Please can I have your opinions on this California itinerary?

[longdaysandpleasantnights]

I’m planning a 3 week trip to California next August with my DH and 3 DC (they’ll be 16,14 and 11 at the time of departure).

I have loosely put together the following itinerary, please could people in the know tell me if it seems good, stupid, whatever!

Fly to San Francisco, 3 nights here.
Drive to Monterey, 3 nights here.
Drive to LA, 3 nights here.
Drive to San Diego, 3 nights here.
Drive to Las Vegas, 3 nights here.
Drive to Bakersfield, 3 nights here.
Drive to Modesto (as a base for Yosemite), 3 nights here, then drive to San Francisco for (night) flight home.

I only chose Bakersfield because it seems like a good place to drive to, but I am happy to scrap this, it’s purely a stop for ease, not sightseeing.

I am also not bothered about the ‘3 nights everywhere’ rule, it just worked out handy that way.

We won’t be doing Disney, so don’t need to work this into the plan.

Honest opinions please, I don’t mind being told it’s a foolish plan!

It was 115 in death valley when we were there. Only got out for the information centre, which is really interesting. Then drove onto the ghost town for the evening.

I go on Saturday but only for 2 weeks. We are doing

5 nights San Fran with last day spent going north to Bodega Bay and Muir Woods.

3 nights Pacific Grove for the Aquarium, whale watching, sea kayaking 17 mile drive, Carmel and the top part of Big Sur.

2 nights Las Vegas. Still not sure why. Something to do with DH being an engineer and having to see the Hoover Dam.

1 night Death Valley

3 night Yosemite via Tioga Pass staying at Evergreen Lodge.

If I had 3 weeks I would add Santa Barbara and Santa Monica a
after Pacific Grove then do Grand Canyon before on to Vegas.