Things to do in Northern California?

[plowhog]

Spent the last week in Yosemite. Been awhile since I have been there. Awesome. Spectacular. One of a kind!

 

[Hughman]

Spent the last week in Yosemite. Been awhile since I have been there. Awesome. Spectacular. One of a kind!

The waterfalls are mind blowing this year.

 

[Sigarms]

Again, many thanks for all the information. My wife finally figured out that one reason why I come here is due to the information and advice (I printed all of the responses to give to her to read as well).

We only made one small tweak. We will be spending 2 nights in Monterey and one night in half moon bay. This should give us sufficient time literally on the coast and San Francisco on a Sunday to Muir woods (worst case, I don't think two trips down to Big Sur would be a huge loss). 2 day unaccounted back to back, which we will most likely be checking out the Lake Tahoe area with perhaps Nevada.

Wife will be taking notes on the drives and locations when we come back by ourselves later on in the future.

 

[ericm979]

The Monterrey Bay Aquarium is really cool. It's pretty good sized though, so plan a half day to see everything. The waterfront around it is pretty touristy but there's restaurants.

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse on 1 between HMB and Santa Cruz is worth a visit. There's tons of state beaches along that section of 1, and they're all nice. Ano Nuevo is where the elephant seals are.

On summer weekend days and fridays traffic can get bad in the afternoons on highway 1 in santa cruz and the beach towns to the south, and on 1 around HMB. Also on 17 and 92 leading to santa cruz and HMB.

The other day I saw a pic of the Tioga pass rd on twitter. That section is pretty beat up. There may be more road work than usual this summer in the high sierras.

 

[Sigarms]

The Monterrey Bay Aquarium is really cool. It's pretty good sized though, so plan a half day to see everything. The waterfront around it is pretty touristy but there's restaurants.

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse on 1 between HMB and Santa Cruz is worth a visit. There's tons of state beaches along that section of 1, and they're all nice. Ano Nuevo is where the elephant seals are.

On summer weekend days and fridays traffic can get bad in the afternoons on highway 1 in santa cruz and the beach towns to the south, and on 1 around HMB. Also on 17 and 92 leading to santa cruz and HMB.

The other day I saw a pic of the Tioga pass rd on twitter. That section is pretty beat up. There may be more road work than usual this summer in the high sierras.

Thanks.

The goal was not to keep driving back and forth to Angles Camp when trying to check out the shore line on 1, added I thought it best to deal with traffic in SF on a Sunday morning.

I have no doubt when the boy leaves home in Sept this year, the following year my wife and I will be back by ourselves.

I'm starting to understand why my parents started traveling a lot more after I left home

 

[California]

Just found an excellent video on SF tourism embedded in another SF Chronicle article. Worth viewing.

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/increased-migration-bay-area-to-sacramento-18262928.php

Edit: Now one of the ads in the sidebar triggers my NoScript warning about going offsite. If you see that, click 'Block' to halt that ad from loading. It includes a rubiconproject cookie, to know its you when you hit an unrelated site. Not harmful but not relevant.

 

[Sigarms]

Again, thanks to EVERYONE for the feedback. Leaving tonight to stay in Charlotte for the early AM flight. Looking forward to it very much, but it seemed this week was non stop just playing catch up just to leave.

Got warm clothes as well as bringing pants

 

[Hughman]

Keep us posted on what you finally end up doing.

 

[California]

Heck, we would like to see photos from each part of your adventure here!

 

[kenmbz]

Have fun !

 

[California]

Sigarms welcome to sunny California!

(The forecast is 90 degrees about the time you start driving.)

 

[ericm979]

I think this summer is probably the best in the last 10-15 years for summer air quality in the Sierras and California in general. There's no big fires in CA right now and the ones in Oregon aren't too big and have not been sending a lot of smoke down south.

There's red flag warnings in far NorCal and Oregon (where it's super hot), heat warnings for the central valley and possible lightning storms in the Sierras from the remnants of a tropical storm. So the clear air may go away soon.

 

[Sigarms]

Sigarms welcome to sunny California!

(The forecast is 90 degrees about the time you start driving.)

 

[Sigarms]

Been on this forum a very long time, I think this is the first time I’ve ever posted remotely not from my home.

We drive to Fresno tonight because our guided trip through Yosemite picks us up there tomorrow morning at 0500 there.

My wife and I agree, interesting topography on the drive to Angels Camp. Cows are smart staying under trees. I can see why at least this area seems to have potential for wild fires (not sure if happens around here, but that grass looks like a tinderbox ready to go

First place for gas was cheapest at $4.55

Seems to be land and homes for sale on the drive yesterday.

Stopped and had the best Mexican food than we ever had vs NC for 20 years we lived there, and we’re weren’t to certain about the place when we first pulled in, but we were getting hungry. Then it did hit me, it was also the most expensive Mexican dinner I ever bought for 3 people.

12:24am right now, but our butts we’re dragging from yesterday, Wife said I crashed at 5 pm local time. My issue is I’m a up at 4-5 am kind of guy 7 days a week.

Suggestions on the drive to Fresno or a quick day trip? Wife mentioned a state park on this area a school teacher of our son suggested. Edit, looked where some sequoias are, looks interesting and ironic I can get excited to see one as I never have.

THIS is what I should have done from the start and just ask while I’m here lol

My boy impressed me. Has the playlist he created for my dad over the years my dad lived with us. He actually likes the Glen Miller orchestra along with the Andrew sisters and Chuck Berry and a host of 40’s and 50’s music he saved. I’m to much like my dad now. Getting to the point where I’m not fond of technology but it does come in handy if you know how to use it. New Mazda SUV with only 254 miles on it when we picked it up. I would never buy one myself, but it gets the job done (I’d spend a little more for a Subaru)

Have to laugh, Calaveras county over 1,000 square miles population 45k. Yadkin county NC 330 square miles population 35k. Also my wife made sure no work laptop on my end, but she HAD to bring her iPad if help is needed from her company. Go figure.

 

[Sigarms]

If you wish to see spectacular scenery, take a drive over Hwy 4 to Carson City. This is Ebbetts Pass, and passes by the small towns of Arnold, Camp Connel, and Bear Valley. The scenery is equivalent to that in Glacier National Park-- huge jagged high granite peaks with deeply carved valleys in between. For many miles it is more equivalent to a one lane paved road but it is no problem at all in a passenger vehicle.

You did tell me but I forgot.

I felt like such a tourist because I had to ask a guy at Alpine lake if I was still on 4.

Trying to make it to Markleyville but there were some road construction, so to play it safe turned around and headed back to Angels Camp.

Won’t lie, the pucker factor settled down on the way back after getting the first drive under my belt. A truck carrying a boat did scare the crap out of my wife on on blind corner on the north side of the pass coming around a corner lol

I see what you guys mean about temperature swings in different locations just in one day. Hot, mild and cool all in one day depending on the elevation.

The tree park was a hit as well.

Ebbitts pass reminded me of 421 between Mountain City and Shady Grove Tenn, just about 5,000 feet difference in elevation lol

 

[Hughman]

You should pop over Sonora pass if you have the time.

 

[Sigarms]

You should pop over Sonora pass if you have the time.

I hate to ask, but what would the drive time be and best route from Angels Camp?

We’re in Fresno tonight. We took 4 south to like 89, then to 99 south I think. Weather is still all over the place. It’s 85f now (ant night) and the breeze is actually hot (my son even commented on it).

This picture taken in Lagrange road (we ended up by a large California campus of Mercerd (sp?). 2nd pic was a panoramic view. LOTS of open land.

My wife even commented on how the topography changes and for the short time here, really never thought of this type of land being California.

We’re spending tomorrow night in Fresno as well. Any suggestions on a roundabout trip back to Angels Camp? Thinking about the sequoia national park south of Yosemite on Thursday, but need to look at the Gazetteer in the car.

Friday we head over to the coast for rt 1 to Big Sur then San Fran then back to angels camp on Monday. It would be next week for Sonora pass and or perhaps Lake Tahoe.

 

[Hughman]

I hate to ask, but what would the drive time be and best route from Angels Camp?

From AC, take 49 south to Sonora, then 108 east to 395. The dramatic part is between Kennedy Meadows and Leavitt Meadows. Figure about 3 hours each way.

 

[Sigarms]

For August we lucked out for a couple reasons, and I’ll take it.

Long day starting at 5 am, but I’ll take it.

For the record, anyone reading this that never has been to Yosemite, I wouldn’t ever go in August again.

That said my wife and I will be back during the non summer months.

 

[California]

...anyone reading this that never has been to Yosemite, I wouldn’t ever go in August again.

That said my wife and I will be back during the non summer months.

Gorgeous photos!

You saw a few people there? . 10,000 people sleep in the valley overnight. Add the day visitors, and it adds up. Local folks coming up on the weekends, even more.

Yosemite Valley is a must-see. The high country beyond it is gorgeous too. Our extended family camped annually at Tuolumne Meadows for many years. YNP is sort of our spiritual home for this California family, what we have in common as various people move around over the years.

Did your kid like it?