Trip to SF and California

We - husband and 2 girls 12 and 11 are trying!! to plan out 1st trip to SF. We have to fit in with UK school holidays which is Mid July onwards. Whilst SF is a place we have always longed to go to I am concerned about the fog when we go. Is is poss we could go all that way and see nothing at Yosemite? Also - if we fancy a week of sun and beach at the end of our trip where would be driveable to in terms of southern california? We like quiet and quirky as opposed to touristy and tacky if that%26#39;s any help! Longing to see SF but living in the UK I will need some sun too! Please advise.

Trip to SF and California

';Is is poss we could go all that way and see nothing at Yosemite?';

I%26#39;m not sure what you mean. If you go to Yosemite, you%26#39;ll see lots. It will be hot. The waterfalls will be diminishing, but the river will be cool enough for swimming. The Tuolumne Meadows high country will be open and the mosquitoes dying off. The scenery will be fabulous. Hiking to Sentinel Dome for the views near Glacier Point will be breathtaking. Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will be full of the biggest trees you%26#39;ve seen. You%26#39;ll see Stellar Jays, mule deer, Douglas squirrels, Western Gray Squirrels, maybe coyotes, maybe bears.

There will also be lots of other tourists. Many lodging options in the Valley are full, but cancellations happen often. Other options are available.

What is the latest you can visit? Most California schools resume between Aug 17 %26amp; Sept 8. Yosemite is still crowded into September, but August is wall-to-wall people in the Valley (perfect time for the high country.)

Trip to SF and California

SF in July is likely to have fog in the mornings and afternoons. However, most of the city starts burning off by 9AM or so. It%26#39;s the western sections where the fog may last later.

I grew up spending lots of weekends at the beach at Aptos which is near Santa Cruz. Only 90 minutes or so south of SF. But if you wanted to go further south the beaches at Pismo, Santa Barbara, LA and San Diego would be even warmer.

There%26#39;s too much to see and do in SF to let a bit of fog stop you! Enjoy ...

Also, Yosemite is several hours away from San Francisco so the fog at the coast has nothing to do with what you will see there.

Hi PacificNWfamily- tks for prompt reply. It was just that I read someone%26#39;s trip report on here and it seemed everytime they drove to see something, the view was obscured. If thats not the case at Yosemite then that%26#39;s fab. I don%26#39;t mind fog in SF- we%26#39;ll be having too much fun eating and shopping. What I wanted to avoid was doing big drives like say the Big Sur or driving to Yosemite and the visibility being so poor that we wouldn%26#39;t be able to see anything. That%26#39;s what I meant. At the mo -I am at the start of a huge info gathering process so forgive my bumbling ignorance! I%26#39;m trying to get informed!

How long are you planning on being in California? The drive to Yosemite is 4 hours from SF. The drive from SF -%26gt; LA is 7 hours minimum.

Just want you to be aware of the distances. :)

Thanks RamblinSal - maybe 2.5 weeks so we have plenty of time. Planning is overwhelming though!

Don%26#39;t worry too much about fog. San Francisco is in fact a rather sunny place. If there are summer fog in the morning, chances are it will clear up in the afternoon. I%26#39;d say your chance of seeing the San Francisco bay in its full glory in July is excellent. Yosemite is of course a world away in the mountains. I%26#39;d just assume the weather is good then :)

San Diego would be a great place for sun and beach. We just come back from there. The weather is too cold for us to get into the water but the beaches are still gorgeous. I wish we will go there again in summer.