Pacific Coast · Fly into San Francisco
Northern California: Wine, Coast & Redwoods
Ferry Building oysters, Napa tasting rooms, ancient redwoods at Muir Woods, Big Sur cliffs.
The route
San Francisco for one night — Ferry Building for oysters and coffee, Tartine for bread, and a walk across the Golden Gate to see the bay from the Marin headlands. Wine country north: Healdsburg in Sonoma is the best base (less tourist theater than Napa, equally good wine). Point Reyes National Seashore for tule elk, the Pierce Point Trail, and the lighthouse above pounding surf. South on Highway 1: Muir Woods for the old-growth coast redwoods — the tallest trees on earth (book the parking reservation weeks ahead — it fills completely). Continue to Big Sur: Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, and McWay Falls dropping directly into the Pacific. Sunset at Nepenthe with a glass of local Pinot.
👨👩👧👦 Kids angle
Muir Woods is the most accessible old-growth redwood experience — paved main trail, genuinely awe-inspiring for kids. Point Reyes tule elk hike is a wildlife encounter you can't find elsewhere. Bixby Bridge is a pull-off-and-photograph moment all ages appreciate. Highway 1 itself is a moving experience — windows down.
🚗 Rental car
Muir Woods parking MUST be reserved in advance at recreation.gov — it sells out weeks ahead. Standard car handles everything. Avoid arriving at Muir Woods without a reservation on weekends — you will be turned away. Cell coverage drops on sections of Highway 1 south of Carmel.
Season by season
🌸 spring
Wildflowers on Point Reyes. Wine country green and lush. Fog burns off by noon.
☀️ summer
SF summer is actually cold and foggy (Karl). Wine country and Big Sur are clear. Peak crowds.
🍂 fall
Harvest season in wine country (September–October) — the best time. Light is extraordinary.
❄️ winter
Gray whales migrating off Point Reyes (December–January). Wine country quiet and beautiful.
Best months to visit
Vibes
Flights to San Francisco
Google Flights
Rental cars
Kayak
Free to plan. Day-by-day itinerary, hotel picks, and packing list generated for your family.