seeksocean

This would be in mid January in a rental car. Map quest shows it as a quick drive. But, will I have any high mountain passes with potential snow to think about? Thanks!

logandog

While snow is possible on both I-10 and hwy 60 as you approach Beaumont it is unlikely and is almost never severe enough to close the roads.

paula1470

Not sure what is a quick drive but if you are talking around 2 hours then that's quick. Be aware if there is traffic, it could be much longer. When are you making the drive?

As far as snow, this is So. Cal and it's desert. About the highest elevation would be 2500 feet around Beaumont. There have been a few times where the snow level gets down that low but it's very rare and generally the snow melts right away. If there has been rain (and January is one month where we actually might get some rain), you will see snow on the higher peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains and also on the San Jacinto Mountains. Those peaks are around 9,000 to 11,000 feet.

So I wouldn't worry about snow as much as I'd worry about traffic getting out of the LA area.

seeksocean

Thanks! Yup, two hours. If you have a book on Ipod, it's a quick trip. Just want to figure on having the right kind of rental car. I need to be in Desert Hot Springs by the late afternoon. Thanks again!

paula1470

What day of the week are you traveling? If you have to be there late afternoon, I'd leave Long Beach around 10-11 and then most likely you will make it in the 2 hour time frame. If you wait until a little later, you will get some bad traffic heading east towards Riverside, especially on the 91 freeway which is most likely how you will go. That freeway can start backing up as early as 2pm going out towards Riverside.

seeksocean

Sunday...should be mellow. But coming back on a Friday to Long Beach. Wish I could just drop my car off and fly home to Northern California from Palm Springs. But, it's cost as much as flying to Europe.

FrankS

fyi- Desert Hot Springs isnt the best area. Not only is it out of the wind/rain shadow, its the Mos Eisley of the low desert. If you can choose, try Palm Springs or Palm Desert

seeksocean

I am going to a retreat. It's a done deal. Didn't pick the location myself. How about shuttles (ground trans.) from Long Beach...or even LAX to Palm Springs? Does anything like that exist? Thanks again for all your help Fodorites!

janisj

>>from Long Beach...or even LAX to Palm Springs? Does anything like that exist?

MichelleY

Check flying into Ontario. Closer to Palm Springs.

paula1470

Definitely check out Ontario. I would guess you are going into Long Beach because you are getting a good deal on Jet Blue? My DD and her boyfriend fly SFO to Long Beach all the time but that area of LA is close to their destination.

If you use Ontario, fly both into and out of that airport. Usually car rental drop-off fees are high, although sometimes if you stay in a metropolitan area, they waive the fee. Shuttles Long Beach to Desert Hot Springs would probably be more than your plane ticket!!

paula1470

Just checked Southwest Airlines into Ontario using the middle of January. If you fly out of SFO, the round trip is about $200 at the cheapest but if you go out of Oakland, your round trip is $155. I don't think you'll get Jet Blue for much cheaper than that. Ontario to Desert Hot Springs is only about an hour drive, won't need to deal with LA traffic getting back on Friday. Personally I think that is the only airport I'd fly into for this trip.

seeksocean

Thanks! Before I even read these last few entries, I did a crazy amount of research trying to configure this whole thing. And Ontario was the center of attention in my research. The cheapest and most efficient solution was to fly into Ontario on United ($245 and I get miles...etc) from SFO and rent a car from Budget ($211 for 8 days). It's midway between Long Beach and Desert Hot Springs. Drive to LB first and the back to DSH. Not worth giving up the car, as the rate was cheap.

I wish at times like these that I loved closer to SFO. I usually fly to LAX from Santa Rosa (and live hours away from SR) So, I probably have a couple hotel nights and gas included in all this. Oh well. Thanks again for all your help!

seeksocean

Oops...had it in reverse. $211 for a nonstop to Ontario and $245 for the car. How much time, midweek, should I give myself to get from DHS, drop off the car and get to the boarding gate? Thanks!

seeksocean

But wait, there's more! I found http://www.atyourserviceshuttle.com/ I called them and they have an LAX pickup, three times a day for $120. So, I can fly out of Santa Rosa on miles (7.5K on Alaska), rent a car for three days ($100), bring it back on a Sunday (no traffic), take the At Your Service Shuttle right to my hotel. Then fly back to SFO from Palm Springs and get a ride from a friend to my car in Santa Rosa (parked at a family member's house).

paula1470

Ok really don't understand your posts. I get that you usually fly out of Santa Rosa. In one post you talk about flying into Ontario, going to Long Beach and then to Desert Hot Springs. Why are you going to Long Beach?

Then in this last post you talk about shuttles. Don't understand what airport you are flying into from Santa Rosa and if you rent a car, why are you taking a shuttle to your hotel?

Where do you actually live? Is it closer to Sacramento airport? Maybe that is an option since you say you live far from Santa Rosa.

Secondly if you are driving to SFO, why not Oakland? If you drive your car to Oakland, the $100 savings of a ticket on SW vs the United Ticket from SFO or the difference of not paying for a shuttle, would easily pay for any parking at Oakland.
No shuttles, no flying into different airports. You could fly from Oakland for $155, rent a car for around $100 (using your figures) and pay around $100 for car parking. That seems less complicated and cheaper than your other options.

Also don't count on not having traffic on Sunday. I know it's in January so probably not an issue but you can never count on "no traffic" in the LA area. Sometimes a Sunday afternoon can be as bad as during the week.

MichelleY

Paula- she is going to also visit her mom in LB.

paula1470

Michelle-Thanks, makes more sense. I didn't see that anywhere, maybe in another post. Well then maybe she could fly into Long Beach and fly home from Palm Springs or Ontario but don't know what the car drop off fee would be. Still a little confused about all the shuttle information.

seeksocean

Hi, You guys are so great! I feel very cared for . After much research it's a done deal. There are so many factors as to why I made this decision. One, that I live near Eureka. Two, that I have a family member that lives in Santa Rosa. And three, that there is another person attending the retreat that is flying on my Palm Springs to SFO flight, and has a car there and will take me back to my car in SR.

This itinerary is way cheaper and has me driving WAY less. Thanks again!! I really appreciate you all!