Itinerary suggestions/advice for driving from SF to LA in 3d/2n
 

Finally getting close to our trip to the states and have firmed up our itinerary for the driving portion from SF to LA in December - we arestaying in both SF and LA before and after the road trip portion. Just wanted to have some opinion regarding our itinerary we have planned whether it's too ambitious or we are missing anything major. We're planning to complete the drive from SF to LA in 3 days and 2 night.

Day 1. SF -> Half Moon Bay -> Pacific Grove to see butterflies -> 17 mile drive -> Pt Lobos -> Overnight in Carmel

Day 2. Carmel -> Pffeifer Big Sur National Park -> Brunch/Lunch at Nepenthe -> Julia Pfeiffer Burns Park & McWay Falls -> Piedras Blancas to see elephant seals -> Hearst Castle -> Overnight at San Luis Obispo

Day 3. San Luis Obispo -> Malibu -> Arrive in LA

This is what we are planning to do - I know day 2 seems super packed but some of those stops are just for some photo ops. Any suggestions for changes to the itinerary - what to leave out or add in.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions :)

Your itinerary looks fine. Just be sure to check on weather conditions for any possible winter storms, road closures, etc., in Big Sur.

Day 2 is overcrowded. To see Hearst Castle, and I think that reservations are necessary, will take a good chunk of your time (park, buy tickets, wait for the next bus to drive 5 miles to the castle, take a 45 minute tour, go back to the visitor center). Just the drive from Carmel to Hearst Castle will take 2hrs20min. according to Google. You need to drop something from the list for day 2.

Day 2 is tough if you tour San Simeon . . .

I also don't think you can fit in Pt Lobos on day 1. If not, you'd be doing that on day 2. Just the straight drive down Hwy 1 from SF will take more than 3 hours, 17 mile drive at least an hour, + lunch, + Pacific Grove -- plus intermediate stops/photo ops enroute. If it was me - I'd ditch 17 mile drive and do Point Lobos instead.

(BTW -- its Pfeiffer Big Sur <strike> National</strike> State Park)

If you don't have a good experience with the butterfly grove in PG, there is another near Pismo Beach you could check out.

Your itinerary is fine. Tour start times are given from the bottom of the hill, and include the bus trip to the top. I would try to book that ahead, see what times are available for your dates.

The typical drive time through Big Sur from Carmel to San Simeon is 3 hours, so leaving Carmel at 9 am, you have 3 hours to play around with stops along the way, and get to Hearst by 3pm. Just depends on how much time you want for hikes and lunch, but it isn't that unreasonable.

December btw can be rainy or not. So that is one thing that could definitely throw plans off.

Another possibility if you think Day 2 with Hearst Castle is too tight, would be to stay in Cambria/San Simeon overnight on Day 2, tour Hearst Castle in the morning of Day 3, and then continue on the Malibu and LA.

I'd stay in Cambria which is on the coast, SLO is not. Lots of nice places to stay along Moonstone Beach.

If you are not traveling over the holiday week or a weekend (between Dec and NY) you might be able to leave that night in SLO unbooked (or book something you can cancel) and wait to see how the weather will pan out.

I think the food and drink is much better in SLO if that matters to you!

Thanks so much for all the input. After discussing with my friends we decided to push Hearst Castle to the next morning and stay in San Simeon overnight.

Thanks again (:

Very good decision IMO.

Have a great trip.

I've stayed at the Best Western Cavalier Inn there, nice place. Not a lot of places to eat, Mexican place about a block away.