Toronto Photography Meetup Group

HI All

Planning a trip out to California in Feb 2011. Planning to fly into San Jose and drive up to Seattle. I read about the Pacific Coast hwy and heard many spectacular views. Just wondering if any of you have been out there and suggest some must see sights. I know San Jose and San Fran was rate one of the top 10 American cities for photo in Poplular photography.

Thanks

Day trip from San Fran

Drive to Napa Valley visit a couple of wineries buy a good bottle of wine and some picnic sandwiches in Napa. Drive up to the top ridge between Napa and Sonoma have your picnic in some of the most beautiful country this side of the ocean. Drive down to Sonoma and back to San Fran by the coast don't forget to stop by an oyster farm on the outer bay for a snack of fresh oysters.

Highway 1 and the coastal villages are always great, plus visit the redwood forest

In San Francisco, go to Telegraph Hill. Flocks of wild Parrots fly around there. Google it.

Enjoy the drive. Just watch out for CHP on PCH. . it can get expensive.

How much time will you spend in total? This will determine what you can see.

Will you have time for a 1 day (and one day coming back) trip SOUTH along the coast. It is at it's prettiest around Big Sur - plus you can throw in an hour at the Monterey Aquarium.

Depending on how much time you have you could visit the jewel that is Yosemite NP - but that's at least 4 extra days off course.

If you choose to go straight north then you should choose Hwy 101 - the best stretches are along Oregon in my opinion though it is beautiful all along the coast. Try to get a sunset/rise near the beach in Bandon, Oregon.
If for time restrictions you need to go up the Hwy 5 then stop off at Mount Shasta conical volcano and in Oregon Mt. Hood is a landscaper's dream.

SF try Cioppino. Go to the north beach that's downtown a mix of the red light district, Chinatown and university students. Birthplace of this excellent Italian seafood soup. The Presidio, Observatory and hippie Haight Ashbury.