(Not San Francisco)
Carmel Valley is about 2 hours south of San Francisco (1 hour south of San Jose.)
Rich, Cher and some family will be staying in this beautiful place Aug 9-12.
It is also the location of the party on Aug 11.
Carmel Valley: There are many AirBnB options available and many hotels very nearby, including the lovely Carmel Valley Ranch.
Carmel-by-the-Sea: About 20 min drive away is Carmel-by-the-Sea - a beautiful village with many boutique hotels and restaurants (many of which are dog friendly) and a beautiful Beach.
Monterrey: Monterrey has many other hotel options about 10 min farther than Carmel
Pebble Beach - A world famous golf course with several options.
Monterrey Aquarium: Well worth a day's visit, the exhibits are interactive and amazing tanks from the shoreline to the deep sea. The Jellyfish exhibit is worth it alone.
Cannery Row - the old fish cannery is now a thriving restaurant and attraction area (think upscale Wharf from San Francisco)
Pacific Grove: An cute little city on the edge of Monterrey Bay and a lovely coastal drive. Many victorian BnB's.
17-mile-drive: A beautiful drive through Pebble Beach, the coast, the rainforest. Amazing.
Big Sur - the beginning of hundreds of miles of coastal highway 1 that goes down to the border. This section is an incredible drive down past San Simeon (Hurst Castle) and to Santa Barbara.
Hang Gliding - many people teach and glide on the dunes in Monterrey
Elkhorn Slough - kayaking here is beautiful in the brackish waters that meet the bay