advice needed

We are trying to plan a trip west and would like to travel from northern vineyards in Sonoma Valley down the coast...best if to San Diego if possible. However, we will only have 10 days at best and were considering Nov. A...Is Nov. a good or bad time via weather in CA and (B) how far should we plan to travel in order to relax and enjoy the sites? I%26#39;d rather cover less distance and enjoy more. Taking our son on college grad trip and want it to be special vs rat race car trip. Suggestions appreciated. Plan B is Carribean!

advice needed

November - SAn Francsico can be nice or rainy. Yosemite can be nice or snowy. Los Angeles can have some light rains but can also have 70 degree weather. Overall, California weather is much much nicer than Maryland%26#39;s so you should have a good time.

Its unclear what you want to see and what you enjoy doing given this is more for your college grad. What are his interests? That will help to recommend what to see.

advice needed

would Oct. be better time? Working around his one yr anniv. on new job so not sure can do that. He is 25...wants to see vineyards and coast, Yosemite or at least Muir Woods, San Fran., other stops along the way. Very flex. and loves to travel. Husband and I saw San Fran and want to do that w/ him. Never done N-S drive and just not sure if putting too much into 10 days or if should opt for CA when more time.

10 days

Day 1 and 2

Fly into San Francisco and stay in Sonoma or Napa for 2 nights.

Enjoy a full day of wine tasting to relax into the vacation....

Day 3

Drive to Muir Woods and see Muir Woods

Drive to San Francisco and see Fisherman Wharf

Go to a nice dinner out and stay in San Francisco for one night

Day 4

Alcatraz Tour in Morning

In mid afternoon, drive to Monterey/Carmel and stay 2 nights.

Day 5

17 mile drive

Monterey Aquarium

Pt. Lobos

Day 6

Drive from Carmel/Montery to Cambria starting around 8 a.m.

This is the Big Sur area (note: hopefully its not foggy - if it is take Highway 101, but most likely it will be nice).

It takes about 3 to 4 hours to drive the 90 miles due to the scenery, slower road for this stretch, and general sight-seeing. It will be fun.

See the elephant seals a few miles north of Hearst Castle.

Book late afternoon tour at Hearst Castle (last one depends upon when you visit, check their web site.

Stay overnight in Morro Bay.

Day 7

Drive from Morro Bay to Santa Barbara and have lunch in Santa Barbara. Sight-see and drive to Hollywood. The total drive time takes about 3 to 4 hours. Stay overnight at Hollywood. Go to the Graumann;s Manns Chinese Theater and see a movie; this is by Walk of Fame to enjoy a little bit of Hollywood.

Day 8

Take the morning tour at Warner Brothers Studio.

Drive to Huntington Beach and stay the night.

Have dinner in Laguna Beach

Day 9/10

Drive to San Diego and spend the last 2 days here.

sounds like a great itinerary. Do you think weather in Oct. would be better tho?

November tends to be a little rainy at times (sometimes not!). October, overall is better.

Another option to keep in mind is driving part of the route and flying the rest of it.

For example, Southwest Airlines offers $49 flights in October from northern California airports (San Jose and Oakland) to southern California airports (Burbank, L.A., Ontario and Orange County). The flights are between 1 hour and 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Flying within California gives you two benefits:

1. After some excursions around San Francisco (Sonoma, Muir Woods, (even Monterey -- with a little backtracking to San Jose), you can speed your way to the L.A. area and have more days to spend there and in San Diego.

or

2. Or, if you drive the coast route as planned, flying back to northern California might afford a less expensive return flight to Maryland (since you would be flying round trip in and out of the San Francisco area).