Travelling light and laundromats

Old Jun 14th, 2012, 02:11 PM
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Travelling light and laundromats

Having received so many great tips and ideas from the Fodors clan in my last post, I am starting a new one to get your brain cells working for me yet again. I have now got my head around driving on the right and the Pacific Highway but I need to know what to pack as I am intending to travel light.
I start my trip in NYC on 23rd July, arrive in SF on 26th July, drive the Highway for a week, 3 or 4 nights in LA, on to LV and the Grand Canyon then back to NYC for 2 or 3 nights before heading home to the UK on August 16th.

1. What weather can I expect in the above mentioned.

2. If I travel light will I be able to find plentiful laundromats to keep smelling sweet for the duration of the trip. My list at the moment includes 6 summer dresses, pair of jeans, few t shirts and a rain jacket.

Any suggestions????????

I want to save space for all the goodies I intend to bring back with me.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 02:42 PM
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1. NYC should be hot and humid. SF will likely be chilly and could be foggy - might be warmish, but not hot. Expect temps in the 50s-70s (F). Same for the drive down the coast, getting warmer and less prone to fog the further south you get. LA will be warmer - expect 60s-80s at the beach, 80s and 90s inland. LV and the Grand Canyon will be HOT and dry - temperatures above 100 are common.

2. Yes, laundromats are common. They are usually found in strip malls and small shopping districts in residential areas. You can look up the locations online (using Yahoo Local or similar), look in the phonebook, or ask around. Some hotels/motels have laundry rooms too with coin-op machines. They may or may not have soap the the laundromat, but you can get that in any grocery store or drug store - many convinience stores too.

You'll want more long pants for California and some sort of sweatshirt, fleece, and/or sweater - probably a light jacket for layering. The only place you may see rain is NYC, and it will be way to hot to wear a rain jacket, so leave that at home.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 02:43 PM
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San Francisco can be cold in the summer, you will want some kind of warm jacket. I might drop a few summer dresses and add capri pants instead of jeans, which weigh too much and take too long to dry. Plus the shorter length of a capri pant keeps the cuffs from getting dirty.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 02:44 PM
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I can't give you good hints on packing, but I can say I like your idea of using laundry facilities. When DH and I used to go to Key Largo regularly, our hotel had washers and dryers available, so we'd get a bottle of wine to share and it put a whole new outlook on the project along with clean clothes when we got home. Do it!!
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 03:14 PM
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Are you flying from NYC to SF? It is possible to take 2 trains (changing in Chicago) and see a whole lot more of the country than flying over it. After you turn in your rental car in Oakland, you can fly back to one of the NYC area airports.
Don't even think of driving the whole route with a car you rent in NYC.
Ask at the front desk of your hotel about nearby laundry facilities.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 03:22 PM
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A warm sweater or jacket is a must in San Francisco. You might also want it for our restaurants and other indoor venues in July and August. Air conditioning is ubiquitous and sometimes set on frigid. Jeans are fine if you don't mind waiting for them to dry, but I would add another option for long pants. You might want something that could take you from day into evening on a cool or rainy day when your sundress is too light.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 04:09 PM
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We have just finished a 2 month road trip in the US. One thing I would do differently is take fewer wardrobe staples...socks, shirts, underwear...because we found laundry machines to be easily accessible in virtually every hotel/motel we stayed in. Probably I didn't notice before because I wasn't looking,and tended to stay In business hotels. We ended up buying our own detergent because we preferred it, and the quality of the machines was variable, but finding them was never a problem.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 04:16 PM
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New York will be warm (80s) or hot (90s) and possibly humid. But everything - including buses and subways have AC.

You will not find many laundromats in Manhattan - since much isn't residential. And New Yorkers have a habit of having everything done for them including delivery and possibly pick up. Most residences that are too old to have individual washers/driers in each apartment have communal laundry rooms either on each floor or in the basement. Nevertheless many people simply send their laundry to the cleaners (not to be cleaned - but to be washed and folded and delivered). Your hotel will tell you where to find this service nearby. (As long as I can remember - more than 40 years - my dad dropped his shirts at the cleaners - but for washing and pressing - two weeks at a time. And we were NOT well to do. That's just how it's done.)

Or - I beleive some chain hotels may even have washers and driers for guests.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 05:08 PM
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"You will not find many laundromats in Manhattan - since much isn't residential."
However, if you head to a residential neighborhood, you'll find plenty of laundromats. I live in the East Village and can think of four self-service laundromats within a five-minute walk of my home. Many of the buildings in this neighborhood are so old that there are no laundry facilities at all in many apartment buildings, so there are definitely laundromats. After you decide on a hotel, you can google laundromats in the area. ou'll have to decide if you want laundry service or self-service.
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 05:28 PM
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The weather reports already mentioned are accurate. I would skip the jeans as well for something maybe lighter - but then again, I'd only wear shorts if it was me Laundromats are everywhere and as mentioned, also available in most motels/hotels. NYC might be the only issue if you're staying in Manhattan (where many tourists do), though since you're only there for a few days before and a few days after, you may not need any laundry done.

I also suspect like many UK visitors, you plan on doing some clothes shopping while here and will probably have nice new things to wear
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Old Jun 14th, 2012, 09:34 PM
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America has become much more casual in the past 15 years and almost any attire has become acceptable... lose some of the dresses, add capris and shorts and buy a souvenier hoodie when you get here... flats and comfortable shoes... if it rains, grab a trash bag... most Americans won't even notice...
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 01:29 AM
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Sorry to disagree with you here garyt22 but, Dresses are so pratical and versatile and they are a complete 1 piece outfit so take up less space in a suitcase.

People will notice if you're wearing a trash bag in the rain. They might not care, but they'll notice.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 02:46 AM
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A lot of hotels have Washing Machine and Dryers.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 03:20 AM
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I'm one who always takes a pair of jeans, I usually wear them on the plane as I don't like to have bare legs against the seat and they often have the temperature cooler there.. They will also be more comfortable on the coast road when it might be foggy or windy and cool. For shoes wear your largest pair, for me that's usually sneakers.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 03:21 AM
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If people start wearing trash bags when it rains - believe me - they will look ridiculous anywhere - or be mistaken for a homeless person., If you don;t feel like bringing a folding umbrella with you - and I do on any trip - if you encounter a rain storm hop into any drugstore - they'll have them on sale near the door.

And in NYC most hotels do NOT have washers and driers. And there are very few laundromats in midtown - where most people stay. Although I'm sure you can find some places that will do it for you. And I live in a residential area uptown - and I know of only one laundromat --which is at leat 9 block away - IMHO too far to haul laundry through the street. We too have a lot of older buildings (1890 to 1900) and most have laundry rooms in the basement - perhaps since they are mostly co-op rather than rental.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 05:23 AM
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It will be hot everywhere but San Francisco, which can be particularly chilly in July. You will need long pants, a sweater, and possibly a jacket in SF.

Pack enough clothes for 8 days, and just plan your laundry stops when you have time or when you need clean clothes. Bring one pair of whatever you consider moderately dressy so you can go out and feel comfortable. Try to limit yourself to two pairs of shoes, one pair of every day walking shoes and one pair that is comfortable enough for everyday wear but will do for a night out. Everything should fit in a standard 22-inch suitcase (the largest true carry-on size for most U.S. planes).
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 05:56 AM
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the poster is only spending 3 days in NYC and won't need a laundromat until the next portion of their trip... the trash bag was a joke... but pack a few to carry the dirty laundry... and for formal dinners...
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 06:54 AM
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Thank you all once again. garyt22 your trashbag comment really made me laugh - as I have infact done that many times in a rain emergency. If it keeps you dry what the heck!!! I will give the capri pants some thought tho. My jeans are not really jeans but jeggings which are a little lighter and dry easier. Most of the heavier items I will probably wear for the journey to the US.

vivid01 - yes I will be taking advantage of clothes shopping while I am there. Hence why I want to keep the suitcase contents weight to a minimum


Bowsprit - that was my line of thinking too. The dresses I am taking are really light and are one item as opposed to many tops and bottoms.
Apart from the LA beach areas where would it be appropriate to wear shorts? Hadn't thought of packing them.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 07:38 AM
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Lots of people will wear shorts in LV and Grand Canyon.

I personally don't look good in shorts (no matter what, I end up looking like a summer camp counselor - LOL) so I never bring them unless we are hiking. Capris, skirts, and dresses are my go-to choices for summer (when not in SF, of course). There are a lot of cute dresses this season and they are really popular.

And I agree that finding a laundrymat in NYC should be a non-issue since you won't be there long.
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Old Jun 15th, 2012, 07:57 AM
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Shorts are acceptable anywhere really - except in churches Since you are planning on shopping in the U.S., I would only bring a few days worth of clothing and keep the extra room for your new stuff. Might be worth noting that anything is more expensive in NYC and SF, save your shopping trip for the drive through smaller cities in California. If you like good fashion at lower prices, look for Premium Mall outlets online.
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