Road Trip from San Fran to San Diego
Jun 26th, 2013, 03:32 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Road Trip from San Fran to San Diego
I would love some help. My husband and I and 3 children (16,14 and 11) want to visit California for the first time in August. We love educational trips to show the children how beautiful the USA is. Can you please provide us with some highlights to visit..we can fly into either city ( San Diego and San Fran) and work are way up/down. Thank you in advance for all of your help. We have 8-9 days to experience California. My children are runners and love the outdoors....not so much into Hollywood glitz..but the beauty of California.
Jun 26th, 2013, 08:18 PM
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 26,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's plenty of natural beauty in California.
I would plan to leave San Diego about 8:30 or 9 in the morning. It may sound late but unless you leave at 4am you'll run into rush hour traffic all the way through LA. If you're skipping L.A. then plan an overnight near or in Santa Barbara. Central California is lovely.
Plan to go through Big Sur, Monterey and Carmel and spend a at least an over night.
You won't have a lot of time to come back to return your car in San Diego so shop car rentals with a reasonable drop off fee (if that's possible) San Francisco is a beautiful city and the area to the north of SF is dear to my heart. Absolutely beautiful.
If I only had 8 or 9 days. I'd consider doing California either Northern or Southern California. In August, I'd pick Northern and come back to Southern in the winter if it's feasible.
I would plan to leave San Diego about 8:30 or 9 in the morning. It may sound late but unless you leave at 4am you'll run into rush hour traffic all the way through LA. If you're skipping L.A. then plan an overnight near or in Santa Barbara. Central California is lovely.
Plan to go through Big Sur, Monterey and Carmel and spend a at least an over night.
You won't have a lot of time to come back to return your car in San Diego so shop car rentals with a reasonable drop off fee (if that's possible) San Francisco is a beautiful city and the area to the north of SF is dear to my heart. Absolutely beautiful.
If I only had 8 or 9 days. I'd consider doing California either Northern or Southern California. In August, I'd pick Northern and come back to Southern in the winter if it's feasible.
Jun 27th, 2013, 07:18 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
L Sky's ideas are pretty good. I would add:
-- There is a lot more to Los Angeles than the "glitz" of Hollywood. You could spend 8-9 days in that area alone and just scratch the surface; the LA metro area is larger than many countries, let alone U.S. states, and it's essentially the whole world spread out over two islands, two counties and over 100 cities.
-- Eight or nine days for a coastal drive (and let's face it: The central COAST of California is breathtakingly beautiful-- the central VALLEY is breathtaking thanks to the large cattle farms just off of the 5 freeway through Fresno) between San Diego and San Francisco is short. And just be aware: You won't be able to enjoy the coastal views as a central part of the trip until you're nearly out of the LA metro area. You will be traveling one of the most well-worn, exhaustively-discussed tour routes on this forum, that thing I call the CA-1 Coastal Schlepp.
If at all possible, I'd take L Sky's suggestion of NOT doing the coastal drive and simply enjoying one "section" of this vast, gorgeous state. You can get a nice taste of northern CA in 8 or 9 days, although it will also be somewhat quick. San Francisco, the Wine Country, the Redwoods, etc., etc., etc. There is so much to see, and it's spectacular. Just plan on a good visit up there; I think that will be better.
My husband and I are heading up to SF for five nights in August, and we had four nights up in Sonoma in April (unusually warm, absolutely mind-blowingly beautiful). Northern CA is a treasure.
-- There is a lot more to Los Angeles than the "glitz" of Hollywood. You could spend 8-9 days in that area alone and just scratch the surface; the LA metro area is larger than many countries, let alone U.S. states, and it's essentially the whole world spread out over two islands, two counties and over 100 cities.
-- Eight or nine days for a coastal drive (and let's face it: The central COAST of California is breathtakingly beautiful-- the central VALLEY is breathtaking thanks to the large cattle farms just off of the 5 freeway through Fresno) between San Diego and San Francisco is short. And just be aware: You won't be able to enjoy the coastal views as a central part of the trip until you're nearly out of the LA metro area. You will be traveling one of the most well-worn, exhaustively-discussed tour routes on this forum, that thing I call the CA-1 Coastal Schlepp.
If at all possible, I'd take L Sky's suggestion of NOT doing the coastal drive and simply enjoying one "section" of this vast, gorgeous state. You can get a nice taste of northern CA in 8 or 9 days, although it will also be somewhat quick. San Francisco, the Wine Country, the Redwoods, etc., etc., etc. There is so much to see, and it's spectacular. Just plan on a good visit up there; I think that will be better.
My husband and I are heading up to SF for five nights in August, and we had four nights up in Sonoma in April (unusually warm, absolutely mind-blowingly beautiful). Northern CA is a treasure.
Jun 27th, 2013, 07:50 AM
#4
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With children 16, 14 and 11, I wouldn't spend much time in wine country - pretty to drive through, but not much else.
You could easily still fill 8-9 days in either Northern California or Southern California, combining wonderful cities and the great outdoors. Northern California - San Francisco/Yosemite/Monterey-Carmel/coast. Southern California - San Diego and Los Angeles, maybe up to Santa Barbara or San Simeon.
If you decide to do north and south, something will have to "give". Choose from among San Diego, Los Angeles, coast, Monterey-Carmel, San Francisco. With the drive time, you'd be hard pressed to do it all in 8-9 days.
You could easily still fill 8-9 days in either Northern California or Southern California, combining wonderful cities and the great outdoors. Northern California - San Francisco/Yosemite/Monterey-Carmel/coast. Southern California - San Diego and Los Angeles, maybe up to Santa Barbara or San Simeon.
If you decide to do north and south, something will have to "give". Choose from among San Diego, Los Angeles, coast, Monterey-Carmel, San Francisco. With the drive time, you'd be hard pressed to do it all in 8-9 days.
Jul 10th, 2013, 08:43 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you're in San Diego, I would highly recommend staying at Ocean Palms Beach Resort in Carlsbad (north of SD by 20 minutes)http://oceanpalms.com. It's right across from the beach, near Legoland, restaurants, shopping, etc. and great for families. I stay there every year and it's like Hawaii with a California feel. You're close to the SD Zoo, Seaworld, and Disneyland.
Whether you are going from SF or SD, I would take the 101 freeway which has the most beautiful views. Hearst Castle is amazing to visit which is north of San Luis Obispo. You can stop in San Luis Obispo (recommend staying at Madonna Inn), Pismo Beach (Sea Gypsy Hotel), or Santa Barbara on the way up or down.
Whether you are going from SF or SD, I would take the 101 freeway which has the most beautiful views. Hearst Castle is amazing to visit which is north of San Luis Obispo. You can stop in San Luis Obispo (recommend staying at Madonna Inn), Pismo Beach (Sea Gypsy Hotel), or Santa Barbara on the way up or down.
Jul 10th, 2013, 05:26 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying into San Diego, I would enjoy the beach, old San Diego and the weather. I would try to book a whale watching trip out of San Diego, Newport or Long Beach because we have been having an amazing number of sightings this summer and the blue whales should be going by in August. (Killer whales have been sighted along the coast recently.)
I would consider stopping at the Getty Villa in Malibu (Los Angeles) as I drive up the coast - it is free but you must have reservations. It is a gorgeous Roman villa filled with antiquities of Rome and Egypt, but the villa itself and the view from it are spectacular. A tour guide in Pompeii used to tell visitors to go to Malibu if they wanted to see what an intact Roman home would look like. And the beach is across the street if you need more sand time.
I'd stop at Mission Santa Barbara for a taste of California history and then hit downtown and the beach for food and play.
I'd want to stop at Carmel and Monterey because it is so gorgeous and the Monterey Bay Aquarium is amazing. Plus the sea otters and marine birds/life always make me laugh.
Plus all the typical California draws (Disneyland, LA, San Francisco, etc) and driving time, it will be hard to choose. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to visit again but if not, enjoy your visit!
I would consider stopping at the Getty Villa in Malibu (Los Angeles) as I drive up the coast - it is free but you must have reservations. It is a gorgeous Roman villa filled with antiquities of Rome and Egypt, but the villa itself and the view from it are spectacular. A tour guide in Pompeii used to tell visitors to go to Malibu if they wanted to see what an intact Roman home would look like. And the beach is across the street if you need more sand time.
I'd stop at Mission Santa Barbara for a taste of California history and then hit downtown and the beach for food and play.
I'd want to stop at Carmel and Monterey because it is so gorgeous and the Monterey Bay Aquarium is amazing. Plus the sea otters and marine birds/life always make me laugh.
Plus all the typical California draws (Disneyland, LA, San Francisco, etc) and driving time, it will be hard to choose. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to visit again but if not, enjoy your visit!
