Question for the West Coast ladies or travelers

ktwed09 · November 2011

Has anybody done the drive up the PCH from San Diego to San Francisco? Any recommendations for towns we absolutely need to stop in or stay in? We finally decided our big trip next summer will be 14 days in CA. Here's a sample itinerary I'm working on, let me know if you have any thoughts! Thanks!

Day 1: Arrive in San Diego

Days 2-3: Explore San Diego and maybe Coronado

Day 4: Start the drive up the PCH from San Diego to Santa Barbara, stopping along the way (so far looking into Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach, Malibu and Santa Monica, I know we probably won't have time to stop in all of those)

Day 5: Drive from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo. Visit Pismo beach, Morro Bay, etc... along the way.

Day 6: Drive from SLO to Monterey/Carmel (any thoughts on which one to stay in?), driving through Big Sur on the way. Spend 2 nights in the area (Cannery Row, aquarium, wine tasting, kayaking, 17 mile drive, etc...).

Day 8: Drive from Caramel/Monterey to Yosemite. Spend 3 nights.

Day 11: Drive from Yosemite to San Francisco. Spend final 3.5 days exploring SF, and maybe a day trip to Napa/Sonoma.

CurlyGirlyGirl · November 2011

ktwed09:
Has anybody done the drive up the PCH from San Diego to San Francisco? Any recommendations for towns we absolutely need to stop in or stay in? We finally decided our big trip next summer will be 14 days in CA. Here's a sample itinerary I'm working on, let me know if you have any thoughts! Thanks!
Day 1: Arrive in San Diego
Days 2-3: Explore San Diego and maybe Coronado: Sorry, not much of an expert on San Diego...
Day 4: Start the drive up the PCH from San Diego to Santa Barbara, stopping along the way (so far looking into Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach, Malibu and Santa Monica, I know we probably won't have time to stop in all of those): If you just have one day for this huge drive I would probably skip Encinitas, Del Mar, SJC and stop in Santa Monica for lunch somewhere by 3rd street or Venice Beach. Quite honestly, it's a lot to pack in. Are you set on starting in San Diego? If you fly into LAX and drive up to Santa Barbara that day it will afford you the opportunity to stop at many (imo) more breathtaking sites.
Day 5: Drive from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo. Visit Pismo beach, Morro Bay, etc... along the way. Take highway 246 from Santa Barbara. If you're hungry check out the Cold Springs Tavern. We love stopping there - it was a stop over 150 years ago on the stagecoach trail and they have a tri tip bbq lunch outdoors on the weekends. All the bikers in the area stop there. It was featured on the Best Thing I Ever Ate - Kat Kora loves their sammies. We usually eat inside as you can get a table by yourselves this way and it's fairly inexpensive eating for the area. They have regular fare as well as buffalo burgers, vennison, etc.
Stop in Solvang to walk around. Get an ice cream! There's also great wine tasting in Santa Ynez. We're members at Bridlewood and also Kalyra (which is one of the wineries featured in Sideways...where he meets Sandra Oh). Wine tasting is fairly inexpensive and it's beautiful out there! On your way up to SLO stop at the Madonna Inn for a restroom break. Go inside the main entrance and go down the stairs to the restrooms. After DH uses the restroom, have him check to see if the coast is clear and sneak inside for a look
Day 6: Drive from SLO to Monterey/Carmel (any thoughts on which one to stay in?), driving through Big Sur on the way. Spend 2 nights in the area (Cannery Row, aquarium, wine tasting, kayaking, 17 mile drive, etc...). Schedule a tour at Hearst Castle. After you leave, cut over to the 101 freeway instead of taking the highway along the coast. I get sick every time as the road winds like crazy!
We stay right outside of Monterey at a fabulous Embassy Suites. They offer free fully cooked breakfast and happy hour each night! I don't like to stay in Carmel as the rooms are really old and dated, and you can usually hear the neighbor next door... Do walk along the wharf and sample the clam chowder in Monterey. You can't go wrong with lunch or dinner at the Old Fisherman's Grotto (sign up for coupons online). We eat there every time we go up to Monterey. It's fun walking around at the shops down by the Aquarium, which is also very nice. Go to carmel the 2nd day and get breakfast in Carmel. Walk around the shops in the morning. There are some really unique places in this quaint town. Clint Eastwood used to own a place called the Hog's Breath, but I don't know if he still owns it or not. Check out the Thomas Kinkade gallery too. Most of the goods in this city are really overpriced but it's fun to walk around. Make sure you bring pants and a sweatshirt as it can get "cold" per California girl standards.
Wait until later in the day to go on the 17 mile drive in Carmel, and hopefully the weather will clear up some (it's usually overcast here). This is a MUST see. You'll want to eat before you go. There's a small donation requested at the entrance. This is actually a residential area with breathtaking views, homes, greenery, etc. DH and I took photos at every single stop when we were engaged and took photos for our table numbers at the wedding. We actually did the drive twice as I didn't know which outfit I wanted to wear...bless him Allow a few hours for this drive. You can also stop at Pebble Beach for some fabulous cocktails if you'd like!
Day 8: Drive from Caramel/Monterey to Yosemite. Spend 3 nights. This pathetic California girl has never been to Yosemite. Every time we think about going, the lodges are booked for the season. You'll need to watch for the opening date for reservations and book that first date if you want to get a good spot!
Day 11: Drive from Yosemite to San Francisco. Spend final 3.5 days exploring SF, and maybe a day trip to Napa/Sonoma. I've been to SF 2 times this year. It's a neat city, but there are definitely some sketchy parts (as with any other large city I suppose). I love staying near Union Square as there are lots of great restaurants and shops nearby. Don't stay near Fisherman's wharf - it was once where it was at in its day, but it's really run down now. Go for drinks at Top of the Mark. Get a sundae at Ghiradelli Square. Drive down Lombard Street. Walk around the shops at Pier 39 and watch the Sea Lions. Some people say that Pier 39 isn't "true SF" but I was wish my mom and I wanted to make sure we were safe at night...we would take a taxi straight from the hotel and there were lots of restaurants to choose from there. Get bread/sammies at Boudin - you won't be sorry. They have the best sourdough EVER. Take a tour of Alcatraz (book before you leave for your trip) and you can even bike across the golden gate bridge! We were fortunate enough to cruise under the bridge last summer on our way to ALaska and it was one of those moments that gave me chills! Tons of people were walking and biking along the bridge at the time and they were waving like crazy!
I've never been to Napa/Sonoma as we just go to Santa Ynez since we have so many options close to home. It's definitely more expensive than Santa Ynez. If you just want the wine tasting experience, perhaps you could look into staying a night in SY and take your time there instead or stay an extra night down by LAX, such as Santa Monica. If you want to do Napa, I hear that dinner at French Laundry is where it's at but definitely make sure your wallet isn't empty!
This is a fabulous trip and you won't regret it! Lemme know if you have more questions!

crystalangel79 · November 2011

Okay... where do I start.

San Diego... San Diego is awesome. The best weather, imo... if you're planning a day to just lay on the beach, Southern Cal is the place to do it... the central and northern coast can be quite chilly even in the summer... once you pass Santa Barbara, keep a sweater in the car. Anyway, in San Diego, there are the typical tourist sites like Sea World, Old Town, Coronado (which is awesome by the way). Also, if you're in the area, check out Paradise Point Resort... breathtaking views. If you eat at their bar/grill, sit on the patio for an AMAZING view... totally where I'd want a wedding if I could afford it, lol. Anyway... You can see San Diego in a day. If you're looking for nightlife while you're there... hit up the Gaslamp District... it's fun down there.

Quickly before I forget... I absolutely second Michelle's recommendations to skip Encinitas and go straight to Santa Monica/Malibu. It's about an hour and a half drive or so from SD to SM... go to the pier, ride the ferris wheel and all that.... there's a couple of fun restaurants out there on the pier... If you want a more "look at crazy people and beachside shops (more like holes in the wall)," go to Venice. I lived there for two years... not my fave in Cali though... If along the way from SD to SM you want to just make a beautiful stop, hit up Laguna Beach, it's absolutely one of my favorite So Cal beaches and very romantic... stop at Las Brisas to eat nachos on their patio (dont go in the restaurant to eat... too pricey... you can get decent food in the bar patio with great views)... before or after (prob before b/c you'll be full afterwards), walk down the ramps to the ocean, check out the tide pools... walk to the north along the sand a bit and discover little quiet coves and hideaways... beautiful. Depending on your time frame, you can stop at art museums and cute dining in the town. We took our e-pics on the beach there.... and it's where my parents got engaged. Anyway, Laguna is about 45 min or so north of SD and then it's another 45-60 min to SM (EVERYTHING depends on traffic here though).

Depending on your time, I've heard great things about Catalina Island too but haven't been there personally but there's zip lining tours and all that....

Okay, then in SB... listen to Michelle... she's the SB expert. I've heard awesome things about Solvang too though. There are some pretty scenic bike ways along the coast too if you ever wanna stop and rent bikes....

Hmmm... I also double second Michelle to stop and see Hearst Castle... gorgeous... check out Monterrey, it's beautiful and there are neat tide pools there, too. Morro Bay and Cambria are awesome too. Cambria is like a quaint little seaside town... I'd just kinda drive through San LO and go straight to Morro Bay (see the rock in the bay) and then stop in Cambria, see Hearst Castle.... then drive on up to Monterrey/Carmel... it's pricey there so do your research if you plan to stay. For teh 17 mile drive... it's an absolute must but will take a while... take along some snacks and drinks and I agree to eat beforehand so you can just enjoy it... take your time, take pics... Oh and I also agree with Michelle that the best weather/views are in the afternoons after the fog/overcast burns off.

I also must admit that this born and raised Cali girl has never been to Yosemite. It books up a year plus in advance and can be expensive so plan wellll ahead this part of your trip.... like now, lol.

After Monterrey, there isn't much to see until you get to SF... then in SF there's tons of fun to be had... of course go see the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 to see the sea lions, Fisherman's Wharf (get a Clam Chowder bread bowl from Boudins), Alcatraz if that is your thing (I've always wanted to but haven't yet....

Sonoma/Napa are beautiful if you have the time... expensive, too... do some research online b/c I've heard some things about great, little towns outside of the main areas that are cute and less expensive... but I dont have any personal experience with that.

So to summarize... MUST DO's imo:

Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Monterrey, Cambria/Hearst Castle, San Francisco: Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 30/Golden Gate Bridge and yes, get to Yosemite if you can... I hear it's beautiful....

Have a BLAST!! It's beautiful out here!

http://www.paradisepoint.com/barefoot-bar-grill-dining.php

http://www.lasbrisaslagunabeach.com/

crystalangel79 · November 2011

OOOH, one more thing... some of the 101 can be quite curvy along the cliffs of the coast... if you get motion sickness at all, bring something along for that. I personally dont have an issue ever with motion sickness but I know my sis sometimes does on the drive to Monterrey.... it winds a good deal. You know what would be awesome is if you could keep a picnic lunch with you and just stop somewhere along the way and have a picnic overlooking the ocean (oh and keep in mind the 101 isnt RIGHT on the ocean the whole way and the times I quoted you in the prior post and based on freeway time. If you take PCH the whole way, it is significantly longer but worth it if you have the time... plan it out on mapquest or something.

ktwed09 · November 2011

You ladies are AMAZING! Thank you so much for all of the detailed information! You've gotten me so excited to start planning

.

crystalangel79 · November 2011

Again... if you're planning on a trip to Yosemite... start booking that now... that's going to book up before anything else, esp in the summer, so hop on that asap,

It will be so much fun! Just remember that it's coool up north. A lot of people come to Cali thinking that all of Cali is 80-90 degrees in the summer, not along the northern coast, esp San Fran...

ktwed09 · November 2011

crystalangel79:
Again... if you're planning on a trip to Yosemite... start booking that now... that's going to book up before anything else, esp in the summer, so hop on that asap,

It will be so much fun! Just remember that it's coool up north. A lot of people come to Cali thinking that all of Cali is 80-90 degrees in the summer, not along the northern coast, esp San Fran...

Thanks! I'm definitely planning on booking Yosemite ASAP, but I need to get the number of nights in each place right first, so I know what dates to book. As for the weather, I'm glad to hear it. I'm not a big fan of extreme heat, especially when I'm sight-seeing, so I'll welcome the cooler weather!

So, I was reading through both of your responses again, and I had a few questions, if you don't mind.

1). Seems like you don't think one day to drive from San Diego to Santa Barbara is enough? Should I add another day, and stay somewhere in between, and then drive up to Santa Barbara the next day? If so, where should we stay? Santa Monica?
2). Do you think spending the night in/around San Luis Obispo is worthwhile, or should we just drive through there after we leave Santa Barbara, but continue on to Monterey for the night? Or, should we spend the night somewhere, just not in SLO?

3). Crystal, you mentioned that 1 day in San Diego should be enough. Does that include visiting Coronado? Right now I had set aside 3 nights in SD. The first day would be the day we arrive in CA, so we wouldn't have a full day, but then we'd have 2 full days after that. Are you thinking I could cut one day off of that?

4). Once we get to SF, will we still need the rental car, or should we be ok returning it? I know if we decide to go to Napa/Sonoma we'll either need that or a guided tour, but I just was wondering about SF itself.

CurlyGirlyGirl · November 2011

ktwed09:
crystalangel79:
Again... if you're planning on a trip to Yosemite... start booking that now... that's going to book up before anything else, esp in the summer, so hop on that asap,

It will be so much fun! Just remember that it's coool up north. A lot of people come to Cali thinking that all of Cali is 80-90 degrees in the summer, not along the northern coast, esp San Fran...
Thanks! I'm definitely planning on booking Yosemite ASAP, but I need to get the number of nights in each place right first, so I know what dates to book. As for the weather, I'm glad to hear it. I'm not a big fan of extreme heat, especially when I'm sight-seeing, so I'll welcome the cooler weather!
So, I was reading through both of your responses again, and I had a few questions, if you don't mind.
1). Seems like you don't think one day to drive from San Diego to Santa Barbara is enough? Should I add another day, and stay somewhere in between, and then drive up to Santa Barbara the next day? If so, where should we stay? Santa Monica? If you do stop in Laguna depending on the time of the summer you go, check out Pageant of the Masters online. It's an artistic performance put on each year surrounding great works of art. Also keep in mind that LA traffic is some of the worst in the country. What day you travel up to Santa Barbara will dictate how long it will really take! If you stop in Laguna you might want to pad with an extra night in LA (perhaps SaMo).
If you need a quick stop for lunch in Malibu I love Malibu Seafood. It was right down the street from my college, Pepperdine University.

2). Do you think spending the night in/around San Luis Obispo is worthwhile, or should we just drive through there after we leave Santa Barbara, but continue on to Monterey for the night? Or, should we spend the night somewhere, just not in SLO? I'm sorry but I'm not much of a SLO expert. I have friends who went to college there and loved it though. We do enjoy staying in Morro Bay though, and then we are close to Hearst Castle. We're going on a nighttime tour there in a few weeks and I'm SOOOOOO excited! If you stayed in Morro Bay you could always stop in Pismo Beach and SLO along the way (stop and check out the bubble gum alley there...gross! I would recommend stopping in Solvang over SLO, but that's just my opinion.

3). Crystal, you mentioned that 1 day in San Diego should be enough. Does that include visiting Coronado? Right now I had set aside 3 nights in SD. The first day would be the day we arrive in CA, so we wouldn't have a full day, but then we'd have 2 full days after that. Are you thinking I could cut one day off of that?

4). Once we get to SF, will we still need the rental car, or should we be ok returning it? I know if we decide to go to Napa/Sonoma we'll either need that or a guided tour, but I just was wondering about SF itself. DO NOT use a car in SF! Parking is often at least $50/day, and it's really tough to get around with a car. Just take taxis while you're there, or of course their preferred mode of transportation, the trolleys! BART will also get you anywhere you need to go. DH and I took it from the airport all the way to the pier, with luggage for our 10 day cruise no problem and it was just $16 for both of us (taxi from the airport is at least $50)!
BTW - I think in Napa they have a train that will even take you around to the different wineries. You can also hire a driver up there and go at your own pace. If you're a wine lover, you really can't miss out on our wines. So. much. fun.

Also, I just want to reiterate how much I do not recommend driving the 1 from Hearst Castle up to Monterey. It's bad news. I'm sure it's lovely, but I've never been able to make it along that "short" stretch of highway of carsickness...

Also, check out this website: http://www.calgold.com/ It's made by this dorky dude here in CA on public television but he travels to all these really cool places in our golden state. If you scroll down a bit there are some free youtube episodes you can download for free. It might help to determine how much time you wish to spend in some areas.

Have you signed up for groupons in these areas yet? They often offer fun looking tours in San Diego, LA, etc. Just a thought. We did it for our trip to Alaska last summer just in case something sounded interesting.

I'm not sure how far it is from San Francisco or Napa but you may also want to check out Lake Tahoe. DH and I always took a trip up the coast each summer when we were dating and ended up in Tahoe.

ktwed09 · November 2011

CurlyGirlyGirl:
Also, I just want to reiterate how much I do not recommend driving the 1 from Hearst Castle up to Monterey. It's bad news. I'm sure it's lovely, but I've never been able to make it along that "short" stretch of highway of carsickness...
Also, check out this website: http://www.calgold.com/ It's made by this dorky dude here in CA on public television but he travels to all these really cool places in our golden state. If you scroll down a bit there are some free youtube episodes you can download for free. It might help to determine how much time you wish to spend in some areas.
Have you signed up for groupons in these areas yet? They often offer fun looking tours in San Diego, LA, etc. Just a thought. We did it for our trip to Alaska last summer just in case something sounded interesting.
I'm not sure how far it is from San Francisco or Napa but you may also want to check out Lake Tahoe. DH and I always took a trip up the coast each summer when we were dating and ended up in Tahoe.

Thanks for all of the great tips! The bolded part is really worrying me. I am prone to motion sickness, so that's bad enough. Also, we plan on TTC next summer, so there is a chance I could be pregnant, although, if I am, probably not far along at all. But, that will probably mean I can't take Dramamine or anything like that. AND, that is the stretch of road that goes through Big Sur which is supposed to be one of the most beautiful parts. Hmm....

CurlyGirlyGirl · November 2011

You could always double back to big sur after monterey. It's really close.

I swear by sea bands. They sell them at the drug store.

Question for the West Coast ladies or travelers

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