Thanks to all for the answers. Some sort of electronic gemelin has erased the usual way to respond so I'm having to start anew.

I had gone on to MapQuest and they gave me the "all around Robin Hood's barn " response.

Uh I meant East Bay.

Yes, I had gone down 19th to Skyline Blvd before 280 existed - first time 1947 - and several times since then on 280. I had hoped was a better way. :-B

The thread was frozen, which I believe is Fodor's response to trolling. You can still read it but cannot post. I believe that a number of posters suggested 280 to 19th Ave. Have you heard of some other route and are looking for info on it?

I believe you're the one who wanted to go THROUGH San Francisco from Monterey to Santa Rosa?

You can either head straight up Highway 1 from Monterey, go through SF on 19th Avenue (takes only about 20 minutes to do this!), catch Highway 101 going north across the Golden Gate Bridge and continue on 101 to Santa Rosa.

You were also suggesting that you could cut over and go along the ocean in San Francisco. That's an OK route too, but not as fast.

All the other suggestions are for leaving the coast and heading inland. There are multiple ways to do the inland route.

Highway 1 to Highway 156 to Highway 101.

Highway 1 to Highway 156 to Highway 101 to Interstate 280 to Highway 101.

Highway 1 to Highway 156 to Highway 101 to Interstate 880 to Interstate 580 (the San Rafael Bridge) to Highway 101.

Highway 1 to Highway 17 over the Santa Cruz Mountains, to Interstate 280 to Highway 101.

You could also go WAY inland to Interstate 680 and get to Santa Rosa via Vallejo and Napa.

Your original thread was highjacked by a person known as the "San Jose Weirdo" who posts under several different names. Fodors often either deletes his postings or closes down entire threads. I suspect from what you say that your original thread was shut down by Fodors.

On your original thread, you were getting excellent advice from several long time posters, Marilyn and one other - was it razzledazzle or grasshopper?

Maybe if you could supply more details as what you are interested in, Fodorites can then help you further. The beach? Museums? Dashing through as fast as you can? Stopping for lunch some place charming, homey, pricey, seafood, bread and water? Besides the black and white of getting from one place to another, could you fill in some colors?

Thanks and have a great drive, whichever way you choose!

ed,

As a native northern Californian, I would definitely advise against taking 280 to SF and 19th Avenue. 19th Avenue is basically a nightmare an most any time of day. I have never been able to get from one end of 19th Avenue to the other in less than 35 or 40 minutes. The better way is either route 1 to 17/880 then 580 to 101 or 1 to 156 to 101 then 880 to 580 to 101.

I read your other thread and it seems as if it ws closed because of some guy (the SF nutcase) who has several different screennames. He seems to like to bash San Jose for whatever reason. nfortunately he has popped up on your thread here as well. Just go with Mapquest or Yahoo Maps and you will be fine.

Ed, sorry your thread got stopped.

What is *painful* to you? Is it slow traffic? Too many stop lights? ugly freeway?

280-19-GGBridge is not a bad way to go, esp if you had a desire for the bridge or sausalito.

I alternate between taking 280-19 and 280 - 35 - Great Highway. The lights are timed on the great highway such that you will go an even 35 mph. There's never a whole lot of traffic on this road. It's less painful that 19th Ave in this respect. But it is slightly roundabout.