To bypass Yosemite during California road trip?

[PissyDressingGown]

I know some of you are knowledgable on USA so I'm hoping to put forward my idea and ask if I'm being unreasonable to Miss off something that everyone raves on about.

We're flying to San Francisco in August. That's the only bit we have booked, the rest is still to organise.

Original idea was 4 nights in SF, 3 nights in Yosemite and then down to LA.

However I'm thinking now of scrapping Yosemite and just doing a straight line down - so it would be 3 nights in SF, 2 nights in Monterey, 2 nights in Big Sur and then on to LA.

I'm worried I'll be missing out if I don't do Yosemite though?!

If it were me, I would forget about San Francisco! Don't waste a second on cities - see the country instead!

How long have you got? Could you do a loop? I would recommend Yosemiite, King's Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. If you want have longer, take a detour up to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. You'd need at least 3 weeks, maybe more.

Or, if you want to see the California coast, drive up the coast road north of San Francisco.

Don't miss Monterrey and Big Sur they're amazing!

We did San Fran, Monterrey, Big Sur, Yosemite then up to Lake Tahoe. Was unbelievable!!!

Big Sur is amazing - we stayed in a wonderful eco resort there in a giant yurt - Treebones

Monterey and Carmel are pleasant but not essential. The 8 mile drive worth doing though

I loved LA too - you have to spend some time understanding it to enjoy it. There’s some amazing bits. We stayed in Santa Monica for 2 nights then West Hollywood for 2 nights - they really are miles apart!

Personally I’ve been to San Fran twice and found that a bit dull. Alcatraz worth it though, that’s brilliant

I meant 17 mile drive - it hasn’t been shortened by 9 miles!!

It depends on what you like. I went to Yosemite briefly but as I'm not really into walking in the country, I didn't particularly enjoy. Plus accommodation there was v. expensive so had to drive quite a long way out to find anything reasonably priced. I loved San Franciso though and have been there many many times. LA was interesting...

If you're tempted by the idea of Napa, do check out what the fires have done for the scenery. It's v depressing driving through miles of burnt trees.

Oh Thyme - I never thought of that

Stick with Northern California - san fran, Yosemite, Monterey, big sur, add Carmel.

Go to Southern California another time and do some of the coast and San Diego etc.

Yellowstone/ Grand Tetons /Jackson Hole are beautiful- possibly another trip in themselves!

Don't miss it ! One of the most beautiful places on earth

Big Sur as a through route is still closed at least till the end of the summer but I'd still go to Monterey and Carmel.. You can get all the latest updates (and recommendations) on Trip Advisor.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g240329-i513-k11121527-Is_big_sur_road_still_clos

LA is a shithole. SF is rapidly becoming a shithole. I'd cut down your time in both places. Definitely visit Yosemite. Find a lovely hotel/airbnb to stay at on the Big Sur coast.

Yosemite was our favourite bit too, the only bit I hated was LA. I'd skip that if we did it again. 2 days in Yosemite is enough. We went on to Vegas from there and thought I'd hate it but bloody loved it!

We drove through Yosemite from San Fran to Vegas and stayed in a little town called Bishop overnight. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking so well worth the trip. We were then in Vegas for 3 days, LA for 4 days then drove back up the Pacific coast highway to San Fran. It was only a ten day trip and I wish it could have been longer as would have loved to see more of San Fran.

My preference would be to miss out LA - I didn't like it. SF fabulous, Yosemite, breathtaking (but busy and hot in summer), I also didn't particularly like the really touristy places. If it's a road trip head over the Sierras and onto Highway 395 - it's not called the scenic highway for nothing, and it feels much more like America.

In SF the North Beach area is great to stay in. Fisherman's Wharf gets way busy but it's fun to cycle over the Golden Gate Bridge and either get the ferry back or cycle back. When we did it the queues were very long and had to wait an hour for a ferry in blazing heat so cycling back best option. California is also hugely expensive, SF especially. Try to find dollar stores for cheap stuff and if in China Town, eat where the locals eat. We got a massive meal for 8 people for less than $80. Everywhere else was extortionate.

We stayed in a concrete tipi village in LA. It was lovely - kitsch, but solid and well kept, a real bit of American history. The drive-by shooting just outside was less what we were looking for.

Yosemite was stunning, we stayed outside at a funny little hunting lodge type place not far from the road to bodie which is also worth a visit, its an old mining town that was left after the gold rush exactly as it was, a bit creepy but fascinating. we were woken up at 3am by a huge bear just outside our cabin rummaging in the bin! fantastic view.

Carmel to LA is a long drive on PCH and, if you’re doing it in a day, you’ll not have much time to stop and enjoy it.

Wish we'd skipped Fisherman's Wharf, didn't enjoy it at all.

Carmel to LA would be too far to drive in a day, agree with MakeItStop-better to break it up with one or two overnights and have less time in the cities.

One highlight for me, StageCoach ride at Wawona.

Photograph I took of my brother in the 1990s on my second visit to Yosemite (been back many times since) at Glacier Point, looking out at Half Dome.. 100% natural photo, no photoshopping, breathtaking place...this is before we hiked down to the valley floor

I found Carmel boring and pretentious though we did only stop for (very expensive) supplies. There was a shop in the mall where you could buy a bullet proof dog coat!!!

Ditto Inertia - skip Fisherman's Wharf. Awful

We are flying into Las Vegas in summer so interested to read all these ideas! Keep em coming!