Advice on Roadtrip
Mar 4th, 2015, 06:51 PM
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Advice on Roadtrip
I am doing a one-way cross-country road trip April 8-17 from Virginia to San Francisco. We have most of our itinerary planned out, but wanted some advice on a portion of our road trip from Las Vegas to Big Sur.
Plan is to leave LV early morning and make it to Big Sur around sunset, which i understand is about an 8.5 hr drive. Here are potential stops I have researched along the way based on the things my dad and I enjoy doing, wondering what is worth the stop.
Mojave National Preserve - Cima Rd and first mile or so of Teutonia Peak Trail, we are interested in seeing the Joshua Trees here. Wanting to know if we stopped here, would it be better to backtrack back out to I-15 and continue on to Bakersfield, or would it be better to make the loop through the preserve (Cima Rd to Kelso CIma Rd to Kelbaker Rd) to drive past the lava fields for viewing as well? No matter what I do I cannot get Mapquest to take me that way, but when I checked the park page it appeared that those roads are paved and in good enough condition for us to drive. Our biggest interest here is the Joshua Trees
All the rest of our stops come along Pacific Coast Highway.
Piedras Blancas - we have also looked into stopping at Ano Nuevo State Park the next day on our drive from Big Sur to Santa Clara. I guess the best question is which of these two is better for viewing the elephant seals. And if we feel like it maybe a stop at both places? Opinions here? Again, we're from VA so we've never seen elephant seals before
Pacific Valley Bluff Trail - honestly, looking to cut this one out based on time allowance.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - McWay Falls - for me, this one is a must see.
Pfeiffer Beach - the one with the purple sand. I understand that Keyhole Rock is a great place to see the sunset, but have to get here early. How early is early (obviously this would affect or timing throughout the day)? I did some research and found out the sun sets here around 7:30 about the time we will be coming through.
We are booked in Riverside Campgrounds in one of the cabins that night. Any restaurant recommendations along the way would also be greatly appreciated, as we do like trying different food. We also love a good local restaurant. However, based not he amount of driving, we are planning to pack lunches and eat on the road if necessary.
I understand this is a lot of driving for one day, but it's necessary based on the time we have for the trip. We have done road trips in the past through Colorado, from VA to NM, and through AZ/NM, so we are prepared for this amount of driving in one day. We will also be doing this section of the trip after spending 3 days in the Bryce Canyon/Zion NP/LV area, so we aren't cramming long driving days back to back. Also, we wanted to leave the section from Big Sur to Santa Clara for one day because I'm under the impression that is the most scenic portion? So we would have more time to take in all the sights. I'll be in SF for a few months for an internship, so anything I miss on this road trip I could come back and see during a weekend, so other recommendations for sights/hikes/etc. are welcome.
Plan is to leave LV early morning and make it to Big Sur around sunset, which i understand is about an 8.5 hr drive. Here are potential stops I have researched along the way based on the things my dad and I enjoy doing, wondering what is worth the stop.
Mojave National Preserve - Cima Rd and first mile or so of Teutonia Peak Trail, we are interested in seeing the Joshua Trees here. Wanting to know if we stopped here, would it be better to backtrack back out to I-15 and continue on to Bakersfield, or would it be better to make the loop through the preserve (Cima Rd to Kelso CIma Rd to Kelbaker Rd) to drive past the lava fields for viewing as well? No matter what I do I cannot get Mapquest to take me that way, but when I checked the park page it appeared that those roads are paved and in good enough condition for us to drive. Our biggest interest here is the Joshua Trees
All the rest of our stops come along Pacific Coast Highway.
Piedras Blancas - we have also looked into stopping at Ano Nuevo State Park the next day on our drive from Big Sur to Santa Clara. I guess the best question is which of these two is better for viewing the elephant seals. And if we feel like it maybe a stop at both places? Opinions here? Again, we're from VA so we've never seen elephant seals before
Pacific Valley Bluff Trail - honestly, looking to cut this one out based on time allowance.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - McWay Falls - for me, this one is a must see.
Pfeiffer Beach - the one with the purple sand. I understand that Keyhole Rock is a great place to see the sunset, but have to get here early. How early is early (obviously this would affect or timing throughout the day)? I did some research and found out the sun sets here around 7:30 about the time we will be coming through.
We are booked in Riverside Campgrounds in one of the cabins that night. Any restaurant recommendations along the way would also be greatly appreciated, as we do like trying different food. We also love a good local restaurant. However, based not he amount of driving, we are planning to pack lunches and eat on the road if necessary.
I understand this is a lot of driving for one day, but it's necessary based on the time we have for the trip. We have done road trips in the past through Colorado, from VA to NM, and through AZ/NM, so we are prepared for this amount of driving in one day. We will also be doing this section of the trip after spending 3 days in the Bryce Canyon/Zion NP/LV area, so we aren't cramming long driving days back to back. Also, we wanted to leave the section from Big Sur to Santa Clara for one day because I'm under the impression that is the most scenic portion? So we would have more time to take in all the sights. I'll be in SF for a few months for an internship, so anything I miss on this road trip I could come back and see during a weekend, so other recommendations for sights/hikes/etc. are welcome.
Mar 5th, 2015, 06:08 AM
#2
If you wanted to shorten your drive a little, you could spend the night at Buffalo Bill's in Primm instead of LV. Miss Ashley's works for breakfast.
Take Exit 272 off I-15 and go south through Cima and Kelso stopping briefly to see the things that interest you. SW of Kelso take a little time to see the Kelso Dunes. Continue south to the south end of the Preserve and get on I-40 at Exit 78.
From there it is 78 miles west to Barstow (1:10).
As for the Pacific Coast, I'll say that by the time you get to Santa Cruz, you will want to get away from the coast and head into Big Basin SP to see some big Coast Redwoods which are much more impressive than Joshua Trees.
You can come back another time to see Ano Nuevo. Just North of Ano Nuevo there is a HI Hostel at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Another HI Lighthouse Hostel is at Point Montera.
Take Exit 272 off I-15 and go south through Cima and Kelso stopping briefly to see the things that interest you. SW of Kelso take a little time to see the Kelso Dunes. Continue south to the south end of the Preserve and get on I-40 at Exit 78.
From there it is 78 miles west to Barstow (1:10).
As for the Pacific Coast, I'll say that by the time you get to Santa Cruz, you will want to get away from the coast and head into Big Basin SP to see some big Coast Redwoods which are much more impressive than Joshua Trees.
You can come back another time to see Ano Nuevo. Just North of Ano Nuevo there is a HI Hostel at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Another HI Lighthouse Hostel is at Point Montera.
Mar 5th, 2015, 07:22 AM
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Do you really want to rush up the coast road to Big Sur? Why not stop in Cambria, probably 7 hrs from Vegas. Check out the elephant seal rookery that is near there, spend the night then head up to Big Sur and stop at all the wonderful pull outs.
Mar 5th, 2015, 11:50 AM
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I like emalloy's suggestion, Vegas to Big Sur is a really long drive, much better if you can break it up. In April Tioga Pass will still be closed, so you need to take the route through Bakersfield.
Mar 5th, 2015, 03:20 PM
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I agree with stopping in Cambria to spend the night rather than pushing through to Big Sur Village.
The section between Cambria and Carmel is known as Big Sur and is very scenic the entire way - this stretch is 90 miles long and takes about 3 hours to drive. It is narrow and curvy, so plan on averaging about 35 mph - slower when you get behind an RV. This isn't a road you want to drive at the end of a marathon day of driving when you are tired or when you are racing the sunset.
Big Sur Village, where the Riverside campground and cabins are is on the northern half of the Big Sur coast - about 2 hours north of Cambria.
If you overnight in Cambria, then you can start fresh in the morning and take the entire day to drive up to Santa Clara.
If you DO decide to overnight in Big Sur Village, then I recommend dinner at the Big Sur Roadhouse, which has very good food and is next to the Riverside Campground.
Regarding the elephant seals - stop in Piedras Blancas. The seals are just off the road and you can see them from the pull out where you can park your car. At Ano Nuevo, you have to hike out a ways to see them - and some times of the year, the area is only accessible with a guide.
The section between Cambria and Carmel is known as Big Sur and is very scenic the entire way - this stretch is 90 miles long and takes about 3 hours to drive. It is narrow and curvy, so plan on averaging about 35 mph - slower when you get behind an RV. This isn't a road you want to drive at the end of a marathon day of driving when you are tired or when you are racing the sunset.
Big Sur Village, where the Riverside campground and cabins are is on the northern half of the Big Sur coast - about 2 hours north of Cambria.
If you overnight in Cambria, then you can start fresh in the morning and take the entire day to drive up to Santa Clara.
If you DO decide to overnight in Big Sur Village, then I recommend dinner at the Big Sur Roadhouse, which has very good food and is next to the Riverside Campground.
Regarding the elephant seals - stop in Piedras Blancas. The seals are just off the road and you can see them from the pull out where you can park your car. At Ano Nuevo, you have to hike out a ways to see them - and some times of the year, the area is only accessible with a guide.
Mar 5th, 2015, 04:42 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions so far! As much as I would love to extend the trip and take my time going up the coast, it's just not an option. We need to get to Santa Clara early afternoon on April 17, and we have already booked the lodging in Vegas before that drive and the lodging in Big Sur April 16. We are both definitely up for getting up early and getting started by 6 or 7am as Vegas is more or less a layover day for us to rest up. Whatever I miss going up the coastal highway, I will probably go back and do while I'm staying in Santa Clara. I'm just looking for the best sights to stop and see because my dad will be with me, so I want him to have a great experience too.
It sounds like we want to try to get to Cambria by 2-3pm to be able to take a little more time driving up the highway. Regarding the stops that I mentioned (Pfeiffer Beach and McWay Falls), are there other specific ones I should add? Other than pull offs where we just want to see the scenery? I'd love to find somewhere that we could see the redwoods, as tomfuller mentioned. Our plan for April 17 was to drive Big Sur to Half Moon Bay, then over to Santa Clara. Should I get off the coast prior to that and do Big Basin SP instead? We've allowed all of April 17 to get from Big Sur to Santa Clara, drop my things off at the house I'll be living at, then head to SF to stay overnight to be able to do an Alcatraz tour first thing in the morning on the 18th.
Also, it looks like driving all the way through Mojave and hitting I-40 to Barstow adds at least 3 hours to the drive (according to map quest). Is it really pretty much the same travel time to do that as it is to do what I had previously mentioned? Maybe we should cut out Mojave altogether?
It sounds like we want to try to get to Cambria by 2-3pm to be able to take a little more time driving up the highway. Regarding the stops that I mentioned (Pfeiffer Beach and McWay Falls), are there other specific ones I should add? Other than pull offs where we just want to see the scenery? I'd love to find somewhere that we could see the redwoods, as tomfuller mentioned. Our plan for April 17 was to drive Big Sur to Half Moon Bay, then over to Santa Clara. Should I get off the coast prior to that and do Big Basin SP instead? We've allowed all of April 17 to get from Big Sur to Santa Clara, drop my things off at the house I'll be living at, then head to SF to stay overnight to be able to do an Alcatraz tour first thing in the morning on the 18th.
Also, it looks like driving all the way through Mojave and hitting I-40 to Barstow adds at least 3 hours to the drive (according to map quest). Is it really pretty much the same travel time to do that as it is to do what I had previously mentioned? Maybe we should cut out Mojave altogether?
Mar 5th, 2015, 06:12 PM
#7
Exit 272 to Cima - 18 miles Cima to Kelso (Visitor Center) -19 miles Detour over to Kelso Dunes ~ 6 mi round trip.
Kelso to I-40 - 23 miles total 66 miles (60 if you skip the dunes).
Driving time I estimate at 1:40 plus stop time.
Staying on I-15 is about the same (78 miles from Exit 272 to Barstow).
When you get to Santa Cruz take Rt. 9 to go to Big Basin. You'll have plenty of time to explore the coast north of Santa Cruz during your internship.
Kelso to I-40 - 23 miles total 66 miles (60 if you skip the dunes).
Driving time I estimate at 1:40 plus stop time.
Staying on I-15 is about the same (78 miles from Exit 272 to Barstow).
When you get to Santa Cruz take Rt. 9 to go to Big Basin. You'll have plenty of time to explore the coast north of Santa Cruz during your internship.
Mar 6th, 2015, 06:00 AM
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In Julia Pfeiffer park, that is the Ewoldson Trail. The first half hour or so of the trail follows the creek up through a redwood canyon - it's a very nice walk and you don't have to go very far.
Mar 6th, 2015, 08:57 AM
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Ewoldsen Trail is on my list of things to do while I am staying out there, but I don't think we will have enough time to hike it on the drive out. But I may be able to work in a stop there to walk up the hill for the views there! Thanks!
I'll look into Henry Cowell SP as well.
I'll look into Henry Cowell SP as well.
