We will be going to SF area for 6 nights (5 days) and want to see the sights. I have been there many times, husband has never been. Wedding anniversary trip so I want it to be nice. Any plans for drive suggestions/stops? And, places to stay under $150? We like personality and charm. Staying with friends in SF so no hotel needed. He would love to see Pebble Beach (big golfer). I think Carmel is nice place to sleep. Thinking 3 nts. Carmel, 3 nights SF.
All ideas for must-dos. must-stays and must-eats welcome. Thanks much!

When in Carmel, a fun place to eat lunch is Bahama Billy's in the Barnyard Shopping Center. Also, don't miss that incredibly beautiful hike through Point Lobos State Reserve. And another fun and scenic place to eat is at Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch restaurant.

Another very romantic thing to do is to take the awesomely scenic drive to Big Sur and eat lunch on the outdoor patio at the Ventana Inn.

p.s. as for the place we'd like to stay, we'd like it to be quaint, charming, carmel and under $150-$200 on water - is this possible? if not, at least near water. ideas? thanks! heard normandy inn was nice! thoughts?

john charles - do you like vagabond house? normandy? or cobblestone? trying to narrow it down.
thank you!
driving directions and route stops are greatly appreciated (from sf to big sur area and back again) point lobos is going to be done! i promise!
thank you

To travel South from SF, I recommend route 280. It's the best combination of high speed hwy, nice scenary, and less traffic. Hwy 101 is not scenic and heavy with traffic. The route along the coast , hwy 1, is also scenic but is not a freeway so is much slower than 280. So it is up to you how fast you want to go.
Once you get to San Jose on 280, I would recommend hwy 17 through the scenic redwood mountains and on to Santa Cruz where you will catch hwy1 south to Monterey, Carmel, then Big Sur. Do not hit hwy 17 during weekday afternoon commute time.
It's fun to stop in Santa Cruz and walk around it's colorful downtown area and to stroll along the beaches and the recreation trail on the sea cliffs to watch the surfers.
In Monterey, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must see. It's a world class exhibit.

All lodging near water in this area is very expensive. I don't think you'll find anything in the range you mentioned. Check expedia.com and see what comes up.
Another activity I would highly recommend is hiking or biking (rentals available) along the Pacific Grove recreation trail.

I am not a golfer, but love the beauty of our Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton Golf Links.

Check out Asilomar in Pacific Grove. It's a state park and conference center. And they rent out rooms to the public if not filled by conference attendees. I believe it's www.asilomarcenter.com.

We stayed in MOnterey 2 nights and had plenty of time to see the sights. We drove through 17 mile drive (8 dollar fee), drove all the way past Big Sur to Pfeiffer Burns state park. Beautiful place and also stopped at Point Lobos just south of Carmel. Had lunch at Nepenthe overlooking the ocean. Stopped at several pull-offs along the way.