help! what should i pack?
 

we leave for ca. this thursaday. First to San Diego and then up the coast to SF. I know the weather will be different in these 2 cities, but does anyone have a suggested packing list? THANKS!

Layers - Layers - Layers. Shorts, t-shirts, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirt, and a windbreaker. Sandals and closed toe walking shoes.

Expect temperatures in SD to be warm during the day and cooler at night. For SF, the temperatures can change all day long depending on fog, wind, and where you are in the city. This is why layers are good because you can adjust for the temperature.

California is a pretty casual place, so unless you are planning to eat at expensive restaurants, there is no need to bring fancy stuff.

J_Correa is exactly right. Expect temperatures to be 10 degrees cooler in SF than in SD. Along the way, you will feel temps spike up considerably if you head inland. For some reason, the south-facing beach communities in the LA area will be some 5 degrees hotter than SD (I don't have reams of empirical research, but...). When you combine the two, you get something like this past Sunday. Five miles inland in East Long Beach, the temperature (according to my car's thermometer) hit 102. On the shore in Belmont Shore (10 minutes later), it was 86.

Bear in mind that it may be 68-70 in San Francisco, but if the sun's out and you're walking, you will get warm. Long-sleeved T-shirts worn over tanks or short-sleeved Ts will save you a lot of discomfort.

I agree that this is the Land of Casual, but do splurge on a nice dinner somewhere. And bring "nice casual" clothes-- think Banana Republic; in 99.9% of the nice restaurants in California (even in Beverly Hills), walking in wearing D&G or Versace screams "Fashion Victim", not "Fashionista" (we don't try as hard as some people in NYC seem to-- nor do we care to). Relax, come have a great time!!

"68-70 in San Francisco" mmmmmmm
not during the daytime. It's been more like in the 80's.
However, layering is excellent advice. The fog comes rolling in around 5pm and after that you will need a jacket.

"Fashionista"??!! I like that, rjw, very very inventive! :)

Hey jason! I know it's been warm up there, but you know, I need to hedge my bets. If you even suggest that San Francisco occasionally has sun, you start an insane flame war without end.

Actually, one recent day trip up there, by the time I left my presentation to run back to SFO, it was a balmy, gorgeous 85 outside the Ritz-Carlton. And frankly, 85 or 55, it's San Francisco-- a lovely place to be.

"Fashionista" is not one of my inventions, unfortunately. It's a word bandied about in the media more and more these days so they can talk less and less about important things (you know, "War, economic meltdown, eeewwwww! Downer!"). Think Sarah Jessica Parker's character in "Sex and the City"-- classic fashionista attitude (and classic "fashion victim" results)....

Bring your sunscreen for San Diego! The temps have been around 80 degrees near the beach to near 100 degrees just a few miles inland. The nights have quite balmy and have been hovering around 69 degrees. As for San Francisco, I have to disagree with Jason and say the high in SF are more like 72 degrees, instead of in the 80's. Bring a light jacket because the nights are always chilly there.

Thanks for the great advise.

fayzie