San Francisco Trip Itinerary-Help
 

Hello, for my boyfriend's 30th birthday I am planning a trip out to California to celebrate. I have an outline of our days there and where we plan to go but would love some advice as whether to skip some things or add something else.

Day 1- Fly into San Francisco early morning
Day 2- explore San Francisco
Day 3-rent a car and travel over to Yosemite National Park
Day 4- Yosemite
Day 5- Yosemite/Sequoia National Park ( his birthday )
Day 6- Head to Napa Valley
Day 7- Drive down the coast to Monterrey/ Carmel
Day 8- Fly home


Are we trying to fit in too much in a short time or is that enough time to see the highlights and get a feel of this beautiful area? Is the drive down the coast a better way to spend our time instead of staying extra days in Napa Valley? Also on our fifth day there we will be celebrating his birthday near Yosemite National park, is there any restaurant suggestions for a nicer dinner we can splurge on for his birthday? Thank you!!!

When is this for?

June 14-June 22 2014.

If you want to stay IN Yosemite, you need to try for reservations, now!

Thank you! Is it worth staying in there or at a hotel around it? Since it is his actual birthday maybe I can splurge a bit if it worth it. Is the drive down the coast to Carmel/ Monterrey worth it or should we stay a couple more days in Napa?

You may already be too late but you have to keep trying as people make reservations a year ahead and then cancel.

I can't really answer about the northern aspect of the trip, but heading down to Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur area at that time of year is spectacular.

This is a really nice B&B right on the water's edge. We love staying there. http://thesevengablesinn.com/ And there are great restaurants [Passionfish, for one] in the area. I would do that for the birthday.

I think it's a really ambitious itinerary. I'd either delete the trip to Napa or the drive to Carmel; no way would I try to do both. I, personally, would rather stay longer in Yosemite (hiking preferably) and leave out all but the city. It's otherwise just too much driving for my tastes. But it depends on what you want to see/do.

what is more worth it to see/do Napa Valley or the drive to Carmel for first timers visiting the area? I love wine and my boyfriend loves the ocean.

>>I love wine and my boyfriend loves the ocean.<<

Do you have access to wine where you live??

Is there a spectacular coastal drive near where you live?

Your response to these questions my give you your answer.

Your Sequoia to Napa to Carmel plan is not doable at all. The drive from Sequoia to Napa is 5 hrs, and the drive from Napa to Carmel is 4 hrs minimum. So you'll spend 4-5 hrs driving each day, and 3-4 hrs "being there" (plus dining/sleeping) in Napa & Carmel. Then a 2 hr drive to SFO for your flight home. That's 11 hrs in the car over 3 days and only 7 hrs "visiting". There may be a 2 night minimum stay in Napa & Carmel if this is over a weekend.

I would do San Francisco, and either Carmel or Yosemite for 6 1/2 days/7 nights.

Some of my ideas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

Looks to me like too much driving around. Skip Sequoia to spend more time in Yosemite - you will see same trees in Mariposa grove. Don't miss the Glacier point in Yosemite.

Going to Napa for wine tasting? Try California wines in Monterey/Carmel area.

Your schedule is too rush-rush-rush-rush. Slow down :)

There are wine regions all over California, not just Napa. You can visit wineries in the Central Coast area, i.e. you can visit wineries and Carmel. You can even visit wineries in Madera County near Yosemite.

>>Thank you! Is it worth staying in there or at a hotel around it?<<

There are no hotels 'around' it except for two motels in El Portal - which would be fine but not in any way would they be called 'hotels'.

Either stay IN Yosemite Valley or in El Portal -- anyplace else is an hour two from the Valley. Sequoia doesn't work at all -- it is nearly three hours from Yosemite.

Days 5, 6 and 7 make no sense -- look at a map. You'd be traveling 150 miles/3 hours south, then nearly 300 miles north to Napa, then another 150+ miles south to Carmel.

We live in Maryland. So yes we have wine but not the beautiful scenery of the west coast. So we should skip napa all together and just leave Yosemite and start the drive down the coast to Monterey/ Carmel? Thank you all so much for your input it makes everything so much easier.

Don't miss the evening light show display when the west span of the Bay-Bridge gets lit up. You can see it from the Ferry building area going north.

>> leave Yosemite and start the drive down the coast to Monterey/ Carmel? Thank you all so much for your input it makes everything so much easier.<<

You really have only 6 1/2 days available to see things (assuming that you won't be "ready to go" until noon on arrival day). You will loose a half-day getting to Yosemite and a half day from Yosemite to Carmel. Unless your flight home is a red-eye on Day 8, the 2 hr drive from Carmel to SFO (longer if on a week day when you will hit commute traffic) & getting there 2 1/2 hrs before your flight (with time to return the car) will eat up all of Day 8.

At a minimum, you need (IMO) 3 nights/2 1/2 days in San Francisco to see much, 3 nights/2 1/2 days in Yosemite, and 3 nights/2 1/2 days in Carmel/Pt Lobos/Big Sur. That's 9 nights - 2 more than you have available. Something has to give.

I would not reduce any of the 3 destinations by 1 night. If you do, that's really leaves you with too little time "being there" and too much time "getting to/from there over a 4 day period.

I would eliminate either Yosemite or Carmel.

If you choose to go to Yosemite, I would check with Yosemite Valley hotels immediately (today) to determine if there is space available. If so, also book the Ahwahnee lodge's restaurant immediately for the birthday dinner. If you don't find any hotel's available - skip Yosemite. I realize that many people say to wait for cancellations, but they are mostly Bay Area people suggesting this, with better alternatives than you have if no cancellations occur.

Carmel has lots of hotels/motels - and so does Pacific Grove. Monterey does too - but I'm not a big fan of Monterey, compared to Carmel or Pacific Grove.

A "perfect trip", IMO, would be 4 nights in San Francisco and 3 nights in Carmel/Pt Lobos/Big Sur. Have lunch at Nepenthe in Big Sur and also visit all the Pfeiffer stuff around Big Sur (see the link I posted earlier).

Stu Dudley

Well I could tweak the days to make the most out of this experience. We could fly into San Francisco on Friday instead of Saturday and fly home on Monday. If we added those days could we make all three of those destinations work? Thank you again to all.

>> leave Yosemite and start the drive down the coast to Monterey/ Carmel?<<

Just to make things clear, the "spectacular" section of coastline is south of Pacific Grove - Pacific Grove coast, Spanish Bay, Carmel Beach, Pt Lobos, Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, Nepenthe - even as far as Hearst Castle if you stay 3 nights. The coast is not that great from Davenport to Pacific Grove.

Get to Carmel from Yosemite as fast as possible - if you choose to short-change destinations & visit all 3 places.

Stu Dudley

Okay so if we leave from Yosemite to Carmel, would we use Carmel as home base and just drive to these locations for the day? Is there any advice on how to maximize seeing all the beautiful sites and not do a lot of back tracking? But also enjoying the scenery and not feeling rushed?

UPDATED ITINERARY:
DAY 1- fly into San Francisco.
Day 2- explore San Francisco.
Day 3- head to Yosemite
Day 4- Yosemite
Day 5-Yosemite
Day 6- Drive to Carmel
Day 7- Big Sur/Point Lobos/other beautiful scenery.
Day 8- Wineries in Carmel
Day 9- Drive back to San Francisco and fly home.


Is that much more doable? And still give us time to experience beautiful California but also enjoying our time? Thanks again!!

That is much better -- cutting SF short but something has to give.

you have 2.5 days in Yosemite Valley, 2.5 days for Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur and 1.5 days in the city - which is totally doable.

>>would we use Carmel as home base and just drive to these locations for the day?<<

Yep. Pt Lobos is at the south end of Carmel - about 10-15 mins from the "main drag" (Ocean Ave) in Carmel. Then it is another 30 mins (with no stopping - but you're gonna want to stop for pics) to the north part of Big Sur village (Big Sur Village is small). Then Pfeiffer State Park on the left side of the road (perhaps skip), and Pfeiffer Beach (hard to find - see my link - watch for the yellow sign)) is mid Big Sur down a road off Hwy 1. Nepenthe is at the south end of Big Sur just 1/2 mile or so past Pfeiffer State Park. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is just south of Big Sur (watch for signs). IMO, Pt Lobos, Pfeiffer Beach, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns are "must sees" - and so is lunch/drinks at Nepenthe.

Keep driving as far south on Hwy 1 as you have time for. I would allot a full day for this day-trip south of Carmel. This is the prettiest section of coastline you're likely to see for many years, IMO.

Stu Dudley

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! We are so excited to experience the beautiful west coast. And yes we have nothing planned for that Friday but driving and soaking in as much beautiful coastline as we possibly can. When we drive back early on Sunday to fly home I will drive back to San Francisco for at least a few more hours to soak up the city! Thanks again to all.

Your updated itinerary makes more sense. I live here and would not attempt your first itinerary. They have good wine tasting in the Carmel area if you drive east out Carmel Valley Road. We njoy Heller, Bernardus and Talbott's wine tasting. All are very close to eash other. You can pick up a map to show you where they are located.

The Baha Cantina is also out that way. Decorated in car motif and serves Mexican food.