My job will be sending me to Sacramento from Sunday, 01/07-01/12 for a training course. I am lucky enough to be able to take 5 days after the course is over to take alittle vacation 01/13-01/18. I will have a rental car the whole time and have done San Fran. south to Big Sur tour in the past. Would like to tour wine country, Sequoria Forrest, Hwy.1, antique shopping. I'm not opposed to going into San Fran. but would appreciate a hotel recommendation that don't charge too high a fee to park a car. I'll be a female alone so safety is a concern. Any great flea markets or antique shops worth a visit would be appreciated. Thanks.

Have you considered traveling east of Sacramento? Amador County has some lovely wineries and the little town of Sutter Creek has lots of interesting shops - antique shops included.

Wine country, hwy 1 (which part - it is a very looooong road stretching basically the entire length of the State) and Sequoia in five days -- in January??

Do you really mean Sequoia -- as in Kings Canyon, as in south of yosemite??

January can be quite stormy (or you may luck out). But none of those places will be all that great if a winter storm rolls in.

OR - did you mean the Napa/Sonoma wine country, hwy 1 north of San Francisco, and the north coast Redwoods? If so, that is a doable 5 day itinerary - but not one you should consider during a winter storm.

Problem being - you won't know if it is going to be stormy until you are ready to leave Sacramento.

I personally would take a couple of days to head east like nevermind suggests and hit the Amador County wineries centered around the village of Plymouth. Hwy 49 wanders through there and gold Rush towns like Amador City, Sutter Creek, etc. Lost of B&Bs, antiques, and wineries.

Then I would ditch the car and spend the rest of the time (probably 3 days) in SF.

January is not the best time for weather here and it would depend alot on the weather as to what you might want to do. If the weather is decent you could spend a few days in Napa and or Sonoma to visit various wineries and perhaps do some shopping. Might also drive up through Sonoma to Mendocino far a day or two. Consider 2 nights in Napa, one or two nights in Mendocino and a night in Sonoma. I would head into San Franciso if the weather is poor. Stay at a motel like the Coventry on Lombard where the parking may still be free. THe major hotels downtown are charging $40+ a night for parking and one nicked me for $64 a night a few months ago.

I think you should stay away from Mendicino..its a long, winding road... not fun for a single woman. I suggest staying in Healdsburg. Even if its raining, the square is charming, lots of winery tasting rooms, great restaurants and also several hotels or B&B's to chose from...all within walking distance. Parking, no problem. Its only 1.5 hrs North of the Golden gate bridge on Highway 101, but you'll be coming a slightly different way if you come from Sacramento.

Petaluma is the antique capital of the world, or so they say. It's a town on hwy 101, check out if you can visit from Sacramento or on your way south. It's a pleasant place to stay overnight if you wish.