Monterey Bay vs Point Reyes
 

We will visit SF area shortly and have only a week for the whole trip. Being nature lovers, we hesitate between 2 attractions, Monterey Peninsula or Point Reyes Park.We also plan to go to Yosemite and drive down to Big Sur. Advises or are welcomed.

Based on your other plans Pt. Reyes would be out of the way. You can't go wrong in either case in my opinion although I prefer Pt. Reyes, Bodega Bay, Jenner, etc. I think the north is a little more remote (ie. less people).

Please rethink your itinerary. With only a week, trying to see all of your goals can't be done if you want any time at your destinations. Monterey area and Big Sur are adjacent and could be seen nicely in 2-3 days, but adding Yosemite or Point Reyes would leave no time for San Francisco. Similarly, you could do SF and Point Reyes if you left out the other areas.

Search for info on each individual area and then decide how much time there would satisfy you. Add travel times, check-out check-in delays at hotels, and realize that SF plus one other area is the most you will comfortably do.

Good travelling!

I was hoping to get someone to tell me which of the 2 sites is best to visit.
But what if we limit ourselfve to SF (4 days), Yosemite (1 d) and Big Sur (2 d) ?

Choosing between the Monterey Penninsula and Point Reyes is like choosing between your two favorite restaurants--one with a large expensive menu and one with a smaller less expensive menu, each wonderful in its own right--it just depends on what you are in the mood for. For me it is not a matter of either or--it just depends on time. Point Reyes is an easy day trip, if the weather is nice on a Saturday I can just take a one hour drive up to Point Reyes--take a hike or bike ride and come home. Going the Monterey is usually a weekend trip for me and involves staying in Carmel, going to Point Lobos, visiting art galleries in Carmel, doing a little shopping, hanging out on Carmel Beach or Carmel River Beach, taking a drive down to Big Sur, and dining out. I like both, and neither one is superior to the other.

As others have said, your itinerary is really rushed.

Your 1 day in Yosemite will largely be a day in the car driving across the central valley with a few hours in Yosemite. I wouldn't choose to spend that much of my limited time in the car.

picolo, one thing about this board, once you open your travel plans to us for comment, we may comment on parts you didn't ask for advice about--sorry, but that's the way it is!
So, I did a simple MapQuest search for the distance from SF to Yosemite and came up with 3hours 36 minutes or 188.56 miles. Only you can decide if you're really going to try to do that in one day.

As for Point Reyes vs. Monterey Peninsula I'd choose MP, esp. Point Lobos, Carmel and Asilomar beach, IMO. If you stay overnight, you can easily make a quick survey of that area in one day and drive to Big Sur and back to SF the other day.

Happy trails!

Thanks E & al for the responses. Being from Canada I was not aware that the driving time between SF and Yosemite was so important. Based on the new fact, we might decide to spend 1.5 day going to Yosemite and visiting, plus the next 0.5 day driving to Monterey (assuming that there is an highway that can take us directly). Then the next day visiting Monterey area and staying overnight. The 2 last day of the trip to be spent in SF.

Not sure if you're still going to Big Sur, but if so, you might want to look at this page:
<http://www.jrabold.net/bigsur/intro.htm>.
Big Sur is a whole region of about 90 miles from just south of Monterey to San Simeon.

I put Yosemite Valley to Monterey and came up with a trip of four and a half hours. We have a cabin up near Yosemite (sort of) and I won't go there for less than two days. It's just a long drive. Personally if I were you I would just do SF, Monterey, Big Sur and enjoy my vacation instead of driving all over the place.

We just got back from our 4th visit to northern California in 18 months. Yosemite is spectacular---you will not want to rush it. Especially if you want to hike and/or rent bikes, which I highly recommend. As has already been stated here: North of San. Fran. is more remote then south of San Fran. We prefer going north but we like to hike a lot. Also bike riding over to Sausilito and beyond is amazing. Go to Venice's for a great deli experience in Sausilito. Take your food across the street and sit on the rocks looking out over the bay.
FYI: Breakfast at Dotties Tru Blue Cafe is an adventure and very, very good. Also Kate's over by Haight & Filmore is excellent. There will be lines at both places on weekends.
Good luck!

Hey picolo, please come back here after you've returned from your trip and tell us how it went. Lots of people would be interested to know your drive times, routes, and advice. Have fun!

E, I will get back to you. Are the speed the limit the same as in Europe ?

BTW, we have decided not to go as far as San Simeon, probably no pass Carmel. Maybe next time.

Hi, Picolo -
I can picture arriving in San Francisco - SFO - spending a night, having a nice dinner, seeing Union Square or wherever at night, having a good sleep - and leaving in the morning for Yosemite. Spend two nights there, leaving mid-morning for Carmel (you drive in to Yosemite from the North and leave from the South) two nights in Carmel or thereabouts will allow you to see many sights - then drive to San Francisco and relax and enjoy the city until you have to go home.

Point Reyes is gorgeous - and if you prefer nature to city - you could even squeeze it in at the end. Probably not worth it this time, though.

Have a wonderful trip!

You can see at least part of Big Sur on a day trip from Carmel. In fact, the Big Sur region begins just a few miles south of Carmel. It's only 25 miles, 40 km from Carmel to the Big Sur River Valley, and there's plenty of stunning scenery in between, including the famous Bixby Bridge. You could spend the morning at Point Lobos, drive down to Andrew Molera or Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Parks in about an hour and spend the afternoon hiking those parks. Molera has a two mile hike to the ocean, then about 5 miles of ocean front trails. P-BS has redwood groves and a hike up to a view of the valley. If you don't want to hike, you could drive even further south to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and see the waterfall onto the beach.

Thanks a lot Cabovacation, I like your suggested plan a lot.

Do you or anyone have/has an idea if snow could be an issue at Yosemite around Nov. 1 ?

There shouldn't be a snow problem Nov. 1 but that is never a sure thing. It will be cold at night. I think you are still trying to cram a lot into a short time but go for it. Maybe leaving Yosemite hit Hwy 5 to 156 or is it 152 west (Los Banos is one sign to look for then further west to Gilroy/Salinas and Monterey. There maybe better routes but that's one I know.

Have a great time.

M

Sirtwo's route is the one we take too. We live in San Jose, so at Gilroy we go north on 101. To get to the Monterey area, just head south on 101, west on 156 and then south on 1. Actually, I think you can pick up 156 west off of 152 before you get to Gilroy - around Holister. That would probably save a little time or at least mean fewer road signs and interchanges to look out for :) Check the map to make sure.

Cabovacation and others who have provided generous views, I just remembered that we are booked for two nights of the 7 day trip in SF. After is still up in the air. I dont know if I will ever go back to California, that's probably why I am trying so much in so little time. Anyway, I am still very much interested by Yosemite and Monterey, that in addition to SF. I just regret we dont have more time. Depending how it will go during our two first days, we may decide to drop Yosemite or Monterey area and spend more in the Bay area. Comments ?

The last trip we did was in Italy and we 22 days and could have been 44 days instead).

Hi E an others.
Just back from our trip to SF. Everything was great even nicer than expected. Too much to see in SF which meant that we did not go to Yosemite. On the other hand, we drove to Monterey and rented bikes the next day in Monterey to do the 17 Mile Drive. Previous to that we also biked to Sausalito and Tiburon from SF and returned with the ferry. Last full day, we rented a motorcycle in SF and went to Muir Wood and Point Reyes which was great. Next time we will go, we will visit Yosemite and Monterey Aquarium with our son (which stayed with his grand-mother this time). Again thaks to all for the great advice.