Rylie Grite
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2015
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Last edited:
My notes:Looking for feedback for an Aug 22 - Sept 5 2020 itinerary. 2 adults and an 8 year old.
Plan to pick up a car @ SFO and return LAX
Day 1 Sat Aug 22 Arrive SFO - Pickup Car - Hotel check in
Day 2 San Fran - Warf, Chinatown, Cable Cars
Day 3 San Fran - Presidio, Walt Disney Family Museum & Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz?
Day 4 depart San Fran early drive to Yosemite - Afternoon in Yosemite Valley
Day 5 Yosemite
Day 6 Depart Yosemite for Monterey - Morning in Yosemite?
Day 7 Monterey - Aquarium, Point Lobos Park, 17 mile drive, cannery row
Day 8 Depart Monterey drive the coast and stop for the night in Cambria or San Luis Opisbo or Morro Bay - See Bixby Bridge, Point Sur lighthouse, McWay Falls, Ragged Point and Elephant seals, Hearst Castle?
Day 9 Drive to LA, Griffith Observatory
Day 10 LA - Warner Bros Studio Tour? Santa Monica Pier?
Day 11 LA - Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater? Depart late drive to Anaheim Check in Disneyland
Day 12 - Disneyland
Day 13 - Disneyland
Day 14 - Disneyland
Day 15 Sat Sept 5- Depart & return home
Looking for feedback for an Aug 22 - Sept 5 2020 itinerary. 2 adults and an 8 year old.
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Day 6 Depart Yosemite for Monterey - Morning in Yosemite?
Day 7 Monterey - Aquarium, Point Lobos Park, 17 mile drive, cannery row
Day 8 Depart Monterey drive the coast and stop for the night in Cambria or San Luis Opisbo or Morro Bay - See Bixby Bridge, Point Sur lighthouse, McWay Falls, Ragged Point and Elephant seals, Hearst Castle?
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A quick geographic correction - Ano Nuevo is not between Monterey and Santa Cruz. Ano is N. of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz is N. of Monterey. If OP decides to skip Yosemite for Santa Cruz, the easiest route is to head south from SF on Hwy 1 which goes through Half Moon Bay, by Ano Nuevo state park and through Santa Cruz before reaching Monterey....Day 8 - the best elephant seal viewing is at Ano Nuevo between Monterrey and Santa Cruz. The drive between Santa Cruz and Cambria is long, windy and gorgeous. You don't want to do it at night. I'd split this in two days;
day 1 - Monterrey to Santa Cruz, with a hike to see the elephant seals on the way. There is a historic train you can ride in Santa Cruz as well as the boardwalk - you won't be bored.
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I agree that you absolutely must do Yosemite - I'd put that as the number one priority myself, even above Disneyland.
I agree with those points. Yosemite Valley is much more exciting than Disneyland and worth the effort to go there, even if you have to cut out other stuff in your plans.I also agree that you may want to skip Santa Cruz. I've been to Santa Cruz (as well as Yosemite) many times, and to me Santa Cruz is not that exciting. The boardwalk is iconic and if you were moving to California then I would surely suggest visiting at some point, but for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, it's just not that important when there is so much else to see.
I agree that the Aquarium is the highlight of Monterey, however, I don't think the Aquarium is worth the admission cost. I think for those who haven't been to a lot of large aquariums, it can be an exciting visit. Both times I've gone, I have been disappointed. I just like Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach better.As for Monterey, my husband and I have been there for the day and often intend to do the 17-mile drive, but end up spending the entire day at the Aquarium instead.