My parents have RT tickets to use before they expire and my husband has set vacation days from Nov 17 - Nov 30. My sister lives in Redding and the plan is for my husband and I and then 17 month old son to leave from DC and meet my parents (from Florida) in California on Nov 17 and drive to Redding by Nov 22 to stay for Thanksgiving. We would then leave Redding on the 26th or 27th and drive back to our starting point to catch flights East.

We originally thought we could go south to Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur, then head north, but after studying maps and this forum it seemed ludicrous. The plan now is to head out of SFO area (Oakland) after an overnight there and drive to Mendocino on Route 1, staying overnight maybe in Napa area and Mendocino area before cutting across via route 20 to Route 5 to Redding. We would then leave Redding going through Eureka and drive down the northernmost part of route 1.

I have always lived on the East coast and fear I may be underestimating driving times. We do not want to spend our entire vacation in a car. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Great scenery, not too rustic, toddler on board, no wine tasting. I think we are open to just about anything. Price range is moderate with an occasional splurge.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

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jtrandolph

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I am curious about Napa. If you are spending your first night near the Oakland airport, why would you spend your second one in the Napa area? Unless you are wine touring,which I believe you said you are not. Napa is a very short distance from Oakland .... maybe an hour plus.

To get to Highway 1 from Oakland you could go to Napa, then take 121 west 14 miles to Sonoma, drive 18 miles up the Sonoma Valley on Hwy 12(very pretty) to Santa Rosa. Then get on Hwy 101 and, a little ways north, take the River Road Exit. This takes you to the coast and Highway 1 at Jenner. You will pass Armstrong Redwoods state park at Guerneville (worth a stop) and be following the Russian River.

The first part of the drive north from here is spectacular. 13 miles up you will pass Fort Ross Historic park, which is a restored Russian fort from the 1820's. 25 miles further on is the town of Gualala, which would be an easy target for your first night's lodging, even if you stop at Armstrong and Fort Ross. There are several motels here, some with ocean views. It is a cute town with a nice arts center.

Mendocino is a short distance from here, so if you wanted to spend the night there, you would have time to explore the area. Hwy 20 over to Interstate 5 goes southeast to Willits (41 miles), then you need to be on Hwy 101 for 12 miles before picking it up again at Calpella, then 80 miles to Colusa. It is another 105 miles up to Redding from here.

Check me, but I think the last leg from is atout 240 miles from Mendocino to Redding. This will not all be fast driving.

After Redding, from Eureka south you will be driving on Hwy 101, not Hwy 1, but will be going through famous redwood parks. Hwy 1 comes into Hwy 101 at Leggett, but that is only 50 miles from Mendocino, where you have already been, so I wouldn't drive that section, but would stay on Hwy 101. That section of Hwy 1 is not much different from what you have seen.

It seems to me that you can easily make the trip from Oakland to Redding in three days, with time for stops.

If you spent your first night in Gualala or vicinity and didn't want to spend most of a day in Mendocino, you could spend some time there and then start out on Hwy 20, perhaps staying near Clear Lake. However, I don't know about the lodgings either at the town of Clearlake or Clearlake Oaks.

It sounds like a wonderful trip. I hope this has been of some help. I also hope you have some good road maps. AAA divides California into sections, and those maps are easy to read and figure distances. If you have access. get a California map and the one they used to call "Bay and Mountain Section". The name has changed.

Yes, its been a huge help! Never having been there and working from a poor quality map (my father is mailing a good map)the distance from Oakland to Napa looked farther than that. Also, we thought we would arrive in Oakland (airline designated choice)and then stay in San Franciso to really start the trip. Given that we have 3 to 4 days for the return trip as well, is the timing reasonable or too much since we won't be repeating the same drive and will be on 101 which is faster (I think). Thanks for the estimate on the time to drive across Route 20 - I underestimated. I will definitely research Clear Lake to look for a stop. Thanks again.

I think that adding San Francisco to the end of your trip is a great idea!

Redding to Eureka is 140 miles, a good road, not fast, but a very pretty drive through the Shasta Trinity National Forest. San Francisco is 280 miles from Eureka. So that is 420 miles and you would want this to be a two-day trip, with time to stop in the Redwood forests south of Eureka on your way. Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the largest in this area, but south of that are also Richardson Grove and Smithe. And, yes, Hwy 101 is fast, most of the way.

Depending upon how you want to divide up this 420 miles, that should leave you a day and a night or maybe two in San Francisco? You wouldn't regret that.

If you decide that you saw redwoods in Guerneville and really wanted to add time to San Francisco...my mileage chart shows direct routes from Redding to San Francisco as 220 miles. This would mainly be on Interstate 5...very fast and not terribly interesting. From the looks of the map, I am assuming they bring you into San Francisco across the Bay Bridge from Oakland. This could mean quite a bit of traffic. I do not recommend this, especially since they are retrofitting the bridge and sometimes lanes are closed. Am only cautioning you that after you read the map you might think it is a good idea. Not.

If you have time, and want to add San Francisco at the end, my recommendation would be the one you planned.

OH, dear, here is another alternative. Skipping Eureka and the redwoods parks, you could go back down Interstate 5 to Hwy 20, again, take it to Clearlake and then take Hwy 29 south to Calistoga and then follow other signs to Santa Rosa, on Hwy 101. (This lets you drive a little bit through the Napa Valley, which is pretty. Not required to stop for wine tasting <grin>.)

After you get to Santa Rosa you are an hour from the City and get to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. This is the finest entrance to a city to be found anywhere. Something not to be missed. If you do this, just before the bridge there is a large viewing area on the left side of the highway. Gorgeous views of the city, even if its foggy. Again, not to be missed. Stop and say..."ooooh-ahhhh"

As to where to stay overnight on this leg, that depends upon your timing, if you do 101 and stop in the Redwoods, there are a lot of towns down Hwy 101 which will have room for you. In fact, however you do it, you will be on major highways and, I think, can afford to be flexible in your sightseeing.

I really would suggest that, if you are not members, one of you join AAA. Their guide books and maps (free to members) are invaluable. It doesn't cost much. $30 comes to mind. We find that on trips like this we can be assured of a place to sleep if we decide in the afternoon where we want to stop for the night. Then, using the guide, we call ahead to the places which interest us and set it up.

The guide books also have sections on 'points of interest', often with the history of some of the sites. I have often driven through a state with this on my lap and enlightened my husband on what we were about to see, or pass by. (He, of course, was delighted <giggle>)

You should, however, know where you want to stay in San Francisco and have reservations for that. Since you will have family and a car you will want to be, probably, in the Marina District where the parking is free, it is clean and safe, and fairly near Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, etc. Public transportation in San Francisco is excellent, so no need to get your car out at all. (you don't want to, parking is impossible) Your lodging will have all the information on how to get where.

Since you are a family, google Cow Hollow Motor Inn and Suites. I think you will find them very reasonable for San Francisco and they get good reviews on Trip Advisor. You can have a fireplace, a kitchen (nice for 17-month olds as well as their coffee-loving parents and g'parents.) Not to mention snacks, and how about you don't really have to go out for breakfast if you bought something the night before.

Their 'sisters' in this area are Coventry Inn, Lombard Inn, Chelsea Motor Inn and Coventry Motor Inn. Also recommended, but not right here, are Castle Inn and Nob Hill Inn and Columbus Motor Inn. Staying at one of these places would make San Francisco hassle-free, as long as you are willing to jump on the Muni for a short ride to Union Square, Chinatown, North Beach, etc.

I do go on, but your trip sounds so intereting I want you to love Northern California as I do.

I forgot to say....I live in Santa Cruz, so I should be pushing Monterey/Carmel, but you are absolutely right...it would be murder to try to add this dimension to what sounds like a great trip.

OH. I forgot to say. let me know when you decide to do the Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur trip.

Wow - thank you again. I can't wait to chart all this out and decide on a plan. Thanks for confirming that Monterey would be too much. I won't worry about that for now and will certainly take you up on your offer for a later trip! My parents have AAA so I can have them pick up the guide books. I will post the itinerary once I get it laid out so you can review it if you wouldn't mind. This may take a few weeks (my mother is having hip surgery tomorrow and I will want to get my parents input to confirm the choices).