california trip
 

Hi. i am planning a trip to california march 29- april 5th. 7 days and nights. Starting with San Fransico for a coupe of days, then yosemite for one or 2 days, going back to pacific highway stopping at Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur, before heading to L.A. for a couple of days, then flying back to San Fransico for our flight late on the 5th. Any thoughts on this? Is this too much to do? Id appreciate any suggestions. Thanks

Rental car? Drop off fee in LA? Why not return car in San Francisco and fly (or train) to LA and fly home from there?

Yes that's too much for 7 days, considering that day one is arrival day and day 8 is departure day. You really only have 5 or 6 days.

Be sure that you research Yosemite in winter. Do you have reservations yet?

Waaaay too much for 7 days -- - 6 days really since day 7 is eaten up with travel.

Also -- you can't drive all the way down Highway 1 since it is closed in Big Sur. You can drive w a fair distance in to Big Sur but then would have to turn around and head back north, east to 101 and then south to LA.

With just 7 days I'd stick to SF, Yosemite and the Monterey Peninsula. And even that would be a bit rushed.

You need to book your Yosemite accommodation immediately (like this minute). If nothing is available, book @ Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal and then keep trying for a cancellation in Yosemite Valley)

I've never heard of a "drop off fee" just for leaving a car in a different location within the same state. I've done that several times in California and never once have been charged a "drop off fee". I know Hertz and Avis and Alamo don't do that. Flying to LA doesn't really make sense, they want to do the road trip and visit some places (like Monterey and Carmel) and have a car in LA area, I'm sure.

I think you need to drop Yosemite and I would fly out of LAX home unless there is some good reason not to.

I'd eliminate LA as well and drive back to SF from the Monterey Peninsula. Do Big Sur as a day trip. You can currently drive as far south as the town of Gorda on Hwy 1 before turning around and heading back north to Monterey.

Hwy 140 is the lowest elevation route into Yosemite Valley but there may still be chain requirements depending on weather and tire chains aren't allowed on rental cars. There's a year round YARTS bus on Hwy 140 if you find that you need to use it http://yarts.com/routes-and-schedules/merced-hwy-140/

>>I've never heard of a "drop off fee" just for leaving a car in a different location within the same state<<

Just semantics -- I'm sure tom meant the one-way rental charge which is VERY common (he is always advising to avoid them at all costs)

>>I think you need to drop Yosemite and I would fly out of LAX home unless there is some good reason not to.<<

Since it appears they've already booked R-T in/out of SFO - not that helpful.

Agree that is way too many places for 7 days (how many nights). Also like janisj said, Highway 1 is closed in one part and will not be reopened until late summer or early fall depending on our winter rains.
If you are flying into SFO, stay in San Francisco for 3-4 nights, then drive to Monterey or Carmel (they are next to one another) and stay 2 nights driving partway down Hwy 1 into Big Sur, maybe as far as McWay Falls, then return.
If you can find a place to stay in Yosemite, then add that in.
Forget the train, Tom is a big train buff and wants to put everyone else on the train.