If you've never been to Alcatraz, don't miss it. Esp. the audio tour. It's an amazing tour, and incredible experience of our history. (as far as admissions go, it's also very inexpensive!) The view of SF and Marin alone, are worth the trip. I understand bbqboy's thoughts, but he has been there several times. If you are in the area and have the opportunity, don't miss it.
Have a great trip!
Andiamo

Hi Sam, I recently posted a trip report of our 3.5 days. If a search doesn't find it, just click on 'donco'. Hub and I loved Alcatraz-it really depends on your tastes though. I'd go to it. Do buy a Muni pass-the Cable Car fare just increased to, gulp, $5 a shot! Enjoy!

p.s.-If you decide to go, order Alcatraz tickets in advance on internet. That advice might apply to other places of interest. Local Fodorites can let you know specific things.

Regarding the motels, check Marriott.com, an American chain with a broad range of brands. Their budget hotel is Fairfield Inn, nice and more amenities than Motel 6. In Las Vegas, we've gotten rooms under $100 without much difficulty at strip hotels like New York New York, occasionally MGM or Mirage. In San Francisco another option is the Columbus Motor inn, sister property to the Cow Hollow Motel. La Quinta is a popular US motel chain in California. I agree with previous posts on Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express, the budget line of Holiday Inn. We've been to California Gold country, its OK but not worth driving way out of your way. I have a friend who goes to the Yosemite Valley year round. The most stunning scenery is in the Valley, the high country roads would be closed. . I would suggest a separate post about Yosemite in November and ask for advice. I dont like to walk into hotels wihtout reservations, you wont get the best deal. Look at hotel web sites, many chains including Marriott are fighting other discounters and offer the best rates on their own web sites. In San Francisco, my suggestion is buy the day cable car pass and ride to your hearts content. Also do lots of walking, its a gorgeous city. Enjoy your trip to the US

Thanks once again, everyone, for all your help. I am almost - almost - on the point of making a few reservations, and your advice has been extremely useful.

I had arrived at the same conclusion about the Gold Country - nice enough, but perhaps not if we're trying to limit ourselves to highlights.

We have about two nights free after coming back from Vegas, so I was thinking we could fit in a short trip to the wine country - or Yosemite, if I can find out about the weather in November and accommodation.

Thanks once again. Sam

I scanned the responses and I didn't see any answers to your question about Santa Cruz, so here is some info.

I think Santa Cruz is definitely worth a stop. Big Basin is exellent and Santa Cruz itself is fun. The high season is in the summer, so some things will be closed, but it is still a good time to visit. It will just be a little more subdued with mostly locals rather than bunches of tourists so you will get a different feeling for the town than if you came in the summer.

You mentioned the Giant Dipper, which is my favorite roller coaster of all time - sentimental favorite, but it is also a lot of fun. In November the Boardwalk has really limited hours because it is the low season. If you can schedule your time in Santa Cruz on a weekend, you will be in luck. Check out this link for hours of operation:

http://www.beachboardwalk.com/calendar/november.html

Hi Sam,
As usual, there is some great advice on this board, and great choices to make. I see one major aspect of your trip where you seem uncertain, and feel it in your best interest to close the gap.

You mentioned after Cambria, heading towards Bakersfield, then into Death Valley. Some have recommended seeing Yosemite if you go this route. I routinely visit my brother and sister up in Oakhurst just below Yosemite in late November. The fall colors are nice and Yosemite is usually doable that time of the year. It is one of the sight-seeing wonders of the world and I recommend it over Death Valley.

Or, you can also see some desert-like volcanic rock formations at The Western Pinnacles National Monument off Hiway 101 near Soledad, or the Eastern Pinnacles National Monument off Hiway 156 heading into the San Joaquin Valley. Many Death Valley enthusiasts also enjoy these two spots.

Generally, The San Joaquin Valley gets fogged up in the winter, but may not be too bad in early November. In either case, it’s best to decide whether to make the un-scenic SJ valley your route, or stay along Hiway 101 South past San Luis Obispo along the coast, and then head east to Las Vegas.

You may already be thinking that, and planning the Hiway 166 East route to Bakersfield from Hiway 101, just south of Nipomo? I have taken that route once. In any case, plan on the second half of the drive to Vegas to be a relentlessly long drive with plenty of desert scenery along the way.

Enjoy!

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Have finally taken the plunge and booked 2 nights at Stovepipe Wells. Seems to have a more 'desert feel' than the golf courses and the like in Furnace Creek. I know some might say that 2 nights is too long, but I've looked at the pictures and I know I won't be able to drag myself away from those amazing vistas.

Will probably come up from SLO via Ridgecrest (will be staying there rather than Cambria, I decided). One thought occurs to me. Would it be feasible to overnight somewhere near the Sequoia National Forest, or would it adding too much time to the next day's journey to Death Valley? We'll see coastal redwoods somewhere up north, but I really yearn to see those big boys in the SNF. Not sure how far south the groves extend (more research required). Does this seem like an OK plan? Does anyone know if the Walker Pass (178) would be open mid-November and if that would make the journey easier?

Thanks for your help once again - you're a marvel.

It's sunny in London. Really ought to be outside ...

Santa Cruz is lovely, interesting, and well worth a visit. It's just a short drive from San F.

Lots of fun ideas here! May I suggest checking hostels? That can save you a lot of money and some are in unique locations. My personal favorite is the Montera Lighthouse Hostel. Do you like to camp? Costanoa on Hwy 1 is another option for lodging. I gasped at 6 days in SF with a car, please know exactly what it will cost to park. You could go broke in a shocking flash between gas and parking! Is your heart set on 6 days in SF? May I ask what activities you both enjoy? We could fine tune your trip to what would be most memorable for you. Are you interested in CA history? In the Gold Country, Columbia State Park is a quick walk through the past. Near by is Moaning Caverns if you'd like to try the thrill of repelling the length of the Statue of Liberty? Love cars? Blackhawk Auto Museum. Surfing? Half Moon Bay Mavericks & Santa Cruz. Mountain top views? Mt. Diablo & Mt. Tam. Photography? Wildlife? What would you most like?

Hi bodie

We're without car in SF, only picking it up on the way out (after 5 days) before driving down Highway 1. I think we're pretty much decided on stopping -off points - except for the end of the trip, when I can't decide on 2 days in Russian River or 2 days in Yosemite. I know how gob-smacking Yosemite is supposed to be, but we would come away feeling frustrated? It could be that a gentle drive through Sonoma up to Guerneville and then a couple of days canoeing or horseriding might be more relaxing - but any thoughts on this most welcome ! Sam

Well, it's probably not as helpful to you for me to reply since I've never been to Yosemite. But, I would hate for you to miss the beautiful wine country of California. I remember thinking "This is heaven on earth" as I sat outside sipping wine at Chateau St. Jean. Nothing else really comes close for me if you want peaceful beauty.

The Wine country is nice, but Yosemite is gob-smacking for sure. A few Londoners that have visited me in California have rated Yosemite as their favorite sight, together with Big-Sur. Since you can go to the French Wine Country, I would put Yosemite over that.

I'm delighted to know you won't have the car to worry about in SF! May I ask what your planned stops & routes are at this time and what is your "must see" list in the SF area? I'm stuck working at home for a while, so your trip is relief dreaming for me. I love our California land and all it's options and diverse beauty, and sincerely want the best experence possible for you. Really looking forward to your trip report too!

To be honest, I haven't got fixed plans for our time in SF. We'll take in Alcatraz, ride a few trams and the rest, but I'm really looking forward to just walking around the city and absorbing the atmosphere - with lots of stops for food and refreshment along the way, of course! It's my first time in the US, so everything will be very new.

Current routes are:

SF - 5 nights
Monterey - 2 nights
San Luis Obispo - 1 night
somewhere on the way to the desert (Ridgecrest?) - 1 night
Death Valley - 2 nights
Las Vegas - 1 night ...
Last night will be back in SF, in a different district from North Beach, where we start ... still thinking about that one ... which leaves ...

2 free nights. Still can't decide between Yosemite and the Wine Country. Yosemite is stunning, I know, but I'm worried (i) about the weather in mid-Nov, and (ii) that I'll spend all my time worrying about must-sees that we can't see. Lots of worrying. Option B (a couple of days near Sonoma, maybe Guerneville) might be more relaxing. Any idea what the weather might be like? And where are you writing from?!

Greetings again! I live here in N CA in the East Bay, across from San Francisco. Today is very windy, leaves and pine needles quickly dropping. I don't know if that means an early winter or not but that's how it feels. This has been an odd year, our weather so unpredictable. Yosemite is spectacular and if clear, I would also like you to see Tioga pass too Mono Lake,Bodi Ghost town is probably closed, but then you could drive through Big Trees and the historic Gold Country and on to the Wine Country and Russian River,Jenner, Bodega Bay, on down Hwy 1 to Point Reyes, Stinson, Sausalito, and back to San Francisco. Do you already have reservation for a flight out of Las Vegas?

Hi Sam, I live in So Cal but have family in the Bay Area. Weather in early November can be very good, often sunny although nights can be cold. Yosemite Valley itself is not at a high elevation, and you can definitely see the main sites, with a few hikes, in one full day. Check the park service website for reservations, road conditions and weather. Two great short hikes are Vernal Falls (not necessary to go all the way to the top unless you are extremely fit) and my favorite, Sentinel Dome, with a 360-degree view.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/now/conditions.htm

I would consider making a reservation within in Yosemite Valley, as opposed to one of the outlying areas. Availability should be very good at the time of year you are going.

I don't know if Tioga Pass Road will be open, as they will close it at first snowfall. If it is open, it's a great way to get between San Francisco and US 395 on the way to Death Valley. Although it can be nervewracking, if you are not used to windy mountain roads with steep drop off.

Thanks to both of you for your helpful comments. We are flying back from Vegas, but haven't made a reservation yet - which is why I'm trying to decide where to go. For Yosemite, I was considering Fresno or Merced. I have already deleted the Tioga Pass from the equation simply because I can't rely on it. BUT those sheer drops sound amazing. I still remember a trip I did up in the mountains of Crete - poop-my-pants scary!

We'd be in Yosemite 17 and 18 Nov. I've checked accommodation: apart from tent cabins (I'm guessing not such a good idea in November), there are only rooms without bath in Wawona Hotel. Looks nice on the website and I would have signed up, but most people on Tripadvisor gave it a big thumbs down. So I was considering a motel or B&B just outside the boundary - maybe Mariposa. Ahwahnee, needless to say, is out of my budget.

The heated tent cabins are not really that bad, although it is group showers. However if you can back up your dates by a day, you might get into Yosemite Lodge. I think you are running into the weekend before Thanksgving with those dates.

Have a look at www.roomsaver.com under California, to see what motels you can get along the road, if you are able to drive around on spec. Coupon books can be had from the airport, McDonalds and service stations.
On our first trip, we found them useful not only to save money, but also to have a goal to aim for, instead of wondering on the road where to go, if you know what I mean. That was before the internet, however!