April Trip Along the California Coast?

Hello, friends,

I hope you will pardon this not-quite-strictly-RV-related request!

Although I live towards the east coast, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to visit the Big Sur area of California as a wildland firefighter early in my career (and that’s been YEARS ago!). I thought it was a beautiful area, although of course much different than my Blue Ridge mountain homeland. Additionally, I have always wanted to see the “big trees” along the Northern California coast, specifically Redwood National Park and some of the similar parks in that general area.

Years later now, I find myself with some time off coming up in mid-April, and my wife and I are toying with the idea of flying into Monterey, renting a car and driving up the coast along Highway 1, visiting some of the redwood parks, and then flying back home out of Crescent City. These destinations are very tentative, but will combine both areas that I’d like to see. We have a week or so to make the trip, but this will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us and so we’d like to take in as much as we can. We like scenery, history, and natural beauty, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t like to see the Golden Gate bridge, Bixby bridge, or any other sites that are tourist attractions (but not tourist traps!).

I know a lot of folks on this board are either from this general area or visit often, so would you mind giving me some advice, please? What kind of weather can we expect in mid-April; is this a decent time of year to visit if we don’t plan to get in the ocean? I would expect there would be at least some flowers blooming and trees leafed out by then, given that the coastline would moderate the weather? What points of interest would you recommend as “must see” places, keeping in mind our interests listed above? We have not yet decided whether we will be camping or staying in motels or lodges, but what are your favorite places to stay (campgrounds, cabins, motels)? We are considering staying mostly in state park cabins or something similar, if these are to be found along our route. Neither of us care for the bed-and-breakfast environment. Any particular airport or car rental company you might recommend?

We haven’t had time to do any extensive planning or research yet, as this opportunity just now fell into place, but I’m hoping some of you would be kind enough to get me started with ideas and suggestions!

Many thanks,
Regan

24 Replies

Ron3rd
Explorer III
Dec 19, 2013
lfloom wrote:
I second the suggestion to start in San Luis Obispo and then drive highway 1. Take it slowly and spend the day. There is much to see.

Good advice. I live in So Cal and Northern Cal where you're heading is like a different planet. Did that trip a few times from my college days in the '70's on. Take your time and have fun. Be advised much of it is SLOW going, but that's the point, right? HWY 1 is great and something to be experienced.
wxtoad
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
Back in 2008 we drove up the coast from Malibu to the Columbia River. The weather along the CA coast and in southern OR was spectacular, but as we got into the northern OR coastal area, we had our share of rain.
Here is the first "chapter" of our trip up the coast, with pictures and links to picture campground reviews of all the places we stayed. Kirk Creek USFS near Big Sur is a must stop.

Have a great trip!

Ted H.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Dec 11, 2013
Coming in from the East coast (of course I'm usually going in the other direction) SFO always seems to be the cheapest to fly from or into. We went to Orlando last year and were able to get direct flights in both directions for half the price of any of the other airports and none of the others had direct flights. But if you use Expedia or one of those websites it's usually pretty easy to compare the rates for the other airports too. A lot of people in this area prefer to use Oakland or San Jose over SFO because they are easier to get to and long term parking is a lot cheaper. But since you're just coming in to get a rental car and San Francisco is one of your intended destinations anyway, those are not issues for you.
J-mans_Dad
Explorer
Dec 11, 2013
I also agree about looking into flying into either Oakland (OAK), San francisco (SFO) or San Jose (SJC). The round trip vs drop off of a rental car can add up to quite a difference.
Also if you're thinking of going to Yosemite and staying IN the park look for reservations NOW. Yosemite reservations It's about a 3-4 hour drive from the bay area to the valley floor.
wbwood
Explorer
Dec 11, 2013
Agree about flying into SFO. I would actually check for Oakland or any decent large city nearby. Sometimes you can save a good bit. I was looking to fly to miami. Happened to look at flying into Ft Lauderdale instead nad it was a good bit cheaper.
Islandman
Explorer
Dec 11, 2013
msmith1199 above has the right idea, use SFO as your base of operations for air travel; visit the central coast and all the seals near the Hearst Castle, take in the Russian history in the Mendocino area, definitely travel through the redwood parks on US 101 north of Willets to Crescent City. Neat place to eat is the Samoa Cookhouse just west of Eureka, you will eat like you're in a fire camp or old logging messhall, fun and reasonable price.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Dec 11, 2013
Lived here all my life and very familiar with the area. Even if it's foggy in April the weather will still be better than 90% of the rest of the Country. April is a great time to visit. You've already got the advice on where to visit, so I'll go back to what somebody mentioned on where to fly to. Sounds like you're coming from the East coast so you aren't getting a direct flight to Monterey. Odds are you'll be coming into SFO and then catching a commuter flight down to Monterey. Check the prices but that may add a lot of money to the cost of your plane fare and as somebody already mentioned it's only a couple of hour drive from SFO to Monterey anyway. Also Monterey will probably be more expensive on the rental car too.

I don't see where you mentioned how long your visit is going to be. If it were me, I'd plan on flying into SFO and getting the rental car there and then flying out of there too. There can be a several hundred dollar charge to drop a rental car off in a different location.

From San Francisco you can easily drive down 101 to Monterey and Big Sur. You can then come back up 1 on the coast all the way into San Francisco and across the GG bridge and on up the coast. You'll get back over to 101 up north of Fort Bragg and then you can go on up to Crescent City if you want. Then on the way back down (if you like wine) I'd come back down through Lakeport and the Sonoma and Napa County wine region. From there it's an easy drive back to SFO to catch your ride home. Now if money is not an issue and you can afford to fly into Monterey and fly out of Crescent City, then by all means there is nothing wrong with that plan either.
wbwood
Explorer
Dec 10, 2013
Tiger4x4RV wrote:
Coastal weather can be chilly, windy, and damp at any time of year. It is still worth going, but you might want to allow extra time for waiting for fog to lift.

Beauty: everywhere! Bodega Head, Trinidad bay, Mendocino, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, etc etc etc.

Sadly, Huell Howser has passed on. He left his trip reports to Chapman University for free viewing online. What a wonderful gift! http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/

I agree 100%. We were in Los Angeles a couple years ago in August. It only got up around in the 70s while at the beach. The water was cold. We stayed in Agoura hills, which is just across the mountains from Malibu and it got up to maybe 80 there. I would suspect April and further north to be chillier. I've only been up to the San Francisco area one time and that was at the end of May and 21 years ago. I do remember it being cool then.
katleman
Explorer
Dec 10, 2013
If the primary focus is on redwood trees after you take in scenic Big Sur, there are redwood groves at Big Basin State Park (between Santa Cruz and San Jose) as well as Muir Woods roughly a hour north of the Golden Gate bridge. Point Reyes national seashore is nearby as well.

The extra couple days north through the Mendocino coast on the way to Redwoods State/National park is a fine beautiful drive too, one I've done many a time. Just think those extras northward days would be better spent at Yosemite, whose falls are spectacular in April/May. And there are three Sequioa groves there too, the wider, slightly shorter inland cousins of the redwoods.
jake2250
Explorer
Dec 10, 2013
Regan I am really surprised to hear that SFO isn't cheaper? Kind of a perfect location to start your trip,,,closer to the coast. Sac isnt to bad but your over an hour + away from the coast,,Might even look at San Jose!!
Well good luck and enjoy,, We have lived in Northern Ca for over 30 years and love the coast!!