My husband and I are contemplating a trip through California. We will be focusing on the natural beauty of California. What are your top 3, 5 or even 10 favorite scenic places? I'm in the very beginning phases of planning but was thinking about coastal drives, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the Redwoods.

What would your favorite time of the year be to go? I was thinking September?

Very open to your opinions... Thanks.

I am really not familiar with southern California (which for me is anything south of Big Sur!), but in no particular order, my top 3 on the Central Coast and in northern CA are: Point Lobos in Carmel; the San Francisco Bay, including the GG Bridge and views of SF from Marin; Yosemite. In addition, the drive to the Monterey Bay area from SF along Route 1 is a must, and the drive further south through Big Sur--I just can't pick specific spots along the way, it's all gorgeous. Oh, and Mount Tamalpais (often called simply Mount Tam) outside SF. See, it's hard to name only a few in CA!

California is a gorgeous state. I grew up there and we camped all over it. Hard to go wrong, I think.

September is generally a very good time to visit California, particularly along the coast as the fog will have left by then.

Yosemite Falls will be close to dry at that time of the year.

My top 5 are:

-Yosemite, but particluarly the Tuolumne Meadows area and the surrounding High Sierra. Becasue of the high elevation this area is accessible usually from early/mid June through mid/late September depending upon snow levels.

-Point Reyes National Seashore and the surounding area.

-The Sonoma/Mendocino County coastline from Jenner north to Mendocino.

-Death Valley, but spring is really the best time to see it.

-The coast from Monterey south to Big Sur and beyond to around San Simeon.

-Lassen National Park

Of course the San Fran area including Napa is gorgeous.

I stayed in Santa Barbara last summer and thought it was also one of the most beautiful spots in CA.

There are several wineries in the area (the movie Sideways was filmed there). There are beautiful missions and other gorgeous architectural highlights.

And, it is right on the ocean.

Ooh, and Joshua Tree!

*Big Sur area

*Point Lobos (Hwy 1 near Carmel

*Marin Headlands (the view of the ocean and looking back toward GG Bridge and SF

*Mendocino

* Avenue of the Giants (the Redwoods) - the experience of walking among those trees is exhillerating

* Driving north on Hwy 29 through the Napa Valley (I live here and this drive never fails to please me)

* any of the mountain passes over the Sierras (hwy 88, 4, 108, or Tioga Pass)

*Highway 395 on the Eastern side of the Sierras

*the drive from 395 through Lake Isabella (can't think of the highway name) and through the southern edge of Kings/Sequoia toward Bakersfield, but turn off on a highway that goes along the rolling foothills

* Death Valley, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite

* Highway 49 from Auburn to Downieville and beyond

Yosemite: Tunnel View, Glacier Point,
Tuolumne Meadows/Tenaya Lake/High Sierra

San Diego: Cabrillo National Monument

Big Sur


As others have said, there are really too many.

#1 Yosemite National Park even if the falls are dry in September.

#2 The coastal drive between Half Moon bay and Santa Cruz.

#3 Lake Tahoe

#4 Sequioa-Kings Canyon National Park

#5 Lassen National Park

I know someone mentioned Death Valley..but I don't think I'd go there in September because of the heat.

I also see someone mentioned Hwy 395. You will see fall colors back there in late Sept. early Oct.

Utahtea (but I live in California!)

Sonoma Valley, Anderson Valley, Mendocino

Mendocino

Mendocino

Marin Headlands

Yosemite - valley view and glacier point view.

San Francisco from Twin Peaks.

Sequoia NP - all of it!

We went from San Francisco up to Muir Woods then along the coast to Stinson Beach. VERY beautiful and laid back. We also loved Yosemite and Napa. But we thought this area was a little less touristy.

I did the Muir Woods, Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area last summer and agree that's a great area. I also like driving further north: Jenner, Sea Ranch and Mendocino. I really like the scenery driving south on Highway 1 from Moss Landing (lunch at Phil's!) on the approach to Monterey. Agree with beauty of Point Lobos and Big Sur. I love Yosemite in late Spring to June. Found it's still pretty in September, though not as dramatic. Loved my stay in South Lake Tahoe (Nevada side) in September a few years ago.

Hidden secret in Extreme Northern Cal is The Trinity Alps with lovely lakes, streams, remote mountain vistas, picturesque villages such as Weaverville, Lewiston Etc.

California (or Kalyfornya) is a very scenic state and September is a great month to see it.

There are beautiful places on the coast, in the mountains, and in the desert. In fact, there are national parks in all three.

If you haven't been here before, I would suggest seeing the best of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Coast. You could do this in a week or 10 day trip easily but two weeks would be better.

Yosemite is where I would start and then drive over Tioga to Hwy 395, head up to Tahoe (stopping at Bodie and Mono Lake along the way). After Tahoe, head down to Nevada City/Grass Valley area and see some of the mining towns in the area.

Then, drive to San Francisco if you haven't seen it and then go on to Monterey/Carmel and Big Sur. Or, you could go north and drive to Mendocino on Hwy 1. The North Coast is usually less crowded than the Central Coast but both have their scenic beauties and quaint coastal towns. We who live here are fortunate to have both within easy driving distance.

If you have more time, you could add on Sequoia National Park, Santa Barbara, the Humboldt Redwoods or Napa/Sonoma. There are many superb places to visit. What I outlined above would be my recommendation for first timers.

And then there is Southern California. That's a different animal (it should be a different state) and September may not be the best month to visit. I prefer the Spring (or winter).

How much time do you have?

For two weeks, I'd do a coastal drive from San Francisco Bay Area down to San Diego.

You could conceivably extend this trip by either going north to Sonoma, Pt Reyes or going east to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.

I wouldn't try to do more than that because there is just too much to see.

It's like trying to do all of Italy in two weeks. You just have to be selective.

I love the Mendocino coast and Avenue of the Giants, but don't believe you could fit that in in a two week trip and do justice to the rest of the sites/sights.

Definitely avoid Death Valley in September!

Yosemite has beautiful scenery.

My favorite spot along the Calif. coast is Julia Pfieffer Burns SP. There is a very short trail to a very pretty waterfall that falls into the ocean.

Glacier Point, Yosemite.

My favorite time in most California locations has to be late April to early May just before the summer tourism season hits. The weather is beautiful, flowers in bloom, waterfalls at their peak, etc. If you do decide to visit in September, just try to avoid Labor Day weekend as that is always one of the busiest times of the year in terms of crowds of people.

One of the routes I usually recommend is to go through Sequoia on your way to Yosemite, then from there travel west to San Francisco (with a possible side trip to Napa) and take the coastal route down Hwy 1 to the southern California area. That gives you a chance to see a lot of what California has to offer without taking you too far out of your way. Wherever you decide to visit I hope you and your husband have an amazing trip!