My husband and I are considering travelling to California for New Years and were wondering if anyone has any suggestions on this. I've been to LA on business several times and have loved some areas (ie. Santa Monica) but didn't have much time to tour around. Any suggestions are welcome (we are also considering a winery tour - so those suggestions are welcome too).
Thanks in advance!

Take a nice drive up the coast from LA to San Francisco. Spend a couple of days in Santa Barbara. Visit Hearst Castle (stop in the cute town of Harmony, pop. 17 or something small like that, just south of Cambria). Stay a couple of days in the Monterey area. Head up to San Francisco for a few days, and venture into the Wine Country. You'll have a great week to 10 days if you have the time.

The above is great advice if you have time AND the weather cooperates. December is during our rainy season though the chances are that the weather will be OK.

I would also caution that this is the rainy season, so a drive up the coast in the rain and fog would be terrible. I think I would stay south and look into getting Rose Bowl/ Parade tickets. Enjoy Pasadena which has only had one day of rain on January 1st in 50 years! If you really want to do a wine tour, consider going to the Santa Inez Valley just inland from Santa Barbara. Good wineries and much better weather than up here in the north.

Kam offers some pretty good advice. The weather will definitely be much nicer in Southern California. The Santa Ynez Valley is a very pretty area. I wouldn't venture much farther north than that if you are concerned about bad weather.