Thank you all so much for the air travel advice-that is an interesting idea of flying back to San Diego from San Francisco and dropping off the car- we didn't realize how pricey CA is -and Northern CA looks beautiful...

Thank you very much! We have 14 days on the ground. We dont mind chilly but not sure where to stop but I think Cambria area looks beautiful? We thought about $100.00 per night but that seems really low for CA...we will try airbnb.

Can you just drop the idea of San Diego altogether or have you already booked tickets? You can probably fly Southwest direct to San Jose, CA. From there you could rent a car and tour the northern part of the coast. And yes, California is very expensive. AirBnB is a good way to go but always do research because it's not allowed in many places and your rental could be illegal.

$100 per night is VERY low during the middle of high tourist season especially. I found a Motel 6 in San Simeon just north of Cambria for $86 per night on a midweek in August, that rate does not include hotel tax.

>>We thought about $100.00 per night but that seems really low for CA...we will try airbnb.<,

Do note that airbnb and other short term rentals are illegal in some communities. Many of those sites will still post listings even though they are illegal. $100 a night isn't realistic in most areas one would want to stay. Plus - the rate shown seldom includes taxes and local transient occupancy fees. These can add 12% to nearly 20% to the basic cost. Then many places tack on a 'Resort Fee' even when they are not a 'resort' by any stretch of the imagination ;)

As an Airbnb user myself in California, I suspect you'll be able to find homes to stay in, in a private room, near if not exactly in the communities you'll be visiting. It's easy to be picky when budget isn't an issue but having stayed in some very interesting places for the sake of budget myself, I think you'll find what you need and even like it. I do regularly.

Thank you so much to all for the additional feedback about lodging. This is very helpful!

Before finalizing your air tickets, check the one-way rates for the car, they are currently running pretty high for August.

Place to stay between San Diego and Sequoia Nat Park
 

Thank you for all the trip planning assistance? Can anyone recommend a city, town or area they love to stay mid way between San Diego and Sequoia-we are on a budget. Thank you!

While not directly between San Diego & Sequoia, Ojai isn't terribly far off the route. It's a beautiful area and very interesting town. You should be able to find a place to stay within your budget on Airbnb or similar sites.

Ojai would be nice . . . however the entire drive SD to Sequoia is only about 6 hours give or take. So you really don't need to break the journey anywhere . . . other than a meal/rest stop along I-5 or Hwy 65. If you want a more leisurely 'meander' then the detour over to Ojai and back to I-5 would add about 2 hours to the total drive. Just depends if you want 6 hours on one day or 8-ish hours over two days.

Thank you very much-I will look into this.

It seems to always take us longer to drive and considering traffic-but thanks and we will keep this in mind.