Mid October travel

[Leanne1302]

So my husband and I are doing the PCH in October and have planned the following

Dublin via Washington San fran
Overnight in SF

Drive down to Santa barbara
Overnight here

Drive to LA stay for 3 nights

Drive to Yosemite stay 2 nights

Drive to SF for 3 nights
Return to Dublin

Will we be able to see everything we need to in those areas in 10 days if we really utilise excursions

[Lifemagician]

Hi, and Welcome to the Great American Roadtrip Forum.

The section of the PCH from SF to Santa Barbara, is more than a day, but very worthwhile. The most popular overnight points being San Simeon or Cambria.

I would also consider spending more time in Yosemite than in SF/LA. Yosemite is large with lots to see. If Tioga Pass is still open in October you may like to drive to Lee Vining before heading back to SF. It is a drive not to be missed.

Should you wish to stay within Yosemite, best thing to do is book it now. Accommodation is limited and much sought after. Should the days you require be booked out, keep checking frequently, as places become available when people's plans change and cancel their accommodation.

Lifey

[Leanne1302]

Hey, thanks for quick reply.

We are overnighting in Santa barbara and treating it as a rest day.

We have quite a bit we want to see in LA and this is why we're doing 3 nights here and 2 nights in Yosemite. Wears flying in and out of San fran which is why we are spending so long there on return leg.

My husband wants to do tioga pass and we have booked outside the park ad are staying in oakhurst. What is lee vinning, I have never heard of it?

[Southwest Dave]

Lee Vining is a town near Mono Lake, basically at the other end of Tioga Pass. If you travel Tioga Pass then Oakhurst wouldn't be an ideal place to spend that night on that particular day, as it's about an hour south of the park nd a long way from the east end of Tioga. It would be OK for your first night as you could visit Glacier point and Mariposa Grove which are the closest areas to Oakhurst. Lee Vining could work as a base for night 2, you could visit the Valley areas and drive Tioga Pass and then spend the next morning driving back and stopping at the viewpoints to explore, Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake for example, before heading to SF.

[Lifemagician]

If you want to drive all the way to Santa Barbara, which is more than a day's drive from SF, you would be better spending one night less in SF and drive down to Monterey, before heading south next morning to Big Sur and onto SB. That is still a very long day on the road.

Lifey

[keithg]

There is a lot to see on the PCH and you have the advantage of having the turnouts on your side of the road. Also i would find it very hard to go past Carmel by the Sea. Beautiful little town where Clint Eastwood was once Mayor. Down the coast further you have The Big Sur. Well worth seeing. Then you have San Simeon where you can see lots of Elephant seals on the beach and Hearst Castle. Hearst Castle needs a few hours though. We stayed in San Simeon for 3 nights last visit and found it a real tune out. Cambria is another pretty little town near there. I think Avilla Beach is pretty good as well. One other place before you get to Santa Barbara is Solvang. Based on Denmark, we love the place.
Hopefully Tioga Pass will be open for you. We came through there from Lee Vining end and it would be one of the most magnificent drives i have ever been on. We could have spent the whole day in the Pass. Cannot wait to get back there again.
Have a great trip.

Keith