San Francisco, Yosemite, Carmel

Old Sep 6th, 2016, 07:45 AM
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San Francisco, Yosemite, Carmel

We are planning a trip to California for August 2017(2 adults and a 10 yr old child). I have booked a hotel stay @ Yosemite Valley Lodge. I am in the beginning stages of our planning so I am looking for recommendations of things to do and must see sights. I got really amazing information for our trip to Yellowstone this summer so I am hoping I can get great pointers for this one too. We are planning to arrive to San Francisco spend 1 or 2 days there and then drive to Yosemite where we will be staying for approx. 5 nights. We would like to fit Carmel in this trip and any other town that is along the way (in the area). We are targeting approximately 9 days in total for this trip.

We are a very active family and love hiking, sightseeing and dinning. Any recommendations you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 07:55 AM
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Have you looked at this site?

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/index.htm
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 07:55 AM
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I assume you are flying out of SFO?

If so SF (2 days) > Yosemite (5 days) > Carmel/Monterey (2 days) > SFO would be a terrific 9 day trip. But I would probably cut one day from Yosemite (and it is one of my favorite places on earth) and add it to the Carmel/Monterey area. There is a lot to see based from Monterey and it will take half a day to drive there from YNP. (Carmel/Big Sur/Point Lobos/Aquarium/Santa Cruz + more)

Expect Yosemite to be crowded, hot/warm and dry, and SF and the coast to be cool and even foggy.
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 08:11 AM
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I would also cut time from Yosemite. Depending how much your 10 year old is into hiking etc, I would cut 2 days and add to either SF or Monterey/ Carmel.
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 09:48 AM
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I could cut two days as well -- adding one to SF and one to Monterey . . . But at minimum I'd cut one day
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 10:11 AM
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Yes, we are flying in and out from SFO. Should I do Monterey/Carmel before Yosemite? Or after? How are the crowds in August at the park? I read it is very crowded which makes me nervous. Also, what must see sights in SF for my 9 year old? He wants to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I have been in San Francisco before but this would be the first time with a child. Any information you can provide will be much appreciated. THANKS so much for the help!
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 10:27 AM
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>>Should I do Monterey/Carmel before Yosemite? Or after? YNP > Monterey > SFO would be easiest

Or you could easily do SFO directly to Monterey (about a 2 to 2.5 hour drive) > YNP > SF, turn in the car when you hit the city and explore for a couple of days car-less > SFO

>>How are the crowds in August at the park?>Also, what must see sights in SF for my 9 year old?
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Old Sep 6th, 2016, 11:06 AM
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If you are into baseball at all, definitely get tickets for a Giants game at AT&T Park - after 20 years, still one of the best of the "new" stadiums.
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 11:42 AM
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We have our final schedule for our upcoming trip this August 2017.
Day 1- Arrival in San Francisco 1pm approx. Hotel: Sna Francisco Marriott Marquee
Day 2: San Francisco (tour the city..)
Day 3: Pick up rental car and drive to Yosemite Hotel: Yosemite Valley Lodge
Day 4: Yosemite
Day 5: Yosemite
Day 6: Yosemite - Monterrey Valley ---will drive to Monterrey early AM so we get a full day in Monterrey. Hotel: The Clement in Canery Row
Day 7: Monterrey
Day 8: Monterrey
Day 9: Drive from Monterrey to San Francisco our flight leaves at 12 PM

During our visit to Yosemite we plan on hiking the valley and going to go check out some sequoias on our way in. Since Mariposa Grove is closed we will go to Merced. Any other mandatory stop on our way from San Francisco to Yosemite? ONce in the park we plan on hiking the valley, mist rail, drive to see the sunset from the canyon, etc. Any must do hike you recommend? We are travling with our 10 yr old and are very active.

I am in need of recommendations of must do in SFO and Monterrey area with a limitted timeframe. We would like to drive to Carmel and see the scenery in Big Sur. Also I am seriously considering booking an early raft whale watching tour for day #8.

Thanks in advance for your help!
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 05:03 PM
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I realize some people have more tolerance for possible flight-day delays, but I feel I need to recommend you spend your last night at a hotel near SFO for your noon departure. Any route into the Bay Area from Monterey, unless it's a weekend and possibly even then, you're liable to hit traffic. Save yourself the bother and get an airport hotel that last night. You can even return your car in the evening, one more thing out of the way.
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 08:04 PM
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I agree -- you will not lose ANY Monterey sightseeing time since you'd have to leave very early early in the AM. So stay in the Monterey area until after dinner then drive up to airport, turn in the car and spend the night in an SFO area hotel.
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 05:02 AM
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Thanks for your feedback. I am looking to make changes to the last day so we can spend the night near SFO and not drive in the morning.


Are there any recommendations of must see sites near the Monterrey area aside from the Carmel, the Aquarium, Canery Road? What about recommendations for routes in Big Sur that have not been affected by the floods? What about places to go hiking near that area?
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 06:17 AM
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Visit Point Lobos for sure.

>>What about recommendations for routes in Big Sur that have not been affected by the floods?
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 06:19 AM
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I NEVER stay at the airport the night before. It's a total waste of time and money IMO. The door-to-door time savings will be about an hour total, maybe and hour and a half. And even running into traffic--which modern apps can warn you about, so you can time your departure accordingly--we have never even come close to having a problem making our flights.
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 06:26 AM
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By the by--Monterey, CA has one "r". Monterrey is in Mexico. Searching for stuff online will be easier if you spell it right
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 10:35 AM
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I posted a report about the 26 miles of Hwy 1 that are accessible south of Carmel until Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is rebuilt http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...os-6102017.cfm Do stop at Point Lobos as well.

If interested, you can also get around the bridge closure via a combination of shuttle/hike/shuttle which is starting this Saturday https://www.surtransportation.com/th...uttle-survice/ The possibility of the shuttle on the southern side running to McWay Falls in August will be assessed in July.

Whale watching in Monterey Bay is great in August.
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 11:03 AM
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Here are some facts (no opinion) about drive from Monterey to SFO, so you can make up your own mind.

The non rush hour drive--after 10am for example-- is approximately 2 hours. There can be at least three rush hour hot spots depending on which route you take. These back ups can add at least an hour because depending on when a person leaves Monterey, they can hit 1 or 2 or even 3 back up spots.

So basically on a weekday morning, a traveler should probably leave Monterey by 7am.
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Old Jun 26th, 2017, 11:13 AM
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I used to live in Monterey and have driven to the airport many, many times. Use an app, check it often. Check it a few days in a row at the time of day you plan to leave (adjust for weekend or weekday, obviously). For a noon flight, I'd be in the car and moving at 7am.

I like to stay on vacation as long as possible. For me, there is no contest between remaining in Monterey for one more evening and just hunkering down in a boring airport hotel. At least there are good restaurants near SFO, but I still wouldn't do it.
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Old Jun 27th, 2017, 04:07 AM
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Thanks so much for the great feedback!

I forgot to ask if there are any must do unique restaurants in the Monterey or Big Sur area that we should try. We pretty much like any kind of food. We would love a place with a really nice view but if there are any must do restaurants that you are aware of and that can recommend that would be great also.
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Old Jun 27th, 2017, 05:36 AM
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For a combination of food quality and view, I really like The Bench which is located downstairs in the Lodge at Pebble Beach.

The C Restaurant at the Clement isn't bad and Cindy's Waterfront at the Aquarium is good.

Carmel doesn't really have view restaurants but the patio of Mission Ranch is nice on a sunny afternoon overlooking sheep pastures with a distant view of River Beach and Point Lobos. The patio opens at 4pm for bar service and dinner starts at 5pm but no reservations are taken. We usually go for drinks/appetizers and it can get pretty busy when the weather is nice.

Unless you opt for the shuttle/hike/shuttle, the only view restaurants along the Big Sur drive that are accessible by car are on the northern end at the Hyatt Highlands and then Rocky Point. Rocky Point has very dramatic cliff hugging views and the food is of acceptable quality. Once you get to the northern end of Big Sur Village, you're in a redwood forest. Big Sur River Inn has adirondack chairs in the river that are nice on a hot day. It's usually 5-10 degrees warmer in Big Sur vs on the Monterey Peninsula.

As far as no view restaurants, Passionfish in Pacific Grove is very good for seafood and I like Esteban in Monterey for tapas. In downtown Carmel, look at Cultura, La Balena, Il Grillo, Basil and I've heard good things about Artemis Turkish Kitchen but haven't had a chance to try it yet.
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