We like to move fast, We are traveling to California, Landing Aug 12 11:40 AM in San Diego, leaving From San Francisco Aug 16 3:30 PM. We are interested in fun and nature ie Sea World - Redwoods the sea etc. We are NOT interested in museums and are not into food or wine, can you please tell us the must see or suggest an itinerary. Than You

How many are you and are children involved? Assume you're driving from San Diego to San Francisco?

sorry - but if you want the coast and redwoods you simply can't "move fast".

Hwy 1 is not a fast drive and redwoods will take detours.

So - you have 3 full days and 2 1/2 days to do 3 major cities and the entire california ocast in between?

I hope you like looking at things out of car windows - because that's all you'll really have time for.

IMHO the San Diego Zoo is way better than Sea World - but will take the best part of a day.

Just the highway drive from Sn Diego to SF will take the best part of the day - and you'll see very little on the highway. To take the scenic route along the coast - and stop for anything - you'll need to take 2 days

If you want to go to Muir Woods from SF that's another half day - even if you start VERY early.

So - that gives you one dya free to split between anything else you want to see in any of the 3 cities (Beverly Hills, Universal Studio Tours, Golden Gate bridge and Park, Chinatown - anything.)

You will pretty much be limited to the southern part of the state. So for redwoods you will want to look at the Sequioa National Forest east of Fresno.

The OP is leaving from SF so how do you figure they are limited to the southern part of the state?

Sequoia really makes no sense if you want to see the coast. But you can see redwoods w/o going north of SF. For instance, Big Basin is between SF and Monterey so a possible detour. But w/ just 4 nights you don't have the time, so . . . .

TTT

Just my wife and me.

ttt

1 or 2 nights in San Diego for Sea World, etc...

take hwy 5 for a jault to San Francisco for 2 or 3 nights

go to Muir Woods to see the trees

drive Lombard street, the crookedest street in the world

fly home

ttt

Yes you do move fast.

8/12 Head straight to San Diego Sea World the first day, that's all you have time for.

8/13 Day 2 drive up the Big Sur coast, all day, via the Coast Hwy. You should be able to make to to Carmel if you don't want to stop much.

You can see Point Lobos, 17 mile Drive, or Asilomar State Beach around Carmel/Monterey peninsula.

8/14 Day 3 drive to the Bay area. I'm not expert on the location but there are redwoods on the peninsula south of SF, someone else can point out the area.

8/15 you can go to Muir Woods if you want, or Alcatraz, see the Golden Gate Bridge and GG park. Overnight in SF City.

8/16 rest of the day to see SF take the Bart to the airport.

Sounds kind of crazy but if that's what you want...