West Coast - 12 days
 

Hi Fodors,

I am travelling from Sydney to the west coast in May 2014 with my husband and some friends for my husbands 40th.

We fly into and out of LA with 12 days on the ground.

We want to go up the coast road towards Big Sur, Monterey, head into Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Napa, San Fran and fly back to LA. Too much?? We are all pretty active and want to be able to relax and not be in the car too much. I'd love to hike and swim as much as we can. I really want to do a mix of accommodation levels, average and splurge here and there along the way. Any stand out places we need to stay at or things we just can't miss out on. I've done LA before and not really fussed about hanging there I'd rather get straight on the road.

Looking forward on your tips on planning our trip.

many thanks in advance!

It is always better to have more time than less, but you have enough time to accomplish this trip in twelve days.

I would do a counter-clockwise loop, starting in Yosemite NP. From there I would go to Lake Tahoe over Tioga Pass and, if the pass is not yet open, I would go there via Highway 49 and the historic towns of the Great California Gold Rush.

From Tahoe I would to the Napa and Sonoma Valleys or I would visit those districts as day trips from San Francisco.

Driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles, I would stay on scenic Highway 1 to the greatest extent possible. Thus, I would drive to Monterey through Half Moon Bay. There is much to see along this drive including wine districts (such as Paso Robles and Santa Barabra), cities (San Luis Obispo, Carmel by the Sea), Spanish missions, and the Hearst Castle (Cambria).

HTtY

That would be a great itinerary!

I think you have enough time to do everything you want in the 12 days. It's not a huge geographic area you're wanting to cover.

Totally doable. What you want to do is book your Yosemite accommodations first. Yosemite Lodge is the sort of middle of the road hotel. Between the expensive Ahwahnee and the basic motel/cabins at Curry village/Camp Curry.

Yosemite books up very far in advance - so get those rooms nailed down first and then arrange the rest of the itinerary accordingly.

Agree with janisj, start booking your Yosemite lodging now, it books up to a year in advance and plan the rest around your stay there. I might drop Napa or Sonoma, the tasting fees have gotten outrageous, and visit some of the wineries around Paso Robles (inland from Cambria on Hwy 46) or Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara.

Thanks everyone. I have read a few forums on here about getting onto Yosemite quick smart, I think the lodge will be perfect Ahwahnee was $$$.

I'm VERY excited.

I respectfully disagree. You have chosen an aggressive schedule for not wanting to be in the car too much. As it is now, you will be in the car driving 5 out of the 12 days. Adding in checking in and out of lodgings, that really only gives you one day at most of the locations to see the sights. You have chosen a wonderful itinerary, the highlights of Central California, but it will be fast paced. Any chance you could fly in/out of SF, since you aren't in to seeing LA? Everything is closer to SF than LA. Here's my suggestion:

Day 1: Drive from SF to Monterey
Day 2: Monterey, Big Sur, Carmel
Day 3: Drive to Yosemite
Day 4: Yosemite
Day 5: Yosemite
Day 6: Drive to Lake Tahoe
Day 7: Lake Tahoe
Day 8: Lake Tahoe
Day 9: Drive to SF
Day 10: SF
Day 11: Day trip to Napa
Day 12: SF

Not sure if day 1 and 12 were arrival and departure days.

I like the San Francisco loop plan except that it take into account the OPs states: <i>We want to go up the coast road towards Big Sur.</i>

HTtY

I like the San Francisco loop plan except that it doesn't take into account that the OP states: <i>We want to go up the coast road towards Big Sur.</i>

HTtY

I'm the first to yell when someone asks about a crazy/hectic dash around itinerary.

This one isn't. Is it busy - yes. But it certainly isn't an 'if this is Tuesday it must be Belgium' crazy plan like we often see. I think this is totally doable.

Or, take advice from gabrielle4cb and HTTY both - fly into LA then book an inexpensive domestic flight one way (think Southwest) from LA to SF, start off the trip in the bay area, or the wine country, make your way to Tahoe, Yosemite and ultimately over to the coast for the drive south and fly back out of LA.

The reverse works too. Fly into LA, drive up the coast hitting SB, SLO, Big Sur, Carmel and other great coastal towns on the drive north, then SF or head over to Yosemite etc, returning to SF and take a one-way back to LA before flying home.

All depends on the timing of the Yosemite lodging.

POison: "<i>Or, take advice from gabrielle4cb and HTTY both - fly into LA then book an inexpensive domestic flight one way . . .</i>"

The OP always planned on flying one way . . .