ga9497

We are planning a 2 week vacation in California. I would like to get some comments on our itinerary and suggestions on where to stay

Traveling: 2 adults, 2 teens age 15 & 13
Time of year: June 19-July 2, 2010
Coming in from the east coast - into LAX out of SFO

Been to LA and different parts of Ocean County before. Haven't been to SF in over 15 years. Never been to other locations listed

Start in the LA area - not sure where we are staying yet but somewhere close to a beach. - 3 nights - suggestions welcomed
I know June isn't prime beach weather but we would still like to be in a beach town

Drive up the coast, stop in Santa Barbara for lunch
Drive up to Pismo beach and stay 2 nights

Drive to the Monterey area and stay 2 nights
haven't chosen the actual town to stay in yet - suggestions welcomed. Would like to visit Gilroy and Castroville on our way up to San Francisco (husband loves to cook)

Drive up to SF and stay 2 or 3 nights - haven't chosen hotel yet - suggestions welcomed

Drive up to the Napa Valley area - stay 3 or 4 nights (depending on how many nights we stay in SF) Would like to visit Sonoma one day and thinking of staying in the Calistoga area for easy access to Sonoma - suggestions welcomed - Pool is a must at whatever hotel in whatever city we end up choosing in this area.

I would love to hear about places not to miss on our drive up the coast. Your favorite places to stop for meals and anything else anyone would like to add.

We aren't adventure seekers rather like to explore a little of the area we are in. We do not hike

Budget of hotels - would like to stay at $300 or less per night. If there is a great hotel we don't mind going up to $350 per night

Thank you for any information anyone would like to supply

sf7307

I'm not sure what you expect to find in Gilroy and Castroville, other than their claims that they are, respectively, the "garlic" and "artichoke" capitals of the world?

What do you plan to do in the Napa-Sonoma area? I would personally plan more days in San Francisco and less in Napa-Sonoma given the ages of the children who will be with you. There's just way more to do and see here than there.

ga9497

We thought it would cute towns to stop in on the drive up. We don't expect anything.

Napa - We will find things to do as a family and they are interested in a winery tour to see the process of how it is made. I am in the process of looking into one that will allow the children to come along. It isn't like they are 2 years old they are teens. They are well travelled and pretty much go with the flow wherever we are.

sf7307

>>

That's why I asked. Sorry, but there is nothing "cute" about Gilroy. It does have a huge outlet mall though. Castroville either -- just a "regular" agricultural town. You can see pictures of downtown Castroville here. As for Gilroy, I can't even find pictures of "downtown" because I don't think there is one.

Castroville - http://tinyurl.com/yamup9t

BTW, and I mean this sincerely (not trying to be snarky -- I have young adult children who have also traveling extensively)....but being an experienced traveler doesn't make a boring town interesting or an ugly town beautiful/charming.

I asked about Napa and Sonoma specifically because of the winery tour issue. Kids can go on the tours at many of the wineries. There are also cute towns in both Napa and Sonoma (St. Helena and Calistoga in Napa, Sonoma and Healdsburg in Sonoma).

janisj

Castroville and Gilroy aren't cute towns. Instead of Castroville/Gilroy - stick to Monterey Bay instead and visit Santa Cruz, maybe Capitola. Then either head up Hwy 1 all the way to SF, or go over the mountains on Hwy 17 and then go to Big Basin redwoods (better/bigger than Muir Woods) enroute to SF.

The kids won't have much to see/do in Napa/Sonoma. It won't be terrible - don't get me wrong. But there is MUCH more for a family in SF than in Wine country.

So I'd 100% re-priortize. Minimum 4 nights in SF and maximum 2 nights in Napa/Somoma.

janisj

was posting the same time as sf7307 . . .

boom_boom

Coming up the coast, the Danish-themed town of Solvang makes for an interesting, if touristy, side trip. Hearst Castle at San Simeon is a must. Maybe a stop in one the parks in the Big Sur area along with Monterey. There is a boardwalk amusement park in Santa Cruz, San Migel, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco.
Also any of the old missions along the way are interesting stops, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Lompoc,
While in the Gilroy area you might consider a side trip to the historic San Jaun Batista. Too bad you'll miss the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
The town of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley are actually more accessible for Napa via Highway 12. If you want northern Sonoma County and the Russian River area, Calistoga is a better choice.

ga9497

Thank you for your input, this is why I came here to ask and maybe we will stop somewhere else on the way up to San Francisco. Husband is interested in the wineries and we are definitely going to spend some time in the Napa area. One of the reasons I am looking for a hotel with a pool is that if the kids and I don't feel like doing anything we can relax by the pool.

Would you have any suggestions on what not to miss?

ga9497

janisj - we were posting at the same time - thank you for your input.

boom_boom - thank you for the suggestions. One of the wineries we want to visit is Seghesio as my husband really enjoys their wines.

StuDudley

Agree with sf & janisj.

Also, the coast between San Simeon & Carmel is an A+, The coast between San Simeon & Ventura is a B. Doesn't look like there is a coast road between Ventura & Pt Mugu. I'm not that familiar with the cost between Pt Mugu & Santa Monica. The coast between Santa Monica and Long beach is a D+. The coast between Long Beach & Newport beach is a C. The coast down to Camp Pendelton is a B- (Laguna is nice). The coast from Carmel to San Francisco is a B+. These are just my opinions - not scientific fact I would just concentrate on the Santa Barbara to San Francisco section.

Stu Dudley

november_moon

Between Monterey and SF, I'd stop in Santa Cruz for the day. With the Boardwalk and the beach, it is a must with the kids.

MonicaRichards

As far as places to stay in Calistoga, the Roman Spa is a motel that has three pools, warm, warmer and hot, so you can spend the day going from one to the other to the other (I was there during a heat spell and we literally spent the day in the pools). There is also the Indian Springs resort, which has one pool.

StuDudley

>>If you want northern Sonoma County and the Russian River area, Calistoga is a better choice.

hazel1

Just so you're forewarned - be aware of what we Californians refer to as the "June Gloom". Foggy, cool days are very typical in June along the California coast. Sometimes it breaks up by mid-day, sometimes not. Many tourists get surprised how "un-beachy" the weather can be at that time.

rednikki

Full disclosure: I live here and I work for the local visitor's bureau (but I moved here and took the job because this area is so amazing)!

The Monterey area has a number of award-winning wineries. You can go wine tasting on Cannery Row, and there's a public bus that goes to the wineries in Carmel Valley.
http://www.seemonterey.com/food-rest...-tasting-rooms
http://www.seemonterey.com/food-rest...rmelvalleywine

I'm surprised no one here has listed the Monterey Bay Aquarium as one of the can't-miss stops. It's one of the top aquariums in the world and is simply amazing.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Your budget gives you many options for staying in the Monterey area, so your choice really hinges on your personal style. In Carmel (great shopping and fantasy-style cottages), you can stay just a couple of blocks away from the beach in a small family-owned inn. In Pacific Grove (known as America's Last Hometown), you can stay at a Victorian bed and breakfast that's directly across the street from the beach. Both of those have exactly the "cute" feel you were hoping to find in Gilroy or Castroville.

In Monterey (the largest city on the Peninsula), you can choose from several large hotels that are right on the water (and I mean RIGHT on the water - they've got pilings that extend their decks over the ocean). These are on Cannery Row, which puts you in the middle of the action but doesn't have a lot of beach. If you want to stay directly on the beach, the Best Western Beach Resort Monterey is located on Monterey State Beach, and the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina (about 15 minutes north of Monterey and immediately south of Castroville) is right at the dunes at Marina State Beach, although you have to go around a fence to get to the beach itself (they're doing dunes restoration right now).

If you drive up Highway One from Monterey to Santa Cruz, you'll see a number of artichoke and brussels sprouts fields on either side of the highway, as well as a lot of farm stands right on the edge of the fields selling local produce. I used to be a city girl, and I still find it neat to see artichoke plants, but YMMV.

If you're driving up Highway One, don't miss Moss Landing. Elkhorn Slough has sea otters, hundreds of sea lions, seals, herons, egrets and all kinds of other wildlife. It's worth stopping there to see.

bp24cali

hi great choice by picking pismo beach.....just there last week u must stay at the sandcastle inn right on the beach. great. eat at splash cafe and mo's bbq. u will love it in pismo. 2 nights would be good. reply back with any questions

M_Robins

ThE California coast in one of my favorite trips. L.A. walk along the boardwalk on Malibu Beach. The houses are wild and amazing. Great Italian food on side streets. Must see - The Getty Museum. Very Wow! I remember that the La Brea Tar Pits impressed me when I was 13. Stay on Hwy 1 going North to SF. YOu might detour a little to see Hearst Castle. Another very impressive sight. It is high on a cliff with a western view. Check out http://www.treebonesresort.com/ Even if you don't stay there you can stop for a lunch and enjoy the gift shop. Or check out the human nest! Also on one of the links you can arrange to kayak with a group. Not too pricey. Stay in a cabin in Big Sur - http://bigsur-coastline.com/campgrounds.html. A-frame with loft and kitchen for $300. Find a hike and hike to the ocean in Big Sur. There is a stunning restaurant there with amazing views - http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/

When you leave Carmel, find the 17 mile drive through Pebble Beach and take the time to stop at the Pebble Beach Lodge. There is a coupon for a drink or appetizer I think, that you get when you pay the entrance fee. Well worth the $10 even if you don't use the coupon. Stop at the Lodge, stop at the Lone Cypress, stop at the Seal Rocks. I saw seals and sea lions and otters playing all along the rocks when I drove through last June.

Santa Cruz is a great place to spend a day with your teens. The boardwalk is famous for their roller coaster day or night. Th beach is a lot fun. There is a surfing museum on West Cliff Drive. Check out Natural Bridges Park even for ten minutes! Tour the UC Santa Cruz campus with their eight different colleges - voted among the top ten most beautiful campus' in america in 2009 - http://structurehub.com/blog/2009/09...lege-campuses/

THen either drive up Highway One to San Gregorio Rd and take it due East. You'll drive through an old Saloon town, full of oldtimers, Stay on 84. Stop at Alice's Restaurant at the Skyline in La Honda. http://www.alicesrestaurant.com/index-3.html Keep on 84 to Portola Rd, Sandhill Rd and you are practically at Stanford University. Another great campus to tour with teens. Stop at the Stanford Coffee House for a treat and then walk into see the Chapel and quad with the outdoor Rodin exhibit. Drive straight down University through the great Eucalyptus forest right into downtown Palo Alto. From there take hwy 280 into San Francisco. Hwy 280 has very nice vistas.

OR, skip Stanford and Palo Alto and stay on Highway One. Pescadero is a quaint fishing town with whitewashed churches and buildings. Sandy beaches backed by rocky bluffs, and idyllic coves with roaring surf, tidepools and lagoons. Sea lions can often be seen offshore from the lighthouse at Pigeon Point. Four miles of white sand beaches at Half Moon Bay and great oysters. Last time I was there in 1976 there were only a few roads, now I understand it is a hip little town! Though I couldn't vouch for that. There is a Ritz Carlton Clubhouse there which could be stunning. I sure can't imagine a Ritz in the Half Moon Bay I used to know!

If continue along the coast you will eventually end up at Golden Gate Park. The De Jung and the Science Museum are especially worth visiting and the Japanese Garden is actually a wonderful experience. Tea is served by kimono clad ladies with snacks in an authentic teahouse set in a lovely garden with koi pond, and your teens are not too old to enjoy climbing the bridge. The De Jung tower is worth a visit and is a separate fee from admission to the musuem. Of course you'll ride the cable cars and go to Ghiradelli square. Research best times to avoid lines, or hike straight uphill to the stop after the line and see if you can all jump on. THe Exporatorium is a lot of fun - http://www.exploratorium.edu/ At least drive up to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. Skip Fisherman's Wharf. Take an Alcatraz boat tour, or at least get on a boat. And if you have time, drive over the Golden Gate bridge, through Stinson Beach, http://www.stinsonbeachonline.com/points.html and go on to visit John Muir's redwood forest park. This is most of a day's trip and very special.

Oh and visit at least one Mission. The one in Santa Barbara is beautiful in a big way. San Carlos is beautiful and they all very different and hauntingly beautiful. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22722

For pictures and more information, check out:

Suite101: Pacific Coast Highway Scenic Drive: Enjoy some of America's best coastal scenery on California Highway 1 http://california-travel.suite101.co...#ixzz0dCY4vfp3

http://californiatravel.suite101.com..._highway_drive

Hope you have fun.

StuDudley

>>The De Jung tower

Parrothead

Your itinerary sounds like a great family trip to me. I would skip Gilroy and Castroville though, as already stated there is no reason to go even slightly out of your way to visit either place. And, IMO, Solvang is another city not worth seeking out. Unless you have specific plans for LA, I'd get out of LA sooner than 3 nights, which would allow more time for the rest (and better part) of your road trip.

As for the Monterey area, I'd suggest staying in Carmel as near to Ocean Avenue as you can get. This would allow you to walk all over if you want to explore without a car. Staying in Pac Grove or Monterey would entail using the car more. Of these 3 towns, Carmel has the most charm; although do visit the Monterey Aquarium.

If you want to go to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, you'll probably need to spend an additional night between leaving the Monterey Peninsula and arriving in SF. Also, you'll have seen alot of coastline by this time of your trip, so if you do this then a good alternative would be to turn inland and drive north to SF via 17 to 9 to 35. This will take you through some of the most beautiful redwood country in Northern California. It's a slower, one-lane route but very scenic. This drive from Santa Cruz to SF would take about 4 hours plus stops.

In San Francisco, I prefer to stay 1st choice in Union Square area; 2nd choice Embarcadero and 3rd choice South of Market, but only 1-2 blocks off Market at most. Personally, I'd avoid staying at the Wharf or Nob Hill.

Sonoma is very accessible by car from any of the Highway 29 Napa towns. Calistoga feels more rural and slower than the other mainstays like St. Helena or Yountville, but you shouldn't be disappointed location wise with any of the towns between (city of) Napa and Calistoga along Hwy. 29 or Silverado Trail.

There are hundreds of threads dealing with places to eat. Basically, there are tons of gems in all price ranges.

bp24cali

skip out on gilroy. nothing but dirt and the horrible smell of old garlic