Now that we will be frequent SF visitors since our son moves there in a few weeks, I have some additional questions. Tickets are booked for spring break and we will be in SF a week. We were thinking of driving to Healdsburg and are wondering if is not too unreasonable to consider it a day trip? We have gone for a long weekend a few years ago and stayed at the Grape Leaf Inn but since we will be with our son and possibly daughter and her husband, we didn't want to stay over. Is it doable? We mostly want to walk around, eat, and shop. Additionally, we would like to drive to Monterey for a day. We have never been. Is that also possible/advisable to do in one day? Carmel? Daytrip? Thanks soo much for all the help I receive on this board!

We do day trips to Healdsburg all the time.

Best to visit the Monterey & Carmel area as a 2-3 night trip. Lots more to do & see there than in the Healdsburg area. Traffic heading south on work days is pretty rough on the freeways. A coastal drive will take avout 1-2 hrs longer.

Stu Dudley

I live in Stu's backyard and do both as daytrips all the time. Maybe because I live here I don't feel like I have to see everything each time I go.

We take day trips to Carmel all the time also. But each time we only do about 10% of the stuff that you really need to do & see there. For us, it's better to make 10 trips & see 10% each time. We live 1 3/4 hrs away - and we have difficulty justifying a $200 per night bland hotel room (min 2 nights on weekends).

For a first timer, I think 3 good days will allow you to really appreciate Monterey, Pacific Grove, aquarium, Spanish Bay area, Carmel (shops, beach, walk on the road next to the beach, admiring the cute houses, coves, etc), Pt Lobos, 17 mile drive, drive to Big Sur, all the Pfeiffer stuff in Big Sur (beach, state park, falls), Carmel Mission, etc.

Stu Dudley

Just after I posted, I saw this thread.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35101691

These Hansel & Gretel cottages are exactly what we'll visit on a day trip, and what I mean on the previous post about "cute houses" in Carmel.

Stu Dudley