[ckissick]

I grew up in a redwood forest, so here's the scoop.

Since you don't plan on a trip specifically for the trees, you are most likely to visit San Francisco for some other reason. If so, the best place to see big redwoods is Muir Woods just north of SF, in Marin County. If you're in San Jose, then head over to Big Basin State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

If you have a few days, go up to Redwood National Park, about 5 hours north of SF on Highway 101.

Classic redwoods are actually called Sequoia Sempervirons, while the other "redwoods" in the Sierra are Sequoia Gigantea, commonly referred to as sequoia trees.

I prefer redwoods, as the redwood forests are much more lush and scenic. The sequoia forests are pretty barren at ground level. The sequoias are the largest trees in the world, but the redwoods are the tallest.

The best places to see big sequoias are the Wawona Grove in the south end of Yosemite Park, or Sequoia National Park.