Hi, could you give me your comments on anything you feel needs changing? Unfortunately, as much as I would like to spend more time at Yosemite, I am not going to be able to and I really want to go, so we are going to leave SF about 5.30-6.00 in the morning and get back late.
Thanks

Day 1 - Cable Car (Powell-Hyde line), Chinatown, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf

Day 2 - Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Marina, Nob Hill, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, North Beach

Day 3 - Muir Wood (to see redwoods), Point Reyes

Day 4 - Yosemite day trip

Looks good, we were there last summer and did pretty much the same things. We hiked in Muir woods and drove through Yosemite and did a short hike in the high country. The main basin was pretty crowded.Point Reyes was empty and beautiful.

Your Yosemite day is a total waste of a day! You will drive a minimum of 4 hours each way and the drive will not really be very scenic. Then you will not have enough time to see more than you can see in photos and another 4 hour drive back. You don't say when you're travelling. If it's in the middle of summer you will find big crowds when you get there.

I'm a fan of cramming a lot into a day but this is really not a good choice. Take a day trip up to Healdsburg instead, or drive along the coast to Half Moon Bay. You will enjoy your vacation so much more. Come back and see Yosemite when you can dedicate your entire trip to Yosemite.

Another suggestion, take a ferry out to Angel Island and have a picnic and hike. You will have a lovely, relaxing day.

Day 4 could be a day-trip to Sonoma to take in lunch and a little wine tasting.

Another thought:
I would travel to Yosemite on day 3, and stay one night. There are big trees in the Mariposa grove IN Yosemite.

Sallykate:

I agree with Grasshopper. We went for one day to Yosmite. Although the scenery was awsome, we did not do Yosmite justice. The day was very very long!, we drove to all the 'must see's and we drove back The ride home seemed to go on forever. It was also in the offseason, which made the park more accessable. I would never try that in the peak summer seasons
JOHN

I'd agree that a day trip to Yosemite isn't worthwhile. Either take Elberko's advice a spend the night (if seeing the Valley is a MUST), or better yet save it for a future trip when you can spend a few days and really do it justice.

Sonoma, or a drive up the Marin coast would be a better use of your limited time. That said, your other days sound enjoyable.

Do you think we will be better going to Monteray for the day instead?

I would choose a day trip to Monterey over a day trip to Yosemite. The drive to Monterey should only be about 2 to 2 1/2 hours each way. If you can do it during the week rather than on the weekend you will not run into much traffic getting over to the coast.

I know it has been debated on this site, but a day trip to Monterey is do-able; I make this trip often (family in Carmel). I take 280 to 101 to 156 to 1, and it usually takes about 2 hours. Your mileage may vary!

BTW if you're already crossing the GG Bridge, take a few minutes to drive up to the Marin Headlands in GG Nat'l Rec. Area and check out the spectacular view. Take the first Sausalito exit after crossing bridge northbound; Headlands are on the other side, and there are easy pullouts on the side of the road. You can do this in just a few minutes if you wish, or spend more time exploring.

Have fun!

I guess I'm the lone voice out. I think a day trip to Yosemite is totally doable.

I would probably rearrange day 2 & day 3 though, so that you walk SF for a day, drive up to Point Reyes the next, walk SF a day, drive up to the sierras the next.

If it were me, I'd have an early night in on Day 3, get up as early as possible, and just do it. Driving out early has the additional bonus of shortening the drive time because you don't have to deal with traffic. The earlier you go, the less traffic there is. It usually takes me about 3 hours with 1 gas stop each way, going out on Highway 120.

Conceivably, you could arrive between 8-9 in the morning, stay all day, leave between 7-8 pm and be back around 11. That gives you almost 12 hours in the park.

Whoever drives in the morning gets to sleep on the way home?

When you visit Golden Gate Park, don't miss the Japanese Tea Garden - spectacular.

3-3.5 hours each way without traffic from SF to Monterey? Taking which route?

I live in San Jose and on 280 it takes about an hour to get into SF without traffic, depending on where in SF I am going. Going south from San Jose to Monterey using highways 101,156 and 1 it takes about an hour, maybe a little longer.

Hi SallyKate. Your post reminded me of all the planning I did last year when my husband and I went to SF in May. I originally planned for us to be there 4 days and changed it to 6 days when I realized just how much there is to do. We still didn't get everything in and didn't even attempt to go to Yosemite. Here is the itinerary I came up with for us:

1st day: Arrived noon, checked in (we stayed in FW), had lunch, hung around FW, saw sea lions (they're really interesting), went to Rose Pistola's for appetizers.

2nd day: Took Tower Tours Deluxe City Tour (3.5 hours) (I found this one seemed to cover more), later went to Ghiardelli Sq. and had dinner at Scoma's.

3rd day: Gray Line tour of Muir Woods and Sausalito (you gotta see Sausalito, we loved it). We took a ferry back to SF.

4th day: Rented a car and drove to Carmel and Monterrey. I think I remember it taking us 2 hrs each way. The drive along the coast is breathtaking. We did the 17-mile drive thing too. I wish we had spent more time in Carmel. We made the mistake of going to the Monterrey aquarium. To me it wasn't anything special since I've been to aquariums before and I wouldn't recommend it unless you just want to. Passed up Big Sur (I now wish we had gone).

5th day: Drove our rental car to Sonoma/Napa Valley. We planned to head over to Santa Barbara and Bodega Bay, but last minute decided to go back to SF.

6th day: Alcatraz tour, then rode trolley cars and walked around the City, Union Square, Financial District, Chinatown and North Beach. That evening we had dinner at a cute little place in North Beach called Cafe Delucchi, which was very good.

Our days, whether it seems like it or not, were always filled. If I were you, I'd either do Muir Woods or Yosemite, but not both. There is just so much to see in the SF area. I don't know where you're staying, but we stayed in FW. If I go back, there's an adorable, reasonable hotel in Union Square called The Orchard Hotel that we'll stay at.