I agree with other writers that you may want to focus on SF, maybe Carmel, Monterery and Big Sur south and Marin, Sonoma and Napa north. You might want to consider taking Cal Train from SJ to SF at the top, stay and SF and explore around there sans auto - there are good tours about and it is a great walking city. Re: hotels: depends upon what you want to spend and where you want to be located.. There are also some good B&Bs around. Good restaurants abound.

Anyway, you could rent a car in SF and then take off via Golden Gate to the north - Marin and then over to Sonoma and Napa. for whatever time you have. Then whizz back down 101 (at non commute times!) toward San Jose and down to Carmel- Monterary-Big Sur for whatever time you have left, dumping the car at San Jose when you are through.

Specifics: depends on what you're interested in. There's good theatre downtown, the Opera House and symphony are a short bus ride away, you can walk around Chinatown and up into North Beach. Take a local bus to the Presido. Bart to Berkeley.

And rememBURR, it's Northern California - once the sun goes down, it's cold. Was it Mark Twain who said, the coldest winter I spent was a summer in San Francisco? Though it can be warm in the North Bay.

Enjoy - I love this area and try to get to the City several times a month.

Jo in Menlo Park, No CA