I need help in deciding where to spend the first night of my trip to California arriving in LA around Noon on 9/6. Need help also deciding where to stay overnight for the rest of the trip. We're heading north for 3 weeks and will leave for home out of Seattle on 9/26, and want to take the coast all the way with stops to see Hearst Castle, Carmel and Monterey. We'll be staying with friends for a day or two in San Anselmo (approx.hour north of SF). We plan to see the whole Oregon coast, side trip to Crater Lake and the Columbia River Gorge. We're golfers and love dawdling to see the spectacular scenery. Any suggestions on logical overnight locations would be helpful. Thanks

Ojai for golf and spa, or Santa Barbara for beauty and relaxation. Both are near wineries in the Santa Ynez valley, if this is appealing. neither of these is very far north, so you may want to make more progess before stopping, but they are well worth a visit.

Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S. and is definitely worth a stop. It is only about 2 hours from LA so whether you stay overnight just depends on how many miles you want to cover the first day. Another two hours north of Santa Barbara is Hearst Castle . Worth taking more than one tour - the night tour is pretty neat. Don't stay overnight in nearby San Simeon. It is just wide spot on the highway with a few uninteresting buildings. Go a few miles more and stay in Cambria, a nice little artist's colony with plenty of good restaurants and places to stay. I suggest the Blue Whale Inn.

Both good suggestions. Cambria is actually south of Hearst Castle or you could go just a bit north and stay at the Ragged Point Inn, just at the beginning of Big Sur, with gorgeous ocean views. If you're golfers, you'll want to see Pebble Beach, Spyglass and perhaps play the Monterey Golf Course which is much more affordable but still quite good. I would suggest staying in Pacific Grove, closeby in a Victorian B&B, such as Green Gables, Seven Gables etc.

Hi Cindy. I agree since you're arriving in LA around noon that Santa Barbara would be a good first stop. That way even if your flight is delayed or something, you don't have that far to go. You can tour the mission there, which is interesting.
I'm glad you're planning on seeing Hearst Castle. Cambria is very close to there and makes another wonderful place to stop for the night -- it has lots of good restaurants and places to stay. Try to stay on Moonstone Beach Drive (there is a good website at www.cambria-online.com). We had a fantastic dinner at a restaurant called Robin's in Cambria.
I would also recommend staying one night in Big Sur itself so you have some time to explore that area. We stayed at Ventana which was incredible.
On the Monterey Peninsula, I liked the town of Pacific Grove more than Carmel or Monterey, and would recommend staying there. The Monterey Aquarium is great.
Have a wonderful time.

the area from big sur to santa cruz is spectacular--about my favorite place in the world---many golf courses around monterey/carmel--and numerous great hiking trails--if you are a golfer, at a minimum you should go to the beach in carmel early in the morn and walk north--where you will see pebble beach--and can walk up on the course--at the 10th hole--the highlands inn is my favorite place to stay in the area, for the money