Small California Roadtrip - Advice please

Small California Roadtrip - Advice please

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Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Friday 19th May 2017
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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.

PorkInsider

5,877 posts

140 months

Saturday 20th May 2017
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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.

Edited by PorkInsider on Saturday 20th May 09:15

RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Tuesday 23rd May 2017
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You will not be able to navigate Highway 1 in one of its best stretches at Big Sur. Very bad rockslide has covered 1/3 of a mile of it.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Tuesday 23rd May 2017
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RDMcG said:
You will not be able to navigate Highway 1 in one of its best stretches at Big Sur. Very bad rockslide has covered 1/3 of a mile of it.
So it has. What a shame it's a stunning drive.


Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd May 2017
quotequote all
Thanks, I can't really see from that map but could I still go from LA to San Simeon / Ragged Point?

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Tuesday 23rd May 2017
quotequote all
Adenauer said:
Thanks, I can't really see from that map but could I still go from LA to San Simeon / Ragged Point?
Yes the only closed sections appear to be from Ragged Point to Monterey area.

Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd May 2017
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
Adenauer said:
Thanks, I can't really see from that map but could I still go from LA to San Simeon / Ragged Point?
Yes the only closed sections appear to be from Ragged Point to Monterey area.
Dankeschön.

filthypig

233 posts

85 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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If you are looking for a recommendation of somewhere to stay in LA I highly recommend Selby Ave Guesthouse if it's just you and a partner. Was a little gem of a find on our honeymoon last year when we travelled the PCH.

Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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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

chopper602

2,172 posts

222 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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Really going through the middle of LA ? We stuck to the coast last year, stopped over for a couple of nights in the south (Newport Beach area) then up to the north (Santa Monica). Could then take day trips into the city (for Hollywood etc.).

Good luck

Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
quotequote all
That breakfast place menu looks, err, really odd biggrin

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 biggrin

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...

blindswelledrat

25,257 posts

231 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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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)

RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
quotequote all
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/

12TS

1,806 posts

209 months

Wednesday 24th May 2017
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I'd agree with LA. Given the chance I'd avoid it and use SF instead.

Adenauer

Original Poster:

18,564 posts

235 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
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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.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
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LA is worth a look OP I quite liked it but I cant put my finger on why. I think its the glamour and film industry to be honest plus the weather.

Hollywood is st though.

RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
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Only city where I have visited a gift shop in the Morgue ... the LA coroners office had its own gift shop !

AAGR

918 posts

160 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
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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.



p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Thursday 25th May 2017
quotequote all
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!