My husband and I are considering spending a week or longer in California in mid June. Looking for suggestions as to which route to take. We're thinking of starting in Carmel or S.F. and heading south to LA by car, if possible. How long is that drive? Are there interesting places to stop in between the two? The other possibility is to go from SF north. I'd be interested in suggested itineraries with nice places to stay. Thanks! P.S. We've spent time in SF, so we wouldn't spend alot of time there on this trip.

Unfortunately June is is one of the worst months for coastal California. We usually get a lot of fog and heavy marine layer resulting in the term "June Gloom". Some years are worse than others so one doesn't know how it will be on any particular day but it certainly can be a major problem. The drive from Carmel south on hwy 1 is beautiful if you can see it. Just be forewarned that you may not see much sun along the coast.

The drive from Carmel south to Los Angeles could be done in one day though I do not recommend it. I would take 2 days to make the trip. I would pick a stopping point somewhere around the mid-point such as San Luis Obispo. You can really kind of play it by ear. There are interesting places to stop. Hearst Castle is a major attraction.

Going north is another option to consider. Again fog can be a major problem.

In my opinion, I'd head south from San Franciso. I like northern California; I think Mendocino (and area) is a lovely place. And, so, too, is the wine country. BUT -- heading south you see the rugged coastline around Carmel, Monteray and Big Sur. It's the same coastline (basically) in northern Cal, but what you get by going south is: Santa Cruz, Carmel, Big Sur, Santa Barbara and, if you go a little further south of LA, a truly magical place, Laguna. So, by heading south, you see not only the rugged coastline and some gorgeous towns, you also get to see the Southern California that the Beach Boys sang so beautifully about. Either way, either direction, you'll have a blast.

My boyfriend and I drove Hwy. 1 from LA up to Monterey in July '99 and had an absolutely wonderful trip. We stopped for three nights in between but would have liked even more time. Yes, there is definitely a lot of great stuff to see along the way. We stopped one night in Cambria, which is a really cute little town on the ocean with some very good restaurants and B&Bs (for more, go to www.cambria-online.com). That is a good place to stay one night because it is near Hearst Castle, which is a must-see (for info go to www.hearstcastle.org). Also, Moonstone Beach Drive along the ocean in Cambria is lined by accommodations on one side and by the ocean on the other -- it is a great place to explore tidepools and see some wildlife (we saw seals on the rocks when we were there). We also saw a huge group of elephant seals on a beach just north of San Simeon/Hearst Castle which was very cool. We stayed another night in Big Sur at Ventana Inn, which was our one big splurge of the trip. Big Sur is gorgeous and I would have liked more time there, even up to 3 days so we could have done more hiking, etc. Ventana was wonderful, albeit pricey. For our third night we stayed in Pacific Grove which is a small town on the Monterey Peninsula near Monterey. We liked that a lot as well and really enjoyed Monterey Aquarium but were glad we weren't staying in Monterey because it is very touristy. We also stopped in Carmel which I liked better than Monterey but it was still pretty touristy. South of Carmel at the northern end of the Big Sur coast there is a really lovely park called Pt. Lobos State Park that is definitely worth a stop (surf crashing against the rocks, lots of wildflowers, seals and sea otters and sea birds -- really pretty). After Monterey we drove inland and went to the "Gold Country" for a few nights (Grass Valley and Nevada City) which we enjoyed a lot also.

If you want more details, I posted a trip report here with info on restaurants, sights, etc. You can find it by typing the words "California coast" into the search box. I definitely recommend this trip, but allow as much time as you can. Hwy. 1 is very slow going in places, and there is a lot to see.

Vicki,
Make note of what Cal said because it can be 'iffy' but it's worth it anyway. And Lisa, well, Lisa is in love with that area. Make note of what she said also.

Now then, I would pick Pacific Grove to start from and stay in for a while. It's a good location to go either north or south from. By the way, whether or not you stay there, stop at First Awakenings in the American Tin Cannery for breakfast, you won't regret it.

If you really have to go up to SF then you're only a couple hours away but I would rather go south. Stop in Carmel and do the tourist walk in town but be sure to drive down to the bottom of Ocean Ave and take your shoes of and walk the beach at Carmel.

The Barnyard and the Carmel Mission are close by and just a little farther is Point Lobos State Reserve. It is truely beautiful to wander through just as Lisa has said. A poet once wrote that it is the most beautiful meeting of the land and ocean in the world. Wish I could remember who it was.

When you get started you may end up forgetting to go to LA or SF or, you may decide to stay much longer.

If it is at all possible and the weather cooperates there is something you must do that you will never forget. If you are there on a weekend, (at some point during the year they do have weekday tours but I'm not sure when that starts) check for information about the tour of the Pt Sur Light Station. If you've never seen it, just run a search on Point Sur Light or something like that. It's three hours and a lot of hiking but WOW! It's first come, first serve and they limit the group to 40 people or so.

Hearst Castle should be on your must-do's also. Cambria is a delightful spot for lunch, brunch or dinner and great for wandering. Lots of good motels nearby.

That's the extent of what we like to do out there. Usually from Cambria to Santa Cruz. Monterey is sort of crowded but if you haven't seen the Wharf its fun for a short walk.

Have fun!
Ron