A few years ago we had an exchange student from Europe live with us. Her family thought they could fly into LA, drive to Yosemite, then to Monterey, then to San Francisco in one day. We told them that, yeah, it could be done, but they would not enjoy it!
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My mom grew up on Phoenix, and half her family stayed in the area (the rest wisely relocated to California). When my brother and I were kids, we would take family vacations of 1-2 weeks “back home” in Phoenix, when the entire family would gather and reconnect (I have about 30 first cousins on that side, so there were a lot of us). And of course, since most of the cousins were school-aged, these annual treks were in July or August. There’s a reason I hate Phoenix.
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The same reason I haul my mom to the mountains when we visit in June. Toasty!
I live in Midtown Manhattan, and so am often helping lost/confused visitors. Last year I ran into a pair of baffled 30ish Spaniards at the corner of 8th Ave & 34th St–as near dead-center NYC as you can get. They asked me how to get to New York. I gently explained that there were actually IJ NY and had been since they deplaned. They were dubious, but con ceded when I showed them on a map. Then they asked “where is the street that has all the attractions on it?”
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I remember being asked on the corner of 5th Ave and 10th St how to get to Bleeker Street. I hesitated then explained that he could go south on 5th, through park and onto Thompson and on to Bleeker, or go west on 10th until he came to it, depending on where he was going on Bleeker. He looked very confused.
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I would have told them … impossible. For a tourist here without much time, they can do a day round trip tour to Yosemite. Long day but enjoyable.
Once I drove from SF to Mendocino and back in one day but that is very arduous.
Anyone who wants to visit California, I tell them to visit North, Avenue of the Giants, gorgeous areas of Redwood trees.
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Sequoia is gorgeous as well. Magic, those trees. I usually just avoid Cali cities unless I can’t avoid it. Ontario, at the foot of Sequoia, is a nice little town.
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I’ve been in San Francisco and north into redwood country in 1978 (LOVED LOVED LOVED it!) and in Los Angeles in early 2000s, IIRC (hated hated HATED it). I’d take northern CA any day.
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I arrived here Labor Day 1971. I’ve only been to LA about 3 times, very briefly. First time I took my daughter to Disneyland one day, next day, San Diego Zoo … beautiful. Now Disneyland lines are impossible. A friend went, waiting in first line over an hour, gave up, left!!
I don’t think there will be a bullet train in my lifetime. Wonderful fast trains all over Europe, Japan, Chinese but not here!
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Lots of places in California are extremely beautiful, just not (IME) the big cities and suburbia.
Have you been to La Honda/San Gregorio?
Ontario is in Southern California.
I live 11 miles from Oregon’s giant Sequoias (photo) and 30ish miles from Jedediah Smith Redwood park.
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Perhaps not as big, but also awesome at Muir Woods, March '22. See the people at about 9 o’clock on a clock face?
Muir Woods is just 17 miles (but 45 minutes on a good day!) from San Francisco. Muir Woods has coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens).
Be not ashamed, big cities!
ETA @billmarsano
corner of 8th Ave & 34th St–as near dead-center NYC as you can get.
I think dead center would have to be in Brooklyn somewhere, or maybe Queens. Just sayin’. 
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I wouldn’t have noticed the people if you hadn’t pointed them out. Nothing so majestic in SE PA.
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Makes you wonder what the area was like, in the lyric of Jesse Colin Young, Before [We] Came.
Speaking of whom… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ryjRtFw3Dc
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How dare you point out that there are boroughs other than Manhattan.
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That’s where I first was awed by their majesty. I went through one of the drive-through trees back in 1978.
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Singing “Mill Valley”? 
I guess that was much earlier, but who can hear “Mill Valley” without hearing that song?
ETA @Aubergine ; we learned it’s best to go to Muir Woods when rain is predicted. I might get to Redwood Forest yet.
Muir Woods is great but can get very crowded with tourists. You hear all different foreign languages as you walk through. After the fairly short, flat walk there, drive to the top, called Mt Tam, and enjoy a spectacular view. This is all above the town of Mill Valley.
If you can, go visit real Redwood forests. I have bad knees, bought Creaky Knees Hikes in Northern California, highly recommended.
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