My husband and I are going on a short trip to California and would love to stay in two different cities. We'll be flying into either san jose or SF. Which two cities should we visit? We'll probably stay 2 nights each. I would like to drive along the coast a bit as well. I've heard Carmel and Big sur are beautiful. Where should we Stay? Any good resorts or B&B's??? We're looking at spending an average of $250/ngt on lodging.

Thank you!

Sandra...Can't go wrong here...You save money by flying into SJ and SF is only 1/2-1hr up 101...Carmel/Monteray/Big Sur are beautiful and for that price range you shouldn't have any prob. w/ lodging.

Have you thought about staying in SF and then going North to the Redwoods or over to Napa/Sonoma/Mendicino?...The Mendicino coast is just as beautiful as Big Sur and with half the people and price. A lot of B&Bs in all areas, but like I said, you're in a no lose situation !
Enjoy !
kal

If I were you I'd do two nights in Big Sur and two nights in San Francisco. We stopped in Carmel & Monterrey and were glad we weren't staying there -- too touristy (we did stay one night in Pacific Grove, next door to Monterrey, and it was very nice, but it can't hold a candle to the Big Sur coast). Big Sur is much more beautiful and secluded and has spectacular scenery. There are two great resorts in Big Sur: Post Ranch Inn and Ventana. Both are pricey but wonderful. We stayed at Ventana for one night last July. It's a little less than Post Ranch Inn but still expensive. Great room, wonderful service, incredible restaurant (Cielo), lovely pool, jacuzzis, private deck, sound system, etc. We got a "special rate" of $275 per night on their least expensive room (no fireplace, but their pricier rooms have them). Includes late afternoon wine & cheese, and breakfast the next morning. Post Ranch Inn was too rich for our blood but I hope to try it another time because I've heard their views are more spectacular and they have some rooms with private jacuzzis built into the private decks on the edge of the coastline. Check out www.postranchinn.com and www.ventanainn.com.

Good luck and let us know what you decide and how you liked it!

I agree with Lisa that Big Sur is the way to go. The Mendocinp coast is beautiful, but a) a longer drive, b) often very foggy (even in mid-summer), and b) a very twisty road with a sheer drop to the ocean; not my idea of fun driving with low visibility due to fog. You don't say when you'll be going, but be sure to check the CalTrans website for updates on Highway !, as some is currently washed out near Big Sur. Unless it's a lot cheaper, flying into SF will be much more convenient than SJ. Even if you stay at one of the pricy Big Sur places, you should have no trouble finding a nice room in SF for under $200, so your lodging costs can still fall within your price range.

I would disagree with SF being a 1/2-1hour drive from San Jose. It's a short distance (about 60 miles) but our traffic is getting so bad that it could take as much as 2 hours. With only four days I think you need to either choose SF and then perhaps Napa Valley or Sonoma. An alternative would be to start in Sausalito and drive through Point Reyes Seashore. In Mendocino(150 miles north of SF) try to book the lovely little Agate Cove Inn or in Bodega Bay (60 miles north of SF) the Inn at the Tides. Keep in mind that anytime you drive the coast of California, the average speed is about 30 mph. so you can't get very far. Returning to SF is faster however, if you take the 101 freeway. If you fly into SJC, drive about 1 1/2 hours down to Carmel. There's nothing much to see in San Jose, but is "Surf City" (Santa Cruz) of any interest? It's certainly a part of California history and culture! From Santa Cruz you can drive or take a small train into the Santa Cruz Mtns. and see beautiful redwood forests. Would recommend staying at Chaminade, a nice resort up on the hill, not down in the middle of Sta. Cruz. Capitola is a pretty little town on the way to the Monterey Peninsula and the Inn at Depot Hill is great B&B. Carmel is certainly our favorite, but Monterey offers more excitement and Pacific Grove is quieter. So many hotel choices. In Carmel there's an association called "Inns by the Sea". They should have a website somewhere. Also recommend La Playa, Cypress Inn, and the old Pine Inn, a turn of the century hotel on Ocean Ave, the main street. In Monterey choices are not as good, but the Monterey Plaza Best Western is fine. In Pacific Grove two old Victorian B&Bs are Seven Gables Inn and Green Gables Inn. Ventana is the best in Big Sur, but wouldn't fit your budget. If you wanted to go all the way down the coast to the southernmost part of Big Sur, there's Ragged Point Inn with a great view and probably in your budget. It's a bit of a trek though, and you don't want to drive Big Sur in the rain or fog. If you just want a taste of the coast, you can start in Carmel, visit Pt. Lobos State Park (beautiful--great hiking and views) and then go as far as the town of Big Sur and turn around back to Carmel. You should do a search on this site as well because there's lots of information from the past.

If you stay in Monterey, the Hotel Pacific is quite nice. Also recommend dinner at Fresh Cream

San Francisco to San Jose is about 50-60 miles apart...you could only drive it in half an hour if you were speeding. Usually, traffic makes the drive take about 70+ minutes...if you drive during rush hour, it's even worse.

If you go to Monterey, have dinner down at Pacific Grove...wonderful, awesome restaurant called Fandango. You won't be disappointed. Recommend reservations b/c they're always busy.

As a person born and raised in No. Cal, I would say my favorite places are Capitola, a small beach "village" just south of Santa Cruz, and Pacific Grove (Monterey). Lots of charm to both places. San Francisco is wonderful too of course!

Camp Moran Vacation House
FOR INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS CALL (360) 902-8600
Camp Moran is located on the shores of Cascade Lake in Moran State Park on beautiful Orcas Island in the San Juans. Orcas Island has something for everyone. Sightseeing, whale watching, or spending a day island hopping by ferry. Mount Constitution, Cascade Falls, and Twin Lakes are just part of the beauty you will find in the 5,335 acres of Moran State Park, providing visitors with year-round activities. The hiking and biking are excellent, with 30 miles of scenic trails. Swimming, canoeing, or fishing are just a few of the activities available at the island's freshwater lakes. The Camp Moran Vacation House is the perfect base to explore the scenic San Juan Islands. The vacation house at Camp Moran sleeps up to ten people. It has two bedrooms, living room with cable TV and VCR, two restrooms, and a shower. (Additional amenities include a dock and fire ring located at the lake, which are not open to the public and are shared only with other Camp Moran users.)

Sorry about the last posting--it's out of place because Fodor's messed up. Here's the real message I tried to post:
Just one quick note: Judging by some of the posts, visitors might think of Big Sur as a "town." It is not. If you go looking for a town you'll be searching in vain. Big Sur is a rather vast area with a number of (discontinuous) inns, restaurants, state parks, et al. Of course, it's best this way, since a town on this beautiful section of the coast would quite definitely be an obnoxious intrusion.

If you end up in Carmel, go to Casanova for dinner. You won't be sorry!