SingSangSung

I am traveling to California by myself for the first time, and I will be there for 10 days. I plan to spend time in SD, LA, SF, and on the coastline (Pacific Coast Highway). I am looking forward to every place besides LA. I am only going there because it's along the way from SD to SF. Also, I am a big baseball fan, so I will catch a Dodgers game.

I need help determining how many days I should stay in each place, so I can book my overnight stays. Additionally, after I figure out how many days to stay in each place, I can make my plans more detailed. I have a brief plan, but I'd like to know what your thoughts are. My biggest aches are planning days 5, 6, and 7. I'm thinking of leaving Monterey at the end of Day 6 and staying that night in SF, so I can have 3 full days in SF.

Day 1: I will arrive in SD around noon.

Day 2: I will stay in SD.

Day 3: I will stay in SD.

Day 4: I will leave for LA in the morning and stay in LA overnight.

Day 5: I will leave LA early in the morning and start driving up the PCH. I will stay in Cambria. Is this a good place to stay, or should I end my day elsewhere along the way?

Day 6: I will leave Cambria in the morning and head to Big Sur. From there, I want to spend my day in Monterey (to go to the aquarium).

Day 7:I will leave Monterey in the morning and head for SF.

Day 8: I will stay in SF.

Day 9: I will stay in SF.

Day 10: I will leave for NYC in the morning.

SingSangSung

Or, I can just skip LA. I'm not too interested in Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, etc. I bought my Dodgers ticket (~$45) already, but I can forfeit it (if anyone thinks my time is better spent in SD, the coast, or SF).

StuDudley

We have a baseball team here in San Francisco too! In fact, I think they have a pretty good team - won several World Series championships in the last 5 years. Our ballpark is fantastic too (you didn't specify dates - so I can't tell you if they'll be playing at home while you are here).

IMO, LA is interesting if you have 4-5 days to spend there. I also think you are "light" on the Cabrillo Hwy (that's what it is called north of Santa Barbara - not PCH). And also "light" on Carmel/Monterey and San Francisco. There is much, much more stuff to do in the Carmel/Monterey area than just the aquarium (we have one of those in SF also). So I would certainly skip LA & try to get to Cambria after SD. If you don't have problems getting an early start - consider heading out from SD around 4am to beat the SD, Orange Co, and LA commute traffic. We did that many times when we were living in Laguna Beach.

Here are some ideas of things to do in the SF/Carmel area.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

MichelleY

I agree with Stu. Maybe skip LA this time.

rjw_lgb_ca

LA is just too big to fit into your itinerary. I'm totally with Stu and Michelle; skip it, spend more time up in San Francisco (well worth it!). Plan on a week-long visit in the greater LA area (much richer than just "Hollywood" or "Beverly Hills") in the future, and of course a return to gorgeous San Francisco...!

maitaitom

When you come to L.A., the USS IOWA is much better than Beverly Hills or Hollywood.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/batt...eum-san-pedro/

GKS

If you already have your Dodger ticket I see nothing wrong with staying in LA a night...it's a good break between spots and you could find a hotel in Downtown LA that's close to Dodger stadium. Lots of great places to eat in downtown. Have a drink at the Bonaventure Hotel in their lounge that rotates and see the hollywood sign etc.

Also, Morro Bay is very cute, just up from Cambria.

suze

I love Los Angeles (was born there) and there's a lot more to the city than Rodeo Drive, etc. BUT since you only have 1 day to spend there I don't think it's worth the stop.

I'd leave San Diego early in the morning, and put in enough driving time to get you north of LA a ways.

janisj

If you haven't booked the Dodger game yet --(depending on who is playing at home during your trip) I'd consider a Padres, Giants or A's game instead. That way you don't have a 'throw away' day in LA. This will give you a much needed additional day on the coast.

SingSangSung

Thank you everyone for your advice. I did buy the Dodgers ticket already, but the seats were cheap. Thus, I will forfeit them. It may be years until I get a chance to travel again, so I want to spend my time efficiently. FYI, I had already planned on going to see the Giants since they will be in town when I will be in SF. (I checked the Padres too but they will not be in town).

Since I am "letting go" of my time in LA, how's this sound?

Days 1,2,3 : I will arrive in SD around noon. I will stay in SD.

Day 4: I will leave SD as early as possible and start my drive north. I'm guessing the best place to end my day is in Cambria? If so, I want to visit as many of the following places on the way to Cambria. Of course, I can't stop at all places, but where are the usual places people stop by. A "flowchart?" of the places I should go by and what to do in each recommended stop would be awesome. Also, if none are worth driving by or stopping at, it would be great. I compiled the places according to a couple articles I found online.

Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Malibu, Country Line Beach, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, San Simeon, Cambria

Day 5: I will leave Cambria in the morning and head to Big Sur. From there, I want to spend my day in Monterey (to go to the aquarium and I will add other things to do in Monterey as Stu suggested). I will spend the night in Monterey.

Day 6-9:I will leave Monterey in the morning on D6 and head for SF. SF will be my last destination.

Day 10: I will leave for NYC in the morning.

StuDudley

SPEND MORE TIME IN CARMEL/MONTEREY. And less time in the Venice, Malibu, Santa Barbara, SLO, area. Get to Cambria as fast as possible and visit Hearst Castle if that interests you. Stay overnight in Cambria. Then head north "slowly" & visit Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park just south of Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach, and then have a nice lunch at Nepenthe. Head north through the redwoods & over Bixby Bridge and spend at least 2 hrs at Pt Lobos (this day or tomorrow) - "the most beautiful meeting of land & sea". Stay in Carmel for 2 nights. Visit the aquarium, Carmel Beach, Carmel, 17 Mile Drive, Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove. I think Cannery Row is kinda tacky - it was more interesting 30-40 years ago.

Then up to San Francisco.

Read my "link" for more details.

Stu Dudley

janisj

>>Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Malibu, Country Line Beach, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo,any of these then you will spend about two days just getting to Cambria. Just drive through and get as far north as you can.

>>Day 5: I will leave Cambria in the morning and head to Big Sur. From there, I want to spend my day in Monterey (to go to the aquarium and I will add other things to do in Monterey as Stu suggested). I will spend the night in Monterey.

suze

Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu are Los Angeles. I thought you were going to skip it?

ltt

i'm not a fan of LA but, the opportunity to see a dodger's game might be an excuse to spend the night. you could spend the morning in san diego, leave by noon and get an inexpensive hotel by the stadium (maybe a side stop in santa monica?). then, i'd get up really early and be gone by 6:00 a.m. to get out before rush hour and drive to santa barbara. have breakfast there on the beach and then start the beautiful drive up the coast. instead of cambria, i'd plan on reach big sur / carmel / monterey area that night and spend 2 nights. that way you can relax and have one full day to explore the area, plus a few hours on your last day before heading to SF.

Patty

Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Malibu, Country Line Beach, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, San Simeon, Cambria

Of all of these, I might make a quick stop in Santa Barbara if you need a stop by then. San Simeon (near Hearst Castle) is north of Cambria. I agree with everyone else who says try to allocate another night on the Monterey Peninsula.

StuDudley

>>Of all of these, I might make a quick stop in Santa Barbara

Patty

Perhaps I misunderstood the OP but I assumed the plan is to do the 6+ hour drive from San Diego to Cambria all on Day 4. I'd want a quick break somewhere along the way on a drive of that length to eat/stretch my legs/etc and suggested Santa Barbara. I don't see how that would take time away from Big Sur/Monterey which I'm assuming will be Day 5. Actually I think the OP should either take a day away from San Diego or San Francisco so an additional night can be allocated to the central coast.

StuDudley

If this was my trip (and we've done this dozens of times from Laguna Beach to Big Sur/Carmel since 1970), I would dash through LA as fast as possible. If I had no interest in Hearst Castle, I would try to make it to Big Sur so I could stay at the Big Sur Lodge (or campground, when we were in our 20s & 30s) and enjoy a dinner at Nepenthe. And then sit around the big fire pit outside at Nepenthe and sip an Irish coffee and get a little "buzzed" while chatting with the other people doing the same thing, who were from different parts of the world.

Next morning, I would backtrack south to Pfeiffer Beach for a stroll, and maybe hit Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park also. Then I would head up north to the River Inn in Big Sur, and have a lunch. Then up to Pt Lobos to enjoy the "most beautiful meeting of land & sea".

Then to Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove to admire the Victorian houses, shops in Carmel. "Hansel & Gretel" homes in Carmel, shops in Carmel, Carmel Beach, Aquarium, Spanish Bay, historic Monterey, 17 mile drive.

Then back "home", with yet another remembrance of our wonderful trip to Big Sur/Carmel. It never gets "old".

Stu Dudley

voyager61

Santa Barbara offers a fun downtown with great people watching, a fine Spanish mission, excellent restaurants, good beaches and proximity to wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley. It's fairly easy to get in and out of if you just want to stop for lunch (Carlito's has good Mexican food!). I loved Hearst Castle and Carmel end enjoyed the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but the Cannery Row tourist area is underwhelming. Leave time for stopping at coastal viewpoints and plenty of time for San Francisco. The Union Street Inn is a very pleasant bed and breakfast in a good SF neighborhood.

Jim_Tardio

I live in LA...it's just too big to do a short trip. So much to do here and that doesn't include Rodeo Drive and all that nonsense.

Having said that, SD is pretty much a yawn. I'd get out of there as fast as I could.

The meat of your trip is between LA & SF with the stops you mentioned. SF is a great, compact city...spend most of your time there or nearby.