Is this realistic? I save a couple of hundred bucks flying into Los Angles vs. San Francisco. Yet, my destintation is San Francisco. I want to spend at least 2 days around San Francisco and 2 days in Yosemite. I will be arriving in Los Angeles, Saturday pm and leaving the following Saturday am in March. I am thinking the drive up the coast will be a big plus, but I am wondering if I am taking on too much. Any thoughts, recommendations? Thanks.

Have you tried the Oakland airport? We are planning a similiar trip in Sept. and found it a cheap alternative.

Your final destination is northern California and you're trying to save money by flying into LAX?!

No, it's not realistic. Let's review: California is not laid out in a convenient size like Disney's California Adventure. LA and San Francisco are 400 miles apart. Once you factor in rental car, gas, food and lodging on the way, the "savings" are completely gone.

seashell is right: Check out Oakland or even San José airports as alternatives. Much smarter.

I wouldn't fly to LA just to save a couple hundred bucks. You will end up spending too much of your vacation on the road. The drive up the coast is beautiful, but with only Saturday to Saturday, doing that wont leave you with much time in Yosemite or SF.

No, not realistic. Agree with Seashell: check out OAK - the "other" San Francisco airport.

San Jose and Sacramento may be somewhat alternative airports.

As the others say - not much of a savings. The main problem isn't the money tho' - after all you will still need rooms for the same number of nights no matter where you fly into.

It is the time you will waste. Driving north from LAX - assuming you use scenic hwy 1 rather than fast but BORING I-5, or fast-ish but not as scenic 101 - takes a minimum of 2 full days. And that isn't the best way to do it - unless you just want to drive w/o stopping, the coastal drive should be at least 3 or 4 days.

Sacramento, Oakland and SJ are all convenient to Yosemite and SJ and Oakland are convenient for San Francisco,

Are you in a Southwest hub? If so you can get cheap fares into SMF almost all the time, and the other two most of the time.

If you are flying into LA and flying out of Sf this could be reasonable. You could drive from LA to south entarance of Yosemite and then onto Sf. You would not be doing the long drive up the coast, but you still take a short ride on the coast while in Sf area. When we go to Yosemite from the bay area we are usually driving at least 3 hours each way. I've read the south entrance is just a bit further from LA.

ldb61: Yes, that'd be true IF the OP was talking about open jaw. But reading the post it very much looks like he is flying into/out of LAX.

Not very practical for a SF/Yosemite trip.