California - where to go/stay?

[mumblechum]

We're thinking of going to California this summer. DH and I plus 17 year old ds. DS and I would definitely like to see some bright lights so am currently thinking San Francisco (LA looks/sounds a bit too scary!)
for a few days, then renting a cottage somewhere more rural, as dh's idea of holiday is very much sitting in the sun doing not a lot.

Does anyone know the area and can make reccomendations, eg whether Napa valley/Berkley area would be nice?

Thanks

Big Basin Redwoods near Santa Cruz is just magic.

D'oh - forgot link www.bigbasin.org/

Thanks Cocka!

Can't really recommend anywhere to stay etc, because we stayed in some faceless huge corporate hotel in Santa Clara where dh was attending a conference (ds1 and I paid for our flights and tagged along ). As for food - "Birk's Restaurantwww.birksrestaurant.com/" is fantastic, the steak is to die for (well, it was about 5 years ago when we went, but its reputation's still strong). Guaranteed virus free too, because it's at the bottom of the McAfee building

Guess your son might be too old to take advantage of the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose! Kind of kid's hands on science museum type place.

Am v jealous btw. I'd love to go back. Have a fab time x

We are going at Easter and visiting Santa Barbara and Carmel as well as San Fransisco. Your dh might like this place here which has the most fantastic views

We stayed in Yosemite National Park a few years ago, 'twas fabulous :)

Yosemite
We stayed actually in the park, which I would def recommend.

Thanks for all info, will look into all of those.

Check out:
Yosemite
Mono Lake
Napa Valley wineries
Clearlake (for relaxing bit of hol)
Sonoma village and wineries
Morro Bay
Hearst Castle
Carmel
Santa Barbara mission
Half Moon Bay
Pacific Coast Highway
Berkeley (near San Francisco)
Old Faithful geyser
Bodie State Historic Park (ghost town)
Hiring bikes in San Francisco (cheap, efficient and a great way of getting around)

Downtown LA is a bit scary but the outlying towns and communities are lovely, can particularly recommend Long Beach, Redondo Beach and San Pedro

Have spent a lot of time in California and my DH goes there a lot for work so if there's anything you want to ask, feel free :)

This is a great website to book cottage/house rentals.

Monterey. Communing with Sea Otters is an absolute must.

Morro bay is ok but there's a massive power station there as well as that big rock. Funny enough the power station isn't on the town website.... tahoe is so beautiful.

Arroyo Grande/any/good?
Sorry/space/bar/just/gone/on/me.

Also,/theres/an/airsoft/place/in/stockton/whcih/would/keep/ds/amused/but/is/there/a/nice/area/within/20/miles/of/stockton?looks/a/bit/grim/on/google/earth/

DH's/idea/of/heaven/is/no/neighbours/for/at/least/200/yards

Thanks.off/to/find/another/keyboard

Stockton is a bit grim, but Lodi and Woodbridge, just to the north, are nice, with vineyards and parks and lakes and so on.
And to the west is Mount Diablo (your neighbours will be bears!)

Coolio!