How much in 7 days on West Coast?

Old Jan 21st, 2017, 07:41 PM
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How much in 7 days on West Coast?

We have 7 days, after arriving LAX 15 August and departing 22 August also LAX, and want to get to SF, Yosemite as well as much as possible in between, preferably along the coastline, but we're flexible. Any route suggestions, stopovers, must-see things, recommendations for eating, sleeping, exploring most welcome.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 07:58 PM
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So you really only have 6 days free. That is not very much for half the length of CA and back. Have you already booked your flights? If not you can fix this by flying into LAX and flying home from SFO (or vice versa).

Then you could spend a couple of days in San Francisco, a couple of days in Yosemite and 2 days driving the coast -- that is still VERY rushed but at least a little more doable than driving a big loop.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 11:11 PM
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Maybe:

15 LA
16 Yosemite
17 Yosemite
18 SF
19 SF
20 day driving coast, night in LA
21 la
22 fly out

For Yosemite, you need to get lodging in Valley. I think I'd want lodging in Union square or fisherman's wharf for SF. It's basically doable if you want just a brief look at each place- you wouldn't have time for stuff like Alcatraz or theme parks, but that's fine. I think LA and SF are definitely shortchanged, and if it were me, I'd probably just do Southern California. I would want more time in Yosemite if you are hikers- but when I went, I was injured, and one full day would have been fine. But I understand limited trips, and the above is the kind of trip my relatives have done.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 11:15 PM
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Btw- if you don't love driving, you'll want a night along the coast, but I don't know if you'd be willing to sacrifice a night in LA for it. You really won't see much if you don't have a full day!
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 04:32 AM
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The loop marvelousmouse offered describes a very satisfying trip we took not very long ago.

HTtY
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 06:59 AM
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- 15 LA
1/4 to 1/2 day in LA
- 16 Yosemite
on a work day, this is probably a 7 hr drive, so 1/8 day in Yosemite
- 17 Yosemite
full day in Yosemite
- 18 SF
on a work day, budget a 5 hr drive, so 1/4 to 1/2 day in SF
- 19 SF
full day in SF
- 20 day driving coast, night in LA
On Saturday, budget a 8 1/2 hr drive with no stops. With stops - budget a 12 hr drive and there is probably some heavy traffic getting into LA. No time in LA
- 21 la
Full day in LA.
- 22 fly out

You have
1 1/2 days in LA max
1 1/8 days in Yosemite
1 1/2 days max in SF
1/3 day "drive by" of Big Sur Coast and 2/3 day battling
the freeways in LA & exiting San Francisco area to get to Carmel

20 1/2 hrs with the "Wheels Turning" - and except for the Big Sur Coast & a few hours getting to Yosemite Valley & back - it is a boring & non-scenic drive.

Not my idea of a nice vacation.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 07:27 AM
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SF to LA via Hwy 1 is more like a 10 hour drive and probably longer on the 20th since it's Concours Sunday, the final day of car week, our biggest annual event on the Monterey Peninsula. I think you need to pick inland or coast and try to work around car week (the beginning of the week is not as bad as later in the week) if you need a hotel in this area.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 07:34 AM
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Patty

According to the recommendation of Marvelousmouse & confirmation by HTtY - the entire region between San Francisco and LA on Hwy 1 is just a "drive by" with no significant stops along the way for a visit to Carmel, Pt Lobos, lunch at Nepenthe, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, or Hearst Castle.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 08:29 AM
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According to the recommendation of Marvelousmouse & confirmation by HTtY - the entire region between San Francisco and LA on Hwy 1 is just a "drive by" with no significant stops along the way

Woah! Living in Seattle for many decades I have driven Highway 1 from San Francisco to Santa Monica many times.

However, there are times when I have traveled more rapidly than I wanted to get or give an overview of the kind the OP wants. I was reassuring the OP that he/she can accomplish the desired highlights in the time available.

Is it ideal? No, but it is possible and it includes some of my favorite places in California.

I would spend the last night on the coast rather than in LA.

HTtY
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 10:34 AM
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What about flying back to LAX from San Francisco at the end of the week? Just drive the coast/north one-way?
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 10:51 AM
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Come on, Stu Dudley . Not what I meant at all. But if they only have 7 days, they only have 7 days. I personally loved all those stops, especially Carmel and Pfeiffer, but if they're just after a day here and there, and a drive down the coast, it would work. I wouldn't do it, because I can really only spend 4-5 hours max on the car per day without going crazy, but I know plenty of people who do those sorts of trips all the time- and enjoy it. For example- only people I know in real life who have done the drive down hwy one are people who stopped in Monterey specifically for the aquarium. Because they had kids. I know several more people who did the drive in one day because they really just wanted to do the drive. Not stop at everything. I know people here take longer trips and I'm one of them, but most people I actually know do trips of one week, maybe 10 days max. It's usually a limit set by their jobs, or school schedules, and the loop that the OP is talking about is a really common one. Like HTtY said- not ideal, perhaps, but doable. And since the OP didn't list any "must sees" in SF or LA, I'm inclined to think they will just want to hit the main tourist sights. To use your city as an example- I know a lot of people who literally just wanted to see FW, eat seafood, walk around Chinatown, and ride a cable car. No, I don't understand that perspective but again, doable in 1.5 days. It would be a completely different thing if they had posted a wish list that would be totally impossible to accomplish in 7 days. But their wish list so far is just a taste of California with a set time limit. I don't think it's all that useful to point out everything they don't have time for, or to advise them to do an open jaw when they've presumably bought their tickets already.

Good to know about the car week, Patty. Was thinking about another California camping trip this summer, and would prefer to avoid that. Thanks for pointing it out.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 10:59 AM
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>> or to advise them to do an open jaw when they've presumably bought their tickets already.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:00 AM
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Meant the only people I knew who did the drive down 1 with an overnight stop were people who stopped for the aquarium.

Not a bad idea, Suze, unless it involves a really high drop off fee. And they wouldn't need to keep the car in SF which would be a major plus!
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:36 AM
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I never said it was not doable. I said it wouldn't be a "nice" vacation (by most people's standards). It's not just the coast drive. It's:

- A 7 hr drive through the LA commute traffic, boring & ugly Central Valley, to Yosemite. On a day when they might still be feeling some jet lag if they have a long flight to get to LA. Yosemite will be "big time" crowded in August. I think there are traffic & parking controls in place too (we've never visited it in August).

- A 5 hr drive to SF 2 days later. It's a reverse commute - but still some commute traffic.

- A 10 hr drive to LA 2 days later on a winding coastal road for about half the route. I recall many trips returning home to LA from Big Sur & Carmel and encountering stop & go traffic on a Saturday as I got near LA. And that was 40 years ago. I drove through LA on a Sat in July 2014 & again in Sept 2015 & it was horrible.

I've lived in Calif all my life (almost 70 years). I lived in LA for the fist 28 & San Francisco after that. I even lived directly on Hwy 1 while in LA. I hit Hwy 1 about once a week up here near SF. Once just last night & twice earlier in the week. I have never driven all the way between LA & SF on Hwy 1 in just one day. Even in my 20s & 30s.

I would recommend the same thing suze recommended. LA, Hwy 1 between Cambria & Monterey, then SF. Fly to LA from SF if existing tickets can't be changed. Yosemite is fabulous - but not in August when it's probably waaay too late to get hotel reservations in Yosemite Valley.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:53 AM
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You will be spending more time looking out your windshield than seeing and stopping at places. Stick to SoCal or else fly to SFO from LAX and visit Yosemite if you can get reservations.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 11:55 AM
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When the OP gave arrival and departure dates at LAX, I assumed he/she had booked the flights.

Otherwise I would have suggested a more relaxed trip would be San Francisco, Highway 1 to Cambria, Yosemite, San Francisco. This would allow time for Napa or Sonoma Valley, stops of the kind Stu suggested, Historic Highway 49, and so on.

HTtY
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 12:32 PM
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Fair enough. Like I said, it wouldn't be my preference either. Yosemite- There are traffic controls and parking is a time suck in August. I wouldn't think finding lodging in the Valley would be impossible this early on, but I was looking with flexible dates, so good point, it could be difficult. The drive time is a good point too- Burnadetta, when I wrote my initial post, I wrote it with early rising and long days of driving in mind. Tend to forget that visitors might not be aware of the time they need to allow when driving due to traffic. And you should also be aware that driving into Yosemite is slow going- twisty two lane highway with lots of traffic on it, and it wasn't fun in the dark, so I'd say it'd be even less fun and more dangerous jetlagged. Anyway- some places you can beat google map driving times but California during the summer is definitely not one of them. If you do the trip, don't plan your days too tight- it might take much longer than you think to get to your destination.

And also, if it's a budget driven trip, I agree, cut Yosemite. It's going to be a lot of driving and a lot of money for lodging and very, very crowded. Loved it, and I'm really glad I went for a day but I didn't pay for valley lodging because I couldn't justify it.
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Old Jan 29th, 2017, 12:26 AM
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I would change your flights to open jaw LAX/SFO if you want to see both cities in 7 days. It is a waste of an entire day of time and money to have to return to LAX so even paying a fee of a few hundred dollars would be worth it. If you cannot change your flights I would keep your trip between San Diego and Santa Barbara.
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Old Jan 29th, 2017, 08:37 AM
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7 days between San Diego and Santa Barbara would be a fantastic trip imo!
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Old Jan 29th, 2017, 09:46 AM
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I would change your flights to open jaw L Isn't that quite costly if flights have already been booked?

It is a waste of an entire day of time and money to have to return to LAX Not if your driving on Highway 1.

if you want to see both cities in 7 days.The OP wants to see Yosemite and the coast along Highway 1.

HTtY

PS We need more people posting. Who is promoting this forum?
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