San Francisco to Costa Mesa
 

Traveling from NY to visit family this summer. I've never been to California. Going to San Francisco and Costa Mesa. What's the best way to travel between the two cities? Fly? Drive? Best airport to fly into? I'll have about 10 days. Sites to see?

Thanks!

If you want The San Francisco area first, fly to SFO and then head south to Santa Cruz. Spend a night there before going to Santa Barbara.
Costa Mesa is on the south end of LA near Irvine.
With 10 days try to see Yosemite and or Sequoia/Kings Canyon before returning the car back to SFO.
There are other airports in the San Francisco region that it might make sense to fly to such as Oakland, San Jose or even Sacramento.

SFO to SNA if you want to save time and fly, about 1.5 hours direct. However driving down the central coast is one of the great drives.

OK -- is that 10 days total -- including flying out from NY and back?

Then you really only have 8 days in California. Say you want 2 or 3 nights w/each set of family -- that might give you 3 nights in between. That isn't generous but is enough to drive the coast.

You do not have nearly enough time for Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon.


You could spend one night in the Monterey area, then a night in the Pismo Beach/Cambria area, and the 3rd night in Santa Barbara or Ventura area.

I would fly. SFO to LGB or SNA.

If they live in the East Bay then OAK.

It is not difficult to day trip or overnight to Monterey/Big Sur from SF.

Rather than Pismo go to Laguna Beach, rather than Santa Barbara go to San Juan Capistrano.

If you ONLY want to see/visit SF and Costa Mesa -- then of course fly. That is a no brainer.

But if you only want a few days w/ family at both ends . . . then drive the coast.

If you are staying with family, I personally would not waste the time and expense staying in Pismo & Santa Barbara when similar experiences are possible as day trips.

If you want to work in a driving trip between locations, I would recommend going via Yosemite and Tioga Pass, then down 395 with overnights in Yosemite and approximately Bishop.

Bishop to Costa Mesa is about 5 hours drive time, and an easier drive than the coast.

However, both Tioga Pass and Big Sur can be nerve wracking for flatlanders.

Other things to see from the Bay Area include redwoods, wine country, Marin headlands and the Golden Gate, the beaches south of San Francisco.

From Costa Mesa you are not very far from San Diego, as well as Palm Springs, and the theme parks in Orange County and Los Angeles. LA city is worth at least one day trip, downtown has lots to see these days and some great restaurants. You can get between downtown and Hollywood by subway in about 20 minutes. And Hollywood will take about 20 minutes if you just want to look at Graumans and the Walk of Fame.