SFO/Sonoma/Carmel
 

My husband and I are working out details for our April itinerary to San Francisco, Napa/Sonoma, and Carmel. We are trying to determine what order we should drive to each place. We fly in and out of SFO and will rent a car but do not need it in San Francisco. Where does Hwy 1 become scenic? Is the drive from SFO to Carmel a "must do" or would we be able to see all of the best sites from Carmel down to Big Sur? If so, would you recommend driving from Sonoma to Carmel or vice versa?

Here are our options so far:

Fly into SFO, arrive that night, stay in SFO
Drive to Carmel, stay 2 nights
Drive from Carmel to Sonoma, 2 nights
Return to SFO, 2 nights and fly out following morning

Or:
Fly into SFO, stay 3 nights
Rent car, drive to Sonoma, stay 2 nights
drive from Sonoma to Carmel, stay 2 nights
Fly home following morning

Is there a better itinerary that you suggest? Having SFO in the middle makes it difficult to determine the best routes. Any advice/traffic info would be appreciated!

It doesn't really matter whether you go north to Wine Country, or south to Carmel first, as long as you keep rush hour traffic through the Bay Area in mind. I would consider getting your car on arrival at SFO and heading to one or the other immediately, then return the car before spending your last few days in San Francisco.

To answer your question about Hwy 1, the section south of San Francisco is the pertinent part. Just south of the City, down the coastside of San Mateo County the drive goes along the Pacific all the way, more or less, to Carmel/Monterey. So your route to or from Sonoma would be across the Golden Gate Bridge, then from 280 to the coast at either Pacifica or Half Moon Bay. The airport is convenient to 280 going either way if you pick up and drop your car there.

parking a car in the City is very expensive (50-65 a night) unless you find a hotel deal that includes parking. The Parc 55 often has parking included, Hyatt Regency right at the embarcadero also, boutique hotel the Griffon on Steuart Street does have parking deals occasionally and the Donatello. I am not sure about hotels at the Wharf and the parking prices I am quoting are for the downtown area. Some of the hotels at the wharf might be cheaper. Do you have a hotel in mind? area in mind?

I would go straight to Carmel between rush hour and then take the 17 Mile Drive route through the park along the coast then back up to Monterey and then onto 1 and hightail it back to SF before you get caught in rush hour.

Spectacular drive well worth the trip but it will take you about 3 hours to do this.

Lots of reasonable parking in downtown SF just have to look. I usually park at the garage at the corner of Mason and Post. Entrance is on Mason, and the price is around 28$ a night. No hotel affiliation. Been parking there for years, great guys. I usually stay at the Clift and walk the 2 blocks.

Since you've mentioned that you don't want the car in SF, a good plan, I'd be inclined to get the car on arrival at SFO, go to Sonoma first, then back south, as I mentioned above down the coast to Carmel, return the car at SFO afterward and proceed into the City for the last few days. I think that would maximize your time and minimize car hassle.

you could also pick up at airport and drop downtown. Most of the majors will let you do that. There is an Avis and a Hertz right near Union Square.

I dont know that you could do Sonoma to Carmel then back to SFO in a single day trip that would be enjoyable. I think it would look a lot like Chevy Chase Vacation where he is standing in front of the Grand Canyon....nods twice turns to the family and says "ok back in the car, lets go"

SFO -> Carmel -> Monterey -> SFO or downtown in my opinion a full day.

I would keep the car and do Sonoma and NAPA on Day 2 then turn the car in downtown when you get back.

Just so much to see and it is a lot of driving and traffic conditions can add a lot of time to the trip.

FYI - I do this several times a year....what I have found best for me, is to fly into SFO in the morning, head directly to Carmel, do a little shopping then drive up the coast to Monterey stop at a few wineries and head to San Fran for the evening. Next day we do NAPA spend a whole day there, have dinner and then head back to San Fran where we spend the last 2 nights. I keep trying to add Sonoma to that trip but always end up out of time. Lots of things to explore in Yountville area.

Anyway thats what works for us, not sure what I'm missing in Sonoma but we prefer to spend the rest of the time in the city for what little days we have to get away to do this. For me it is all about the wine though, I like to make at least two trips a year to stock up on new wines.

Just to point out that the OP mentions plans to stay overnight 2 nights in both Wine Country and Carmel/Monterey and no plans to have a car in SF. So why discuss parking in SF and day trips north & south?

just an alternate plan, i think its worth considering using San Fran as your base camp so your not packing and unpacking every two days. It might just be my glamorous wife, but I cant imagine asking her to pack up all her stuff every two days!

Yes, it is your wife. While moving after 2 nights isn't optimum, trying to daytrip from SF is worse, I think. Familiarity with the area makes a huge difference. For a first trip, staying a couple of nights is far preferable, I think.

Sorry about "thinking" so much above. And I'm assuming it's a first trip from the questions. Even if not, I stick by my advice. Less driving per day, more being. And no parking in SF.

Day trip from SF to Carmel? The fastest we've ever made it is 2 hrs from the Noe Valley - that's early Sunday morning with nobody else on the road - especially not the Highway Patrol. Normally it's 2 1/4 hrs on a weekend. On a work day, plan on 2 1/2 to 3 hrs each way. That's 5 hrs min on the road. Not much time "being there" - unless you want to leave Carmel after dinner (we've done that a few times).

IMO, Hwy 1 between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz is a "B". Hwy 1 between Carmel & Hearst Castle is an "A+". Furthermore, SF is an A, Carmel/Pt Lobos/Big Sur coast is an A. Napa/Sonoma in it's current "condition" is a B. I would skip Napa/Sonoma - less driving and more time "being there".

I would not want to drive from Sonoma to Carmel in 1 day - and certainly not on a work day. There can be heavy traffic in Santa Rosa, San Rafael, over the GG Bridge, everywhere within The City, and down towards Silicon Valley. There has been a definite increase in the amount of car traffic in the last 10 years in the SF area (we've been here since '75).

Stu Dudley

>Less driving per day, more being. And no parking in SF.<

Since I hate being in the car, hate getting there more than being there, I find this advice stellar. That, and NO CAR in the City. Parking is an expensive pain in the behind.

Thanks so much for all of your responses! I am sorry that I am just now getting back to read everything. Since we are arriving in SFO around 7:45p.m., we thought it might be best to stay in the city that night so we can actually see the drive in the morning to Carmel. It sounds like we can get up early Friday morning, head to either Carmel or Sonoma. Is Half Moon Bay worth visiting? I was thinking we might do that early Friday morning on the way to Carmel and then we can go to Sonoma, stay there and drop the car back off in SFO. Does this sound like a good plan? From what I gather, we really don't need too much time in Sonoma or Carmel and we want to maximize our time in the city of San Francisco.

Also, while in San Francisco, what hotels would you recommend? I've heard good things about Nob Hill. Should we look there or in the financial district? Or is there another area that would be a better location?

>>From what I gather, we really don't need too much time in Sonoma or Carmel and we want to maximize our time in the city of San Francisco.<<

I don't know where you are "gathering" information from, or how much time you consider to be "too much time". IMO, you'll need at least 2 full days to visit Carmel, Pt Lobos, Big Sur coast (Carmel to Big Sur), Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Monterey aquarium, Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove, & 17 mile drive. Minimum time in Sonona is perhaps 1 full day unless you want to do a lot of tasting - which always presents the problem of driving after.

>>Also, while in San Francisco, what hotels would you recommend? I've heard good things about Nob Hill. Should we look there or in the financial district? Or is there another area that would be a better location?<<

I would not stay on (S)Nob Hill. It's on top of a hill (thus the name) and you'll get tired of climbing up the hill & down the hill. Either stay in the Union Square area or along the Embarcadero near the foot of Market St.

Stu Dudley