Bay Area to somewhere?

[zora]

Since I moved to Bay Area I didn't do any road trips, so for a week of Thanksgiving I am planing first one. I am driving small SUV and it is only two adults with no kids aboard.
My first plan was Vancouver but we would like to avoid snow and bed weather so start exploring option on south like Arizona, So Cal , new Mexico etc. Combination of nature and cities.
We have 7-9 days for it. Would love to have different return road. Any suggestions? Thank you :)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Welcome to the trip planning forum! Living in the Bay Area, you know how desperate that area needs rain and snow in the mountains, (and the El Nino weather pattern is strengthening) so I think there is a very good chance that you will see some snow and rain just about everywhere you are considering going over the Thanksgiving week. That being said, Vancouver would be a long ways to go.

November is often a very nice time to travel along the Big Sur -- Do you have interest in wine tasting? The central valley inland from the coast has seen an incredible jump in wineries and the tasting rooms are still relatively free of the huge crowds found in Sonoma and Napa valleys.

Realistically, with a 7-9 trip, you could look at an arc of 1500 to 2000 miles in any direction from the Bay area. That would bring such places as southern Oregon and Idaho, western Wyoming, Colorado almost to Denver, Albuquerque, Tucson and San Diego.

Have you been to Yosemite National Park or Death Valley NP?

It would be helpful if we knew how many miles you'd prefer to drive in a day, whether or prefer hiking or short walks, if you would prefer to explore cities or rural areas. And what your budget is for this adventure?

I looked at the trip you took in 2011, What sorts of things did you find the most interesting on that trip?

Mark

[zora]

Hi Mark, thank you for answering. Basically been to Napa, Big Sur, Paso Robles, La, San Diego;so this time would prefer something little different. Going to Albuquerque sound like very interesting idea. When it comes to hiking, I would stick just with basic short hiking and would prefer combination of city and nature trip. Preferably sleeping in cities as we both like to explore bars and restaurants.
Driving is not a problem; I don;t mind drive 300-500 a day if needed especially first day. Budget, didn't think too much about it, but probably OK to spend 300-500 a day depends of day. Some day mybe less, some days maybe more.

My 2011 trip. We choose option 3, however as we were exiting Nebraska we learned that I 80 was closed through Wyoming due to storm and we took risky decision not to wait but to go through Rockies over Denver. We hit little snow on Rockies but nothing scary. we slept in Omaha, Frisco Colorado, and Winnemucca NE. It took us 3 and a half days and our Dog was ok during the trip.

[DonnaR57]

Here's some thoughts, then, if you've done the seaboard:

Grand Canyon National Park. Petrified Forest National Park. Albuquerque - bunch of great things to do there. Circle around toward Phoenix and come back to California via I-10 and the Joshua Tree National Park.


Donna