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Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

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Leicester
posts: 238
reviews: 5
Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

Hi

As part of a 3 week tour of Las Vegas and California we are intending to drive South from San Francisco starting our journey on 23rd July and reaching Valencia where we will be visiting Six Flags Magic Mountain, to stay the night on 26th, having spent the day at the theme park. Possible schedules are:

Option A). 1 night Monterey, 2 nights Santa Barbara

Option B). 1 night Monterey, 1 night Cambria, 1 night Santa Barbara

Option C). 1 night Santa Cruz, 1 night Cambria, 1 night Santa Barbara

This list is not exhaustive and we are open to suggestions. We may decide to have only 2 nights in SF and have more time on the coast.

Do our ideas sound good?

6 replies to this topic
San Francisco...
Destination Expert
for San Francisco
posts: 12,832
reviews: 82
1. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

do you have any criteria ? what are you planning to do and see in each city ? Why reduce time in SF which needs 3-4 ful days in SF. 2 nights in SF is 1 day.

SB to valencia is only over an hour. In fact I would just drive that morning early to six flags instead of staying in boring valencia. Does that give you an extra night ?

SC to Monterey is 40 minutes so you can see SC and go to Monterey

Santa Cruz...
Destination Expert
for Santa Cruz
posts: 21,533
reviews: 6
2. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

Do not reduce your time in San Francisco.

I would go for option B and skip Santa Barbara, giving that night to San Francisco. Santa Barbara is so near Cambria that unless you have much to see there you can stop by on your way south.

Grover Beach, Ca
Destination Expert
for Pismo Beach, Cambria, Big Sur
posts: 11,434
reviews: 3
3. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

If you have 3 full nights for the drive down the coast WITHOUT sacrificing your time in SF..... Go with Plan B.

BTW- Puter is right that Santa Barbara isn't that far of a drive from Cambria. It's approx. a 2 1/2 hour drive WITHOUT stops.

posts: 9
reviews: 18
4. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

I agree, don't skimp on SB- I would go 1 night Monterey, 1 Santa Barbara, 1 Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz...
Destination Expert
for Santa Cruz
posts: 21,533
reviews: 6
5. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

Since Santa Cruz is only a little over an hour from San Francisco and is only 45 minutes from Monterey, I would stop by and "say hello" to Santa Cruz.....especially the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a must if you have children with you.....and then go on to Monterey for the night to get a good start for the Big Sur trip. Then the second night at Cambria.

melbourne
posts: 1,302
reviews: 37
6. Re: Planned schedule from SF to Santa Barbara

Dont foresake nights in San Fran for an extra night on the coast!! You are dedicating more time to the coast drive than the city of SF which is amazing!

3 nights SF (at least or 4 if you can )1 night Monterey 1 night Cambria!

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