Small California Roadtrip - Advice please
Discussion
RDMcG said:
66 is good no question..I know it well...here is the AZ section of my 66 guide as background.
If on the other hand you decide to go down towards Phoenix then you could take Oak Creek Canyon down to Sedona and see the red rocks...get an offload Jeep tour..amazing countryside.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Also..think about Monument Valley, my favourite scenery in the area...about four hours from GC.
IN LA make sure to catch the Peterson Museum...one of the best car museums on earth
Brilliant, thank you. If on the other hand you decide to go down towards Phoenix then you could take Oak Creek Canyon down to Sedona and see the red rocks...get an offload Jeep tour..amazing countryside.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Also..think about Monument Valley, my favourite scenery in the area...about four hours from GC.
IN LA make sure to catch the Peterson Museum...one of the best car museums on earth
For your couple of nights in LA upon arrival, I would highly recommend somewhere like Manhattan Beach or Hermosa.
They are great little places: safe, relatively quiet but quite upmarket and have great bars and restaurants if you need them. Proper 'SoCal' and only a few miles from LAX. Much better than staying in LA itself.
ETA: someone else mentioned it but I think if you tried to do Yosemite in January you'd find the Tioga Pass closed, in all likelihood, unfortunately.
They are great little places: safe, relatively quiet but quite upmarket and have great bars and restaurants if you need them. Proper 'SoCal' and only a few miles from LAX. Much better than staying in LA itself.
ETA: someone else mentioned it but I think if you tried to do Yosemite in January you'd find the Tioga Pass closed, in all likelihood, unfortunately.
Edited by PorkInsider on Saturday 20th May 09:15
I you want a really, really funky place for breakfast in LA, try Sqirl. You need to get there early ( say 7:30am to get seating, but they will not serve you till 8AM except for truly excellent coffee. By 8:15 there is a line up of local grabbing breakfast on the go...
http://sqirlla.com
http://sqirlla.com
That breakfast place menu looks, err, really odd
We'll only stay in LA for the first night there and the last night before heading back, surely that won't be too bad?
Oh and I've changed it again
Giving Death Valley a miss and stopping in Victorville for the night in between San Simeon and LV.
https://www.google.de/maps/dir/Los+Angeles,+Kalifo...
We'll only stay in LA for the first night there and the last night before heading back, surely that won't be too bad?
Oh and I've changed it again
Giving Death Valley a miss and stopping in Victorville for the night in between San Simeon and LV.
https://www.google.de/maps/dir/Los+Angeles,+Kalifo...
I did a 14 day trip a few years ago and a couple of things stand out:
For me and my wife LA was the worst bit of it all and I wouldn't want to spend 2 days of a holiday there (but each to their own, perhaps)
Secondly, like you , we drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon in a day and really regretted it. It is a very slow route so it took us something like 5 hours each way despite not being that far. By the time we arrived we were very conscious of the journey home so spend very little time there.
Other places that we absolutely loved if you an fit them in were Carlsbaad (between San Diego and LA) and Yosemite (although I think Yosemite would break your determination not to drive for many hours)
For me and my wife LA was the worst bit of it all and I wouldn't want to spend 2 days of a holiday there (but each to their own, perhaps)
Secondly, like you , we drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon in a day and really regretted it. It is a very slow route so it took us something like 5 hours each way despite not being that far. By the time we arrived we were very conscious of the journey home so spend very little time there.
Other places that we absolutely loved if you an fit them in were Carlsbaad (between San Diego and LA) and Yosemite (although I think Yosemite would break your determination not to drive for many hours)
If you have any time in LA the Peterson Automotive Museum is amazing, and has a stunning Ferrari Exhibit right now....
https://petersen.org/portfolio-item/seeing-red/
https://petersen.org/portfolio-item/seeing-red/
blindswelledrat said:
I did a 14 day trip a few years ago and a couple of things stand out:
For me and my wife LA was the worst bit of it all and I wouldn't want to spend 2 days of a holiday there (but each to their own, perhaps)
Secondly, like you , we drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon in a day and really regretted it. It is a very slow route so it took us something like 5 hours each way despite not being that far. By the time we arrived we were very conscious of the journey home so spend very little time there.
Other places that we absolutely loved if you an fit them in were Carlsbaad (between San Diego and LA) and Yosemite (although I think Yosemite would break your determination not to drive for many hours)
Hmm, I'm going to have to have another look at our plans / route, thanks everyone. For me and my wife LA was the worst bit of it all and I wouldn't want to spend 2 days of a holiday there (but each to their own, perhaps)
Secondly, like you , we drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon in a day and really regretted it. It is a very slow route so it took us something like 5 hours each way despite not being that far. By the time we arrived we were very conscious of the journey home so spend very little time there.
Other places that we absolutely loved if you an fit them in were Carlsbaad (between San Diego and LA) and Yosemite (although I think Yosemite would break your determination not to drive for many hours)
Which airline to choose ? British Airways, Virgin, United and American all cover that itinerary. As an old hand, I'd recommend Virgin over British Airways, and either of them in preference to United or American.
To save you hours at immigration, I recommend flying in to San Jose (about 50 miles south of San Francisco International) where there is MUCH less queueing. British Airways now fly daily/non-stop, using Dreamliners - I used the service just weeks ago, and it is very successful.
Oh and yes - don't ignore San Francisco and the surrounding area. Choosing between there and - say - Las Vegas. No Contest.
To save you hours at immigration, I recommend flying in to San Jose (about 50 miles south of San Francisco International) where there is MUCH less queueing. British Airways now fly daily/non-stop, using Dreamliners - I used the service just weeks ago, and it is very successful.
Oh and yes - don't ignore San Francisco and the surrounding area. Choosing between there and - say - Las Vegas. No Contest.
AAGR said:
Which airline to choose ? British Airways, Virgin, United and American all cover that itinerary. As an old hand, I'd recommend Virgin over British Airways, and either of them in preference to United or American.
To save you hours at immigration, I recommend flying in to San Jose (about 50 miles south of San Francisco International) where there is MUCH less queueing. British Airways now fly daily/non-stop, using Dreamliners - I used the service just weeks ago, and it is very successful.
Oh and yes - don't ignore San Francisco and the surrounding area. Choosing between there and - say - Las Vegas. No Contest.
Dreamliner is incredible!To save you hours at immigration, I recommend flying in to San Jose (about 50 miles south of San Francisco International) where there is MUCH less queueing. British Airways now fly daily/non-stop, using Dreamliners - I used the service just weeks ago, and it is very successful.
Oh and yes - don't ignore San Francisco and the surrounding area. Choosing between there and - say - Las Vegas. No Contest.
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