Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

How to break up trip between San Francisco and Laguna Niguel

How to break up trip between San Francisco and Laguna Niguel

Old May 23rd, 2015, 03:15 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How to break up trip between San Francisco and Laguna Niguel

We will be leaving from San Francisco on a Monday morning in July. May stop in San Jose at Winchester Mystery House (still deciding), but will ultimately join up with PCH. Need to be in Laguna Niguel around dinner time on Wednesday evening. Right now I have a hotel reservation in Monterey on Monday night and a reservation in Arroyo Grande on Tuesday night. Does this seem to be an acceptable way to break up the trip? I'd prefer to stay in Santa Barbara on Tuesday night if possible.

BTW, I think we may end up skipping Heart Castle if that means anything. DH has already been there.

Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!
Cadgirl is offline  
Old May 23rd, 2015, 03:54 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Monterey to Santa Barbara is reasonable if you'd rather overnight there. It's about 5 hours of driving if you take Hwy 1 (it's not called PCH up here) through Big Sur.
Patty is offline  
Old May 23rd, 2015, 04:08 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,388
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From another current post:

>> We went down to LaJolla on a Saturday morning last summer from our home in Ventura County and that "3 hour drive" became 6 miserable hours.
StuDudley is offline  
Old May 24th, 2015, 09:40 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 13,479
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
You don't want to plan to get to Laguna Niguel around dinner time because that means you'll be driving through Los Angeles during very heavy traffic hours.
Leave Santa Barbara after an early lunch/late breakfast, because 1pm to 3pm is the only decent pocket that you'll find on a weekday.
clarkgriswold is offline  
Old May 29th, 2015, 08:05 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Arroyo Grande is a perfectly acceptable place, but I'd recommend San Luis Obispo or Pismo Beach instead. They should both be pretty close but are nicer locations, in my opinion. San Luis is a college town and had a great downtown farmer's market on Thursday evenings. And Pismo Beach has a beach.

Santa Barbara is better than either of those but would be a longer drive - but if you're skipping Hearst Castle, it may be no problem to get there.
margotheangel is offline  
Old May 31st, 2015, 05:38 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So-- I'm thinking if I want to spend any time in Santa Barbara at all (would like to at least visit the mission), maybe we do need to continue driving and not stay in Arroyo Grande, but Santa Barbara instead? That way we can get up, have breakfast,, visit mission and head to Laguna Niguel? Does that sound like a plan?

As an aside, I drive in Chicago traffic every day to work, and still found LA traffic to be the worst nightmare in the world the last time we were there in 2010. Ugh.
Cadgirl is offline  
Old Jun 1st, 2015, 09:02 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cadgirl - if it were me I'd drive on to Santa Barbara. And you'll be that much closer to Laguna Niguel when you leave.
elizzie4000 is offline  
Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 05:07 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would skip the Winchester MH and spend my time in Monterey/Carmel. Between the MH and Hearst Castle I would pick HC a million times over. The Castle has several different tours and is really cool, you may want to reconsider and stop for one of them. I agree to go on to Santa Barbara, and your plan to visit the mission early and then tackle LA during non rush hour time (relatively speaking) is a good one. Good luck and have fun!
Barblab is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dmowrykennison
United States
13
Mar 10th, 2017 12:48 PM
dobrien
United States
16
Aug 18th, 2016 09:42 AM
bfish
United States
9
Mar 10th, 2012 06:17 PM
flinn
United States
8
Oct 16th, 2008 09:05 AM
brie
United States
5
Jun 1st, 2004 09:24 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -