Doing 2 week road trip this summer LA to San Fran

Looking for recommendations for must sees along the way. (espec. wineries)

Mustang convert. YIPEEE!!-

 

Most of the good wineries are North of SF in Napa and Sonoma..its not that far, but if wine's your thing you are in the wrong place.
Carmel,Big Sur, San Simeon, Pacific Coasgt Highway all good parts of the trip.

 

I drove that route via the PCH years ago. Twice as long as the expressway, but a beautiful drive. My strongest memory is being able to hear the sea lions barking, with the windows up and the a/c on - they were that loud!

 

Carmel
Monterey Bay
Laguna Seca
Lake Tahoe if you can make it.

 

^ +1 and Head to HWY 1 from San Louis Obispo to San Fran.

 

Hey TTLATION,
Will do the same around September.
Not decided yet, was thinking arriving in Vegas, rent a mustang, and drive to LA and then go south to San Diego and the back to Vegas. All in 10 days.
Don't know if this could be done without rushing.

Bruno

 

Hearst castle is really cool,
restaurant in big sur overlooking ocean unbelievable views Nepenthe. give yourself 2 or 3 days for the drive. you should drive from san fran to la rather than the other way around so you are on the ocean side of the highway. for wineries nothing compares IMHO to Napa, Robert Mondavi is the best and has scheduled tours. don't do this drive on the weekend! too much traffic. for cars stuff go to cars and coffee sunday morning in irvine be there by 7 as it is done by 9, google it for info, best in NA. too many great things in california to detail here! Yosemite is a favorite of mine. I also would consider moving the trip to june or sept as it gets HOT there.
BBGun; no problem doing that in 10 days 5 hours la to vegas 3 hours or so to san diego, stop in death valley or joshua tree.

 

You might have better luck asking peeps in one of the RL US forums for info on that area......

Never been to California.

P

 

+1 for Napa and Sonoma
And if you are into nice food, I strongly recommend Bistro Jeanty (www.bistrojeanty.com) in Yountville (just north of Napa).

 

This is a great thread... I'm now thinking of planning a trip to California.

 

I have been all over it... and there is some really obscure stuff still. Try driving the Lost Coast and Humboldt County up to Ferndale and Eureka if you have done the rest.....

Its an amaing state and some brilliant auto collections. The new Mullin Collection in Oxnard is the greatest collection of Art deco period cars anywhere. Opened last year. Good track days at places also...I tried Infineon which was fun.

 

What?! no one said visit Disney LAND?!!

Funny you mention Mustang convertable. I always rent a convertable when I go to LA. I drive with the top down day and night!! and only put the top up when parked over night.

I once asked some local car club friends for a nice restaurant/bar in Newport. Knowing I'm from Canada, they thought they were being thoughtful and sent me to a British style pub!! Its on Hwy 1 It is called the silent woman. Out front is a carving of a woman in a victorian dress carrying her head in her hands

Always liked stopping in to laguna beach as well! (south of Newport beach)
Ahhh the memories!

 

I agree with Danny on Nepethe (we always make the round trip day drive from Carmel to this location for our 4 day getaway at the end of Nov - Carmel has their Christmas tree lighting ceremony on this weekend). Just north of Nepethe is also one of the few access points in that area to take a car down to the beach, which is also pretty cool if you want to spin the tires a little on some California sand

 

I second Hearst Castle. Stunning and well worth the time. Incredible tours.
Also recommend Tickle Pink Inn just south of Carmel. Get an Ocean view suite. Incredible place.

 

We stayed at Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville. Great place and a short drive to a lot of the great wineries.