StuDudley ;)-Chinatown (how does it compare to NYC's?) Mission Dolores, Winchester House, Jelly Belly Factory, Muir Woods. Alcatraz is a must and of course, the Bridge, Cable cars/Museum.
LA-the Sign, Queen Mary, Mann's Chinese, Melrose Pl or Rodeo for window shopping, studio tour?
The girls aren't that big on beaches as far as swimming but like to explore, love to shop and experience different cultures. We've been to DisneyWorld several times, just last year, in fact. We can do amusement parks anytime, I'd like us to get a taste of California.
Wife & I kinda have a thing for lighthouses, want to visit Solvang and at least one of the Pfeiffer Parks, I get confuse which one has what. We like old missions and there are a couple of shutterbugs in the house, so that scenery along the Highway is calling us.
Hope that helps!

biscuithead, the Jelly Bean Factory is in Fairfield (Solano County). If you go there to visit unless you have other places in the general vicinity it does seem to me to be a waste of time unless it something the family really wants to do.

North of Fairfield (up 1-80) are the Vacaville Outlet stores. Some people take vacations just to visit these Outlets. I live just 2 blocks from them and IMHO do not understand why but a lot of travelers really do love to shop their including houseguest I have from Italy.

Think you have been given some good advice on this thread regarding your travels. Do have a fun trip.

LA area hints:

-- You don't normally go up to visit the HOLLYWOOD sign, but it will be visible from most of the LA area. And of course, if you go to Hollywood and walk around a bit, you can see all the cliché LA sights like the Capital Records building, the Walk of Fame (you might even time it so you see a dedication!), Grauman's Chinese, etc. And the sign. If you truly want to make a fun LA day of it, fill the afternoon by taking in sights in Hollywood, then take in whatever's playing the Hollywood Bowl that night. You can even arrange a box dinner and grab some wine and really celebrate (I do it every summer).

-- Beverly Hills' shopping area is pretty swank. The shopping and wildness of Melrose Ave (Melrose PLACE being a side street in West Hollywood, with little shopping) is quite a different animal. But both are fun. Venice Beach might be a bit TOO wild, but it's a can't-miss IMHO (well, once in your life).

-- The Queen Mary is way down in Long Beach (disclosure: I live in Long Beach), and I'm not sure it's worth the side trip for you (to be honest, LB is a great city to live in, but not set up for tourists at all and therefore eminently skippable). If you decide to do the Big Boat, I'd combine it with a drive down into some Orange County coastal towns like Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, maybe ending down in San Juan Capistrano or San Clemente before hopping up the freeway. Laguna is a great city, for one, and its summer arts festivals are completely unique. And your girls might appreciate watching the surfers down in Huntington.

-- If you don't want theme parks, but want a studio tour, the best one is the one at Warner Brothers.

There are many more things to do (I haven't even mentioned wonderful Pasadena, especially its Old Town section), but this is a sampler....

I thought of another kinda fun thing to do: Rent bikes in Santa Monica and ride the bike path from SM down to Redondo Beach (they have a pier down there). I warn you: It's a tasty sample of the California lifestyle, especially on a sunny day (the ocean! The people out enjoying the nice day jogging or on their bikes and inline skates! The volleyball games going on at all times!), and your girls may start pressuring you to move-- immediately!

Always nice in summer. Even nicer on a warm winter's day!

Ok, we'll mark the Big Boat and Jelly Belly off the list, I thought there was some tour that involved the Sign.

Maybe limiting LA to Hollywood are is a good idea.
BTW, what do you mean by Melrose being "wild".

Where's the train station in LA, is it worth a visit?

I'm not going to mention those Outlets to my wife, thanks just the same. ;)

Union Station in LA is in the upper edge of downtown, across the street from Olvera Street (more of which later) and just a short walk from China Town. It is one of the grand old vaulted ceiling train stations and is often used by film companies to standin for train stations in various parts of the country. The old ticket counters and waiting areas have been blocked off in the name of economy but you can still get a look at them from the barrier. There are still plenty of art-deco flourishes in the open waiting area as well as the facade and it has a nice, enclosed courtyard.

It is also still the departure/arrival point for AMTRAK and MetroRail as well as a major subway stop. That is also used by film companies and it is a bit disconcerting to be walking to the subway platform and suddenly see signs and other items suddenly turning it into a subway station in New York, Berlin, or Moscow.

If you are a train buff or want to show your girls one of the grand old stations, it is worth the stop. Otherwise, probably not. It is worth a walk across the street if you decide to visit Olvera Street. That is a long one block area that is the historic center of original Los Angeles. It has a combination of historic buildings and markers, fairly good Mexican restaurants, some halfway decent hispanic art shops, and, in the center aisle of the block, a Mexican bazaar that might give you a flavor of the Mexican border tourist towns.

If you are in the area for other reasons, China Town may be worth a visit but it is, IMO, a pale imitation of either New York's or San Francisco's China Towns.

I echo the recommendation for a bike ride from Santa Monica to at least Venice Beach or further if you like. There's nothing quite like that ocean front anywhere else in the world. Your girls may be a bit young (except for reruns) but you'll have fun finding the place where John Ritter fell off his bike ogeling the girls in the introductory scenes to "Three's Company".

Have a great trip.

biscuithead, LOL ;;). That was funny about your wife and the Outlet Stores. But seriously I find them a great dissapointment. Usually find them with"junk" that their regular stores have not sold. With some exceptions of course. Oh heavens, hope the Vacaville Chamber of Commerce does not read this post.

Your days can be filled with much more interesting sights IMHO. So don't feel guilty. And do have a beautiful trip.

Melrose Ave is "wild" if you're not used to Goth-dressed punks with blue-dyed Mohawks and gelled, spiked-out hair like it's late-70s London. If that's cool, then your daughters will love the funky boutiques and young vibe on the street.

There might be hikes up to the Hollywood sign, but I've never been interested. It's just a bunch of big letters on a hillside-- no museum or gift shop or what-not.

The train station in LA is Union Station, across from Calle Olvera in downtown LA. It's architecturally notable (built in 1939, an interesting mix of Moorish, Spanish Mission and Streamline Moderne, a true gem of the Hollywood Art Déco era) and has a good restaurant (Traxx), but otherwise I'm not sure it's worth a visit, unless you're going to Calle Olvera-- always fun, and always worth it (especially if you want to know about LA's Mexican heritage).

HI, biscuithead!

My long messages have been zapped of late and disappeared into the computer void, so I'm going to post in smaller size chunks. Please forgive the number of postings! :)

1) Skip the Winchester Mystery House. It's in San Jose and not worth a detour, just like the Jelly Belly Factory. I've been in an old hotel in Riverside that was more fun to visit, so it's really not worth your time.

2) If at all possible, fly open-jaw: into SF and out of LA, this will save you a day.

3) If you start in SF, do NOT get a car upon arrival. You can take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) right from SFO to downtown. You can either taxi or walk to your hotel. (Travel light! :) )

4) In SF, get the transit map and buy a three day ticket which allows you to travel on all the different modes of SF public transportation. Parking is a hassle and very expensive. SF has an excellent public transportation system.

5) You should slot a minimum of two days in SF.

(to be continued)

6) When you have done SF, get a car, drive over the Golden Gate Bridge, go to the Vista Point (first exit right after the bridge), then drive to Sausalito and walk around a bit, have a burger/lunch some place, then return to SF.

7) You could drive through SF and spend the night further south and avoid paying the $20-$30 hotel parking fee. There are lots of wonderful little B&Bs and smaller hotels just south of SF on Highway 1. For a real adventure for the girls, you could also stay at one of the lighthouses - these are hostels, but do believe they have "family" rooms. Believe these hostels are at Montara and Pidgeon Point lighthouses.

(TBC)

8) Going along the coast on Highway 1 - the first major stop is Monterey/Carmel. You should probably spend the night here. Take at least 1/2 day to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The type of lodging depends on your budget. Could you give us an idea of how much you would like to spend? Also would you prefer a B&B, motel, hotel, spa, resort?

9) Walk around charming Carmel, go to wonderful Carmel Beach. The kids will love the dogs there! Early morning is when a lot of our furry friends like to romp around the beach.

10) Starting southward, just two miles south of Carmel is Point Lobos. If the weather is good, definitely stop here and wander on any of the easy hikes. Should take you a minimum of two hours' stop.

11) Next stop is Pfeiffer Big Sur Park. The hike to see Pfeiffer Falls is a moderate one for kids. BTW, wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Another two hour stop.

12) You could pick up some groceries and have a picnic along the way. Or you could stop at Nepenthe (a few miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur and on your right).

13) You need to plan this part carefully, as there are few real stops besides the viewpoints until you reach Cambria.

If you have the time, go to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The hike to see McWay Falls is very easy and shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour. This is the only waterfall in California that tumbles right to the ocean.

If you don't have the time, then skip JPB. You will have seen redwoods on the Pfeiffer Big Sur hike.

14) If you don't have the time, just drive along Highway 1 and be prepared for a number of stops at pullouts to look at the view. It's magnificent.

15) Plan to arrive in Cambria before dark. Stay the night in Cambria.

16) Go to Hearst Castle first thing the next morning. Then continue on down along the coast.

17) Next major stop would be Mission La Purisma in Lompoc. The Missions were a major part of California's history and La Purisma is probably the best preserved and will give you an excellent idea of what mission life was like.

18) Stop the night anywhere along the coast. From Cambria on down, there's plenty of lodgings again.

19) From here on out, I'll let my southern California fellow Fodorites take over. :)

20) My only recommendation on Southern California would be to stop in San Diego instead of LA. More things there to interest the kids.

Have a great trip and welcome to California! :)

I think easytraveler's itinerery is great. The one thing I would add is a stop in Santa Cruz on the drive from SF to Monterey. Just a few hours should do it. I think the kids would really enjoy the Boardwalk and seeing some surfers if the waves are good.

Santa Barbara is also a great place to stop with young teens. Go to Arroyo Burro Beach and eat at the Brown Pelican. Kids love it there. In downtown Santa Barbara you can rent these pedicabs - like carts but bicycles - and ride down the beach sidewalk. Also great teen type shopping, really cute bikinis, surf stuff and pretty good food - Biltmore has a good if expensive brunch. Added plus, if you hit summer fog, you can go inland to Red Rocks or Lake Cachuma up there in the hills and it is always hot. Plus JLo almost got married there, how cool is that?

Ima gonna have to second the No Winchester House thing. God is it boring. They sell it as "spooky" but it's really just an old house, with nothing intrinsically scary about it at all. Lots of rooms full of old furniture that they talk a lot about but don't let you into, forcing you to peer around a dozen other heads through the doorway.

Whenever we drive by it on the freeway, my boyfriend threatens to take me there if I'm not good.

Personally, I'm not into the big dollop of Danish kitsch that is Solvang, but some people love it. Just a bunch of cutesy Danish retail, cafes, and bakeries. As a kid all the cookies always seemed so dry to me, which made me sad, being surrounded by cookies but none of them looking very good, or always having raisins in them instead of chocolate chips. These are the things that upset me.

I think you could spend a great day in Santa Cruz, especially in the summer. Visit the Boardwalk, which will be bustling, ride the Giant Dipper, walk along the beach, maybe have a seafood dinner on the adjacent wharf. Downtown SC is a nice place to have lunch and shop in some chain and local shops, and you could maybe even take the steam train from its stop at the Boardwalk up through the redwoods, a very nice ride (look up Roaring Camp RR online).

In terms of LA, you could definitely experience lots of different cultures and do lots of shopping! Maybe stay in the West Hollywood area, do some shopping (you'll be near Melrose and Beverly Hills), visit the Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax for a wonderful variety of restaurant stands and fresh produce, and the attached outdoor upscale shopping center The Grove...for a bit of a different experience you might also enjoy the ethnic sights, smells, and tastes of Grand Central Market downtown, which is nearby Chinatown, though I would agree it's not really as good as SF or NYC.

A museum in LA we always love is the Museum of Jurassic Technology (www.mjt.org), which is on Venice Bl in LA...it's a very strange, darkly lit, moody conglomeration of permanent and changing exhibits of basically innovation through the ages and often bizarre technology and human superstition in an amazing array of formats, from holograms to tiny images viewed through magnifying glasses, to dark dioramas you peer cautiously into...very different and endlessly fascinating around every corner.

Other than that, you got some great advice from the posters above!

And yes, "Cali" grates on us very very much, as does "Frisco"!

love
roxy

These are great tips! Easy, my plan is to fly into SF and out of LA as you mentioned. Your itinery sounds wonderful.
WB studio tour sounds good, the girls love Gilmore Girls and maybe we'll see something from the show. Melrose sounds worth a visit.
Olvera sounds good, we love Mexican food, etc, is that far from Hollywood area?
Narrowing down LA seems to be the biggest challenge. How's Renaissance Hollywood Hotel? We all love the retro stuff.

Olvera Street is not far at all from Hollywood-only a few miles. Just get on I-5 north from Olvera Street and get off at Hollywood Blvd or Sunset Blvd.

The Renaissance Hollywood is actually a nice hotel, recently renovated and quite well-regarded. I'm not a huge fan of staying in the Hollywood neighborhood; it's cleaning itself up quite a bit, but it's still a bit grimy to me (too many head shops and check-cashing joints for my taste).

If you want "retro" in feel and can spend a little extra, how about the Beverly Hills Hotel? Or, if you want ocean access and a feel for southern California circa 1930, there's the Georgian in Santa Monica. Early Hollywood Déco combined with all the latest mod-cons and a relaxed feel you don't get in a lot of LA-area hotels.

The Georgian & Beverly Hills both look a little stuffy for the girls. Any other ideas, especially in W. Hollywood? Does anyone have a suggestion for SF or for a stop along the coast drive?

Columbus Motor Inn in SF is fine, they have some large family-sized rooms and parking is included if you want to have that car for trips to the coast, the Redwoods, etc.

In West Hollywood, we like the SunsetPlazaHotel, but if you're planning 4-to-a-room they are definitely not spacious. Summerfield Suites nearby is getting a little worn, but you could get a larger unit there. The RenaissanceHollywood is a good choice, though not in WEST Hollywood...from this hotel you can take a quick subway ride up to Universal Tour/ or a quick bus ride to WB tour so that you don't have to worry about traffic.

I'm looking for a SF Hotel that's in a good spot as far as mass transit to explore the city. Don't want a car (or the parking expense) until we leave the city. I've seen mention of a hotel (Hilton?) on The California Cable Car line which sounded like a great location for a base.

SF is best without a car. The public transportation is good and it's also a good walking city. If you stay near Market St, you will be in the thick of things, right downtown and just about every transportation line in SF either crosses Market or travels up and down it (or under). The cable cars are great too, they can get very crowded, so I wouldn't count on them too much for transportation. The California line tends to be less crowded than the Powell lines.

Went with our two teens (13 and 15) last April. They really loved Alcatraz (especially younger son) and Sonoma including vineyard tram tour at Benzinger (especially older daughter). They also particularly enjoyed dim sum in Chinatown and dinner at the Fog City Diner. The Japanese garden was also a hit!

The Hearst Castle tour was incredible. I highly recommend it, and suggest you stay somewhere closeby as a half way mark between LA and SF. We stayed at the Best Western Cavalier in San Simeon. It is a decent family hotel in a fabulous location but with a dreadful restaurant. However, they do have a laundry center on premises, so it's great for a mid-vacation stop! :)

My kids enjoyed LA, and especially the Warner Brothers Studio tour. It was very good. We took a Hollywood / Beverly Hills day tour right out of our hotel one day, and found it well worth it! Much easier than trying to drag yourselves around and find all the traditional tourist stops. (The third day we went to the Crystal Cathedral and Calif Adventure.) For restauants, I'd recommend Warszawa for dinner, and the Champs Elysee for breakfast or lunch.

For LA and SF, you may want to learn how to use Priceline, and bid a four or five star hotel. Read through Biddingfortravel.com before you start, and stick to your desired neighborhoods and quality levels. We got two non-smoking connecting rooms everywhere we went, and paid $75 per night per room at the Beverly Hilton and $65 pn pr at the SF Hilton Towers.

Good luck and have fun!

How's the Argonaut? Is it too close to everything? Also, I don't see any hotels listed on Market Street itself.

Merry Christmas, biscuithead!

You'll probably not get many answers, as it's holiday time and the weather is wonderful here in the Bay Area!

Very quickly: the Argonaut is fine. It's one of the most popular hotels in SF. It's located at the end of the Fisherman's Wharf area and is very close to the Maritime Museum. Fisherman's Wharf is the number one tourist hotel area in SF.

The second most popular hotel location is Union Square.

Don't try to stay on Market Street. It's not the best place.

Have a great holiday season! :)

I know there won't be much today but it's freezing here and doing a little California dreaming. Any rec's for Carmel/Monterey lodging?

If you have a chance to check out the Standard Hotel Lobby in Hollywood, it is real metro/modern, bean bag chairs, live person in display case.

In Los Angeles:
Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street prominade are lots of fun for both children and adults. Santa Monica is fun during the day or night.
Also, check out Venice Beach during the day.

Dont know if you'd have time for a stop at Pismo Beach on your drive from S.F. to L.A.
But, you could stay over one night near the pier. The street the pier is on is a nice little walk.
You could get a ride on a hummer on the sand dunes in Pismo, this is a BLAST!

I think your itinerary sounds pretty good. Assuming this is not the only trip you will ever make to California, you don't have to do everything in one week. In San Francisco and LA, I would recommend using a discount service to get a 3 or 4 star hotel - it will be perfectly fine and you will pay a lot less. Stick with Fisherman's Wharf or the Union Square area in SF, and Hollywood/Beverly Hills in LA. In SF, definitely do Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square, Union Square, etc. Maybe Sausalito, Point Reyes, etc. if you have time. I wouldn't recommend any of the detours like the jelly belly factory or Winchester Mystery House. If you don't want to take your chances, the St. Francis in SF is my favorite touristy hotel, but there are tons of small hotels around that are great as well. The Orchard, the Argonaut, the Villa Florence, Campton Place, etc. Definitely eat lunch at Fisherman's No. 9, and have dinner in North Beach.

When you get ready to leave the City, leave early so you can get to Monterey/Carmel in time for lunch (3-4 hr drive). If you have time, do the 17 mile drive. From there, drive down to Big Sur and stay at Deetjen's or the Big Sur Lodge. This is a beautiful but very windy coastal drive, so be sure to do it during the day!! From there, stop at Hearst Castle and then drive to Santa Barbara or Solvang. It's a looong drive from Hearst Castle to LA, so I'd recommend spending a night in Solvang or Santa Barbara (lots of decent motels).

It sounds like a couple of nights in in the Beverly Hills/Hollywood area of LA would suit you fine. It's nice and central and all of the interesting "Hollywood" sights are nearby, like Graumann's Chinese, the sign, and Rodeo Drive. Don't miss the La Brea Tarpits, and if you have time take one of those tours that drives you by the stars' homes. The studio tours are also fun,and show tapings if you can get tickets. If you want to see celebrities, go to the Ivy for lunch and/or Fred Segal - I have never been to either of those places and not seen somebody. Just don't forget to act cool! Don't bother with downtown LA unless you want to see the new Frank Gehry designed Concert Hall. If you want to go to the beach, try the Santa Monica area rather than Venice. Hotels in LA that would be good are the Renaissance in Hollywood (in the Hollywood/Highland complex) the Westin on Sunset, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the St. Regis in Beverly Hills (it's the "Pretty Woman" hotel) or Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. For eating in LA with kids, try Musso and Franks' Grill, the Pig and Whistle, the Pinot "chain" of restaurants, Pink's Hot Dog stand and the Farmer's Market.

If you want to keep going, head down to Laguna Beach, or even to La Jolla in San Diego. Hope you have a great time and good luck!!

I second do not stay on Market Street. Also do not stay on Van Ness!!!

biscuithead,

you have been given great advice here.

Just two comments on the advice by aliceaq regarding L.A.:

I am not sure which Westin Hotel there should be on Sunset. There is none as I recall.

The "Pretty Woman" Hotel is not the St. Regis, but rather the Regent Beverly Wilshire. The St. Regis is located not far from Beverly Hills in Century City on Avenue of the Stars. This is a good location if you are in the area on business.
The Regent Beverly Wilshire is a grand property just at the corner of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Blvd. It's in possibly one of the best locations for leisure and business on the Westide of L.A.. I think you would prefer staying here than at the St. Regis (and I am pretty sure, this is the property aliceaq was recommending while just getting the names mixed up).

In LA, you may want to visit the LA County Museum of Art, where the King Tut exhibition will be on display from June thru November. Possibly a once in a lifetime experience.

Just one more poster agreeing that you do not want to stay on Market St., or VanNess in S.F. I just stayed at the Villa Florence (Union Square) last week. You would need 2 rooms (or perhaps their suite). Grand Hyatt at Union Square is a good choice to.

Personally I always feel that Union Square is a good location to stay at, seems that than everything is walking distant (I do like to walk especially in SF).

You IMHO have received some very good suggestions. Have fun planning your trip.

Hi biscuithead!
Just a couple of added suggestions for you. As hotels go in SF, we prefer Nob Hill area. Our favorite hotel is the Huntington. It is smaller than many, but used to be apartments, so it has much more space. The restaurant is good, there is a spa on premises just in case the ladies need to be pampered, a park is just across the street, as is Grace Cathedral. Cable car stops out front and the hotel has a curtesy car to drop you at nearby places, including going for rental car before you head out of town. I also suggest staying in Carmel. There are many B&B's in the area as well as a variety of other places. A lady in town (she has a web site)conducts a walking tour a couple of times a week which shows you some places you might miss on your own. I agree with other posters that the kids would love the beach there...the dogs rule! Carmel is very pet friendly. A side trip to Monterey for the aquarium is well worth it. So is a trip to Pebble Beach if you happen to be a golf fan. Going on down the coast to Hearst's castle is a pretty drive. I suggest staying in Cambria. Many small hotels/motels are on Moonstone Beach Drive. None are on the water side of the street, so no one's view is blocked. There is a boardwalk and the view is great. Cambria is only about 10 minutes from San Simeon. Check the website for the castle. You can get tickets online. Another good place to stay for a night or two is Santa Barbara. Very pretty, big marina. Fun to watch the fishing boats come in with their catch. The visitors center is about a block from the pier and they provide free parking. From there the drive to LA is not bad at all. My personal preference is to stay in Santa Monica. It is on the coast, between Venice and Malibu. The boardwalk and pier are fun. My hotel favotite is the Faimount Miramar. The tower rooms have water views. Be warned, however, that the rooms and baths are on the small side, although the hotel is quite nice. And may I get on my soap box for just a second and suggest you get a good city map so you can navigate without the need to always use the freeway. The freeway will take you 3 or 4 times longer to get some places than the city streets, because no one is using the streets. Everyone is on the freeway! From Santa Monica you can go right up Wilshire to Beverly Hills in no time at all. Sepulveda runs parallel to the 405 and is much faster. Etc, etc.You get the idea. Obviously, this won't work for everything, but keep it in mind. Also, may I suggest that you sign up for a tour in each city for your first morning. That way you see some of the main sights. Some you may want to go back to later, some you can mark off your list. And lastly, you mentioned that your girls like the Gilmore Girls show. It is shot at Warner Bros. IMHO the tour is pretty lame, but they show you all the exterior settings and you just might get to see an interior. Hope this helps. Have lots of fun...it's a great place to visit!