My CA itinerary
 

I am taking my 70 year old mother to California in May and I only have 5 days--she's never been and she wants to see all she can (she wants to drive the coast). Here is what I am proposing, no idea where to stay yet so any thoughts there would also be appreciated!

Day 1. San Francisco
Day 2. Carmel/Monterey
Day 3. Big Sur
Day 4. Paso Robles
Day 4.Santa Barbara
Day 5. Fly out of Los Angeles

The drives are doable -- however what days of the week? Many if not most places along the coast require a 2 night minimum on weekends. So depending on where/if Fri/Sat fit in you itinerary, that will mess up your plan a bit.

My initial reaction is you will see almost nothing in San Francisco w/ just the single half or 3/4 day.

I <i>might</i> consider omitting SF entirely (since you really won't have any time there). Arrive at SFO, pick up car and head south. The will give you the extra day you

BTW -- you have listed <u>two day 4's</u> so you have to cut one of your stops if you are flying out on day 5.

W/ 5 days I'd do 2 nights/1.5 days in Carmel (this will give you time for the Aquarium, Carmel, Point Lobos and the northern bits of Big Sur.

1 night in Cambria or possibly Pismo Beach. This will cover the southern parts of Big Sur, Morro Bay, and Paso Robles.

1 night in Santa Barbara

and the last day SB > LAX.

Janisj suggestion to head south directly from SFO is a good one. Since there is a lot to see and do in the Monterey/Carmel area, an extra day there would give you more time. The rest of your schedule looks fine to me as well. Enjoy your trip, the drive along the Central Coast is wonderful.

Thanks! Didn't notice the two day 4s!

we were planning to fly out of Boston on a Wednesday morning. I guess I was thinking of staying in SF because it will be a long travel day all ready. But you've got me thinking what we could actually do in SF for one afternoon--she's never been so perhaps just go out to dinner, see the Golden gate bridge?

If we skip it, do we go right to Carmel which is about 2.5 hours from the airport? Just seems like a lot for her.

You'll be landing 'three hours early' in comparison to east coast time -- so not bad really -- body clock-wise. She can nap in the car the 2-ish hours south. In a lot of ways that might be easier than messing about w/ SF traffic or taking BART into the city.

I or 2 nights Monterey or Carmel, skip Big Sur, the lodging there is pricey, rustic or both, plus Big Sur is not really a place but the coast between Carmel and Cambria. Then stay in Cambria (if you want, you can drive to a winery in Paso Robles) then Santa Barbara.
This is a really rushed trip, if you can add any days, do so please.

So you actually have one less day than your original itinerary? In that case, I like janisj's stops. The drive from SFO to Carmel/Monterey will be 2+ hours provided you arrive early enough not to hit traffic.

Drive up to the Golden Gate via 280 and the Great Hwy, passing the windmill. Of course she needs to see the bridge, far more than Paso Robles and Santa Barbara!

Next day Carmel (skip the Aquarium).

Next day drive Big Sur ending on the Central Coast somewhere. Possibly as far as Lompoc/Buellton (lots of lodging).

Next day half day passing thru SB and half day in LA.

You haven't mentioned if you are traveling over the Memorial Day holiday, a weekend or your budget.

If you find there are not many hotels that allow one night, the usual options are Motel 6 (the rooms have mostly been remodeled, although you will want to bring a hairdryer) or Lompoc. Motel 6 has a great cancel policy. The actually started in Santa Barbara so there are quite a few in this area.

In Lompoc the Embassy Suites isn't bad.

If over a weekend and/holiday, book right away to have a backup plan til you can settle things.

May is a very popular travel time.

Re-think.

If she's never been, and "wants to see as much as she can", for 2 hours while you drive to Carmel you are going to hear "I can't believe I got so close to San Francisco but didn't see it".

If you're leaving Boston in the morning you'll be landing at SFO by noon.

Another problem is flying home from Los Angeles, that's a wasted day because you lose 3 hours. If you're worried about "long days" I'll assume that your mom can't take a red-eye flight at night, so that means leaving Los Angeles around 1pm at the latest (which means heading for the airport around 10am).

Since you won't have time to see L.A. anyway, it would actually make more sense to get a connecting flight to Boston out of Santa Barbara.

>> it would actually make more sense to get a connecting flight to Boston out of Santa Barbara.<<

Good idea -- Or even better possibly, fly RT in/out of SFO and just hit SF, Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur, the Cambria/Pismo Beach are and back to SFO. That would give you the best of the mid coast and enough tome to see/do things.

I agree with Janis and Clark. Skip LA on such a short trip.

I recently spent some time in that area and I am the same age as your mother- a young 70.

Unless yout mom is really into wine tasting, I was not that impressed with Paso Robles. We had lunch, stopped at a few shops but I would rather be at the beach.

We spent 2 nights in San Luis Obispo which has a very active downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants. We had a nice dinner at the Sidecar.

Instead of Pismo Beach, we were advised to spend time at Avila Beach (a short drive from SLO). Nice beach, some nice shops and restaurants. Loved our day there.

We also spent a day at Half Moon Bay and Pescadero which is a very cute little town although it is only about 3 blocks long. There is a fabulous bakery where we had sandwiches made and took to Bean Hollow State Park. Loved our day at the beach there.

I am not a big fan of Monterey - too touristy for me and I have been many times. However I did enjoy kayaking Monterey Bay.

The traffic between Montery and SFO or San Jose becomes bumper to bumper at peak times so gauge travel times accordingly.

...and I know she said she'd like to do the coastal drive, but is she aware that many people in the passenger seat (especially southbound) find sections of that drive pretty frightening?

<many people in the passenger seat (especially southbound) find sections of that drive pretty frightening?>

"many", really? "pretty frightening", really? These are exaggerations, and no reason not to go.

>>"many", really? "pretty frightening", really? These are exaggerations, <<

exaggerations IME -- no . . . Many. Like LOTS are scared spitless by hwy 1. I travel the coast a lot and it is a fabulous drive. But I have friends/relatives who want no part of it. A fairly large % actually.

Not saying it would phase the OP/her mother one bit. But yes, a lot of people can't cope being (especially) on the cliff/ocean side.

A lot of people scared spitless? What nonsense. I do not accept your anecdotal evidence, nor should anyone else.

Why anyone would attempt to scare a first time visitor away from one of the most beautiful and iconic drives in the world is just beyond me.

Thanks, all. I've been on the drive before so I'm aware a of the drive and the dramatic "turns." It's funny though, my mother is a fairly anxious woman but she still really wants to do this so I guess we'll take it slow:)

Regarding the flights, I'll look into flying out of SB but I think LA to Boston might be a bit cheaper. Thanks again!!

You really have to decide what interests you. I read sunbum's itinerary and although I think all those places are very pleasant, I wouldn't consider any or all of them "seeing California" - as much as I like Half Moon Bay, Paso Arobles and San Luis Obispo, pleasant towns all, 2 hours in each is plenty. I'd rather have 4 hours in San Francisco and 4 in Carmel, than 8 in all the others combined.

>>A lot of people scared spitless? What nonsense. I do not accept your anecdotal evidence, nor should anyone else.

Why anyone would attempt to scare a first time visitor away from one of the most beautiful and iconic drives in the world is just beyond me.<<

No one is trying to scare the OP -- she knows what she is getting into. But you pooh poohed what clarkgriswold posted -- and then attacked me for agreeing w/ him.

It isn't nonsense. You don't live out here so probably don't drive it as often as some of us do. Yes, I know several people who will not drive/ride parts of hwy 1 -- through Big Sur and a few place up north. Mostly it is people who are afraid of heights - which is a very common phobia. But then I know lots of people who can't take glass elevators, or aerial trams, etc. either. One co-worker actually had a full on panic attack in the middle of Bixby Bridge