SD to SF in April
 

Hello, I am traveling with my wife & 3 children (15, 13 & 10) in early April, from New jersey. We are flying in to San Diego & flying out of SF. We have 8 full days to explore CA and are looking for advice/recommendations to help plan the trip. We would like a mix of sightseeing/beach/enjoying the local cultures. Some things we would like to do- Point Lobos Natural Preserve, Alcatraz, drive along coast, Universal Studios, Hollywood sign.

Since we are traveling with the kids, I am thinking about not being on the move every day....maybe a few cities for 2-3 days each. We will have a car for the entire trip. I am thinking a day or two in SD, 3 days in LA area, 3 days in SF area. Any advice/recommendations on trip planning (must see sites, lodging locations, # of days per city, etc) would be appreciated.

You have a couple of problems:

>>I am thinking a day or two in SD, 3 days in LA area, 3 days in SF area<<

That is your entire 8 days leaving no at all time for the coast.

>> Some things we would like to do- Point Lobos Natural Preserve, . . . drive along coast . . . <<

You can only drive part way up the coast -- Highway 1 is and will be closed through the Big Sur area. To get to Pt Lobos you would drive up to somewhere like Cambria San Luis Obispo, etc then cut over to 101 and up to Monterey then south a bit to Pt Lobos.

It most likely will not be 'beach weather' though it probably wil be pleasant. It definitely won't be 'go into the water' weather because the Pacific is VERY cold.

You can still have a great trip -- don't get me wrong. As much as I love San Diego, I'd seriously consider dropping it. It is just too far in the wrong direction from SF. Spend 3 or 4 days in LA/Orange County, a couple of days on the coast - say Santa Barbara and Monterey, and finish up in San Francisco. You probably should drop the car when you get to SF because you don't need a car in the city and parking can be hugely expensive.

Recent info on the Big Sur area - http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/...fe960c4b0.html
Either fly or take the train anywhere north of Santa Barbara if you feel you must go to San Francisco.

Ditto janisj

Here are some things to do & see in the San Francisco area.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

Oh rats -- I missed that you are flying into SD (I assumed LAX). That messes you up a bit more.

Unless you change your flights you must start in SD -- which doesn't give you enough time for SD/LA/the coast/SF.

I <i>might</i> consider staying in San Diego 2 or 3 days, drop the car and fly up to SFO or San Jose, then rent a car for a couple of days for Monterey/Carmel/Pt Lobos), drop the car and visit SF (or fly up to SFO, visit the city w/o a car then rent a car to explore Monterey and drive back to SFO to fly out -- mostly depends on the time of your departure flight)

The entire car trip from San Diego to San Francisco won't take more than about 8 hours non stop - just to give you an idea.

I think you could spend a few days in San Diego, then drive from SD to Santa Barbara spend the day there and see the beautiful Mission http://www.santabarbaramission.org/ then continue up the coast or highway and spend the rest of the time in the bay area like janisj has mapped out.

The reason I mentioned driving is because by the time you drive to the airport, get there an hour in advance, spend time flying, then deplaning, getting a rental car, etc. you could have driven up the coast.

>>The entire car trip from San Diego to San Francisco won't take more than about 8 hours non stop - just to give you an idea. <<

That wouldn't be up the coast -- That would be have to be I-5. Up the coast is at minimum two full days (unless you chain the kids in the back seat and don't stop for meals or rest breaks and definitely no sight seeing)

And even two full days is REALLY pushing things.

SD to Santa Barbara to say Cambria, around the major detour to Monterey, to SF is a 10.5 hour drive w/o a single stop. So even just 3 days in SD, 2.5 on the coast (woefully inadequate) and 2.5 in SF leaves no time at all for LA.