Few Days to Burn in Southern CA - Where should I go?

I'm traveling to the Rancho Cucamonga area in mid-August for work and am thinking about going a few days early to try and sneak some photos in.

Will be flying into LAX, I'd imagine. I'll probably have the option to fly into Sacramento or San Diego, if I so choose.

I've been to Lake Tahoe, but wouldn't mind a drive through again. I'd like to visit Death Valley, but mid-August seems like the worst possible time to go there. Yosemite? Other national parks?

So, with picture-taking purely in mind, where would you go?

shocksyde wrote in post #10452790
I'm traveling to the Rancho Cucamonga area in mid-August for work and am thinking about going a few days early to try and sneak some photos in.

Will be flying into LAX, I'd imagine. I'll probably have the option to fly into Sacramento or San Diego, if I so choose.

I've been to Lake Tahoe, but wouldn't mind a drive through again. I'd like to visit Death Valley, but mid-August seems like the worst possible time to go there. Yosemite? Other national parks?

So, with picture-taking purely in mind, where would you go?

I was going to mention Joshua Tree, but like Death Valley, not exactly the place to visit in August. I don't know what the weather is like there in August, but we really enjoyed our visit to Santa Cruz, one of the islands in the Channel Islands National Park (we were there in February). But that does require a reservation for the boat ride. Even better if you are a camper and can spend the night on the island. It's really pretty.

pudgy_groundhog wrote in post #10453105
I was going to mention Joshua Tree, but like Death Valley, not exactly the place to visit in August. I don't know what the weather is like there in August, but we really enjoyed our visit to Santa Cruz, one of the islands in the Channel Islands National Park (we were there in February). But that does require a reservation for the boat ride. Even better if you are a camper and can spend the night on the island. It's really pretty.

Ah, you just gave me a great idea. Pacific Coast Highway!

Sequoia National Park is a good alternative to Yosemite. It's a redwood forest, with some of the biggest trees in the world, including the General Sherman

Too bad about the summer. Yea, Death Valley's not the best bet...well, actually it's great, but not if you want to leave your car for more than 30 min at a time. I've gone in August where it hit 124 degrees and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, but it does mean you're left to stay in your car with the AC on full blast most of the day.