posted
I just got my vacation schedule for the first half of 2007 at work, and it turns out that my wife, her mother and I will have at least 6 days, and maybe more, free together in mid March. My mother-in-law lives with us, but she's from a foreign country and has seen very little of America. Her favorite channel on TV is the travel channel, and she loves seeing programs about exploring America, so we're thinking we want to take her somewhere she's never been before. We're looking for the perfect place.
Here are the conditions.
Since it's going to be mid-March, we probably can't go anywhere too far north, since it will be too cold to enjoy anything. I don't know what the weather is like in New England that time of year, but I suspect it's not the best time to go up there. Likewise, I'd love to go back to the Portland, OR area (where I lived for two years), but I'd hate it to be all damp and depressing the whole time. She's used to mediterranean beaches, so if we're going to do the Oregon coast, we don't want it to be any colder than is necessary.
We live in the southwest, and we want to see something different, so that's out. Also, we lived in northern Utah for a few years, so that wouldn't be too exciting.
My dad lives in Houston, but we're going to try to see him before this vacation, so we probably won't want to go back again so soon.
One of my mother-in-law's favorite shows on the travel channel so far was in San Francisco, and I wouldn't mind going there myself. I've been once, but I was so young I don't remember it. I don't know how nice northern CA is in March, though. And I definitely don't want to go to southern CA. Los Angeles always depresses me.
Other than that, I'm open to anything. There's plenty of America that I haven't seen much of myself, and I'm pretty easy to please as far as travel is concerned. But my mother-in-law loves America, and we'd really like to show her somewhere nice.
Anyone with any knowledge of the regional climate trends in specific areas of the country, advice is welcome. We love places with cool museums, restaurants, cathedrals, and other sites of cultural or historical interest. Natural beauty is a definite plus also, although I don't think we'd want to spend the whole week out in the sticks. As long as it's not freezing cold or likely to be wet, grey and depressing in March, we're up for it.
Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.
Posts: 563 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I will think on this . . . San Francisco will also be cold and damp, though. But I do love San Fran. I agree with you that Portland in the late spring or fall would be nice (summer it gets HOT though, and since it didn't used to, no one has AC, so pass on summer).
Um . . . I heart Colorado in the summer. Oh - or possibly even March: we get sun pretty much every day, and you could play in the snow in the mountains, but unless it's currently snowing it melts in hours on the plains and in the foothills, so it would be dry down low and in the 60s, but sunny - mmmm.
I'll think some more too.
Posts: 471 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
The thing with San Francisco is that there is always the possibility that it will be cold and damp. And also the possibility that it will warm and sunny. SF is one of those places where you can't figure out the time of year by the weather. I was there last week and it was 75 degrees. I've known a large number of summer days where it barely creeped above 55. The city is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, though, if you remember to dress in layers
That being said, northern California in general will be just coming out of its rainy season, or may be already out of it by mid-March. The hills will be very green, and you might get a large number of sunny, warm days. Last year was the rainest season in memory, but when I was in high school (four years ago) there were a lot of days in February & March when I could run around in skirts and shorts in South Bay (which is typically 5-10 degrees warmer than SF).
Have you considered swinging by the attractions of the LA region, then driving up the coast on Highway 1 until you get to SF? I guarantee it will be very beautiful, and there's lots of interesting sites to see once you get to the Bay Area (and Santa Cruz & Monterey)
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The Mid to North California coast is awesome. Monterey, Morrow Bay, Santa Cruise, San Francisco, Sonoma... You could easily spend weeks exploring the area. Great attractions like museums, Golden Gate Park, the Monterey Aquarium, Wine Tastings, beaches, state parks.
Well, it's just awesome, that's all there is to it. Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Two years ago I drove from San Jose to Santa Barbara and back on a grad school interview adventure during mid-March. We (then-boyfriend and I) camped out about an hour north of Santa Barbara in a campground maybe fifteen feet from the beach. It was chilly, in that we were wearing long pants and sweatshirts (and getting out of the sleeping bag in the morning was near impossible!), but not unbearably so. I wouldn't suggest camping out much further north, unless you're willing to take a much higher chance on being hit with rain, but if you go out to California, you will certainly have an opportunity to camp.
If you do decide to go to Northern California, or have more questions, either ask them in this thread or email me. I grew up in the area, so I could probably help you find the places you're most interested in visiting.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I have to add my voice to those suggesting Monterey. I spent one of the best years of my life there. It's beautiful and full of history. The climate is very close to Mediterranean and it's close to the same temperature/humidity year round. (And days that start out foggy and gray are usually sunny and bright by afternoon. The Aquarium in Monterey is fantastic. Carmel is very close and is worth a couple of days just wandering the shops and galleries. You can take at least one day just driving down highway 1 along the coast. (Go south. The highway curves around cliffs and bridges and there are pulloff areas where you can walk down to secluded beaches.) If you like natural beauty, you have to go to Point Lobos, which is a short drive south of Monterey. You should also drive out 17 Mile Drive and see the Lone Cypress.
Man just thinking about it makes me want to go back.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Well, you're certainly making a very strong case for Monterey and San Francisco. It sounds great, and I'm starting to get kind of attached to the idea.
Of course, my mind's still open if anyone has alternate suggestions. But I wouldn't be surprised...
Thanks for all the advice, everybody. Posts: 563 | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
Actually, there's quite a lot to do in that area around Monterey and San Francisco: do the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, see the Monterey Aquarium (very awesome, the last time I was there was to see the jellyfish exhibit), check out the Exploratorium (supposed to be for kids, but they let anybody in), visit the redwoods (awesome if you've never seen any)... given the time and money I could blow a month around there pretty easily.
Posts: 196 | Registered: May 2005
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