My wife and I are going to Calif. for the first time in April and expect to have about a week just to roam around. We know nothing. We were thinking of heading up to Big Sur then maybe over to Sequoia. Any ideas for great places and adventures would be most welcome. Thanks.

Can you give us a little more info? Are you starting off in L.A.? In other words, are you flying to a major city and then driving around? Because it will also help to know where you have to end up.

We're starting in Santa Barbara and returning there. Other info: We're fairly athletic (tennis, riding), and not opposed to taking a glass of wine.

A drive to Carmel/Monterrey along the BiG Sur and perhaps along the way visit Hearst Castle.Paul

spend a couple of nights in santa barbara and then head on up to the big sur/carmel/monterey area. spend 2-3 nights there. then either san fransisco for a few nights or into the mountain areeas. then take the boring insland freeways back to santa barbara.

The Fess Parker Doubletree resort is nice in Santa Barbara. Be sure to get an oceanview. Free tennis, too.
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What do you mean "maybe over to Sequoia?" Are you referring to the forest in very northern CA? If so, it's too far away. You can see the big trees in Big Sur. I suggest you split your time between SB and the Monterey Peninsula, taking in Big Sur as a day trip.

Thanks for your advice. (This is mudcat, but on a different computer with a different screen name.) I'm going to pursue your suggestions. As for Sequoia, I was talking about the national park. My wife is strangely fascinated by these trees. ANOTHER IDEA: Somebody suggested Ojai as a cool destination close to Santa Barbara. Your thoughts? And does anybody know the Blue Iguana Inn?

Ojai vs. Santa Barbara. Sorry, but I can hardly stop laughing. Stick with SB and if you must, drive through Ojai. By the way, somebody mentioned visiting SF. This is your first trip to SF - you must go! Ojai v San Francisco...no comparison, really.

So I infer that Ojai isn't worth the effort.

Here is an article from CNN Travel about Ojai.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/DESTI...nia/index.html

Ojai is a small "artsy" town and depending on your interest can be fun or a tad bit boring. I have family there so I have been there so often it is now boring but a first time visitor could certainly enjoy it for some hours. You drive south on 101 from Santa Barbara, turn off on Hwy 33 and head east for about 20 minutes and you are in Ojai.

I also see Ojai as a small "side trip".

From Santa Barbara, I would suggest you skip going south, like to Ojai, if you want to see the big trees of California. If you are interested in seeing them, by all means, do it. They are majestic, and are in several places in northern California, so you can get there in a reasonable itinerary from SB. As I recall, there are two types of humongous evergreen trees in N. Cal: the really, really wide ones; or the really, really tall ones. I forget which are redwoods and which are sequoias. Both are amazing and beautiful.
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The problem is resistance to a long driving trek on a short schedule. But I hear you all and will fight for a cruise up the coast to Big Sur and thence to SF, and return on the inland highway. (101 is it?)

We stayed in Carpinteria just South of Santa Barbara and we enjoyed a visit to Solvang a dutch town nearby. We stopped and visited an Ostrich farm.
Get a Sideways map and take some of the real scenic drives. How about a horseback ride up through the mountains just North of Santa Barbara, can't think of the name of the place but I could look it up if you are interested.