California - Within 3 hours of SFO...

We'll be flying into SFO (mid October) and would like to spend two nights prior to a weekend in San Francisco somewhere other than Big Sur area or Napa. Looking for relaxing and luxurious atmosphere. Any suggestions?

Have you spent any time in Monterey or Carmel? Meets your requirements, lovely scenery, good restaurants, great scenery, very relaxing, lots of activities.

pc

I would recommend Sonoma.

The Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. It's about 30 miles south of SF and sits atop a bluff that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The area shouldn't be that crowded in October and the setting is beautiful.

I also echo the previous suggestion of Monterey and Carmel.

To me, all of them sound good. Sonoma.. Carmel/Monterey.

I'd head up to Bodega Bay, and explore the coast north of SFO...

Maybe stay at The Inn at the Tides (http://www.innatthetides.com) or Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa (http://www.bodegabaylodge.com/).

Or make it 4-5 hours and you can consider Yosemite or Tahoe.

Thanks for all your great suggestions! Botega Bay Lodge looks interesting...and for a different experience, so does the RC at Half Moon Bay. Any additional thoughts on these two? Again, thank you!

Thanks for all your great suggestions! Botega Bay Lodge looks interesting...and for a different experience, so does the RC at Half Moon Bay. Any additional thoughts on these two? Again, thank you!

You might rule out the RC if you're on a budget. :) It is by itself, so the setting is fairly quiet. I haven't been to Bodega Bay, so I can't compare. However, the drive on 1 along the coast is great. The views are beautiful.

Thanks for all your great suggestions! Botega Bay Lodge looks interesting...and for a different experience, so does the RC at Half Moon Bay. Any additional thoughts on these two? Again, thank you!

The Ritz at Half Moon Bay is quite nice, but the one downside is that Half Moon Bay is NOT a big town, so your choice of high end restaurants is more or less limited to Navio (the restaurant in the RC). Mind you, I really like Navio, but not sure I'd want to eat there two nights in a row.

But the RC does have nice golf courses, great views of the ocean, etc.

Bob

http://www.capitola.net/inn-at-depot-hill/

The Ritz at Half Moon Bay is quite nice, but the one downside is that Half Moon Bay is NOT a big town, so your choice of high end restaurants is more or less limited to Navio (the restaurant in the RC). Mind you, I really like Navio, but not sure I'd want to eat there two nights in a row.

But the RC does have nice golf courses, great views of the ocean, etc.

Bob

A couple of personal opinions -

1) There is at least one other excellent restaurant in Half Moon Bay - Cetrella -

www.cetrella.com

2) I would not call Bodega Bay Lodge "luxurious", though it certainly is very nice. Inn at the Tides also in Bodega is a little closer to luxurious.

3) In the Carmel/Monterey area, my #1 choice is the Highlands Inn just south of Carmel. #2 would be the Monterey Plaza on Cannery Row in Monterey. The Highlands Inn has one of the best restaurants in the area - Pacific Edge.

A couple of personal opinions -

1) There is at least one other excellent restaurant in Half Moon Bay - Cetrella -

www.cetrella.com

2) I would not call Bodega Bay Lodge "luxurious", though it certainly is very nice. Inn at the Tides also in Bodega is a little closer to luxurious.

3) In the Carmel/Monterey area, my #1 choice is the Highlands Inn just south of Carmel. #2 would be the Monterey Plaza on Cannery Row in Monterey. The Highlands Inn has one of the best restaurants in the area - Pacific Edge.

I second the comment on Cetrella, and indeed, I think it's far better than Navio.
But I have to disagree with the recommendation for the Highlands Inn. Please read the comments on it in the Hyatt forum, with which I agree, if you are thinking about staying there. While I haven't been there yet, Casa Palmero is probably a better choice and, even though it felt tired last time I was there, the Inn at Spanish Bay is probably also a better choice.