Ideas for 1st time in California
 

My DH & I have never traveled to California. We will be flying from Austin, TX.

Length of time: 4 days at destination (travel time not included)
I would like ideas/opinions/suggestions about areas such as:
Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, San Diego, San Francisco or Monterrey/Carmel.
Where would you go with 4 days in California?

Thanks!

Are you looking for beach, mountains, city, etc?

I would personally go to San Diego but it depends on your interests.

Time of year?

Time of year: last week in April or first week in May

We love it all...beach, city, mountains!

When?

Do you have your flights booked -- if so where are you flying in to?

You only mention ocean-side towns -- is that all you are interested in?

CA - is a HUGE place - we need much more info before we can help much . . . .

4 days is very SHORT and California is one very BIG state!

I would probably go either & only to Los Angeles and vicinity *OR* San Francisco and vicinity.

With only 4 days, it would be San Francisco and Yosemite for me - a bit of everything.

CaliJean: Welcome to Fodors. I notice this is your very first ever post. Are you connected w/ HealthyU/smart-tourist? If so, non-disclosure and/or advertising is a big no no.

San Fran or San Diego

go to Seattle or Las Vegas,it is really a wonderful city of American.i am just kidding.but there is a good website it is all about the city and the tourist when can found on it.hope you have a nice trip.
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/AM/Te...ontentID=21166

Two nights in San Francisco, two nights in the Sonoma/ Healdsburg area would be a great trip. SF is the most scenic city in North America, and wine country is very very beautiful, as is the rugged coast north of SF (not good for swimming however!)

I'm w/Wild Blue and zootsi because northern Calif. is both beautiful and differs a bit more re: climate from Texas. I think 4 days is a bit tight to do both San F. and Yosemite but not out of the question -- I might do 2 days in San F. and then either go north through Sausalito into coastal forest or out to coastal hwy to Half Moon Bay.

I'd do all 4 days in San Francisco, and include a trip out to Napa Valley one day.

You really can't think about "California" with such a very short time. You need to focus on one (or two) smaller areas.

I'm a Northern Californian, so I'm biased, but....

My first choice would be to stay in San Francisco all 4 days. If you MUST leave the city, I'd take a day or overnight trip to Monterey/Carmel, even going so far as to drive south of Carmel along the coast as far as Nepenthe. Or a day trip could be north to Napa or Sonoma.

I've been in Austin, San Antonio and Houston. If you want to see "different", do the above. San Diego and LA are both great cities for tourists, and I love to visit both, but while they offer lot of things to see and do, they simply don't have the urban beauty or charm of San Francisco or nearby spectacular natural beauty (coast, wine country, and more).

BTW, don't be surprised, but some the streets in San Francisco proper are hillier than the famed hills of Texas Hill Country :-)

Another prejudiced opinion as I too live near San Francisco. We have friends from Amarillo who absolutely love visiting the city. A day in the wine country or Monterey/Carmel is also good advice. Wish you had more time, but I don't think you'll be disappointed spending the time you have in and around San Francisco.

I am from Europe, so I am not biased. I have seen many parts of California on several trips and I must say, you need at least three weeks to see half of the state's beauties. It is a pity that you have just 4 days.

My recommendation would be:

Spend two days in San Francisco. Use a half day for a drive over Golden Gate Bridge to Golden Gate Natl. Recreation Area with fantastic views of the bridge and city.

On the third day, drive via Pacifica on the Cabrillos Highway along the coast down to Monterey. Stay overnight in Monterey, Pacific Grove (my personal favourite) or Carmel.

In this area, visit the Monterey Aquarium, Carmel Town and Carmel Beach and especially Carmel Mission.

On the fourth day, drive southwards to the Big Sur area and especially to Pfeiffer Beach. When you are back, see the rest of the Monterey/Carmel area (e.g. 17-mile-drive, Point Lobos).

If possible, fly back out of Monterey. Otherwise, you have to drive back to SFO (which is, fortunately, south of the city and 2 hours driving time from Monterey).

You will see CA's most beautiful city, spectacular shores, a splendid Mission, wildlife, charming seaside towns and beaches.

Can't disagree regarding Pacific Grove (wonderful dinner at Passionfish) and Pfeiffer Beach. All of Echnaton's advice is good. Here's a link to my "report" regarding a day trip we took down that way on Labor Day weekend.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...t-part-way.cfm

You asked about other places. Here my opinion:

- San Diego is very beautiful, and if you want to go swimming, it would be my first choice. However, you will stick to that area and see only a small part of California. What you could do: Staying for two days in San Diego (preferably in La Jolla) and then a daytrip with an overnight stay via Julian to Anza Borrego (in order to see a desert). But you have that type of scenery in Texas better (esp. Big Bend).

- Santa Monica is a beach town in the Los Angeles area. I personally like Los Angeles, and there are many things to do and to see, but, again, it is just one aspect of California.

- Santa Barbara: I would do that only if I were driving from LA to SF (or the other way round). But IMO, 4 days are too short to do that. Okay, if you want to maximize the number of destinations within four days, you can do this:
Day one: San Francisco
Day two: Driving to Monterey area.
Day three: Driving from Monterey to Santa Barbara.
Day four: From Santa Barbara to LA and spend half a day in LA.

However, this itinerary would do neither place justice.

4 days very little time. Stick to northen California- SF

I would NOT do what Echnaton posted above.

If you combine Monterey/Carmel with SF, then you could do winetasting in Monterey County or Carmel Valley. There are many places to taste wine and visit vineyards in California.

Sorry, but I think trying to see the entire California coast from San Fran to LA in 4 days is NOT a good suggestion.

Actually, I don't think so too. Still, my recommendation is 2 days San Francisco and 2 days Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. It was just meant to answer OP's questions.

louistraveler5: I didn't see you response re time of year (we were posting at the same time)

You don't have enough time for >>beach, city, mountains<<

Pick two of the above (city/beach is easiest two-fer). But what do you think of when you say "beach vacation"?

Coming from Texas, you may be very surprised by the water temps/weather along the California coast. The eastern Pacific is very cold. Though you'll most likely have lovely/mild weather on the coast - it won't be swimming weather, and the water would be too cold in any case.

So the suggestion of concentrating in/around San Francisco is probably your best option. W/ either a day trip up along the Marin coast, or w/ an overnight down to Carmel/Monterey.

w/ just 4 days you really can't do much more than that.

OR - you could spend the entire 4 days in San Diego - which is city/beach all rolled into one. A bit warmer but still not really swimming weather.

Meant to add -- my >>>CaliJean: Welcome to Fodors. . . . <<< post was in response to an advertiser who has since been nuked by the editors.

I've lived in California all my life, most of it in San Diego and a few in Northern California.
Go to Northern California. It's beautiful and there's a lot to do.

I've been to California twice now. Once I did the LA to San Fran drive and 4 days is not enough. This past February I went to San Francisco and fell in love all over again. It is an amazingly beautiful city with a lot to do. I won't even make suggestions. Go to Stu's link and there's enough to choose from. I think southern California needs more time than 4 days. I'm looking at going myself in February now that a beach trip isn't working out. I have about 6 days to spend. I think the traffic in LA and the different areas need more time which is why my vote for 4 days goes to San Francisco.

With 4 days in excess of travel days, you can do one of the following:

LA/Hollywood area or
San Diego area or
San francisco area.

Don't try to do more or you'll spend your trip in the car. Of course, the coast is a great place to spend in your car, so: ..

SF can be 4 days in SF, or 2 days SF and 2 days either north to wine country or south to Montery/Carmel/Big Sur. My own preference would be to fly into SF, pick up a car, and head south to Monterey area on arrival day. Next day: Monterey/Carmel/etc., don't miss the aquarium. Next day drive down Big Sur, maybe a stop at Pt. Lobos, lunch at Nepenthe, add a coastal park, turn around and stay either at your hotel in Monterey area or push to SF.

Then, shed the car and have 2 days in SF, which isn't enough time but will do for a first trip.