San Francisco to LA.
Discussion
Morning all.
We're looking to visit California next year, wife and I and our two daughters who will be 16 and 19. The aim is to have 7 days or so in and around San Francisco, then travel down the coast to LA. Have 5 days in LA, then fly to NYC for 5 days before we fly home.
For those that have done the SF to LA drive, I'm looking for recommendations to visit, places to stay, (budget £150-£200 a night) and how long we should set aside for the drive.
Any websites people have used, please fire them across.
Thanks all.
We're looking to visit California next year, wife and I and our two daughters who will be 16 and 19. The aim is to have 7 days or so in and around San Francisco, then travel down the coast to LA. Have 5 days in LA, then fly to NYC for 5 days before we fly home.
For those that have done the SF to LA drive, I'm looking for recommendations to visit, places to stay, (budget £150-£200 a night) and how long we should set aside for the drive.
Any websites people have used, please fire them across.
Thanks all.
Sounds like a great trip.
SAN fran as attested to on this forum is one of THE great cities to visit though 7 days may be a bit much.
I would definitely take a trip to the wine country, France Ford Coppola owns (owned) a vineyard up there which was a nice half day trip and of course there is Alcatraz, Pacific Heights, Cable cars and Marin county across the golden gate.
I’d take two days for the coast drive and stay overnight here
http://m.ripplewoodresort.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fww...
It’s pretty basic but if back to nature is your thing offers a great contrast to where you are heading (LA) choose a cabin near the river ( cabin 8 is a well located 2 bed)
The drive itself is one of the most scenic you can imagine and aim to visit 17 mile drive (toll route) Carmel, Monterey and some amazing viewing points where you can park, scramble down to a deserted beach and watch rivers running into the sea.
LA? Didn’t appeal at all apart from Venice.
In SAN fran is aim to stay near Union Square, get a good guide book and walk a lot!
Castro, Chinatown, SOMA, haight, mission all have lots to see.
Food is great but don’t expect it to be cheap, it isn’t!
Hope that helps.
SAN fran as attested to on this forum is one of THE great cities to visit though 7 days may be a bit much.
I would definitely take a trip to the wine country, France Ford Coppola owns (owned) a vineyard up there which was a nice half day trip and of course there is Alcatraz, Pacific Heights, Cable cars and Marin county across the golden gate.
I’d take two days for the coast drive and stay overnight here
http://m.ripplewoodresort.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fww...
It’s pretty basic but if back to nature is your thing offers a great contrast to where you are heading (LA) choose a cabin near the river ( cabin 8 is a well located 2 bed)
The drive itself is one of the most scenic you can imagine and aim to visit 17 mile drive (toll route) Carmel, Monterey and some amazing viewing points where you can park, scramble down to a deserted beach and watch rivers running into the sea.
LA? Didn’t appeal at all apart from Venice.
In SAN fran is aim to stay near Union Square, get a good guide book and walk a lot!
Castro, Chinatown, SOMA, haight, mission all have lots to see.
Food is great but don’t expect it to be cheap, it isn’t!
Hope that helps.
Edited by Thankyou4calling on Sunday 14th January 10:42
Wife and I did this trip many years ago.
1. You're heading south which is better than north because you'll be on the outside carriage way.
2. It is a slow drive so allow plenty of time. Also fuel stations are few and far between
3.. We booked hotels in Monterrey and Santa Barbara on the way
4. Agree with the 17 mile drive at Carmel.
5. Bug Sur is spectacular, good place to stop for lunch.
6. St Luis Opisbo is a great town for a stop for iunch too.
7. We did not get to see Hearst Castle but apparently it's well worth the visit.
We did not rate LA at all so we continued on and based ourselves at Laguna Beach for a few days. Good town nearby to explore. Worth a trip to San Diego, lovely city. We also went over the Mexican border but we shouldn't have bothered.
R.
1. You're heading south which is better than north because you'll be on the outside carriage way.
2. It is a slow drive so allow plenty of time. Also fuel stations are few and far between
3.. We booked hotels in Monterrey and Santa Barbara on the way
4. Agree with the 17 mile drive at Carmel.
5. Bug Sur is spectacular, good place to stop for lunch.
6. St Luis Opisbo is a great town for a stop for iunch too.
7. We did not get to see Hearst Castle but apparently it's well worth the visit.
We did not rate LA at all so we continued on and based ourselves at Laguna Beach for a few days. Good town nearby to explore. Worth a trip to San Diego, lovely city. We also went over the Mexican border but we shouldn't have bothered.
R.
The CA1 takes about 14 or so hours.
Stop in San Luis Obispo (approx half way point) and then zorro’s in pismo beach for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Also some great vineyards in that area.
Don’t bother with 17mile drive. It has little in the way of scenery that you don’t see from the many stopping points on the CA1, and is very crowded. Great tax dodge by the owners, but not much else. Spend the time in nearby Carmel instead.
Los Angeles is a great place once you work it out and look past the sprawl. Sadly most don’t/can’t.
Stop in San Luis Obispo (approx half way point) and then zorro’s in pismo beach for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Also some great vineyards in that area.
Don’t bother with 17mile drive. It has little in the way of scenery that you don’t see from the many stopping points on the CA1, and is very crowded. Great tax dodge by the owners, but not much else. Spend the time in nearby Carmel instead.
Los Angeles is a great place once you work it out and look past the sprawl. Sadly most don’t/can’t.
GCH said:
The CA1 takes about 14 or so hours.
Stop in San Luis Obispo (approx half way point) and then zorro’s in pismo beach for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Also some great vineyards in that area.
Don’t bother with 17mile drive. It has little in the way of scenery that you don’t see from the many stopping points on the CA1, and is very crowded. Great tax dodge by the owners, but not much else. Spend the time in nearby Carmel instead.
Los Angeles is a great place once you work it out and look past the sprawl. Sadly most don’t/can’t.
Pretty much agree with all of the above. I wasn't overly impressed with the 17 mile drive given the other scenic routes in the surrounding area. Carmel and the beach and Ocean Avenue walk is a better way to spend your time IMHO.Stop in San Luis Obispo (approx half way point) and then zorro’s in pismo beach for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Also some great vineyards in that area.
Don’t bother with 17mile drive. It has little in the way of scenery that you don’t see from the many stopping points on the CA1, and is very crowded. Great tax dodge by the owners, but not much else. Spend the time in nearby Carmel instead.
Los Angeles is a great place once you work it out and look past the sprawl. Sadly most don’t/can’t.
Also agree with GCH on LA. There are some great places to visit including picturesque hikes, but it takes effort and planning.
LHRFlightman said:
Morning all.
We're looking to visit California next year, wife and I and our two daughters who will be 16 and 19. The aim is to have 7 days or so in and around San Francisco, then travel down the coast to LA. Have 5 days in LA, then fly to NYC for 5 days before we fly home.
For those that have done the SF to LA drive, I'm looking for recommendations to visit, places to stay, (budget £150-£200 a night) and how long we should set aside for the drive.
Any websites people have used, please fire them across.
Thanks all.
I've done highway 1 twice, (LA to SF both times) and couldn't recommend it enough.We're looking to visit California next year, wife and I and our two daughters who will be 16 and 19. The aim is to have 7 days or so in and around San Francisco, then travel down the coast to LA. Have 5 days in LA, then fly to NYC for 5 days before we fly home.
For those that have done the SF to LA drive, I'm looking for recommendations to visit, places to stay, (budget £150-£200 a night) and how long we should set aside for the drive.
Any websites people have used, please fire them across.
Thanks all.
First off, I recommend not doing the stereotypical tourist thing of hiring a Mustang... they're terrible. I hired a 228i cabrio from Sixt for about the same money. Also, if you want to save a few £ on the car, drive back to LA using the I-5. Its a boring drive, but it saves you the one way fee and a flight from SFO to LAX. Took me about 7 hours including driving in LA peak hour.
Secondly I recomend taking at least 3 days up the coastal road if you want to have time to see things. I tried doing it in two days the first time, 8-10 hours per day driving not including stops.
The way I did it on my last trip was.
Day 1. LA - Santa Barbara.
Day 2. Santa Barbara to Carmel
Day 3. Carmel to San Francisco. (set out after lunch, it's only a 3 hour drive and Carmel and Monterrey are lovey places)
If you want to throw a 4th day in, Pismo Beach, Cambria or San Luis Opisbo between Santa Barbara and Carmel is good.
As for where to stay, just about any motel is much the same of muchness. ABVI's are pretty consistent, just go to booking.com and look for a place around your budget with parking. In 2015 I paid about US$50-70 per night for a room, whilst none of them were spectacular they were fine for what I wanted (a comfy bed and a shower).
As for tourist attractions, there's plenty of websites explaining them online and pick which ones you like. I found the Santa Barbara mission interesting but gave Hearst Castle a miss, you may prefer it the other way around.
For me it was about the drive, some incredible scenery, good driving roads (when you're not stuck behind a Prius) with a lovely climate which is perfect for having the top down (don't forget the sunscreen, the Californian sun is known to turn pasty British skin to ash within minutes).
If you've got some specific questions let me know.
Personally don't think SF is worth more than 3-4 days, unless you are using it for a base to travel around locally, or want to do it so fully so you don't ever have to go back. I'd rather spend more time on the way to LA, and LA area itself (I appreciate that not everyone will agree this point, and I appropriate that you will plenty of time in LA anyway)
Leaving SF mid morning, with stops for photos etc. and lunch and a walk in Santa Cruz, I was only reaching Monterey fairly late the same evening.
Monterey/ 17 mile drive/ Pebble Beach/ Carmel/ Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca area is probably worth a couple or three full days IMO.
Careful the time of year you go, landslides can close the Pacific Coast Highway around Big Sur (this has happened to me in the month of May).
Leaving SF mid morning, with stops for photos etc. and lunch and a walk in Santa Cruz, I was only reaching Monterey fairly late the same evening.
Monterey/ 17 mile drive/ Pebble Beach/ Carmel/ Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca area is probably worth a couple or three full days IMO.
Careful the time of year you go, landslides can close the Pacific Coast Highway around Big Sur (this has happened to me in the month of May).
I'd recommend Hearst Castle. There's a few different tours for different parts of the house. We did all three in a day. Because of the landslide you'll have to drive past it on the US101 and then cut across and back up, but it's worth it:
http://hearstcastle.org/
You could then finish off the day with sunset over Seal Beach depending on the time of year:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g3...
I'd second only 3-4 days in SF and you definitely won't need a car. It's popular to ride bikes across the Golden Gate and round to Sausalito which then gives good views of SF, Alcatraz and Angel Island across the bay. If you're adventurous climb Hawk Hill in the morning for Sunrise over San Francisco bay.
Monterey is worth a day for the Aquarium, Cannery Row and we really enjoyed a guided Kayak tour out into Monetery Bay which focused on sealife from Starfish through to Dolphins and even Whales. Carmel is worth a half day stop off as it's a pretty little town and there's a nice walk along Ocean Avenue which ends up by a popular surfing spot with large, crashing waves.
In LA, any one of the studio tours is good. Sony is best value for money, but if you can stretch then the VIP Warner Brothers Tour is great if you're interested in the industry. Studio tours are Sony, Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers.
http://hearstcastle.org/
You could then finish off the day with sunset over Seal Beach depending on the time of year:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g3...
I'd second only 3-4 days in SF and you definitely won't need a car. It's popular to ride bikes across the Golden Gate and round to Sausalito which then gives good views of SF, Alcatraz and Angel Island across the bay. If you're adventurous climb Hawk Hill in the morning for Sunrise over San Francisco bay.
Monterey is worth a day for the Aquarium, Cannery Row and we really enjoyed a guided Kayak tour out into Monetery Bay which focused on sealife from Starfish through to Dolphins and even Whales. Carmel is worth a half day stop off as it's a pretty little town and there's a nice walk along Ocean Avenue which ends up by a popular surfing spot with large, crashing waves.
In LA, any one of the studio tours is good. Sony is best value for money, but if you can stretch then the VIP Warner Brothers Tour is great if you're interested in the industry. Studio tours are Sony, Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers.
Been a good 12 years since we did it but we loved SF. Drove to LA after 3-4 days and stopped overnight in Pismo Beach, in hindsight we could have done the whole journey in a day with no hassle and had another night in either LA (yuk) or Vegas which was our next stopping point. Also drove back through Death Valley and stayed in Yosemite before continuing bac to SF for one night for the return flight. Would go back in a heartbeat but would skip LA and Vegas (been twice now and while I'd like to go back there's nicer places I haven't been to).
Pismo was nice but could have done with some nicer bars (may have changed).
Pismo was nice but could have done with some nicer bars (may have changed).
Did this trip in 2016. Used SIXT, booking well in advance and had a A-Class CLA for 10 days for around £350 which I thought was decent value.
Didn't need a car for SF. Get a MUNI card for a few days and you're set to get about the city really easily. Also Uber in SF was ridiculously cheap. Stayed at The Scarlet Huntington on Nob Hill. A great hotel, would really recommend. http://www.thescarlethotels.com/huntington-hotel-san-francisco/
Book Alcatraz tickets 3 months in advance. It's well worth it. Take plenty of layers for when you are in SF as the weather is changeable to say the least.
Trip down the coast we stayed at the following places:
Santa Cruz - Seaway Inn. Cheap, clean motel at the head of the Boardwalk. <£100 a night. http://www.seawayinn.com/
Pismo Beach - Kon Tiki Inn. A little gem of a place. All rooms look out across the ocean. Massive rooms. <£200 a night iirc. Also, ate at Mo's Smokehouse BBQ. Amazing ribs. Portions are HUGE. http://www.kontikiinn.com/
Santa Barbara. Stayed at the Castillo Inn. Loved Santa Barbara. Wished we'd spent a little more time here. http://www.sbcastilloinn.com/ £200 a night.
We then stayed at a place called Selby Ave Guesthouse in LA. But that wouldn't be fit for your purposes as it can only host 2 people. Really loved LA though. Griffith Observatory and WB Tour were highlights. Spent an evening at Santa Monica pier too for food which was worth a visit.
We then went onto Huntington Beach and stayed at the Kimpton Shorebreak which was a great way to finish a pretty hectic week of travelling down the coast. http://www.shorebreakhotel.com/. Parking was expensive here though >$30 a day.
Highway 1 is ace. We stopped off in Carmel, Monterrey and various other spots on the way between SF and Santa Cruz, and then down to Pismo Beach. Had some great food at Lucia Lodge with a stunning view whilst you eat.
Didn't need a car for SF. Get a MUNI card for a few days and you're set to get about the city really easily. Also Uber in SF was ridiculously cheap. Stayed at The Scarlet Huntington on Nob Hill. A great hotel, would really recommend. http://www.thescarlethotels.com/huntington-hotel-san-francisco/
Book Alcatraz tickets 3 months in advance. It's well worth it. Take plenty of layers for when you are in SF as the weather is changeable to say the least.
Trip down the coast we stayed at the following places:
Santa Cruz - Seaway Inn. Cheap, clean motel at the head of the Boardwalk. <£100 a night. http://www.seawayinn.com/
Pismo Beach - Kon Tiki Inn. A little gem of a place. All rooms look out across the ocean. Massive rooms. <£200 a night iirc. Also, ate at Mo's Smokehouse BBQ. Amazing ribs. Portions are HUGE. http://www.kontikiinn.com/
Santa Barbara. Stayed at the Castillo Inn. Loved Santa Barbara. Wished we'd spent a little more time here. http://www.sbcastilloinn.com/ £200 a night.
We then stayed at a place called Selby Ave Guesthouse in LA. But that wouldn't be fit for your purposes as it can only host 2 people. Really loved LA though. Griffith Observatory and WB Tour were highlights. Spent an evening at Santa Monica pier too for food which was worth a visit.
We then went onto Huntington Beach and stayed at the Kimpton Shorebreak which was a great way to finish a pretty hectic week of travelling down the coast. http://www.shorebreakhotel.com/. Parking was expensive here though >$30 a day.
Highway 1 is ace. We stopped off in Carmel, Monterrey and various other spots on the way between SF and Santa Cruz, and then down to Pismo Beach. Had some great food at Lucia Lodge with a stunning view whilst you eat.
As we're on PH you should, of course, bear in mind that Monterey car week is in August and is a truly fabulous thing to visit. Lots of events on top of the obvious Pebble Beach and Laguna Seca historics...I wouldn't personally spend more than 2, at most 3, days on driving down to LA. Just prepare for a long relaxed drive and take in the sights. If you don't stay in the Monterey/Carmel area then Santa Barbara is probably the next best option.
Other than that, SF is great and 3/4 days is more than enough for the city itself but Northern California offers plenty more. Sonoma/Napa trip a must (and can be done from SF with a driver if you want to imbibe). Yosemite is truly beautiful and there's Gold Country and Lake Tahoe etc etc as well.
Southern California is equally good but in different ways. LA has plenty to offer and do if you put in a little research. Obvious Hollywood stuff but also it's quite a funky town now and you can have great fun eating, drinking and people watching. Further south are great places to stay on the coast (Laguna /Newport Beach etc) for relaxation and plenty to do and look at inland and San Diego etc.
You'll have a great holiday!
Other than that, SF is great and 3/4 days is more than enough for the city itself but Northern California offers plenty more. Sonoma/Napa trip a must (and can be done from SF with a driver if you want to imbibe). Yosemite is truly beautiful and there's Gold Country and Lake Tahoe etc etc as well.
Southern California is equally good but in different ways. LA has plenty to offer and do if you put in a little research. Obvious Hollywood stuff but also it's quite a funky town now and you can have great fun eating, drinking and people watching. Further south are great places to stay on the coast (Laguna /Newport Beach etc) for relaxation and plenty to do and look at inland and San Diego etc.
You'll have a great holiday!
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