San Francisco and surrounding areas
 

Trying to plan a Family trip to SF from Wyoming. Original plan was to hit Tahoe for a day, Then to SF for a giants game, Golden Gate bike ride to Sausalito, and night tour of Alcatraz, trolley ride etc. We were planing to drive up the coast to Seattle but I dont think time will allow us to fully enjoy that trip, SO what are your ideas? I have approximately 7 days to play with after SF. Thanks!!!!!

What about stopping in Yosemite for two or three days?

Napa and/or Sonoma?
Also depends a lot on when you are going.

Does the seven days include driving back to Wyoming?

You could drive down the coast to Monterey; you pass the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, which we thought was kind of cool, and the aquarium in Monterey is outstanding.

Lee Ann

Well, without knowing your interests, it's hard to say, but with 7 days, I'd consider Napa-Sonoma for a couple of days, and a trip down the coast (Monterey-Carmel-big Sur - San Simeon).

What time of year are you traveling?

What are your interests?

All of the other suggestions are good suggestions, but I'd caution that while Yosemite is a spectacular NP, it will be a mob scene in the summer. The locals try and avoid it as much as possible in the summer. Our favorite time to go is fall or spring.

If you're interested in giant redwoods, I'd definitely make a trip up the north coast to Humboldt County. Fern Canyon near the OR border is fantastic, as is Arcata (a really cool, hippie-ish college town), and Trinidad (has a gorgeous bay and historic lighthouse).

We are headed out on june 8th-22nd(home) We love the outdoors, and my wife thinks the beach is heaven on earth:) we are torn between heading north or south:( Thanks for the info!

Where are the giant Redwoods located- less crowd the better:)

We are heading to the redwoods in April. We're staying at the Requa Inn near Klamath. Looks like a gorgeous old inn with great views of the Klamath,as well as centrally located near most of the redwoods parks and beaches. The beaches will not necessarily be great swimming beaches, if that's what your wife is interested in. The Requa also has dinners that have gotten great reviews. Not many places to eat in that area. Mendocino is fun if you haven't been there. Cute B&Bs, great restaurants and shops, plus good hiking and scenery. In June there will be many tourists, though. Have a great trip whatever you do.

Just wanted to pass along the bad news about California beaches in June - we call it "June Gloom" because the coast is often socked in with chilly fog or overcast skies for a good part of the day, sometimes all-day. The weather inland can be absolutely glorious, warm or hot without a cloud in the sky and it's a completely different picture at the beach. Somedays it clears up by noon, somedays not. You never can tell. There can be up to a 30 degree difference in temperature - 90 inland and 60 at the coast, so be prepared.

Nobody answered your question of Feb 5, perhaps because they thought the answer was obvious. Anyway, they're at Redwoods National Park.

http://www.nps.gov/redw/index.htm

There are redwoods further south as well - not just in Redwoods National Park. Sonoma county and the Santa Cruz mountains have redwoods too.

There's a very small redwood forest just north of SF called Muir Woods. It's one square mile. I think the redwoods further north are much more impressive. Just follow highway 101. You could make a trip up there, taking your time, stay in Eureka, go along the coast a ways, go on to southern Oregon and see Crater Lake, into Portland, and then east along the Columbia river and end up in the Grand Tetons, and you are practically home.

Another nice place in southern Oregon is Ashland, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which is a top-notch theatre company that performs many kinds of plays, not just by the Bard.