After Yosemite, are you planning to drive back to SF before getting on the PCH?, or do you want to join it directly?

I did Santa Barbara to Monterey in one day in December last year. We left quite late in the morning and didn't gun it, but it was dark by the time we got into Monterey. If I was doing this drive again, I would want to take it slower through Big Sur as there are a lot of pretty photo opportunities.

Driving from Yosemite even as far as Monterey is going to be a very long drive, and then another long drive the next day to Santa Barbara.

Monterey has a lot of options of places to stay, but we struggled to find something that was a step up from motel-type without it being $200+ (not very good value for our very short stay). We did book last minute though, so probably our own fault.

Santa Barbara is beautiful - I would probably take a few nights there rather than the LA beaches, but horses/courses etc.