I've got 14 days in California in November. I'll have a car. What should I do to get the most of my time out of it? I at least plan to get to Redwood NP, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia for part of it. I'm not a huge city person but I figure at least a few days in SF and LA just to experience it, and definitely visiting some coastal regions. Plus, I'm not too big on hiking back-to-back-to-back so city visits help break that help. Also If I do LA it'll definitely be the tail end of the trip and them i'll head back home from southern CAIs there anything I should definitely stop by along the way?
Visit Ferndale, Honeydew, and Shelter Cove in the King Range National Conservation Area. This is the most remote section of the California coast. Honeydew is a very weird place. Fort Bragg is a mellow beach town with some beautiful coastal scenery. When I visited Redwoods I camped for free off Bald Hills Road, had no issues. Be aware that Yosemite requires reservations for entry. Consider leaving your vehicle in Merced (or Mariposa) and taking the shuttle into the park. The entry fee is quite a bit lower that way. Consider spending a few days in Santa Cruz and Monterey instead of San Francisco. Likewise, Santa Barbara instead of Los Angeles. Eastern San Diego County is definitely worth a visit. Did you know that San Diego County has more biodiversity than any other county in the lower 48 states? Personally, I'm not a big fan of Joshua Tree N.P., but bearded guys traveling with their girlfriends in white Sprinter vans rave about it.
>>2817235I've only been to Death Valley and badwater basin. Those places were cool
>>2817248I believe Yosemite timed entry only until September.
>>2817235look into hearst castle. i enjoyed checking it out. it feels like a relic but also an obscene show of wealth in an otherwise humble area.
>>2817235I'm in a similar boat, I'll be staying in Oakland from Oct 1st into the 12th for work reasons with big gaps in my schedule, I intend to go go to Mt. Shasta for a hiking excursion but I'm at a loss as to what to do otherwise, I'm not a city person (am a stereotypical fattish midwestern white from a college town) but I don't want to be stuck in a part of the world I'v never been to on the 6 days I have a open schedule. Staying near Lake Merritt.
>>2817235>at least a few days in SFunironically consider just a couple days in San Francisco. SF just kinda sucks and is pretty dead. it is a beautiful city though, I will say. not sure what your budget is, but I've stayed in some pretty reasonably priced airbnbs in the sunset district. if you like museums, Legion of Honor is a must visit. public works is a good club (from what I hear, I mostly go to underground shit). El Farolito near 19th bart has some bomb burritos (they're cash only tho). SF is a weird city, can't say I'm a fan. but honestly it still has a lot going for it.>>2818010Oakland is hella tight and Lake Merritt is a cool area. Actual downtown oakland (Uptown) sucks. Temescal is a fun neighborhood to putz around in. Lots of good restaurants and very safe. Lake Merritt is kino too, there's always something happening. On Alameda, the abandoned military base is a fun area to explore. Gets kinda spooky, but that's half the fun. Tilden, Lake Anza, and Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park are all good hiking spots ~15-20 mins from Oakland. San Francisco is a short trip away (take the ferry!) is a fun lil trip. If you want to do some longer hikes, check out the Marin Headlands. Point Reyes. Muir Woods. All these are within an hour/hour and a half from Oakland. Henry Cowell, Portola Redwoods, and Castle Rock are great hiking down in the Santa Cruz mountains, about an hour and a half away from Oakland. Wilder Ranch is also cool down in Santa Cruz. There's a ton to do in the area. Just don't leave valuables behind in your car.t. grew up in Santa Cruz and live in teh East Bay
Kings Canyon in November is a mistake. It's really high up. You don't want to camp in 30 degree weather at 11,000 feet. Yosemite is better that time of year. Look for a hotel around El Portal. That's the best entrance for Yosemite without paying the insane prices inside the valley. You're only like 10 minute from the gate. I'd also skip Redwoods. It's extremely out of the way. You can see giant redwoods in Yosemite. And Muir Woods is right across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco. Do that instead. Also, look up Pinnacles National Monument. That's a great park in that area.San Francisco is absolutely worth doing. Go to Angel Island and rent a bike a do the loop. Alcatraz is fun. Do the Tennessee Beach hike. Muir beach to Pirate Cove is a great hike too. I wouldn't stay in LA. Stay in Orange County. Costa Mesa and Irvine around John Wayne have nice cheap hotels that are central. Do Laguna Beach, Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach and Crystal Cove. In LA, Do the Getty museum. See Griffith Park. And then go to a Lakers game at Crypto.com arena. Then leave. Theme parks only on weekdays or you'll stand in line for an eternity.
>>2818494I'm going to be in SF for a few days in October for a wedding. Can you give me other museum/solo recommendations? Not going to be clubbing or picking up
I don't think a full tour of CA including all of those national parks is achievable in just 14 days (it might be physically possible, but I don't think it'd be enjoyable, just a lot of running around). If those national parks are the priority, then I would fly into San Francisco, spend 2 days in the Redwoods, 2 days in Yosemite, 2 days in Kings Canyon and Sequoia, then finish in Los Angeles. You won't have time to do the coasts, and you should expect to spend at least half a day driving from park to park.Alternately, you can break this up for a future trip. SF with Redwoods and Yosemite for a NorCal trip (and time left over for Napa for food or Lake Tahoe for the outdoors), then LA with Kings Canyon and Sequoia for a SoCal trip (and time left over for San Diego, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, etc).
>>2817235Keep in mind some of the routes in the Sierras around Yosemite may be closed after October, Sonora Pass (highway 120) for example as the area experiences heavy snow.>>2817248Santa Barbara is called the American Riviera, the central coast is absolutely beautiful but it will be cold and kinda gloomy by November. I'm actually from Eastern San Diego county and really like the Joshua Tree area. There's no place quite like it but it has been overrun with the Burning Man crowd since covid. There's a lot of stuff around there too on BLM land that you don't need to pay for to visit. >>2817320That's a good way to describe it. I can't imagine what it was like during its heyday when lions were roaming around the property. There are still some animals from his private zoo. The house itself is opulent but only insomuch as your average modern resort maybe, it was impressive when the average American didn't have indoor plumbing, sure. The outdoor pool that looks like greek temple is stunning though. >>2818765I would skip some of the mountains. The weather is too unreliable by the end of November. This is the peak time to visit deserts however. And the coast will be too cold for swimming but the crowds will have died down making it pleasant to visit.
>>2817235Gotta visit the Tenderloin in the heart of San Francisco. Great deals to be had.
>>2818564If you're into trying new food, you should get some tea leaf salad from Burma Super Star.That shit is the bomb. Burmese food from SF is absolutely killer.
>>2817235Seqouia, visit it. Take some time to checkout bigbear and arrowbear too
>>2821964No. Big Bear and Arrowhead are trash. Skip both. And Yosemite is infinitely better than Sequoia.
