California - What's there to do?

[jamoor]

So, I have got a trip booked to California from the 22nd of Dec to the 31st.

What are the must dos? I am flying into LAX and out of SFO, so will need to rent a car.

I will do the obvious stuff.

LAX - Universal hollywood, Hollywood
Vegas - The city, grand canyon, hoover dam
SFO - not sure, any ideas?

Are there any bits in between worth visiting?

Thanks!

[GTIR]

Go to Santa Monica just to look at the strange people, and probably see some filming going on. There is a hell of a lot of films that have clips from Santa Monica.

When I was over they were filming some such crud they had these fit girls on roller blades going up and down a 10 foot section (i guess where the camera angle of filming was) while the main two people were doing their scene.
After each cut the girls all did hi fives to eachother and wooped and shouted!!

Meanwhile, in the real world just out of camera shot was all the normal Yanks eating $1 pizza and sweating in the very mild sun!

[TheMighty]

Yosemite
Napa Valley (Wine country)
Pacific Coast Highway if you drive straight from LA to San Fran

and yeh Santa Monica - Venice Beach (daytime only) is great for people watching.
if you want somewhere to stop Lowes Santa Monica is nice if you're being spendy and Hotel California next door is equally cool if you're being less spendy.

Edited by TheMighty on Saturday 30th August 12:40

[mybrainhurts]

Sweat...

[lunchbox]

Six Flags Magic Mountain?

[Neil_Sc]

Pacific Coast Highway, I assume that is how you are getting from LA to SF?

Hearst Castle is well worth it on the way, went in May and it was fantastic.

[koenig999]

Santa Cruz is a nice cool vibey town.

Koenig

[jamoor]

Neil_Sc said:

Pacific Coast Highway, I assume that is how you are getting from LA to SF?

Hearst Castle is well worth it on the way, went in May and it was fantastic.

ACtualy no

Drive from LA-LV-SFO

[jazzybee]

Plenty of places to visit around San Francisco (I will be there earlier in December)

Muir woods, Muir Beach and Stinson Beach - nice day trip maybe going up Route 1 and across to Point Reyes Lighthouse if you have a full day - be careful of the police speed traps on Route 1 on the weekends however.

Coming up from LA, there is a town called Gilroy (Garlic Capital, apparently) where there is an outlet Mall. when on one of my trips, I usually go there in the morning, have lunch at Garden Fresh, then drive across on Hwy 152 (Hecker Pass Hwy) across Watsonville to Route 1, then head North. Santa Cruz is quite nice and if you go on the Pier you can really get close to the seals and watch them jocking for positions on the Deck. There is a great place for breakfast in Santa Cruz if you get there early one morning. Carry on up route 1 stopping off when you see nice bits of beach for a walk. Taking it nice an easy usually gets me back into SF late afternoon to early evening.

If you come up along Route 1 from LA then spend half a day to a day getting tours around Hurst Castle near San Simeon. Also check out Carmel, Monteray and the 17 mile drive

[TheMighty]

jamoor said:

Neil_Sc said:

Pacific Coast Highway, I assume that is how you are getting from LA to SF?

Hearst Castle is well worth it on the way, went in May and it was fantastic.

ACtualy no

Drive from LA-LV-SFO

If thats the case I would forget Vegas (overated) in favour of doing the PCH.

For us the US is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.

[TPAC]

Don't go to Temecula.

[sawman]

if you are heading from vegas to grand Canyon, you should see the hoover dam, and you can pick up a great chunk of route 66 from kingsman to wiliams, which is much more interesting than the interstate, the little town of Seligman is worth a snack stop, there is a great coffee shop on the left as you head into the town from the west.

Williams is a neat old town too, has mire than a passing resemblance to radiator springs.

In LA head for the beaches the rest is pretty grim

s

[Mr_annie_vxr]

Hated LA - Venice beach and Santa monica were very nice. LA was very grubby. Agree with the above poster about the Route 66 bit.

[hifihigh]

Just saw you were going from LA to San Fran, we did the same trip a few years ago when I was 13 with the family. We spent 1 week in la doing universal studios/disnyland) then a road trip for 2 wks motel to motel up through CA via some national parks en route. It's a really spectacular part of the US when you get into the rockies.

Edited by hifihigh on Saturday 30th August 14:32

[TPAC]

Go skydiving at Perris Valley

[The Black Duke]

WINE

[TPAC]

Make sure you try biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Beautiful.

[GingerBaws]

TheMighty said:

jamoor said:

ACtualy no

Drive from LA-LV-SFO

If thats the case I would forget Vegas (overated) in favour of doing the PCH.

I would disagree - have done both journeys many times and the drive through the desert landscape is absolutely stunning - go from LA to LV via death valley and also take in the leake meade area (valley of fire is superb) and the desert landscapes are just fantastic - the feeling of vastness makes you realise how insignificant you are, then you look down at your speedo as you wonder why your rental won't go any faster - thats because you are flat out without realising. Also, those who say vegas is overrated most likely didn't get far off the strip and see what a great city it is outside the immediate tourist facilities,and how it is surrounded by stunning roads and scenery.

PCH has potential, but is spoiled by the endless 35mph sightseeing numpties who have no driving skills whatsoever. You will spend 90% of the journey stuck up the rear of an accord. Also realise how long it is with NO escape - once you're on it you're there for 250 miles, so if the weather turns or you decide you're bored at 35mph, you've no choice but to keep going. And perhaps contentious but I'd say while the scenery is undeniably good, it isn't quite as spectacular as you would be led to believe......fine if you want to spend 4 days at a snails pace browsing the faux antique stores with a bit of sunshine and sand thrown in, but if you want a good drive along with it then stay away.

[carerra g tea]

There's fkall between LV and SF. I agree that you can get stuck behind slow folks but there are plenty of escapes. Think you'd be better off driving back to LA, giving up your rental car, and flying up to SF and renting again. You can always just drive south on Rte. 1 from San Francisco to Santa Cruz or north from San Francisco to Marshall (world's best barbecued oysters there, guaranteed).

There is a LOT to do and see in both LA and SF, as well as surrounding areas. What are you into? Surfing? Cars? Tourist attractions? Sports? Bar scene? Hang gliding/flying? Architecture? Skiing? Etc..

Edited by carerra g tea on Saturday 30th August 15:15

[AngryS3Owner]

TheMighty said:

If thats the case I would forget Vegas (overated) in favour of doing the PCH.

For us the US is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.

And I'd say the opposite because of your second sentance, our drive out to Vegas and back into San Francisco will stay with me forever and the pacific coast highway is amazing in places but it's one long traffic jam 90% of the time.

If you have time, Zion, Bryce and the grand canyon are worth a look. Monument valley is a must (IMO) Lake powell and glen canyon are interesting and relaxing. Yosemite is fantastic and Death valley is worth a look. I could go on for a while here. In SF there's alcatraz for a start.

If you do drive along the pacific coast Solvang is worth a stop for a cake and a laugh.