KristenHecksher

We are interested in planning a week long road trip from San Francisco to San Diego next summer (2019), but am concerned about the devastation of the fires taking place there now. I tried to search and find out the exact locations of these fires, but didn't find enough to help guide our decision to continue to pursue this as an option. I would love any feedback, recommendations and suggestions. Thank you!

janisj

Fires on now would have next to no bearing on a road trip next summer. There will be evidence of the burned areas as you travel down the 101 but in the overall route it is a small area. More important would be any fires burning when you are in California.

(A week is VERY short for a trip from SF to SD unless you just want a road trip and don't plan on visiting anything in San Francisco, Carmel/Monterey, Santa Barbara, LA, or San Diego)

Christina

I don't think a week is that short if you don't intend to stay for days in any location. I've done that, it's not that difficult. I do not agree at all that you cannot visit anything in that time frame, just drive. The OP never said that included time IN San Francisco.

I'd suggest stopping in Monterey (this is a short trip from SF, but you can enjoy and afternoon and evening there, maybe even an extra day, then maybe around Cambria (can visit San Simeon from there), then Santa Barbara, then drive on to San Diego. That's not a bad trip in a week. So let's say two overnights in Monterey, one in Cambria, then 1 or 2 in Santa Barbara. The drive from Monterey to Cambria is about 3 hrs or so along the coast, plenty of time the rest of that day to see San Simeon or just enjoy the coast in that area (or you could visit Morro Bay if you want). The drive from Cambria to Santa Barbara is only a couple hours. The drive from Santa Barbara to San Diego is about 5 hrs.

janisj

Christina: >> The OP never said that included time IN San Francisco.

jamie99

If you are driving the usual route of HIghways 1 and 101 the only place you might see some damage is the area around Malibu. However if we get a nice wet winter, hopefully a lot of the vegetation will grow back.
You will want to book cancellable hotel and motel reservations sometime next year as that is a very popular time to travel and rooms book up well in advance.

KristenHecksher

Thank you for the feedback so far. We have done one week summer trips exploring different parts of the states which several have included incorporating San Fran, so we would only be flying in, securing our rental car and taking off. It will be my husband, 17th yr old son (who has been doing these trips with me since he was 7 yrs old) and I. My husband is big into photography. We are into the landscape views, historic sights like lighthouses and buildings (not so big on museums). I have heard San Diego is gorgeous, so we would want to spend at least 2 days there. I hope that helps in furthering the feedback/suggestions.

janisj

OK -- you say a 'week', how many nights will you be in California? Do you have 7 days on the ground not counting your arrival and departure days, or is it really 5 or 5.5 days after subtracting the flights? That will make a very big difference.

To net 2 full days in San Diego you will need to stay 3 nights (unless your flight out is late in the evening - if so, than just 2 nights will get you the best of 2 days).

To give you useful advice we need to know how many days we are talking about.

KristenHecksher

Nothing is set in stone, so right now I would target flying into San Fran on a Friday late morning (we live in Atlanta) and would probably fly home on a red eye either the following Friday or Saturday night.

sf7307

Here's another thought. Since you are not including San Francisco on this trip (just heading south from the airport), if you can fly into San Jose instead - the airport is about 40 miles south of SFO, so you'll get a head start on your trip south.

KristenHecksher

Good suggestion! We will do that! Thanks!

janisj

To know what is possible you sorta do need to nail down the duration. But using Friday AM to Friday PM.

San Jose to Monterey/Carmel on arrival. Stay Fri/Sat nights (almost every property will require a 2 night stay on weekends). Plenty to fill the 1.5 days you will have there. Point Lobos would be the #1 must. Then Sunday drive down through Big Sur - MANY hikes/photo ops. Visit San Simeon if you are interested but it can be skipped - must be pre booked though. Explore Cambria/SLO/Pismo Beach/that general area. Stay Sun/Mon nights maybe in Pismo but Morro Bay, Cambria, SLO are all good. I suggest 2 nights because the drive down through Big Sur can take most of a day if you hike anywhere and Hearst Castle takes a few hours. Maybe You could stay Tues night in Santa Barbara but I'd press on and stay somewhere like Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach. Wed/Thurs nights in SD. Fly home. If you fly out on Sat - then I'd add the extra night in Santa Barbara.

KristenHecksher

Thank you for these details! I will check into them and appreciate your input!

StuDudley

I would stay at least one night in Big Sur (we like the Big Sur Lodge) and have dinner or lunch at Nepenthe. You'll want to slow down in this region - so going from Carmel to San Simeon with no overnight in between is a mistake, IMO.



I've lived on/near the Calif coast all of my life (I'm 71). Years 2-28 in LA/Laguna Beach area, and the last 43 in/near San Francisco. I worked in Carlsbad (near San Diego) for 5 years.



I "cringe" every time I think of driving from the Grapevine (north of LA) to San Diego. It reminds me of why we moved from Laguna Beach to San Francisco 43 years ago. I would MUCH RATHER focus my time on the area between San Francisco and Santa Barbara. So if "My husband is big into photography. We are into the landscape views, historic sights like lighthouses and buildings" then I suggest that you save San Diego for another trip and just concentrate on the region between SF and SB. Spend some time in Paso Robles also.


Stu Dudley

KristenHecksher

Thank you, Stu! Being unfamiliar with this territory, it is so helpful to have a native's point of view.

janisj

I personally don't think you need an overnight in Big Sur. yes -- it is glorious. But Carmel to Cambria is 100 miles and Pismo Beach is just 45 miles farther. It is a slow 100 miles and many places to stop but there is no need to make two days out of it, which is essentially what stu is suggesting. Yes -- if you have two weeks but you have one. Lunch at Nepenthe is just about a must . . . but you really need to decide on the day because if it is foggy, those glorious views totally disappear and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

>>I "cringe" every time I think of driving from the Grapevine . . .

StuDudley

When you visited San Francisco, did you also get out to the Golden Gate Natl Rec Area just north of the Golden Gate Bridge - the Marin Headlands?. IMO, this area has the best views of San Francisco, and then you arrive into a remote area with beautiful beaches, a lighthouse, a Marin County animal rescue center, & old WWII bunkers/batteries/forts.
https://www.nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm


Stu Dudley

LeslieC

It is a lot to fit in one week. As a native of the Los Angeles Area and based on your time limits and "coastline" theme, I suggest you skip LA altogether. You won't need or want to drive through Malibu on this itinerary. You also don't have to worry about the "grapevine" which is on US 5 north of LA which you won't be taking either.
This assumes you fly home from San Diego. The biggest challenge IMHO is the awful traffic between the LA area and San Diego if you pass through or start from LA anytime between 8:00am and 8:00pm. This was a 5 hour drive in my childhood but now at least 5 hours. Also, I believe in making hotel reservations to stay in preferred places and preferred locations.

• Fri, Day One Fly into SFO or San Jose - Take the 101 freeway South to the 17 South towards Santa Cruz.
• Stop for lunch in Santa Cruz enjoy the waterfront.
• Continue South on Hwy 1 (aka "Pacific Coast Hwy") and spend two nights (Fri/Sat) in either Monterrey or Carmel. Visit both towns as they are quite different from each other. See the Monterey Aquarium, maybe go kayaking in the bay with the otters.
• Continue S on Hwy 1, appreciating this is slow and winding so take your time and drive carefully. The views are beautiful and worth it. Stop and Pt. Lobos and hike the trails to see the California Sea Lions barking on the rocks offshore.
• Next is Big Sur. I agree that Nepenthe would be a great lunch stop. But I don't think you have time for an overnight here.
• After that, stop at Julie Pfeiffer Burns State Park and take the walking trail out to the coast for incredible views.
• Next, stop at San Simeon. Make reservation to tour Hearst Castle.
• Continue on Hwy 1 and stay overnight at one of the nice Inns on Moonstone Beach in Cambria (Sunday night)
• Continue S on Hwy 1 and pick up the 101 in Morro Bay, heading toward San Luis Obispo (I would not bother to visit either Morro Bay or SLO on this time-limited trip. They are just not special enough.
• Continue on the 101 S. to Santa Barbara where you should spend Monday night and take time to sight see. Eat on Steans Wharf. Stroll downtown and State's street.
• The 101 coast just south of Santa Barbara to Ventura is very pretty, so you will want to do see that in daylight. You could leave Santa Barbara in the afternoon about 2:00pm. But your goal is to get around the whole of Los Angeles after rush hour. So rather than connecting from the 101 to the 405 South as would be the normal route S toward San Diego but heavy traffic, or even the 5 South through industrial areas (which is a most unattractive route), you could take the 101 to the 134 to the 210, aiming for Pasadena prior to 4:00pm. Find some things to do in Pasadena where there are live playhouses and fun restaurant zones. Stay till evening and then carry on the 210 to the 57 South and connect up with the 5 South in Santa Ana. From there, take the 55 Freeway S to Newport Beach and stay overnight, checking in late (Tues).
• In the morning, check out the Newport Harbor and carry on Hwy 1 from there through Laguna Beach and Dana Point. Pick up the 5 Fwy S. near Dana Point and continue on to San Diego
• Spend Wed/Thurs (maybe Saturday night) in San Diego or La Jolla. Lots to see and do in that area, including SeaWorld, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Mission Bay water sports. Hiking, parasailing in La Jolla. Old Town, waterfront, etc. Fly home from San Diego.

KristenHecksher

Again, thank you...Janis, Stu and Leslie! This plethora of information and direction will be so helpful in planning our trip! Stu, we did get out to see the lighthouse, bunkers, etc. at the Golden Gate Nat'l Rec Area.

StuDudley

>>Continue South on Hwy 1 (aka "Pacific Coast Hwy")

janisj

>>aka "Cabrillo Highway" up here