Hi there,
My husband and I are flying to LA early October, flying back to the UK 2 weeks later. We'll be hiring a car. We haven't planned/booked anything yet. We were going to do what seems to be the "standard" tour, first following the coast to SF, then going inland to visit a couple of parks and see the Napa Valley, before heading back to LA.
But I'm a bit worried about the weather based on some posts in this forum! We chose October in order to avoid summer heat, but I think we've made a mistake... Do you have any ideas as to where we could go/where to avoid? We've just had a terrible summer in London and the thought of crossing the Pond to find yet more cold is far from appealing... Look forward to your tips!
Thanks

October can be the best time of year, Indian summer, for the N California coast.SF can be fogged in all August but clear out for Oct/Nov. For the South it should have cooled off by then, and with the kids in school I think you made a great choice.

There really isnt a 'standard' tour and you have a broad choice. Let the people know what you want, and I sure we have an expert that can give you some fine tips.

October is a great time of year to visit California. Don't let the reports of the weather get you down. Although it is a strange year weather wise, it's never that bad in early October. LA and vicinity should be warm, but not unbearably hot like in June, July, Aug, and Sep. North will likely be nice during the day, could be chilly at night. Napa is great because the crowds are less.

Have a fun trip!

I think it sounds like a GREAT trip, at a wonderful time of year. You've got a good amount of time to do the circle drive you describe. There are all kinds of driving iterinaries for that route, just do a bit of research if no one chimes in here with specifics.

As far as weather is isn't going to be really hot, but should be pleasant enough. Fall in California is a perfect time to visit.

Maybe allow a few days in Los Angeles, if you're interested in sight-seeing there at the beginning. Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz are beautiful towns to stop on the coast drive north. www.hearstcastle.org & www.winchestermysteryhouse.com
are interesting stopping points.

Allow a few day for in-city San Francisco, and a few more in the Napa Valley (beautiful area to visit wineries or just drive around). From there I'd head back to LA the quickest inland freeway route.

As others have said, Oct. is a good weather month in CA. The temps will vary from the 60s through the 80s F. depending on the part of the state you are in, your proximity to the cool ocean breezes, the time of day, and the different weather patterns that blow through on a daily or weekly basis. The bottom line is that the weather will be quite variable but within a pleasant range. That's why "dressing in layers" is the coastal California uniform.

On your way back from SF to LA, if you take the inland route, and have time to spend 2 days visiting Yosemite Valley, that would be one of your highlights of the trip.

On the way up, just north of Santa Barbara, be sure to hit the Santa Ynez valley. Spend the night in Solvang or Ballard or Los Olivos and enjoy the October weather. Had a convertible up there last October and the weather was great.

Also be sure to stop at Avila Valley Barn just south of San Luis Obispo. Neat place in October with the pumpkins and fall-festival....try an Ollallieberry pie......you won't find them many places and they are special. Nearby Avila Beach would be a great spot to stop for lunch.

If you do decide to visit Yosemite, make sure you have reservations as many places book up MONTHS in advance.

"But I'm a bit worried about the weather based on some posts in this forum! We chose October in order to avoid summer heat, but I think we've made a mistake..."

Don't worry -- I'm pretty sure the posts you've read are about summer weather on the coast. That is a special feature of much of the CA coast -- The best "Summer" weather happens in the Fall. That is the very very best time of the year to visit.

June/July/August are when it can be cold/foggy -- not usually in Oct.

Thanks everybody! I'm going to be working on a itinerary and will ask for your opinions if I may.

Oh, and before I start the itinerary, if you have suggestions of quirky/characterful hotels/B&Bs (clean but not necessarily expensive), please let me know!

These are good choices for B&Bs in Pacific Grove.

B
Bed & Breakfast-California: Seven Gables Inn
thesevengablesinn.com - (831) 372-4341 - 115 reviews

Centrella Bed & Breakfast Inn
www.centrellainn.com - (831) 372-3372 - 154 reviews

Martine Bed & Breakfast Inn
www.martineinn.com - (831) 373-3388 - 76 reviews

Old St Angela Inn
www.oldstangelainn.com - (831) 372-3246 - 48 reviews

Green Gables Inn
www.greengablesinnpg.com - (831) 375-2095 - 69 reviews

Inn at 213 17 Mile Drive
innat17.com - (831) 642-9514 - 192 reviews

Deer Haven Inn & Suites
www.deerhaveninn.com - (831) 373-7784 - 161 reviews

Consider this rough outline as input for your itinerary. It's a counterclockwise loop that will give you plenty of practice driving on the wrong side of the road by the time you drive the scenic (scary for some) coastal road between Carmel and San Simeon. And you will be driving that section from north to south, as recommended by a majority of the usual posters on these boards.

Days 1 and 2. LA, (Day zero is for flying and getting into your hotel etc.)

Day 3. Drive to Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP. Only takes about 1/2 day. Some sightseeing, then overnight at Park.

Day 4. More sightseeing in Sequoia/Kings Canyon. Then drive to Yosemite and if possible stay overnight.

Days 5 and 6. Yosemite.

Day 7. Drive to Napa/Sonoma via the gold country (Sutter's Mill) and Sacramento. This will take all day, since there are worthwhile tourist attractions in Sacramento. Overnight in the wine country.

Days 8, 9 and 10. Finish up in the wine Country. Drive to and stay in San Francisco.

Days 11, 12, and 13. Drive down the coast to LA. You will get plenty of suggestions, on this leg, regarding what to see, where to stop, and where to eat.

Somewhere between San Francisco and LA, tour one of the 21
California missions. Carmel, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara are good choices. They are an enlightening look back into California's Spanish Colonial history, which continued until 1848. All 4th graders in California study the missions and most visit one.

Day 14. I'm not sure you have a day 14. But if you do, you can use it somewhere in the itinerary.

Missing here but often included in a "standard" tour.

San Diego
Death Valley
Lake Tahoe

and (I hesitate to mention it)....Las Vegas. Groan!

In the Napa Valley (Calistoga), check out Washington Street Lodging. Prices are reasonable for the area, they have individual cabins around a courtyard, and you are within walking distance to restaurants.

Just to say a HUGE thank you to all of you. VERY helpful. dbdurand, you've probably saved me a couple of days with your itinerary, which sounds fab! I'll be working on this this weekend and am bound to have further queries... In the meantime, if you have any more suggestions of "interesting" lodgings in the areas mentioned in dbdurand's itinerary, please let me know! Thanks a million!

For Yosemite, I would recommend the Yosemite Lodge. It's the closest to the major sights most visitors want to see. Fills up early so book ASAP.

I live in Los Angeles and haven't lived in Northern California since college, but I can say that it hardly ever gets very warm at the ocean, even here in L.A. Last week it was near 90 degrees in L.A. and at the same time it was 72 degrees 15 miles away at the beach (Santa Monica, Malibu, etc.). Personally, I love sunny and 72 but in terms of weather, even going a few miles inland will get you sometimes substantially warmer weather.

That being said, California is a gorgeous state (pats self on back Regardless of weather, I would definitely stop to see San Francisco, Sonoma County (Healdsburg is one of my favorite small towns anywhere), 17 mile drive up near Monterey/Carmel, Hearst Castle. I also love the California missions, but there are many scattered up and down the coast so it'll be easy to squeeze one in along the way.

Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would actually spend a few days here in LA, fly up to San Francisco on a cheap fare through Southwest Airlines or one of the other carriers (a car is definitely not necessary in the city - plenty of easy public transit), then rent a car to leave San Francisco and drive the scenic route (highway 1 and 101) north to Sequoia/Sonoma and then south down to LA (stopping in Monterey/Carmel, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara). I'm sure you can get a one-way car rental (usually easiest if you pick up/drop off at the airport). Here's why: there are two main ways to get up/down the state (1) coastal, beautiful on the highways 1 and 101 would take 8 hours or so if you went straight through or (2) inland on the 5 freeway which takes about 6 hours. There is nothing to see on the 5, it's loaded with big rig trucks and certain parts are seriously stinky.

And, finally, I know and love Los Angeles, so feel free to ask away for recommendations for when you're in my fair city. Happy to help!

My favorite cute little hotel in LA is the Inn at Venice Beach. It includes a continental breakfast, and covered parking is about $8/day. Recently remodeled, very clean, very good value. Ask for am room facing their courtyard, for quiet. My queen room was very large. From the hotel you can walk to the beach and there are lots of shops and restaurants. I prefer the section of Venice Beach from there that is towards Marina del Rey. It is less "colorful".

On second thought, I would get a one way car rental in LA (dropping off in SF at the very end of the trip) and just fly one way from SF to LA before flying home. I'd spend a few days in LA, drive north through Malibu, Santa Barbara, Los Olivos, San Simeon/Hearst Castle area, Carmel/Monterey and then past San Francisco to Sonoma, Sequoia. I would then drop off the car and spend Carissa days in San Francisco before leaving. This doesn't accompdate Yosemite because, though it's wonderful!! It is a few hours east and south so not on a convenient path. But if that's top of your list, I suppose I'd just do the driving both directions. It's a big state!!

Haha - I meant car-less. Spell check!