Need Help for California Driving Itinerary
 

Hi! This summer my husband and kids will be driving down the coast of California. We are leaving from Seattle to drop off our kids at a friends house in Weed, CA (by Mt. Shasta). We have 4 full days before we have to drive to pick out kids back up. here is what we would like to see:
San Francisco
Big Sur
Monterey
Half Moon Bay (is there too much fog there in the summer?)
Carmel

Does anyone have any ideas how we should plan this?? Any suggested itineraries?
Thanks so much!

Just curious what about Half Moon Bay puts it on your list? It's a nice little town if you're in the area, with good restaurants, but I don't think I would include it in a 4-day itinerary. In fact, I think you should consider just staying in San Francisco all 4 days, but if you really want to drive farther south, then do 2 days in San Francisco and 2 days in Monterey-Carmel.

From Weed to SF is a good 5-hour drive. Even if you left at 7am, you wouldn't get to SF til around noon. There's so much to do in SF, I can't see the point in staying just one or two nights. In any case, if you're anxious to have some non-city time (which I do understand!), you could certainly base in SF and drive to Muir Woods or Bolinas or some place a little closer than Carmel.

I am not one of those people who says, "You're trying to do too much in a short time." So trust me when I say, "You're trying to do too much in a short time." :)

ok- I can cross Half Moon Bay off my list. We had wanted more coast than city, my husband loves to drive.
What about 2 nights in SF, 1 in monterey/carmel, and am I crazy for considering Napa for a night?

I change my advice now that I know your husband loves to drive, & that you want more coast than city: go to Big Sur. Do not stop in Carmel or Monterey, go directly to Big Sur! Personally, I'd skip Napa, but that's just my opinion.

That is a hellacious amount of time on the road -- even IF one loves to drive. I LOVE to drive too. But it'll take you half a day to drive from Weed to SF - longer if on a heavy traffic day (which is most days) Then you'll have 1.5 days in SF. Then if you leave SF in the morning you'll have really heavy traffic at least half the way to Carmel. Then again, if you leave the Monterey area in the morning - you'll have a tough drive to Napa. Then another loooong drive to Weed.

Just too much driving and not much seeing . . . . .

If you leave Monterey after commute hours, you should have a simple 3 hour- drive (sometimes less) to Napa via Hwy 101 to 680 to 780 to 37 to 29.

elnap29 is right - if you leave later in the morning. But then you won't get to Napa until the afternoon.

So it is either a nasty drive - or - an easier drive (not necessarily <i>easy</i>) and you'll end up w/ just 1/2 a day in Napa.

I'd cut out one destination (at least) and do 2 nights/2 nights

There's plenty of great coastal scenery on the North Coast. You don't need to drive down to Big Sur especially in August.

Drive over to the coast via CA 299 from Redding and see the redwoods. Then drive down Hwy 101 and Route 1 to San Francisco from whence you can head back to Weed. 4 days is probably not enough to do it right but it can be done.

Lots of people plan 4 night itineraries of SF/Monterey/Napa --BUT they are not also having to drive from and to Weed.

If it was me - I'd do a northern loop similar to what Supercilious suggests. It would still be a hellacious amount of driving -- just not <u>super</u> hellacious like your plan.

(Actually - if it was me, I'd go over to the Redwoods (the Benbow is nice) then down to Ft Bragg/Mendocino for 2 nights, and then through the Alexander Valley and maybe as far as Healdsburg for the last night, before heading back north to Weed.)

I would not try to squeeze in SF, Carmel, Big Sur and Napa.

Thanks guys! I realize I don't have time for everything we want to do. We do really want to see Big Sur and my husband really wants to go to San Francisco for at least a night. How far is Carmel/Monterey from Big Sur?

Big Sur is just an hour or so from Carmel. If you do go, get an early start because Hwy 1 is very crowded in August and you will be staring more at taillights than coastal delights.

Since you are set on SF and Carmel/Monterey, I would then just drive down I-5 from Weed. Then, if you have the time and energy, you could always return via 101 and 299 or just go back via I-5. I-5 is at least twice as quick.

By the way, this hasn't been brought up but there is really outstanding scenery right near Mt Shasta. You could easily spend four days seeing Lassen, Lava Beds. Castle Crags and Lake Shasta. The weather will more likely be nice there than on the foggy coast.

If it were my trip, I'd head to the north coast - Redwood national park, Menodcino Coast, etc - or go up to the mountains and see Lassen and that area. But since you really want to see Big Sur and SF, I would follow Super's suggesting and take the fastest route to Big Sur and then make your way back north. You'll spend a lot of time in the car travelling through less than inspired country, but as long as you are prepared for the long road trip, then it shouldn't be bad.

I'd probably head down I5 to Los Banos and then take Hwy 152 west to 156 and then Hwy 1 into Monterey. This will avoid the whole Bay Area, so you should be ok with regard to traffic.

Hi Lauren - I love SF and Napa - but Carmel / Big Sur is one of my fav places in the US. I would do 2 nights in this area and the others in SF. Carmel is approx a 3 hr drive from SF. I don't know your budget, but personally I would stay in Carmel both nights rather than actually in Big Sur. There's just a bit more to do with a better restaurant selection. And you aren't in the 'big city'. Carmel is quaint albeit a slight bit of pretension.

Carmel has a lovely beach. To me, it feels like a Hansel and Gretal village - lot's of character with art galleries and the like. The 17-mile drive thru Pebble Beach is also amazing and not to be missed.

The Cypress Inn is a fabulous lovely hotel - pet friendly if needed. It's in a great location. Owned by Doris Day and reasonable prices for the area.

If you prefer Pebble Beach - check out www.foursisters.com and look for Green Gables or Gosby House Inn. Both nice B&Bs. Pebble Beach, Carmel and Monterey are all within just a couple of miles of each other...

From Carmel, you can drive into Big Sur. In Big Sur - have lunch at Nepenthe - great views! You can stay in Big Sur - camping and a few hotel options are on the website. Your budget may help guide you here. Some of the better rated hotels were quite high if memory serves...
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/

We are doing Big Sur / Carmel as well over the July 4th holiday. Can't wait!!!! Have fun!