Planning on renting a car for the day. Any suggestions for a fun road trip? First time to SF & have never driven in CA....

Point Reyes and Tomales Bay, Muir Woods and Mount Tam, Stinson Beach in West Marin are within easy driving distance with the added bonus of crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

SAB gives a great plan, and if you start early enough, you can still stop in the late afternoon or evening in Sausalito to see the lights across the bay and have a nice dinner along the water before heading back over the Golden Gate.

Napa/Sonoma for a day trip to various wineries - tasting, tours, lunches, views.

All good suggestions above. There are also some interesting places south of SF - Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz mountains, Monterey.

Monterey is a couple hours away, so it is as as far as I would recommend for a day trip.

The simplest, and probably the most rewarding for a first-timer, is the coast itinerary of Stinson-Point-Reyes-Tomales mentioned by SAB. You could go back inland from the town of Tomales via the Tomales-Petaluma road (nice farm and ranch scenery), have dinner in Petaluma and then coffee in Sausalito before returning to S.F. Stop at the Cafe Trieste (related to the Trieste in S.F.) and order an "Africano". It's like a very strong latte served in a glass - my favorite.

If you have an extra day for another trip and the weather is good, cross to the East Bay and go up Mt. Diablo - the views are spectacular, particularly after one of our winter rainstorms when the air is diamond-clear.

I rented a car and drove from SF to the Russian River Valley wine area. Went to two smaller wineries w/great tasting rooms (Topolos was one, i think Hanna the other) and then drove to Jenner by the Sea to see the seals where the river meets the sea. Then drove up Hwy 1 on the coast for the scenery, went to the lighthouse, and cut over inland to a few more vineyards. Back to SF by nightfall. Wonderful day, wish I was there now and out of this ice storm.

FYI stgirl--Because Point Reyes juts out 10 miles into the Pacific it is one of the best places on land from which to see whales during the Jan-March migration, especially at the lighthous. Next to Big Sur Point Reyes is one of my favorite places on the CA coast.

Safety first. Some roads may be scary, for example driving to Stison Beach (and I love this place!). Are you comfortable with mountain driving?

Faina--I guess I've lived here too long, never thought of the road to Stinson as scary or considered it mountain driving. Than again I read posts about driving on 1 to Big Sur as scary and wonder what people mean. Scary to me is driving on snow and ice back East!!

I got my car trunk (there was nothing in sight inside the car) broken into at Stinson beach parking area last summer, in broad daylight at noon. Unfortunately we were on the way from SF hotel to another hotel and stopped there to walk on the beach, so they got all the luggage. Dont' know if that is unusual or not...

SAB - I agree about the roads. Narrow, curvy roads are not scary. Driving in snow and ice is scary.

Ha ha ha guess who is the nervous driver on this board amp;

emd--Sorry to hear that, and I have no idea if it that is 'usual' at Stinson unfortunately that kind of thing can happen anywhere. I have my car broken into in such diverse places as an isolated trailhead near Santa Fe and in the driveway of my house on a busy street!

South of SF are some excellent day trip possibilities: You can take the scenic 280 freeway south: Filoli Estate in Woodside, Palo Alto (Stanford University, University Avenue), San Jose (Tech Museum, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Winchester Mystery House, Santana Row, Valley Fair,etc..., Big Basin Redwoods Park, take 280 to 92 west to Half Moon Bay.

SAB,

I think we'll take your advice & head to Muir Woods, etc. As for a rental car, would a compact make the hills, etc to Stinson Beach or should we opt for a mid size? Also is the Marine Mammal Center worth checking out?

The Marine Mammal Center is a wonderful organization . However, it is not a zoo or anything like that. It is a rescue center and hospital for seals, sea lions, etc. and visitors don't get to see the mammals that are in the hopital for example. During winter months there are not a lot of animals at the center, in the Spring because it is pupping season there are alot. I think if you go Point Reyes, Muir Woods and Stinson and maybe stop by Sausilito on the way back you will have had a very full day, so unless you have a special interest in the center, it is not a must see.

As to car, hard for me to answer as I drive a BMW and it has never met a road it doesn't like (FYI: BMW are sarcastically referred to as Basic Marin Wheels here). I don't know what car is classified as compact by your the rental car company, but the compacts I have rented from Hertz and Avis in LA for example could easily handle the road to/from Stinson--compacts that are actually subcompacts might be altogether different.

I'd go with a midsized rental. I drive a 4 cyl VW Golf and have never had a problem with it on any mountain road in California, but I find most 4-cyl rentals to be underpowered - combination of small engines and automatic transmissions.