Request input CA vacation - San Diego to Sacramento - March

[ranger]

I fly a lot with Delta and I have some regional upgrade tickets so I decided that wife and I will visit CA for about 10 days in March. Fly into San Diego and fly out of Sacramento. Why those cities - well, it is actually VERY hard to use these upgrade certificates and these were the only cities in CA that I could find availability. San Diego is fine - wife wants to go there. Background - my first duty station was FT Ord in early 1980s and I have been in and out of CA multiple times since there on business.

Will rent a car and plan on driving a lot and seeing a lot of CA from the road.

Hoping the PF team can provide some advice on where to go and what to see while there.

Some restrictions:
Wife has a knee issue so not hiking
Not interested in "big cities" - not looking for LA or SF type visits
Not interested in desert - spent way too much of my life in the Mojave area NTC

Current thoughts - not locked in:
Visit San Diego for 2-3 days (wife = zoo)
Drive up the coast toward Monterey (vicinity of closed FT Ord)
Drive up to Tahoe?
Drive up to Yosemite?
End up vicinity Sacramento to fly out.

[paherne]

Drive up the coast and visit Solvang, Santa Barbara, San luis Obispo, etc. Then drive through the Sf Bay Area and spend a day or two in Napa. DO NOT go through the Central Valley and stay in Visalia, Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, etc. There be dragons. It's ok to drive through, in the daylight, to get to Yosemite, etc. But don't stay overnight in any of those places.

[Duelist]

I fly a lot with Delta and I have some regional upgrade tickets so I decided that wife and I will visit CA for about 10 days in March. Fly into San Diego and fly out of Sacramento. Why those cities - well, it is actually VERY hard to use these upgrade certificates and these were the only cities in CA that I could find availability. San Diego is fine - wife wants to go there. Background - my first duty station was FT Ord in early 1980s and I have been in and out of CA multiple times since there on business.

Will rent a car and plan on driving a lot and seeing a lot of CA from the road.

Hoping the PF team can provide some advice on where to go and what to see while there.

Some restrictions:
Wife has a knee issue so not hiking
Not interested in "big cities" - not looking for LA or SF type visits
Not interested in desert - spent way too much of my life in the Mojave area NTC

Current thoughts - not locked in:
Visit San Diego for 2-3 days (wife = zoo)
Drive up the coast toward Monterey (vicinity of closed FT Ord)
Drive up to Tahoe?
Drive up to Yosemite?
End up vicinity Sacramento to fly out.

Definitely do the Big Sur section of the coast highway while you’re in the Monterrey area. And there’s The Monterey Bay Aquarium, and glass bottom boat tours, too. Beautiful area I loved while stationed there in the late 90s.

[AMC]

In the Monterey area, Carmel is a nice little town. Yeah, a little touristy, but the small hotels are pretty nice, and not too expensive. Pretty good dining too.

I'd second a.vote for the Napa Valley, especially if you're a wine drinker. Napa wines are some of the finest (if not the finest) in the world.

As for Yosemite, I'd plan on at least a few days there. It's one of the wonders of creation, and can't be experienced in a few hours on a day trip.

[Clusterfrack]

Add Marin County: Mount Tam, Muir Woods, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

If you go to SF, the Dogpatch neighborhood is trendy and full of hipsters. Good beer there. And you can shop at the TAD Gear store.

[RJ]

Have some ideas but I need a real keyboard. Give me till Sunday night.

[okie john]

Napa and and Sonoma Counties.

https://calistogamotorlodgeandspa.co...SAAEgI_5fD_BwE

Thank me later.


Okie John

[TheRoland]

I spend a ton of time in San Diego although I rarely play tourist. When I do, the Midway and the Zoo are awesome places.

[Suvorov]

There is a nice little mission hotel set up on Fort Hunter Liggett reservation. They did the Bradley testing out there so you will probably feel some good vibes. The drive up 101 from San Luis Obispo to the Bay Area is actually quite scenic as is the drive up the coast on the 1. There are tons of nice small wine producers in the coastal range that in my opinion rival the better known Napa vintners. As others have mentioned stay off the 5!!! Yosemite is absolutely Awe Inspiring!!! Sacramento is a real fun town, if it wasn't ruled by the Commies in LA and SF I'd move there in a heartbeat! Old Sacramento is fun for a day and Gold Country is one of the most beautiful places around.

California is a breath taking and wonderful state to visit.

It is unfortunate that it is ruled by pure evil!

Now I'm depressed......

[Josh Runkle]

I really like the Dana Point/Laguna Niguel, Santa Monica or Santa Barbara areas if I was just going to watch the sunset and chill somewhere.

Glass Beach in Ft. Bragg is pretty great.

Napa and Sonoma are pretty great if you like wine.

Can’t go out west without stopping at In-N-Out. Animal Style.


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