San Francisco in December
 

Due to the airflights I was able to get we will be in San Fransisco on Christmas Day. ANy suggestions on what will be open and what we can do? Has anyone been to the Jelly Belly factory? How far is the drive and is it worth it? IS Muir Woods "the place" to see the Redwoods or is there a place near San Diego to see them that you would reccommend?

An even better place to see the redwoods is in Big Basin. I am not sure if there is a redwoods park near San Diego.

http://bigbasin.org/

The southern half of California is desert, including the coastal area. No redwood parks down here. Plenty else to see, but not big redwoods.

I remember an old thread re: what to do in SF on X-mas day. Try to search for it. Most of places will be closed.

Everyone I know who does not celebrate Christmas goes to the movies or bowling. Probably a great day for taking sightseeing pictures--there will be few crowds to get in your way.

Another vote for the Santa Cruz mountains as the place to see the redwoods. Muir Woods is nice, but Big Basin and Henry Cowell State Parks are a better experience in my opinion. They are larger and more woodsy. Muir Woods is a popular place due to it's proximity to SF, but the Santa Cruz mountains really aren't very far.

In December you may encounter some rainy weather, which may limit the sightseeing and hiking you can do. It all depends. Last year in mid-December we were in SF for a weekend and it rained like crazy - buckets of rain coming down. The next week though, the sun was out and the weather was nice.

kgn,
Suggestion: Go to Muir Woods the day after Christmas. Go early in the morning - it'll be wet and cool, but you'll have very little company, and it feels like you are in a cathedral. If it's been a wet winter, the moss will be glowing an intense green, the stream that runs through the park will be at its peak, and you'll get a rush from breathing in the chlorophyll.
Big Basin and Henry Cowell are indeed great destinations for hiking in the redwoods - but if your time is very limited in S.F., Muir Woods is your best bet for a short but uplifting visit. If you have time afterwards and the weather is clear, drive up Mt. Tamalpais to the summit and enjoy the view. But please take my advice and go EARLY - before the tour buses arrive.

Do not forget to take an evening drive around some of the old neighborhoods, like the scenic route, or the Marina. The decorations are marvelous at night.