Where to stop drive to San Francisco - Yosemite - Santa Cruz

Driving RV from San Francisco to Yosemite and then after 4 nights in Yosemite want to drive to Santa Cruz but thought to break up drive with over night stops along the way. Any suggestions as where is worth stopping along the way, RV sites too? Have 2 young children and never driven RV before so want to take it easy.

Thanks...

Where to stop drive to San Francisco - Yosemite - Santa Cruz

芦San Francisco to Yosemite禄

Driving Directions with links to relevant maps and URLs of places passed through: San Francisco to Pacifica-Half Moon Bay-Santa Cruz-Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur, San Lu铆s Obispo, and Yosemite geocities.com/touringsfo/鈥riveDir.html

Four nights in Yosemite but how many en route?

If one, after riding the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz, dine at Monterey%26#39;s Fish House and stay in Monterey to visit the aquarium. Next day to Yosemite.

If two, the second night in Morro Bay or San Lu铆s Obispo.

Where to stop drive to San Francisco - Yosemite - Santa Cruz

Please don%26#39;t be confused by the link to swingcha%26#39;s map. You do not have to drive through Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, etc., to get to Yosemite!

The drive to the coastal area (Monterey, Santa Cruz, etc.) from Yosemite will only take you about 4 hours or a little more depending upon your final destination. There really isn%26#39;t much worth seeing in between, unless you want to spend some time in the gold country (but that%26#39;s only about an hour from Yosemite.) So I would say just head straight to Santa Cruz from Yosemite, or maybe Monterey and then Santa Cruz, as Monterey is easier to reach from Yosemite.

If you DID want to see the gold country, I%26#39;d actually recommend seeing it before you go to Yosemite, taking 120 then diverting over to 49 and Columbia State Historic Park. I%26#39;m sure there is some kind of RV park around there. Then continue up 120 into Yosemite. Take 140 to 152 to get to the Monterey area on your way back from Yosemite.

macjack said 芦Please don%26#39;t be confused by the link to swingcha%26#39;s map.禄

What map?

芦You do not have to drive through Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, etc., to get to Yosemite!禄

True, but jukes WANTS ';to drive to Santa Cruz';!!!

芦I would say just head straight to Santa Cruz from Yosemite, or maybe Monterey and then Santa Cruz, as Monterey is easier to reach from Yosemite.禄

My suggestion was to go the other way for the same reason I%26#39;ve oft-stated in this forum.

It%26#39;s apparent you%26#39;ve not visited the page of Driving Directions with links to relevant maps and URLs of places passed through: San Francisco to Pacifica-Half Moon Bay-Santa Cruz-Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur, San Lu铆s Obispo, Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego geocities.com/touringsfo/鈥riveDir.html and, therefore, have no basis for commenting upon it.

Thanks for info, just to clarify and elaborate we want to go from San Francisco to Yosemite but thought to stop on way as we%26#39;d have just collected the RV and didn%26#39;t fancy a 4 hour drive without a stop, just to give us time to get used to the RV and the roads (we are from uk). Therefore wanted suggstions as to which area along way to stop for a night to break up journey, as no where stood out as best in my Stienstra RV park book guide!

after Yosemite want to go to Santa Cruz for 2 nights and perhaps by then will be happy to drive it in one go, but just incase wondered where to stop on way. After Santa Cruz we are heading down to LA via monterey, big sur, santa barbara etc, all over about 10 days so we can enjoy it slowly!

There really isn%26#39;t anywhere between SF and Yosemite worth spending a night. It%26#39;s only a 4.5 hour drive from SF to Yosemite so just do it in one day. If you get tired of driving, pull over somewhere and take a break but there is no reason to spend the night somewhere boring in the central valley

A brief diversion here, Jukes-

I was going to respond with a pm to swingcha, but I do want to clarify something that I think is confusing for our readers.

I have most definitely read your link about ';relevant MAPS and URLS of places passed through...etc.'; If you carefully read your own wording below, you can clearly see that it is worded in such a way as to sound as though the list of ';places passed through'; are part of a trip from San Francisco to Yosemite:

芦San Francisco to Yosemite禄

Driving Directions with links to relevant maps and URLs of places passed through: San Francisco to Pacifica-Half Moon Bay-Santa Cruz-Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur, San Lu铆s Obispo, and Yosemite geocities.com/touringsfo/鈥riveDir.html

Since we are often asked about places to see on the way to Yosemite from SF, this could certainly be misleading (and has been.) One could visit any number of places in CA while visiting SF and Yosemite, but none of these particular locations is directly along the way. However, there is useful info there for Jukes (in this case) after his trip to Yosemite when he wants to visit the Santa Cruz area.

I will say that I heartily disagree with your recommended route to or from SF to Santa Cruz going over Hwy 9. While this is certainly a scenic route, it is not an easy or direct one, especially for someone used to driving on the other side of the road or in an RV. Clearly the most direct route from SF is 280 S. to 17, although drivers would be advised to avoid it during commute hours.

Sorry for the highjacking, Jukes.

Thanks for a bit of clarity Macjack, we will consider driving direct to Yosemite or possibly staying somewhere near lake tulloch or don pedro resevoir as they appear to be along the way near route 120 between san francisco and yosemite? Although as you say don%26#39;t know whether it%26#39;s really worth stopping overnight, although we won%26#39;t be leaving from near San Francisco until about 4pm due to having to collect the RV in the afternoon from Hayward..

I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll have a few more postings over the next few months as I slowly work through our rough itinery as it%26#39;s so useful to get local info!

macjack said 芦I have most definitely read your link about ';relevant MAPS and URLS of places passed through...etc.'; If you carefully read your own wording below, you can clearly see that it is worded in such a way as to sound as though the list of ';places passed through'; are part of a trip from San Francisco to Yosemite:禄

I see your point and the possible problem: The separator is commas. Would it be more clear with a dif%26#39;rent separator? If not, what wording do you suggest to briefly describe the page?

芦Since we are often asked about places to see on the way to Yosemite from SF, this could certainly be misleading禄

The description of the page could be but the information on the page itself is not likely to be.

芦(and has been.)禄

Please support that allegation. I know of no complaint directly related to the information on that page nor any other page at http://geocities.com/touringsfo/

芦I will say that I heartily disagree with your recommended route to or from SF to Santa Cruz going over Hwy 9.禄

On the page, it is clearly NOT the recommended route; it%26#39;s presented as an alternate route, one that I often take %26#39;cause I so enjoy it.

芦While this is certainly a scenic route, it is not an easy or direct one禄

That%26#39;s why it%26#39;s an alternate route!

芦Clearly the most direct route from SF is 280 S. to 17禄

Sure it is. Although lovely, it%26#39;s not as scenic as taking the Cabrillo Highway or, even, Skyline Boulevard and not one that I would recommend for tourists wanting a scenic trip.

These are the routes to which macjack refers:

PACIFICA-HALF MOON BAY-DAVENPORT-SANTA CRUZ (Giant Dipper) 鈮?61 miles, 1.6 hours

DAVENPORT-SANTA CRUZ via Felton 鈮?23 miles, 0.7 hours

Hi jukes,

';Although as you say don%26#39;t know whether it%26#39;s really worth stopping overnight, although we won%26#39;t be leaving from near San Francisco until about 4pm due to having to collect the RV in the afternoon from Hayward..';

Since you will be picking up your RV in Hayward after 4pm, assuming this will be on a weekday, traffic needs to be considered in your planning. As you have been told, Santa Cruz is not on the way to Yosemite. I%26#39;ll cast another vote for going directly to Yosemite.

If you head towards Santa Cruz from Hayward you will be forced to travel through very significant amount of traffic for almost the entire drive. You will be much better off going directly east to Yosemite. You will hit traffic for sure, but not as many miles of it.

Lake Don Pedro is a good stopping point, fairly scenic and directly on the way to Yosemite. But Don Pedro is pretty close to Yosemite,if it were me I would just drive all the way there. The hiways between Hayward and Lake DP are mostly wide and straight. You will have some curves to deal with when you get within 10 miles or so of the lake.

If you decide to stay at Lake DP, I would suggest getting dinner in the east bay somewhere, let the traffic die down a little. The traffic on 580 between Hayward and Livermore is one of the worst streches in the bay area. Dublin is a good spot to stop, lots of restaurants right off the hiway. I can give some suggestions if you like.

Hi jukes ~ as you can see by my address, I am not in California, and I am not familiar with the most direct, safest route from Hayward to Yosemite. However, I do know a great deal about driving RV%26#39;s!

Since you are not leaving Hayward until about 4:00 p.m., I would strongly suggest that you try to plan only for about a couple of hours on your first driving day. You are used to the ';other side'; of the road, and not used to a large motorhome. (Large for you, smallish for here, as you will see gigantic motorhomes here!) Driving a motorhome is quite different from driving a small car. Also, you will need to stop at a grocery store and provision it.

If macjack or someone else can state a good route for you, I can look up some RV parks in several books that I have here and give you websites and/or phone numbers %26amp; locations of some parks that would be along your way.

What time of year are you coming? In summer, in popular tourist areas, RV parks do fill up and you may need to book ahead for space. Do you have reservations inside Yosemite park at a campground?