Expert: Steve Summers - 6/5/2006

Question
Hi Steve, I've enjoyed reading your input to questions posed and I'm at a point in my travel plans where I need to consult an expert! My friends from England will be flying into Orlando, FL this upcoming October, they'll spend 1 night at my house then along with my husband & parents, ages 71 & 76, will be flying to Sacramento the next day.  Our plan is to see as much as we can of the beauty of California. We have reservations in Sacramento for 10/8, planning to drive to South Lake Tahoe on the 9th, spend one night at Tahoe, then drive to Yosemite for one night, then drive to San Francisco for 3 nights, then take the coast down and end up in Santa Barbara on the 15th, spend the night there and fly home on the evening of the 16th.  Currently we have a reservation in Sacramento, one in Tahoe and the 3 nights in S.F. in Corte Madera(?) just north of S.F.  We're debating Yosemite vs Redwood N.F. but think Yosemite will be just as beautiful, and a better use of our time. I've been planning this trip since February and can't seem to get any further than this.  I have nothing planned other than flights and 3 hotel stays.  Your input will be greatly appreciated!

Answer
Hi Carol,

Thank you for the most excellent feedback. Since I am also an expert in Yosemite as well, I thought that I would throw a couple tips your way:

October is a tricky month in the Sierras. It could be very warm in the valley, but it could also be rather nippy, and there is even a remote possibility of snow. "Luck favors the prepared, dahling"-Edna Mode, from "The Incredibles". Just ask the Donner Party.

Excellent choice on booking Yosemite Lodge, by the way. You will be in a prime spot in the valley. Plan on parking your car and leaving it there. You can get just about anywhere you want using the excellent shuttle system. If the weather is nice, rent some bikes! It is SO nice riding around the valley, which is nice and flat for the most part.

Visit the Ahwanee Hotel, if only to look around inside. This place it too cool for words, and a prime example of craftsman architecture. Take a pictur of your friends in the fireplace. Don't worry, there's room for everyone! If you can, have lunch there, just to say you ate there. The cavernous dining room is casual elegance at its finest.

Sadly, the waterfalls will not be full like they are in the spring and early summer. In fact, they aren't much more than a trickle this time of year. However, you can still admire their beauty and size.

For good cheap eats, Degnan's Deli makes good sandwiches.

If you can, book the grand tour which takes you through the valley and to Glacier Point. It's the best way to get the most information and take in the awesomeness of the place.

Have fun,

Steve


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Hi Carol,

That is a good itinerary. May I make a few suggestions and offer some insight?

The Sacramento-Lake Tahoe leg of your trip sounds just right. Tahoe is about a 2-hour drive from Sacramento, so one day there is fine.

However, I believe your Yosemite plans do not take into account the terrain and extended drive time you will need. Although Yosemite is less than 100 miles due south of Tahoe, it is about 200 miles of mostly mountain driving. I estimate that it's about 5 hours to drive from South Lake Tahoe to Yosemite Valley. Don't get me wrong; it is SO worth it. But I would allow an extra day there. You could leave for SF the night of the 11th or the morning of the 12th.

It is about 4.5 hours driving time from Yosemite Village to San Francisco. It is also about 200 miles, but only the first part is mountain driving. 2 nights in San Franciso should be plenty of time to see a few sights, especially since I have a few plans for you down the road. Be sure to go to the Boudin (pronounce bo-DEEN) Bakery and have the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. SF is a seafood town, so be sure to have plenty while you are here. Also, take along some sourdough bread loaves for the rest of the trip. And some chocolate from Ghirardelli Square. We always have a hot fudge sundae at the chocolate shop there. Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and Lombard Street are all popular stops. You might also want to take a tour of the bay, or even visit the infamous Alcatraz. Corte Madera is a lovely place to stay, but it is 15 miles outside of the city. Morning traffic into the city could be a real bear. If you can't find a good deal in the Fisherman's Wharf area of town (I occasionally find a good deal at the Radisson on travelocity.com or radisson.com), then stay in Mid-town, near Lombard and Van Ness. It's a less expensive area to stay, and you can walk to the major sights (or take the MUNI, which is pretty efficient, especially compared to LA). Other sights to see include Golden Gate Park, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

On the 14th, I highly recommend visiting Monterey and Cannery Row. Once again, it's a seafood town, so you can indulge. The specialty here seems to be calamari, I've never had better squid anywhere else. There's a little fish market/cafe on Foam St called the Sea Harvest. Not much to look at, but excellent fresh seafood at very resonable prices. Sure is a lot less than the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Cannery Row. And you MUST visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Simply the best. Feel like shopping? The American Tin Cannery outlets are at the end of Cannery Row, which has a lot of shops itself.

From Monterey, take highway 1 south through Big Sur to San Simeon. It's a bit windy in places, but the views are worth it. Stop at Hearst Castle and take a tour if you have the time. It's about 3 hours, but quite an amazing sight.

If you don't want to drive all the way to SB after San Simeon, you can stay the night in San Luis Obispo or Pismo Beach. We like staying at the Quality Inn on Monterey Ave in SLO. It's clean, reasonable, and offers a full breakfast. Oxford Suites in Pismo is the same way. Either way, bring your swim suits and sit in the jacuzzi/spa to relax after a long day's drive.

On the way to SB, you can visit the cute little Danish town of Solvang. It's just chock-full of little shops and places to eat wonderful, fattening foods. Try an Abelskivver, they are very tasty. Try anything that looks even remotely good here, it's excellent.

Santa Barbara is a very relaxed, coastal town. There are lots of places to eat and shop, especially on State Street. This town is a wonderful example of Spanish Mission architecture. The whole town is very casual (just the opposite of SF- If you show up in a SF restaurant in shorts, you might get "looks". In SB, it's no big deal).

Well, I've given you about 9 days worth of things to do in about 7 days, but I hope I've given you a few ideas to try. Have fun and enjoy our beautiful state.

Regards,

Steve