You should definitely go to Griffith Observatory and Santa Monica Pier when you're in the LA area. Rent a bike at one of the beaches and cruise around the beach towns one day. If you have a car, you should drive the PCH from Santa Monica up north through Malibu and beyond, stopping once in a while to enjoy the coast. I did some solo picnics and cigar breaks along the PCH when I was out there with a girfriend who was in training for work. Those were some of my favorite moments.
Forget about the Bay Area stuff, that's way too far away.