Travel to San Francisco nearby, drive on Hwy 1 or Yosemite?
 

I am going to San Francisco in March, and I will rent a car. So here I got several plans for the nearby area of San Francisco: Yosemite or the part of Hwy 1 close to San Francisco, probably from San Francisco to Monterrey, and then drive back.

Which one is more interesting? Need some advice.

Both are interesting. It depends on whether you want to see snow and possibly drive in snow in Yosemite or head down the coast and not see snow but have a cold wind blowing off the ocean. Any chance you can delay the trip for a couple of months?

I would stick close to San Francisco in March. You never know what the weather will be like in Yosemite then. In early April a few years ago, we drove to the Gold Country & stayed overnight before we planned to head into Yosemite Valley. It snowed that night and the road we would have to take was closed.

The San Mateo Coast can be quite nice in March. It is right now!!!. However, that's only a 1 1/2 - 2 hr trip to Santa Cruz & back. You might instead head south on Hwy 35/Skyline Blvd through the redwoods to Hwy 17 - then 17 to Santa Cruz & up Hwy 1 to SF.

Heading north in March on Hwy 1 will lessen the sun being in your face.

Stu Dudley

PS

DO NOT miss a guided tour of the Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo along the San Mateo Coast. It is very popular, so book now!!!

Stu Dudley

We did the elephant seal walk a couple of winters ago, and it is soooo interesting.

Thanks for the replies, I guess I will choose to rent a car and take a road trip for Hwy 1 from San Francisco to Morro Bay, so except Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo, any other attraction cannot miss during this road trip?

Yeah. Don't miss Hearst Castle.

http://www.hearstcastle.org/

To the east of US 101 opposite Ano Nuevo is Butano SP with some large Coast Redwoods.
Just north of Ano Nuevo is Pigeon Point Lighthouse. I like the HI Hostel there.

Thank you guys! I heard a lot of attractions are from Monterey to San Luis Obispo, any suggestion?

>>I heard a lot of attractions are from Monterey to San Luis Obispo, any suggestion?<<

Just a few A++ attractions:

Pacific Grove
Spanish Bay
Carmel
Pt Lobos
Bixby Bridge
CA Hwy #1 - our favorite coastal drive in the world
Big Sur
Pfeiffer State park
Pfeiffer Beach
Nepenthe
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Hearst Castle
Cambria

And a dozen or so access paths to the fantastic coast

Stu Dudley

another interesting thing is to stop and visit one of the California missions...I think the one in Carmel is very pretty. There is also one in San Luis Obispo. They are an important part of California's history, for better or worse.

<i>I think the one in Carmel is very pretty.</i>

It is, but currently undergoing renovations, so a lot of construction (tarps, scaffolding) obscuring parts of the exterior.

@ Gardyloo...that's good to know. I looked at the website but it didn't mention any renovations going on.

If going all the way to Morro Bay, skip the elephant seals at Año Nuevo, where we were not allowed more than 100 yards from the seals. There is a better view of the seals on a beach just north of Hearst Castle.

<i>There is a better view of the seals on a beach just north of Hearst Castle.</i>

Ten days ago or so at that site:

www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8444694219
www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8398323255
www.flickr.com/photos/58865367@N06/8399408100

The "beach just north of Hearst Castle" is the location of the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery. See:

http://www.elephantseal.org/

Thanks everyone! I already made the plan, I will stop at Monterey for a night, and take one day to drive south,stop for a night, and return to San Francisco on third day.

So I am not sure which place I should stay for the second night, possible place could be area around Cambria,Morro Bay, or San Luis Obispo, any recommendations?

Cambria is very nice, you can visit Hearst Castle or see some of the wineries in nearby Paso Robles (take Hwy. 46).