My husband and I are looking to combine a two day getaway for ourselves with a trip to see family in San Francisco next week, 2/18-20. We don't want to spend the whole two days driving. We're from NY and would love to enjoy some more moderate temperatures than all the snow we've been having! We're considering heading to Carmel or possibly the Sonoma Coast. Will fog be a big part of the day if we stay on the water at this time of year?
We want to "do it up" with an oceanview room, spa treatments, and fine dining. A fireplace would be nice too. We've considered the Marina Bay in Marina near Monterey, or possibly the Bodega Bay. Any advice? Thanks.

Sorry, I meant the Marina Dunes in Marina!

bluesky, Check out the Bodega Bay Lodge. It might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Plus it's a pretty drive to the Russian River and Dry Creek Wineries from there. Fog is generally more of a late spring/early summer thing on the coast. But we are having rain right now. Good luck!

If you are looking for 'Quiet" type area, Bodega is the place..very small --but cute--I go there about once a month year around just to walk the beach,have clam chowder and relax.
Weather this time of year won't be much different than Monterey area.Also you could stay in the Santa Rosa area or Healdsburg, where wineries abound,and go to
Bodega for the day. SR and Healdsburg are aout one hour from SF. and to Bodega is another 30 min.
I like Monterey but for relaxing the above areas are the best..

I would choose Carmel over Bodega Bay. The coastal beauty of the Monterey Bay Area can't be beat. There is more to do in the Monterey and Carmel areas than in Bodega Bay. I always like strolling the quaint streets of Carmel and stopping in the shops and sidewalk cafes.

Bodega Bay is closer to SF than Monterey. As mentioned the Bodega Bay Lodge and Spa might fit the bill. In close proximity (I think maybe a 15 minute drive tops) from Bodega Bay is "Osmosis" . Check them out on-line.

Bodega Bay may be a bit closer to SF than Carmel, but for a relaxing and scenic day trip from SF, I would choose Carmel, especially for a 2 day getaway. After the first day it will get kind of boring in Bodega Bay.

I think you submitted earlier regarding Spas in Carmel/Monterey. The Monterey Plaza hotel in Monterey probably has winter rates. I think it might be a bit less than the Bodega Lodge and Spa. The drive times to Monterey will be 21/2-3 hours from SF depending on how bad things are when you pass through San Jose while to Bodega maybe l 1/2-3/4 hours even with bad traffic.

I spent a weekend at the Bodega Bay Lodge. http://www.woodsidehotels.com/bodega/bodega_home.htm

Rooms have fireplaces and balconies. The Duck Club has great food. Very relaxing and plenty to do in the area for a couple of days.

PamSF,

Thanks for your input. I do question why you are trying to direct bluesky to Bodega Bay? Traffic to Bodega Bay can also be hectic during the afternoon commute. As long as bluesky is not traveling during the morning or afternoon commute, the drive to Monterey should not be that bad. Since bluesky has 2 days for this getaway, I do not think than spending a hour more or less driving is going to make much difference. Any way, the vistas in Monterey and Carmel are well worth it.

I have been to Bodega Bay before, and although it is not a bad place to see, it certainly does not compare with the beauty of Monterey. In addition to the beauty of the Monterey Bay, there are many great wineries in the area as well.

Acutally..I was not directing her one way or the other..just replying about driving time. If driving time is not the issue then I would probably vote for Monterey.

Would recommend Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove over Bodega Bay, both for natural beauty and the wider variety of activities. Also, it can be foggy wherever you go this time of year, but when the weather is bad in Bodega, there's not so much to do. Having said that, you can't go wrong in either of these areas (just personal preference).

FYI when my company has team-building events and corporate activities, they are often held at the Bodega Bay Lodge -- I think of it as being more corporate than romantic.

I grew up in Carmel, and when I return I like to stay at the Monterey Plaza; their oceanfront rooms are really great, and the hotel is well-located. The restaurant is also very good.

From SF it is not likely to take more than 2.5 hours to get to Carmel, and if traffic good may actually be closer to 2.

Have fun!

Thanks so much for all this input! I will check out the places you all have mentioned. One place I saw online that looked really interesting was Marina Dunes in Marina, about 10 minutes from Monterey.
Has anyone been there? No whirlpool tubs in the rooms, but other than that it looks really nice. I'd appreciate any feedback on it. Thanks again! Looking forward to leaving all this snow for a week!

Looked at the Marina Dunes website, but couldn't really figure out where the property is located exactly.

Regardless, Marina would not be my first choice for a stay; I find it to be fairly bleak.

Does anyone else know anything about this property?

I recently visited the rooms at Marina Dunes and I live nearby. The rooms and service are really lovely, very classy. My friend needed a golf cart to access her room, (their parking plan) which was provided for her. That was novel. If you stay there, get a room with a hot tub, that is OUTSIDE and overlooks the dunes. The view is starkly sand dunes. The community near the Dunes is disappointing to me. It is near Marina, the town, which is not one of the nicer areas in Monterey County, but the hotel itself is separated by sand dunes and rooms face into the ocean. My friends room was one of the better rooms in the hotel (based on cost) with a lot of privacy and lovely view of sand dunes and ocean and ocean sounds. It is actually in the bay, not really ocean side. The restaurant at the Marina Dunes is "Western" in nature and altho very good steaks, it is not what I would call "fine dining".

I would prefer, myself, to stay in Carmel or Monterey as location is everything to me and I would like being within a walk of charming bakeries, restaurants and cute shops, amidst the beauty of the lushness of the Cypress trees, pines, and gorgeous flowers.
It sounds as though you might prefer a spa type resort. Spanish Bay is a much talked about hotel/resort here and altho I don't believe it is in Carmel, it is in Montery and has oceanviews and I'm fairly sure they have a spa, and excellent dining. The ocean here is more dramatic, not protected by the bay. Quite beautiful in my opinion. If you've never been to Monterey/Carmel area, you will not be disappointed with it's beauty.

Closer to SF is the wine country, which can be at it's lovliest this time of year as well. About 30-45 minutes from San Francisco, they have wonderful spa's and dining. Expect valley type views, but there is always a risk here of flooding during heavy rains, which they are more likely to get that in the Monterey peninsula.

I spent last weekend in San Francisco and find this time of year there to be absolutely beautiful, with crisp cool air 60's and gorgeous sunny skies and generally no fog. Fog is more likely in the summer along the coast.
The weather right now is overcast but we have had some really beautiful sunny days these past few weeks and with just a little luck you will have BEAUTIFUL weather.