I'm going to say south, too. While the coast north of SF is lovely, wild and serene, I feel there's much more to see/do in the Monterey/Carmel area. From the easy, short hikes through highly scenic Point Lobos State Reserve to lovely beach walks on cypress tree lined Carmel Beach to visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium and/or Cannery Row. And Carmel by the Sea is charming, quaint and just too cute to miss.

On the drive down (Get an early start from SF), you can make stops in Santa Cruz and/or do the Elkhorn Slough Safari tour to see LOTS of wildlife such as otters, seals and sea birds.

www.seemonterey.com

If you want a little more wilderness then head north. If you like your trails a bit tamer and with more choices of accomodations and restaurants, then head south.

But either way you'll see some great coastline so I don't think you can make a "bad" decision.

Thanks for your thoughts on this! Sometimes it helps just to talk things through... :) I'm leaning towards heading south, just because there are so many things to see/do and it makes it easier to plan for places to stay. Appreciate the suggestions!

I'm another vote for south. Monterey, Carmel, Santa Cruz are pretty close to one another (say an hours drive), so you could base yourself at one of them and see the other two easily. They'll give you plenty to see/do and will certainly get you your "coast fix."

hlo

Just remember that in June, the coast can be foggy and gloomy. If you go to Yosemite or Lake Tahoe, you will almost be guaranteed good weather.

Another option for the coast if you only have one night and don't want to travel too far is Point Reyes. There is a hostel out there that is in an absolutely beautiful setting.

http://norcalhostels.org/reyes

Monterey will have more to do but there's also close to 100,000 people living in that area. At Pt. Reyes, it will be pretty much just you and the deer.

June is considered winter in san francisco area. be prepared for very foggy chilly weather!

I also vote for south for the same places Bob suggested. It's very relaxing and soothing. Easy to walk along the scenic coast as well. The aquarium is also very nice. Go early to avoid the crowd.

Point Reyes up north is nice, but it is often very foggy. When I went there, it was so cold and foggy I couldn't see much but a thick layer of "white fog" after a fraction of a mile. It is the second foggiest place after Nantucket in the US, I hear.

I haven't been caught in fog in Monterey/Carmel etc. area the few times I went. The Roaring Camp train (you can google) in Santa Cruz is also nice. You can see the insanely huge redwood/sequoia trees.

If I were foxy and 23 - I'd be heading to Santa Cruz for the closest thing we have to a good beach experience.

While I love the coast north of SF, the most beautiful parts of that coast are much further than the most beautiful parts of the coast to the south.