California road tripping

[T&T’s Dad 32]

In early July, taking the RV to California.  Myself, the better half and my two boys.  We plan to be gone two weeks.  Any cool itineraries that make sense?

I haven't been out to the west coast in years and the wife and kids have never been.  Not interested in Disney and LA...

[otisdog 365]

Well, what are your interests? California has the most varied geographical features in the country...I've lived here my whole (long) life, and am still amazed at the things I find.  Beach, desert, high mountain ranges, podunk towns off of the beaten path?

[HenryJames 66188]

Salton Sea

[mdmost 43056]

PCH from LA to SF. Incredibly beautiful. There are some parts with stretches where you're not as close to the coast as it turns inland like around Gaviota to  Pismo Beach. You're back on at Morro Bay. The drive from Big Sur to Monterey is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Lots to do along the way. Stop off at some beaches. Hike around Big Sur. @mdleast can definitely fill you in as this is his forte. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by mdmost

[T&T’s Dad 32]

56 minutes ago, otisdog said:

Well, what are your interests? California has the most varied geographical features in the country...I've lived here my whole (long) life, and am still amazed at the things I find.  Beach, desert, high mountain ranges, podunk towns off of the beaten path?

I love the mountains and high landscapes.  Kids and wife like the cities and theme parks...

[Ollie Slatt 289]

4 minutes ago, T&T’s Dad said:

I love the mountains and high landscapes.  

The popular answer for mountains is the sierras (Yosemite and Kings Canyon).  But those get crowded mid-summer.  Somehow everyone overlooks the southern cascades, which are equally beautiful. 

You could start in SF, go all the way to Shasta, and then down to Tahoe.  Along the way, you could see wine country, the Sonoma/Mendocino coast, avenue of the giants, the Trinity Alps, Shasta/Dunsmuir, Lassen, etc.   Parts of Humboldt are a bit sketchy, but the scenery makes it worth it. 

If you are not set on high mountains, then driving Hwy 1 from Hurst Castle to Half Moon Bay would be pretty spectacular.  

 

[Sbbruin 21898]

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

PCH from LA to SF. Incredibly beautiful. There are some parts with stretches where you're not as close to the coast as it turns inland like around Gaviota to  Pismo Beach. You're back on at Morro Bay. The drive from Big Sur to Monterey is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Lots to do along the way. Stop off at some beaches. Hike around Big Sur. @mdleast can definitely fill you in as this is his forte. 

This is what I would do.  Or do the complete opposite and do the 395 through the Eastern Sierra to Tahoe.  Beautiful and tons of great places to stop.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Sbbruin

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Shiiit TX to California in an RV sounds like a pain.  PCH in an RV sounds like it sucks too.  I know people do it, but you'll be that asshole Texan clogging up the road.  

[HenryJames 66188]

2 hours ago, T&T’s Dad said:

Not interested in Disney and LA...

 

38 minutes ago, T&T’s Dad said:

Kids and wife like the cities and theme parks...

Well played, sir.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8822]

Shiiit TX to California in an RV sounds like a pain.  PCH in an RV sounds like it sucks too.  I know people do it, but you'll be that asshole Texan clogging up the road.  

.....

[T&T’s Dad 32]

1 hour ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Shiiit TX to California in an RV sounds like a pain.  PCH in an RV sounds like it sucks too.  I know people do it, but you'll be that asshole Texan clogging up the road.  

Already pretty much an asshole Texan so not much I can do there.

Quick funny story:  As an 19 yr old, my parents asked me to be their driver on a three week road trip in a rented RV.  Drove from Fredricksburg to the Grand Canyon.  North through the Canyonlands, then to Yellowstone, Glacier and all the way to Jasper on the ice fields parkway.  The RV was a Class C 29 footer.  First two weeks of trip and for roughly 5000 miles, I ignored every mountain roadway sign limiting the length of vehicles.  On the way to Takakkaw (sp) Falls, I barreled through a sign that said "no vehicles over 24 ft."  Got within sight of the top of the pass, tried to make one of the switchback curves, and found out the RV was too long.  Good times!!  Had to reverse down the highway about 9 miles before I found a spot where I could turn that damn thing around.  Took three hours and shaved about a decade off of my life expectancy.  Not to mention the ridicule, embarrassment and middle finger salutes from the people who had to make space for a reversing RV from Texas...

[T&T’s Dad 32]

1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

This is what I would do.  Or do the complete opposite and do the 395 through the Eastern Sierra to Tahoe.  Beautiful and tons of great places to stop.

Sounds like a good plan.  I think I'll try and do both...

[T&T’s Dad 32]

1 hour ago, Ollie Slatt said:

The popular answer for mountains is the sierras (Yosemite and Kings Canyon).  But those get crowded mid-summer.  Somehow everyone overlooks the southern cascades, which are equally beautiful. 

You could start in SF, go all the way to Shasta, and then down to Tahoe.  Along the way, you could see wine country, the Sonoma/Mendocino coast, avenue of the giants, the Trinity Alps, Shasta/Dunsmuir, Lassen, etc.   Parts of Humboldt are a bit sketchy, but the scenery makes it worth it. 

If you are not set on high mountains, then driving Hwy 1 from Hurst Castle to Half Moon Bay would be pretty spectacular.  

 

PCH is definitely on my list...

Are Shasta and Lassen as pretty as they seem on the interwebs?

 

[RollLeft 5045]

I second PCH from S to N but after Monterey then head to the Redwoods and then Yosemite.

[hookem2010 2625]

Going to Lassen in 2 weeks. I'll report back, assuming there are snow-free trails by then.

[Sbbruin 21898]

22 minutes ago, T&T’s Dad said:

PCH is definitely on my list...

Are Shasta and Lassen as pretty as they seem on the interwebs?

 

Definitely.  

[Ollie Slatt 289]

24 minutes ago, T&T’s Dad said:

 

Are Shasta and Lassen as pretty as they seem on the interwebs?

 

I think so.  You dont have a ton of tall mountains the way you might in the Rockies.  Instead it is a few huge volcanoes coming out of relatively flat surrounding land.  Google Mossbrae falls and the McCloud river to get a sense of some of the other scenery highlights in the area  .  Some pretty epic fishing nearby too. 

[SDG 3319]

38 minutes ago, T&T’s Dad said:

PCH is definitely on my list...

Are Shasta and Lassen as pretty as they seem on the interwebs?

 

Csb: I have a houseboat reserved on Shasta for a week this August.  It’s basically an RV on water.

[Johnny Chimpo 479]

3 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

This is what I would do.  Or do the complete opposite and do the 395 through the Eastern Sierra to Tahoe.  Beautiful and tons of great places to stop.

I would third and second these recommendations. 395 is the bomb and I always used to hang out in the eastern Sierra / Mammoth area. If I wasn’t there I was on the central coast crushing the 1 and hanging out in Big Sur. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Johnny Chimpo

[Trey3216 15373]

Bring extra tires.  Getting through Arizona in an RV in July is pretty rough

[Brisketexan 105438]

Just be careful that your wife doesn't blow your nest egg.

[otisdog 365]

4 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

  PCH in an RV sounds like it sucks too.  I know people do it, but you'll be that asshole Texan clogging up the road.  

The road is already clogged by cars... a motorhome is not going to slow it down anymore than it already is.  On memorial day weekend I was amazed at the amount of backpackers  staging on Hwy 1.

PCH north from San Luis Obispo to Monterey. Hwy. Hwy 4  (through Angels Camp & Murphys)over  Ebbets pass to the eastern Sierra, then south on 395 to the June Lake loop. 1st come, 1st served campgrounds on the waterfront @ Gull Lake. Convict Lake, beautiful with a great restaurant. Only people that go to Death Valley in July are the crazy Germans and French. Yosemite is pretty packed, but most tourists are late risers. Worth driving west up Tioga pass (120) to the park gate for your mountains, if it's plowed by then . Bodie ghost town. Mcarthur Burney falls  state park up by Shasta.  

Free legal camping on any BLM land, and there is a lot of it in the eastern Sierras.

Pm me with any questions.

Edited June 5, 2019 by otisdog

[DaysOff 7976]

Just be careful that your wife doesn't blow your nest egg.

Such a great movie, and one the youngsters on the board have probably never heard of. Lost in America.

[Carl Spackler 3505]

1 hour ago, otisdog said:

The road is already clogged by cars... a motorhome is not going to slow it down anymore than it already is.  On memorial day weekend I was amazed at the amount of backpackers  staging on Hwy 1.

PCH north from San Luis Obispo to Monterey. Hwy. Hwy 4  (through Angels Camp & Murphys)over  Ebbets pass to the eastern Sierra, then south on 395 to the June Lake loop. 1st come, 1st served campgrounds on the waterfront @ Gull Lake. Convict Lake, beautiful with a great restaurant. Only people that go to Death Valley in July are the crazy Germans and French. Yosemite is pretty packed, but most tourists are late risers. Worth driving west up Tioga pass (120) to the park gate for your mountains, if it's plowed by then . Bodie ghost town. Mcarthur Burney falls  state park up by Shasta.  

Free legal camping on any BLM land, and there is a lot of it in the eastern Sierras.

Pm me with any questions.

Good advice here. 

Also, don't forget the Whoa Nellie Deli at the intersection of the 120 and 395 near Lee Vining on the backside of Yosemite.  Surprisingly good food in a little takeout place located inside a Mobil station.  

The town of Mammoth Lakes (just a couple miles off the 395) is worth hitting as well if you don't mind going a little south from June Lake.  Mammoth Lakes Brewing Company is there, as are a lot of shops and restaurants in a very pretty setting next to the Eastern Sierras.  They do music festivals up there during the summer, so consult your local listings first to make sure you're not heading there at the same time a ton of other people are.

If you go south of Mammoth on the 395, it turns into high desert, but it's scenic because you'll have the Sierras to the west and the White and Inyo ranges to the east.  The Alabama Hills near Lone Pine are worth driving through.  There's the Manzanar internment camp between Independence and Lone Pine if you're looking for a little history, and there's a cool little film museum in Lone Pine focusing on all the movies that have been shot in the area over the decades.  There are all kinds of roads heading west up into the Sierras off the 395 -- just check a map.  And Lone Pine is the jumping off point for people looking to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48.

Keep in mind that it will be hot in the Owens River Valley in July once you descend from Mammoth Lakes.  Might be best to save that stretch of the 395 for another time, but if you do go, there are some interesting places to see.    

Edited June 5, 2019 by Carl Spackler

[Junior Miller 1502]

Stop at Vegas on the way. Take the kids to a magic show and on top of the stratosphere/Eiffel tower. 

Hit lake Tahoe

Load up on dispensary weeds

[WhatTheBuck 28806]

8 hours ago, mdmost said:

PCH from LA to SF. Incredibly beautiful. There are some parts with stretches where you're not as close to the coast as it turns inland like around Gaviota to  Pismo Beach. You're back on at Morro Bay. The drive from Big Sur to Monterey is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Lots to do along the way. Stop off at some beaches. Hike around Big Sur. @mdleast can definitely fill you in as this is his forte. 

This is a drive everyone should do once in their life. 

[WhatTheBuck 28806]

7 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Shiiit TX to California in an RV sounds like a pain.  PCH in an RV sounds like it sucks too.  I know people do it, but you'll be that asshole Texan clogging up the road.  

Whenever you find a space, you pull off the road and let the traffic behind you pass. 

[Johnny Chimpo 479]

4 hours ago, otisdog said:

The road is already clogged by cars... a motorhome is not going to slow it down anymore than it already is.  On memorial day weekend I was amazed at the amount of backpackers  staging on Hwy 1.

PCH north from San Luis Obispo to Monterey. Hwy. Hwy 4  (through Angels Camp & Murphys)over  Ebbets pass to the eastern Sierra, then south on 395 to the June Lake loop. 1st come, 1st served campgrounds on the waterfront @ Gull Lake. Convict Lake, beautiful with a great restaurant. Only people that go to Death Valley in July are the crazy Germans and French. Yosemite is pretty packed, but most tourists are late risers. Worth driving west up Tioga pass (120) to the park gate for your mountains, if it's plowed by then . Bodie ghost town. Mcarthur Burney falls  state park up by Shasta.  

Free legal camping on any BLM land, and there is a lot of it in the eastern Sierras.

Pm me with any questions.

 

3 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

Good advice here. 

Also, don't forget the Whoa Nellie Deli at the intersection of the 120 and 395 near Lee Vining on the backside of Yosemite.  Surprisingly good food in a little takeout place located inside a Mobil station.  

The town of Mammoth Lakes (just a couple miles off the 395) is worth hitting as well if you don't mind going a little south from June Lake.  Mammoth Lakes Brewing Company is there, as are a lot of shops and restaurants in a very pretty setting next to the Eastern Sierras.  They do music festivals up there during the summer, so consult your local listings first to make sure you're not heading there at the same time a ton of other people are.

If you go south of Mammoth on the 395, it turns into high desert, but it's scenic because you'll have the Sierras to the west and the White and Inyo ranges to the east.  The Alabama Hills near Lone Pine are worth driving through.  There's the Manzanar internment camp between Independence and Lone Pine if you're looking for a little history, and there's a cool little film museum in Lone Pine focusing on all the movies that have been shot in the area over the decades.  There are all kinds of roads heading west up into the Sierras off the 395 -- just check a map.  And Lone Pine is the jumping off point for people looking to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48.

Keep in mind that it will be hot in the Owens River Valley in July once you descend from Mammoth Lakes.  Might be best to save that stretch of the 395 for another time, but if you do go, there are some interesting places to see.    

Both these guys are right on the money and know what they’re talking about. 

[T&T’s Dad 32]

15 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

Whenever you find a space, you pull off the road and let the traffic behind you pass. 

Drove from Rome to the Almafi coast and back in May 2018.  Beautiful and amazing drive.  Except that one little old lady in a Fiat drove fifteen miles an hour for 45 miles and never pulled over.  I was too chicken to pass on so many blind curves...

[Sbbruin 21898]

17 hours ago, DaysOff said:

18 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Just be careful that your wife doesn't blow your nest egg.

Such a great movie, and one the youngsters on the board have probably never heard of. Lost in America.

One of my favorites.  Just watched it about a month ago.  The Albert Brooks/Garry Marshall scene is one of the greatest in movie history.

[Junior Miller 1502]

18 hours ago, otisdog said:

 

Free legal camping on any BLM land, and there is a lot of it in the eastern Sierras.

Pm me with any questions.

Black Lives Matter has land now? Damn they really sold out. 

[mdleast 8314]

On 6/5/2019 at 10:49 AM, mdmost said:

PCH from LA to SF. Incredibly beautiful. There are some parts with stretches where you're not as close to the coast as it turns inland like around Gaviota to  Pismo Beach. You're back on at Morro Bay. The drive from Big Sur to Monterey is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. Lots to do along the way. Stop off at some beaches. Hike around Big Sur. @mdleast can definitely fill you in as this is his forte. 

oh hell yeah.  I could go on and on and on about the drive south of San Francisco.  See post # 16 in this thread with pics of just a few of the places we went to between Monterey and Morro Bay.  

https://www.surlyhorns.com/board/index.php?/topic/6973-pebble-beachmonterey-things-to-do/

We actually ended up going to that same stretch for this past Spring Break in March and stopped at several places we didn't get to last time (along with going back to several we had).  That's probably my favorite stretch but that stretch from Malibu down south to San Clemente is also pretty great.  I'd love one day to have enough time to do a really extended trip driving and stopping off all along the way all the way from San Fran down to San Diego.

Edited June 7, 2019 by mdleast

[Butch Had Not 2994]

If you can somehow get to mt shasta,  drive a little north to crater lake,  back through Medford/Grant's pass to the coast back into California to redwoods, keep going south to Monterey/big sur. Coast highway from there to pismo beach,  down further to Santa Barbara,  take the highway in the mountains north (I think) of santa Barbara. Head sb to LA toward san Bernardino then up to big bear. 

[wood 11283]

So many great places to see. Haven't seen Sequoia NP mentioned. Pretty awesome. Good hiking. Amazing trees (the one you can drive up on & the one you can drive through. Lots of bears. And Moro Rock is fantastic.

1 hour ago, mdleast said:

oh hell yeah.  I could go on and on and on about the drive south of San Francisco.  See post # 16 in this thread with pics of just a few of the places we went to between Monterey and Morro Bay.  

https://www.surlyhorns.com/board/index.php?/topic/6973-pebble-beachmonterey-things-to-do/

We actually ended up going to that same stretch for this past Spring Break in March and stopped at several places we didn't get to last time (along with going back to several we had).  That's probably my favorite stretch but that stretch from Malibu down south to San Clemente is also pretty great.  I'd love one day to have enough time to do a really extended trip driving and stopping off all along the way all the way from San Fran down to San Diego.

We're going to SF in mid/late July with the boys & I wanna do at least a portion of the PCH down from SF and then maybe turn inland just north of SLO & cut across to Sequoia NP, then down to LA & Hermosa Beach for the AVP tournament. Thoughts? Is the northern half of the PCH drive the best part? I'd love to go to Tahoe too, & Yosemite, but I don;t wanna try to cram too much into one trip.

Edited June 7, 2019 by wood

[Mach 1 1677]

Good plan.  PCH is a beautiful highway but the portion south of Big Sur to San Simeon is full of hairpin turns. Lasts about an hour, seems like three.

Tahoe is gorgeous but too far out of the way for a PCH run, as well as Yosemite.  If you want to do this scratch PCH, and go down the 5 after Tahoe and Yosemite to Sequoia and add Joshua Tree as you head south.

Can't go wrong either way really.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Mach 1

[mdleast 8314]

Good plan.  PCH is a beautiful highway but the portion south of Big Sur to San Simeon is full of hairpin turns. Lasts about an hour, seems like three.

This is a good observation. For me, the absolute best part of the drive is from Monterey until about McWay Falls or so (which, by the way, if you’re gonna stop and see, make sure you look up beforehand
where exactly it is and what to look for nearby to know to stop since (1) it isn’t marked on the road and (2) cell service was pretty spotty in various parts of the drive for me).

Don’t get me wrong, it’s all pretty spectacular and I absolutely loved driving it all but it definitely starts to feel like it’s taking a long time near the end and the winding roads do start to take their toll...notwithstanding the views. On our recent Spring Break, we had a day where we drove from Ragged Point as our starting point (spent the night there after having driven the day before from Monterey). Ragged Point is at least worth a stop to look around if you get a chance:







We then drove south the next morning from there and stayed a night in Morro Bay (and checked out the Elephant Seals Rookery, Hearst Castle, Morro Rock as well as nearby San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach....tempter to also post a shit load of pics from those places but won’t but would also recommend those places if you’re passing through).

On the next day we were headed back up from Morro Bay to spend our last night back in Monterey (via a stop for lunch in Carmel). Though I had originally thought/planned we would take that same scenic ride back up the 1 to Monterey, we decided to take the more inland 101 as (1) it would shave off a little time and we were a little pressed for time and (2) since I already did all of those winding hairpin turns the day before (next to cliffs and drop offs) I decided we had already experienced it enough.

Definitely glad I did that whole drive once but didn’t feel compelled to do that lower portion again the next day.

California coastal drive nerd out...

[Johnny Sack 8397]

We are doing a two week trip to Cali in July - August.  Flying into LAX.  Spending 3 days in that area.  Spending one night in an Airstream Airbnb on Pismo beach.  4 nights in Carmel.  And then driving to meet my extended family for a week in Lake Tahoe.

The car rental is a bit of a headache.  Picking up at LAX and dropping off in Reno.

I love the Big Sur area.  

[HenryJames 66188]

Stay out of Malibu, Lebowski.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

5 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Stay out of Malibu, Lebowski.

Nope.  Going to have breakfast on the beach at Paradise Cove on way up PCH.  Have not been there since the morning after we lost to Alabama.  

[Spur08 382]

I'm thinking about scheduling a Cali trip with the wife.  I really want to do Napa (or just a wine region, in general) for a day or two.  All the pics on this and the PB/Monterey threads of Big Sur or where ever are breath taking.  Would it be possible to hit those areas up on a 4-5 day trip?  We would be flying from DAL into anywhere SWA services.  I don't know if it would be best to fly into Oakland and drive up to Napa for those few days, down to Big Sur, and then back to Oakland to return the car/fly home?  Thoughts?  I need to figure out a good itinerary, places to stay, eat, sites.  I would love to do a light morning hike one day that doesn't take all day so we can fit some more things in.

[Ollie Slatt 289]

44 minutes ago, Spur08 said:

I'm thinking about scheduling a Cali trip with the wife.  I really want to do Napa (or just a wine region, in general) for a day or two.  All the pics on this and the PB/Monterey threads of Big Sur or where ever are breath taking.  Would it be possible to hit those areas up on a 4-5 day trip?  We would be flying from DAL into anywhere SWA services.  I don't know if it would be best to fly into Oakland and drive up to Napa for those few days, down to Big Sur, and then back to Oakland to return the car/fly home?  Thoughts?  I need to figure out a good itinerary, places to stay, eat, sites.  I would love to do a light morning hike one day that doesn't take all day so we can fit some more things in.

You could do that in 4-5 days if you like time in the car.  The drive from Napa to Carmel is spectacular if you go across the Golden Gate and then take Hwy 1 all the way down (through Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, Santa Cruz, etc.).  In and out of Oakland would not be bad, or you could book the return flight out of San Jose and shave off some car time.    

If you do the Hwy 1 drive, then stop in Pescadero for lunch at Duarte's.  The correct order there is a Guinness, bowl of soup (mixed artichoke and green chili), sourdough bread, and a slice of Olallieberry pie a la mode.   You can also stop off in Half Moon Bay for a drink at the Ritz, which has nice fire pits overlooking the ocean.  And, if you are into surfing, you can stop to take a look at the surfers on Mavericks.  

Alternately, if you want to maximize your time in one place, Sonoma has great wine and a beautiful coastline. 

[HenryJames 66188]

2 minutes ago, Ollie Slatt said:

Alternately, if you want to maximize your time in one place, Sonoma has great wine and a beautiful coastline. 

[MAROON 445]

On 6/7/2019 at 10:20 AM, Johnny Sack said:

We are doing a two week trip to Cali in July - August.  Flying into LAX.  Spending 3 days in that area.  Spending one night in an Airstream Airbnb on Pismo beach.  4 nights in Carmel.  And then driving to meet my extended family for a week in Lake Tahoe.

The car rental is a bit of a headache.  Picking up at LAX and dropping off in Reno.

I love the Big Sur area.  

make sure and pour one out for Donny while you are there

[mdleast 8314]

One added tip I’d give to consider when flying to California (especially from Dallas) is make sure to check the airfare via Alaska Airlines. Their routes used to all be via Virgin America before Alaska acquired them. I’ve found that Alaska’s flights are often cheaper than Southwest (which seems to be everyone’s default “that’s the cheapest airline” thought) plus you get to choose your seat on Alaska (which is the thing I hate the most about Southwest) and I find their Skywest planes they use on the route to be especially roomy leg-wise. They typically have 3 flights out of Love Field (another plus) every day to at least SFO and LAX. I’ve also caught flights back to Love from San Jose and which can save you an hour or so if you’re coming from Monterey or somewhere south on your last day of the trip.

[Carl Spackler 3505]

On 6/6/2019 at 6:56 PM, wood said:

We're going to SF in mid/late July with the boys & I wanna do at least a portion of the PCH down from SF and then maybe turn inland just north of SLO & cut across to Sequoia NP, then down to LA & Hermosa Beach for the AVP tournament. Thoughts? Is the northern half of the PCH drive the best part? I'd love to go to Tahoe too, & Yosemite, but I don;t wanna try to cram too much into one trip.

You didn't say how much time you'll have, but that's a TON of driving, esp. if you try to cram in Tahoe and Yosemite.  

[Asithappens 974]

Hit up Tiburon. There's an ok burger place there, close to the yacht club.   And then go north to get some oysters.

I don't care what anybody says, the bay (gay?) area (especially the North Bay) is one of the best spots on earth. 

And get some wine, too. 

[wood 11283]

39 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said:

You didn't say how much time you'll have, but that's a TON of driving, esp. if you try to cram in Tahoe and Yosemite.  

No, that's what mean. Even though I want to do Tahoe & Yosemite, it's just too much. 

The other bit - SF down the PCH past Hearst Castle, then cutting over to Sequoia and down to Hermosa - is 11-12 hours according to google maps. Even if it's more than that, we'd be spreading it over 2 or 3 days.

[Spur08 382]

One added tip I’d give to consider when flying to California (especially from Dallas) is make sure to check the airfare via Alaska Airlines. Their routes used to all be via Virgin America before Alaska acquired them. I’ve found that Alaska’s flights are often cheaper than Southwest (which seems to be everyone’s default “that’s the cheapest airline” thought) plus you get to choose your seat on Alaska (which is the thing I hate the most about Southwest) and I find their Skywest planes they use on the route to be especially roomy leg-wise. They typically have 3 flights out of Love Field (another plus) every day to at least SFO and LAX. I’ve also caught flights back to Love from San Jose and which can save you an hour or so if you’re coming from Monterey or somewhere south on your last day of the trip.

Thanks MDL. Any thought on best time of year to see the W coast? Cost or weather wise

[Incredulity 11683]

12 minutes ago, Spur08 said:

6 hours ago, mdleast said:

One added tip I’d give to consider when flying to California (especially from Dallas) is make sure to check the airfare via Alaska Airlines. Their routes used to all be via Virgin America before Alaska acquired them. I’ve found that Alaska’s flights are often cheaper than Southwest (which seems to be everyone’s default “that’s the cheapest airline” thought) plus you get to choose your seat on Alaska (which is the thing I hate the most about Southwest) and I find their Skywest planes they use on the route to be especially roomy leg-wise. They typically have 3 flights out of Love Field (another plus) every day to at least SFO and LAX. I’ve also caught flights back to Love from San Jose and which can save you an hour or so if you’re coming from Monterey or somewhere south on your last day of the trip.

Thanks MDL. Any thought on best time of year to see the W coast? Cost or weather wise

California coast will be nice year round.  Fucking magnificent from March to Nov.

[mdleast 8314]

California coast will be nice year round.  Fucking magnificent from March to Nov.

This is all true. I will say I just recently read that July or so in the Monterey and Bug Sir area can have a haze or fog prevalent that is not there as much at other times of the year. That tracked with our experience there on a long weekend last July but we still had a great time (and had been there previously and since to see the “photo op” sites). If anything, even with the extra fog on that July trip, it was especially memorable to be escaping 108 degree days here in Dallas for 68 degree days in Monterey. I took screenshots of my phone’s weather app to make sure I remembered that disparity correctly. Gotta love jacket weather in July!