FullmoonRoses Loc: western UP of Michigan

A great big thank you to everyone's suggestions! Way to many for me to see in just a week but I have to be back to work, only have a weeks vacation. I'll make sure I post some pictures when I get back! Thanks again for all the wonderful help!!

Dudley Loc: Roseburg, Oregon

You should have a great time no matter where you roam.
Careful about Reno. I heard about one person who drove there in a $20,000 car but, due to his gambling 'smarts', returned in a $80,000 bus!

mvy Loc: New Hampshire

As a native son of California, let me welcome you to the Golden State.
Since you'll be in Sacto, I recommend a tour through the Gold Rush Country which is near Sacto, and which will take you through Sutter Creek, and other memorable towns. It's the Hwy 49 tour.
Also, if the weather stays cool, a trip to Death Valley-Furnace Creek--can be rewarding.
Be aware that Yosemite is terribly crowded, but beyond doubt most memorable.
If you get near Reno, a trip to Donner Pass and and Lake Tahoe would be an easy yet wonderful treat.
Finally, I'd recommend a tour of San Francisco, which is where I grew up.
I wish you good fortune and happiness and all the joy you can capture while visiting your family and my home state.
All the best,

Martin

LonnieH

Your opportunity to see the big trees ,the sequoia's and redwoods should be on your agenda , there not so far from Sacramento. The redwoods are on the coast and sequoia's are south of Sacramento, the redwoods the tallest but the sequoia's the biggest in circumference. I recommend to anyone that you just have to see them to believe how huge they are. Your photo skills will really be put to the test to photograph them.

LonnieH

Please, take my advice and go see the big trees, the redwoods on the coast and the sequoia's south of Sacramento. You will be challenged trying to photograph them, but you will be looking at one of the world's greatest wonders.

Cadugand Loc: Houston, Texas

Yosemite is a must. Not that far from Sacramento. If you travel the coast go to the website http://lighthousefriends.com and find some lighthouses to take pictures of. Point Reyes, etc. the wine country offers some possibilities. Sonoma and Napa, but it can be crowded. San Fran is a great city. Go across the Golden Gate into Marin county, Marin point has great views of San Francisco looking back across the Golden Gate. I've seen great shots with the fog rolling in across the bridge.

There are a million other places. Tahoe, nice but very crowded and commercial.

hflare Loc: Florida

Go to "The City"... San Francisco... much closer and better for photographs.. Golden Gate Park and the Museums.. great..
Sea Rock..etc..

In that general area of where your daughter lives, there is the little town where they filmed the movie "The Birds" Alfred Hitchcock..Badaga Bay near Dillion's Beach..wonderful scenes in a small town, of friendly people...

Now Sacramento is the Capital of Calif.. and has some interesting places.. Fort Sutter where James Marshall brought the first gold nugget of the great gold rush of 1848 too.
They have preserved the fort there..

Reno would be good, if you drive.. wonderful mountains most of the drive.. and big ones too.. You can go by where the Donner party was trapped in the winter, and had to eat one another to service.. Hmmm interesting history...

And when you get to Reno.. there is the beautiful Lake Tahoe..
for water activities and for photos....

Have a good time.. and enjoy...

I would not suggest LA.. but then large cities of that kind are not my cup of tea....

hartmanr1

Enjoy California before the Big One makes Nevada a coastal state.... I'd particularly suggest the Big Sur Highway, the Redwoods, shots from Catalina Island,shots of San Francisco, Hearst's Castle, Ski Country . In other words, a week isn't enough time -- Too much to see.

All the best !

krf4 Loc: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Hi, if you go to the beach you should consider a few shots of the sun setting on the Pacific, as you are close to the Atlantic when home you then can vacation on the Atlantic beaches and get a shot of the sun rising.

kschwegl Loc: Orangeburg, NY

Don't miss Big Sur! Take the 26 mile scenic drive. Just mabout every mile is a photo op!
Kschwegl

frederdane Loc: Orlando, FL

California isn't a city, it's a state.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

Hi, 40 miles west of Sacramento puts you fairly close to the coast. There are a lot of beautiful shots along Hwy 1 north of San Francisco (in SF too). The Napa wine country is beautful. East of Sac you might find the gold fields around Placerville interesting. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty
BT's Fly Fishing & Photography
www.btsflyfishing.com

frederdane Loc: Orlando, FL

And it's a state with many unusual place names:

AzUSA, Chicamonga Colusa Cotate Death Valley

rambler Loc: Masssachusetts

Big trees?
http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

Someone else mentioned Point Reyes:

http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm

From Reno:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g61000-c3406/Yosemite-National-Park:California:Driving.From.Yosemite.To.Reno.Lake.Tahoe.html

While in Reno take pictures outside at night.

AVarley Loc: Central Valley, California

That's around the Vacaville / Davis area in California. Nice jumping off point for day trips in pretty much any direction:

San Francisco is another hour west of that location, major photo op in any direction there. Get across the Golden Gate into Sausalito which is pretty cool, then coming back take Hwy 101 up to Point Reyes. Another great place in that area is Muir Woods, the turn off Hwy 101 is just a bit north of Sausalito.

If you've got a whole day and start out EARLY, get south of San Francisco into Monterrey. BEAUTIFUL coastal scenery and the famous 17-mile drive through Pebble Beach golf course. Google "Lone Cypress" for detail.

About an hour northwest of Vacaville, on Highway 12, get up to Napa Valley for the wineries and some spectacular scenery and quaint little towns, shops.

A couple of hours north of Vacaville, off I-5, try Lassen Volcanic NP. Stunning scenery -- not a bad shot anywhere! One of my favorite places..

An hour or so south will put you in my neck of the woods right now, not much to see unless you're into cityscapes .. but another couple of hours further south will get you Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks.

Heading back toward the east, get into Old Sacramento if you have the time. Kinda fun, something of interest for everyone there. The Train Museum is cool. Then two hours further east of Sacramento will put you in Reno/Lake Tahoe area after having travelled through the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains.

I've lived in California for 30 years and still haven't seen it "all." But what I know so far is that it's all good here! Keep your batteries charged!
Have fun!