Help - Driving the California Coast

[qwks4]

Guys,

Looking to do the California Coast drive...

Can you check out this link and give me some feedback for NorCal?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256705

[piaadoll]

i'll have to think this one through but from the top of my head...

from SF, i'd probably go north first to napa and or sonoma - possible honeymoon? I suggest the Solage Spa in Calistoga (www.solagecalistoga.com) . Swanky but worth it!! Best spa i've been to.

Are you sure you want to do the coast thing? If not, I'd probably hit up South Lake Tahoe for a day or so, it's about 4 hours from San Francisco...it's absolutely gorgeous up there....

So back to the coast drive..from San Fran down Highway 1...

Definitely hit up Santa Cruz, perhaps Chaminade (www.chiminade.com) for lunch - it has gorgeous view of the ocean. So romantic.

After Santa Cruz stop by Monterey and hit up Cannery Row...

There's a cute town called Cambria, so cute! Close by there's a city called Paso Robles -Lots of Good wineries off of a certain highway (i cant remeber off hand). Definitely a must if you like wine.


Then to San Luis Obispo...or rather, go to Pismo Beach and stop by Splash Cafe for the best clam Chowder ever.

Then to Solvang - for some yummy cookies and abelsivels...

Santa Barbara is also a beautiful beach town, might want to hit that up.

On the way down, you must MUST hit the outlets at Camarillo (your wife will thank you for that). Some good shopping down there.

I think that's it from the top of my head. Let me know if you have any questions..

For restaurant help, i'd suggest www.yelp.com so very helpful!

[3ohAvant]

After reading your other post. @ weeks... WAY too long. Also, driving down the coast is cool, for about an hour, beyond that, it gets old. You might want to do that for a bit, then get back on the 101, and just get to your destination.

I did the Santa Barbara back to the bay area by staying on the 1 as much as I could, and that drive wore me out. You don't really get to relax much either cause you're concentrating on the road, and then you get stuck behind an RV for 15 minutes... the longest 15 minutes of your life.

I would do... fly into SFO, get a nice car, vert is fine.

Drive up to napa/calistoga, unwind. Next day, wine tasting, then stay over again in a B&B.

Next day, go to SF, do the shopping/touristy things. Stay the night.

Next day, go to Monterey/Carmel, shop, shight see, stay the night either here or in Big Sur. If in Big Sur, Ventanna, and make sure you have eat there too. (on one of my first so cal to norcal trips on the 1, it was like MANY MANY hours into the trip, we were STARVING, and were just hitting big sur. We had though we'd of been home hours ago. But the drive on the 1 is slow. So we say, OK, the NEXT place we see, we're eating there. To our surprise, we pull up, porsches, ferraris, etc, in the parking lot, we get out, all stanky from driving for probably 6-7 hours. We're in some pretty comfy, but not slobby clothes, and walk in. The food was amazing! Great views too. At least what we could see w/ the various patio lights. I'd go back for sure)

Next day, Heart Castle. I have been there 4 times, each time, I miss the last tour of the day by minutes. : ( Its weird whenever I am there, its never planned, and we just happen to be passing by on the way home.
Feel free to stay in Cambria, SLO, or Pismo, and take in the town. To me, none of them stand out.

Next day, Santa Barbara. I LOVE this place. Spend the day here, and stay the night, have breakfast here too, before you head out.

Next day, Hollywood/Beverly Hills, window shop : ) Grab a nice dinner.

Next day, San Diego, dinner and sight seeing.

enjoy, and be sure to post of the pics after your trip.