Hello,
Any input on schedule below
August 4 Arive in Oakland
August 5 Bus to Yosemite, stay 3nights
August 8 San Francisco stay 3 nights
Then I have 3 days open before heading back to Oakland Airport on the 14th.
Any input to fill in the 11-13th.
I cannot change the SF dates ( free stay).
Thanks for any input on my 3 days free. Monterey, Carmel, or maybe Sonoma

Either of these areas would be nice,it just depends on what you prefer to do. My preference would be with the Carmel/Big Sur area since I am an ocean lover and I have found this area to be what I think is the most beautiful part of the country.

Monterey and Carmel are nice and a beautiful area, but I'm not sure you would find enough to do to fill 3 days. It really depends on what you like to do--I enjoyed the Point Lobos State Reserve, slightly south of Carmel.

I'd also choose the Monterey Bay area. I think there is plenty to keep you busy for 3 days - Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz mountains.

Kat22, I would love to know what bus will take you from Oakland to Yosemite. I'm thinking of going next year for several days and looking into public transportation.

Definitely do Monterey and Carmel. The area is so nice. I would also recommend a day in the San Jose area on the way to Monterey. There are a number of great museums, restaurants, shopping, etc. Some of the intersting things to see would be the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Tech Museum, and Winchester Mystery House. For a unique shopping experience, Santana Row, about a block from the Winchester House, is really nice. It is like shopping in a European village. Nearby Big Basin is an nice place to see the coastal redwoods. From SF take the 280, which is a scenic freeway, and stop in Woodside for a tour of the Filoli Estate. Reservations are recommended. From SJ the most scenic route to Monterey is highway 17 to route 1. Big Basin is just outside of San Jose on the way to Monterey. In Monterey/Carmel some of the must sees include the aquarium, Fisherman's Wharf, and 17 Mile Drive. Point Lobos Reserve located south of Carmel is a very scenic area. The downtown Carmel area around Ocean Avenue has lots of cafes, galleries, and boutiques.

http://www.filoli.org/

http://sanjose.org/index.cfm

http://bigbasin.org/

http://www.monterey.com/

Kat22-check out taking Amtrak from Emeryville to Merced with a shuttle bus then to the valley floor. It's a great way to see the scenery. I'd also recommend Monterey and three days can easily be filled.

Thank you everyone for your response.Great Suggestions. For the person asking about my transportation. I plan to take the amtrak, then a bus into Yosemite. Then shuttle around when I am there. I am trying to avoid renting a car until I leave Yosemite.
Thanks everybody