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Suggestions for 8-day LA-San Francisco Itinerary

I'll be flying to LA 2/19 to meet a friend. Then we are going to ditch LA and drive up the coast, with San Francisco the goal. Then back down to LA (probably highways this time) on the 26th. We want to spend a few days getting up the coast and 3-4 days in SF. We also want to see the wine country and maybe visit a spa for a mud bath. If you were taking 2-3 days to drive the coast between LA & SF in Feb., what towns would you stop to sleep in? Some sights I think we will try to squeeze in are Big Sur area, Hearst Castle, Monterey and Santa Barbara. Of course there's also Carmel, 17-mile drive.... so much to see! In addition, any suggestions you may have regarding specific spas, hotels, wineries, sights and the like are always appreciated!

On the southbound leg of this circle, consider heading far enough east to get into the mountains for a little while. The crescent from Fresno to Visalia would only add a couple of hours, and the scenery is beautiful. BAK

The southern Central Valley eautiful? Perhaps, if you love the agri business,and love to breathe in herbicides and pesticides and lots of dust. Be smart and don't spoil your trip by going inland. Stick to the coast!

"eautiful"? Do you mean "beautiful"? That it ain't. Nothing but dust and tumbleweeds and smelly steers the last time I drove through!

Hi Amy. My boyfriend and I drove up the coast last summer. Do a search of this forum using the words "California coast" and you will bring up my trip report from last July which has lots of recommendations on sights, accommodations, restaurants, websites, etc. It was a fantastic trip. We stayed one night in Cambria, one night in Big Sur, and one night in Pacific Grove (near Monterey) and really enjoyed all of those places and felt it worked very well as an itinerary. Gave us enough time to see what we wanted along the way without rushing too much. In terms of day-stops, we stopped in Santa Barbara to tour the Mission and have lunch at a fantastic little taco stand called La Superrica Taqueria (which I highly recommend), & stopped briefly in Morro Bay at Morro Rock. After spending that night in Cambria (recommend a great restaurant for dinner there called Robin's) and spending an hour or so the next morning on Moonstone Beach Drive enjoying the seals on the rocks and the tidepools, we proceeded to tour Hearst Castle (loved it -- get your tickets in advance) and continued driving up the coast where we stopped frequently for wildlife viewing (saw elephant seals on a beach just north of Hearst Castle) and to take photos of the gorgeous scenery (stop at Ragged Point and walk out back for an incredible view of the coast in both directions). Then as you proceed north you're really in Big Sur country and the driving slows way down to negotiate the curves. Allow plenty of time in Big Sur. It is gorgeous. We stayed that night in Big Sur and then proceeded farther up the coast the next day, and had a wonderful stop at Pt. Lobos State Park -- excellent trails with lovely views of pounding surf on the rocks and beautiful wildflowers and lots of wildlife. Stopped for lunch & a little shopping in Carmel and then went to Pacific Grove where we stayed the night (a really cute little town -- had dinner at a very good little Mexican restaurant in town called Peppers), woke up the next morning and toured the Monterey Aquarium (another must). We had been to SF before so didn't do that on this trip, and didn't do the wine country either, so that will have to wait for another time. As I said, do a search and you'll bring up lots more info. Have a terrific time -- we did! Also, post a trip report when you get back!

Dear Amy: If you are planning to drive up the California coast, check with Caltrans first, since Highway one has washed out: If you're traveling to Big Sur from the Southern entrance heed this Traffic Report update! (February 15, 2000) Ragged Point Area: Highway one, at Mile Marker 1.5, 5 miles North of Ragged Point is closed in both directions. Southbound lane washed out and should be reopened in three days. Passable to local traffic only. Lucia Area: 3 miles north of Lucia at Mile Marker 21.3 & 21.7 at Rain Rock/ Limekiln area; ROAD IS WASHED OUT. No timeline for reopening. Check Caltrans for updates.

Wouldn't want to get your cars dusty with all our foul insecticides....where are you going to grow food now that you have identified the central valley as not even worthy of a drive through?

Dear poison pen: From my PESTICIDE-FREE garden-and that means I'll live longer and healthier, too.

Hi, Amy, If the southern portion of SR1 isn't fully passable, you might consider going straight to SF and substituting a day trip or overnight trip on the northern portion (up to Mendocino, etc.) which IMO is more beautiful than the southern part. A loop up the coast then south to/through the wine country is a good 2-3 day itinerary, even some redwoods thrown in as a bonus. You can visit the Monterey Peninsula and Hearst Castle by means of 2 separate spur trips off US101 without too much of a time penalty, maybe one northbound and the other southbound. I personally don't think I-5 is terribly scenic or enjoyable, and its time advantage frankly depends on where you start in the Bay area and where you're ending in the LA area. US101 is a couple of hours longer drive, but a lot more attractive, especially in the winter.

Don't mean to sound quite so vile as you, however, you can't grow all of our food....only your own....sounds one way to me.....unless you have as big a garden as you do attitude.

I am a native Californian and have a great deal of respect for our agriculture industry. I do have to agree with 'offendedcentral'. However in all fairness, John is absolutely correct in that I-5 is an extremely boring drive. nonamenoname: I hope that you were able to catch the documentary on TV this week about quote "Organic Vegatables/Fruits". It seems that there is more danger in eating your stuff then our good old California produce with pesticides and fertilizer. In any event, I do hope that you stay out of California or leave if you are here now. I am sure that others will thoroughly enjoy your juvenile attitude. Back to the subject. I would stick to the coast route. Drive up Hwy 1 through the Big Sur etc. I would then return via 101 through Salinas ( watch those pesticide laden heads of lettuce ) down through San Luis Obispo. Unless you are in an extreme hurry, this is a much better route than I-5.

Another reason for staying off I5 that local centrals know of: Extremely high speed mixed with occasional belts of fog make the road occasionally dangerous. Use radar devices between Bakersfield +/- and Patterson if going I-5 in daytime. The only scenery in this area is the aquaduct and occasional gold courses and the lovely (I think) patchwork of farms. Pilots will know what I mean. Most prefer the oceanic scenery of the coastal route, Hearst Castle, Solvang, etc.

Gee wiz...it took three times to get this to post and then I read GOLD courses. It should make sense if you read GOLF courses. Sorry.

dear miffed: Just because I like eating beef doesn't mean I have to visit a feed lot or slaughter house. So it stands to reason that just because I like eating almonds, oranges, and veggies, doesn't mean I have to tour the pesticide fields. Right?

To the bickerers: Please, can't we all just get along? I appreciate that you two have your differences, but you're raining on my parade! Thank you for the California trip suggestions; unfortunately the remainder of your banter has not been as helpful. (Please don't yell at me...) And to everyone...thanks for the great suggestions. Bummer about Rte. 1! Well, I'll just have to see Big Sur next time. We'll drive up to Hearst Castle, then backtrack to 101 and take that to Monterey. Our time to travel has been shortened, so we cannot see quite as much anyway. Can't wait to see coast, seals, whales, Alcatraz, cliffs, missions, cablecars, wineries, spas, yeah!!! Leaving tomorrow AM. That is if this Chicago storm doesn't cancel all flights...

Dear Amy: I often get people who insist on answering eachother's response rather than the initial question. The name calling just doesn't help the trip decisions I am trying to decide upon. Hope your California trip is a great adventure.

Dear Amy: Don't give up all hope for Big Sur. While it is true that Hwy 1 is still closed (due to a washout near Limekiln), you can reach the prettiest part of the coast (Point Lobos, Big Sur itself) by driving south from Carmel. There's a construction delay between Carmel and Big Sur, but it's on one of the prettier parts of the coast--I'd look at it as a photo-op. I'd drive south from Carmel (or Monterey), stop at Point Lobos and walk around to see the spectacularly grotesque Monterey cypresses and, perhaps, watch sea otters float just offshore. Then I’d continue south to Big Sur, walk in the redwood groves bordering the river, before continuing to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, to take the short trail to the waterfall that plunges off the cliffs directly into the ocean. On my way back, I’d stop at the Henry Miller Library, and have lunch at Nepenthe. It’s pricey, but the view down the coast from the restaurant’s terrace is unbeatable! After that I’d drive slowly up the coast, stopping here and there to take short walks (and lots of photos). This should get you back to Carmel or Monterey in time for dinner.