I'm planning our first trip to CA. My wife and I have alway wanted to see SF. My 11 yr old daughter wants warm beaches. I was hoping to spend a long weekend in SF and then drive south for a warmer coastal spot. Any suggestions? No glitz or glamour, no wineries, no LA.

Our family is going to San Francisco
this summer, too. We plan on spending 4-5 days in San Francisco and then driving south along the coast. Caramel and Monterey were recommended to me by a colleague who has been there several times. One of those towns claims to have a great acquarium. She suggested going down the coast and then return further inland. www.gosmartravel.com

You could spend some time in Santa Barbara for a great beach-y few days. But - and I spent age 10-13 living in SF - try to get your daughter excited about SF. It is a great place for kids and one long weekend won't scratch the surface.

Steve,

As Jane has pointed out, I would definitely spend some time in Monterey and Carmel(www.monterey.com). The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must see. On the northern end of Monterey Bay your daughter should enjoy the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a coastal amusement park (www.beachboardwalk.com). From San Francisco I recommend the scenic 280 south toward San Jose, 17 south to Santa Cruz, and 1 south to Monterey and Carmel. On the way to the Monterey Bay Area off the 280 you could stop for a tour of the Filoli Estate in Woodside which is a Georgian Mansion with picteresque gardens (www.filoli.org). Other sites along the way that are interesting in San Jose(www.sanjose.org) include the Tech Museum (www.thetech.org) the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (www.rosicrucian.org), and the touristy, but bizarre Winchester Mystery House (www.winchestermysteryhouse.com) When touring the Central Coast, do go further south, if time permits, to Big Sur and San Simeon. If you get down to San Simeon, I would recommend a tour of Hearst Castle(www.hearstcastle.org)

Depending on what time of year you are coming, you might have to drive pretty far south to get a warm coastal spot. As a local resident, I never consider Monterey/Carmel to be warm, it always seems foggy and cold to me! We were there last year for Fourth of July weekend and it was cold! During the summer months it is iffy on the coast all the way down until you get to Santa Barbara. I've had a glorious weekend in Cayucos (near San Luis Obispo) in June, but wouldn't bet money on it again. You could consider getting an inexpensive flight to Los Angeles and spending a few days in Hermosa or Manhattan Beach. The Beach House at Hermosa looks great!

Otherwise, if the goal is just to spend a day at the beach, Santa Cruz might fit the bill and might give you a beautiful summer day. The boardwalk will be fun for your daughter and you can also watch the surfers (in full wetsuits). You just never know!

San Francisco has loads of activities to keep you occupied and your daughter intrigued for more than a long weekend. Enjoy!

Susan is right about the weather. I live on Monterey Penninsula, and summer weather can be foggy, windy or warm if you are lucky.