Family from NJ needs advice on CA

Hi family from NJ doing Fly/Drive Ca this August......

Itinerary covers San Fran to San Diego...we have 3 nights set for Yosemite and only 1 night for the coast and the Hearst Castle..do you think we should take a night from Yosemite and add it on to maybe Carmel?

We have 3 nts San Fran..3 nts Yosemite...1 nt on the Coast...4 NIghts LA and 4 nights San Diego...

We thought Ca would be cheaper than going to Italy..but it looks like the gas prices might be killing us! Thnaks....also...my husband likes suite hotels any suggestions.....Thanks

JB from Jersey

Family from NJ needs advice on CA

Great itinerary JB,

Let me give some food for thought. We did Yosemite for our anniversary and 2 days was enought to see all you needed. While there be sure and see the one person play. It is the best play i%26#39;ve seen in years. Take that third night and see Monterey. Cannery Row is fun and the aquarium is unbelievable. Have a casual dinner at Bubba Gumps. The kids will love it and the drinks are good too. From there go straight down the coast for 2-2 1/2 hours and your at Hearst Castle. 30 minutes past the castle is the city of Morro Bay. Stay at the Ascot Suites, but be sure and tell them you want an actual 2 room suite. They are very nice. Enjoy San Diego. I have to go there this summer myself.

Family from NJ needs advice on CA

Hi there, It is not clear from your post if you already have your reservations along the way. Let us know if you need hotel ideas. If you are avid hikers and/or photographers then even 3 days in Yosemite will not be enough. If you are like my husband,(an x Jersey boy) then 1 day would be enough. So it really depends on how YOU feel about nat%26#39;l parks. In Monterey you have a great aquarium, then on to Hearst Castle and my favorite town to stay in is Cambria(which is just south of San Simeon/Hearst) You could also add on some wine tasting nearby along the road to Paso Robles.

Thanks for your help!...we have San Fran and Yosemite all set...just starting to get the stops finalized on the rest of our trip...looks like I%26#39;ll do the extra night in Monterrey/Carmel area and a night in Morro Bay....then its off to LA..the typical spots...Bev. Hills..Hollywood...trying to get tickets to the Tonight show.....Venice and 1 night nearDisneyland then off to San Diego for 5 nights..looking for a beach palce there but 99.9% of the owners want a full week and the most we can do is 5 nights...I can%26#39;t see paying for something your not using, since it isn%26#39;t cheap to begin with!

So...I%26#39;m off to read hotel reviews...again...thanks for your thoughts...

PS.. riffsmom....there is no such creature as as ';ex-Jersey guy'; you can%26#39;t get rid of it..

JB from Jersey

My husband said to tell you not to miss the musical Jersey Boys(of course you are right about never being X)

I don%26#39;t know your price point but the La Jolla Beach %26amp;Tennis Club has famiiy 2bdrm suites with kitchens. Let me know if I ca help more with San Diego.

NJ family of 4 also traveling to CA in August. Staying in San Fran 3 nights (Hyatt Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf), LA for 4 nights (Renaissance Holllywood Hotel), San Diego for 4 nights (PAradise Point Resort).

We%26#39;re looking for a halfway stop between San Fran and LA. My sons ages 11 and 16 are not interested in Hearst Castle %26amp; I%26#39;ve seen it.

Any ideas?

LJ from NJ

for the last post -- sorry, but i don%26#39;t think there%26#39;s much of anything 1/2 between san fran and la. the central coast is about it. just call that a driving day, and plan it so that you don%26#39;t drive into LA at prime traffic time.

for both families -- i must say that driving down hwy 1 is stunning -- but it is very very slow and very winding so if you have kids that will get bored or anybody that will get motion sickness (the road is *very* curvy), I%26#39;d advise you to take 101 or 1-5 instead.

for the family stopping in morro bay, i love the embarcadero inn, and they have a new family suite. the town is pretty quiet and settles down a little early. great candy shops and little restaurants on the wharf. the hotel also has free movie rentals if you need to relax at home for a bit and just enjoy the view.

oh, and the central coast is usually on the cold and windy side, so make sure you bring warm clothing too!

for a little pre-trip fun, you can rent the movie ';arachnaphobia'; -- the big bridge in the beginning of the movie should be the same one you%26#39;ll pass in Cambria.

:)

If you stop half way in Morro Bay you will discover that there is excellent kayaking here. I highly recommend it for kids your boys age.

We also have a great deal of hiking in perhaps the most beautiful state parks in California, particularly Montana de Oro. Go out to Corraline Cove to go tidepooling.