San Francisco to LA road trip
 

My son (15 yrs) and I (dad) are flying from Boston to SFO on 7/2 and flying out of LAX on 7/9. We have 6 full days to sightsee. Plan is to spend 2 days in San Fran, rent a car one-way and spend 2 days on the road to LA and 2 days in the LA area. Open to other suggestions.

I think i have the sights in SFO covered but not sure after that. Both my son and I are Anthony Bourdain fans so would love great food suggestions along the way.

Thanks in advance!

AK

This might qualify as a Bourdain-esque source:

https://roadfood.com/tag/ca/

Thanks MmePerdu.

Did you intend to drive the coast? If so, you need to identify and book your lodging ASAP. A lot of people will take off part/all of that week because of July 4th being on Monday. You may find some lodging will require a 2-night minimum stay.

Anthony Bourdain in L.A.:

http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/t...s-travel-guide

SO much good food in SF. What do you like?

In LA, I really enjoyed the original farmer's market. Excellent if you enjoy eating your way through public markets.

Unless you really like scenery, my tip would be to do either LA or SF. I spent 4 days in each and didn't feel like I saw enough!

You can spend one night in Motel6 chains. Not the greatest but sometimes it's all you can get. There is one in San Simeon at the south end of Big Sur.

Also check the website for Moonstone Hotels. I know they often allow one-night stays. EG on 4 July they have a one-night option in their Cambria Pines Lodge, because the 4th is a Monday and many people will be driving home that day.

In Los Angeles you might also want to check out the downtown Grand Central Market, which is undergoing "hipsterization".

In LA I would want to have Korean, Mexican or Thai food.

For Thai, there are a whole bunch that get praised by the foodie set but I like this one in Norwalk
http://www.kevineats.com/2012/10/ren...orwalk-ca.html

I highly recommend kevineats reviews for other research.

You should be OK traveling down the coast mid-week. I don't know what day you plan to leave San Francisco but I'm seeing plenty of availability around the Monterey Peninsula for one night on July 4th.

Thank you all for the great advice. We do plan to drive on the 5th or 6th from SF to LA. I hear Monterrey, Carmel and Big Sur are worth stopping at. Whats doable in 2 days in ghe greater LA area?

If i have 2 days to drive from sf to LA on part coastal part freeway 1) how much driving should I anticipate as I will be the sole driver 2) what are the top 3 must see towns/sights along the way?

There are several places off the coastal highway to see the amazing elephant seals. Look it up. We saw a huge group just off the road at kind of a rest stop. Can't remember the name but it was further south on the coastal highway. Beautiful site you can see for free on your way down this gorgeous highway.

Año Nuevo State Park is the spot on the coast I know to see elephant seals. It's near Pescadero, between San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523

From Monterey/Carmel. Head south on the coastal Hwy 1 thru Big Sur. There is an elephant seal beach at Piedras Blancas, just north of San Simeon.

Idk if you and your son would be intereted in Hearst Castle. Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach are fun. Lots of hiking and kyaking opportunities. Pismo has sand dunes for ATV or dune buggie activities. If you want to do a college visit, check out Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Any of these towns would be good for an overnight, before heading to LA.

I would overnight in Monterey/Carmel, then spend the second night farther down the coast, anywhere between Cambria and San Luis Obispo depending on your interests. San Francisco to Monterey will be 2-3 hours depending on which route you take. From Monterey via Hwy 1 through Big Sur to your next overnight will be between 3-4 hours depending on where you choose to stay and then about the same amount of time the following day down to LA. These times don't account for stops and rush hour traffic through the Bay Area and LA.


On the Monterey Peninsula, there's whale watching, kayaking, the aquarium, Point Lobos and Carmel city beach is very nice. Along the Big Sur drive there are multiple state parks for hiking, beaches and overlooks. If you didn't visit Point Lobos the previous day I would start there in the morning (it opens at 8am). McWay Falls is a waterfall that flows into the ocean at Julia Pfeiffer Burns (this is a quick stop along the highway if you're not hiking elsewhere at Julia Pfeiffer Burns). The elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas is right off of the highway as opposed to having to hike in at Ano Nuevo if you're short on time. Plus whatever else interests you. Most people take the good part of a day for this drive. The road is winding and there are a lot of slow moving cars.

Point Lobos can be a quick stop (drive in-park-look) or a long stop. We walked the north and south loops a couple of weeks ago - I think it took about 2 hours. Spectacular views.

You might also look at the Pismo Beach area as the next stop after Monterey Bay area. (Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, or Oceano are possiblilites if you can't find a one-night hotel in Pismo Beach).

The Oceano Dunes reserve is interesting as is the town of Pismo Beach. If your son is into food then look into Lido at Dolphin Bay. My friends from that area always go to Giuseppe's but might be nostalgia.

While you're deciding where to stop overnight, don't forget Airbnb for some oftentimes more interesting and possibly less expensive places to stay. If you haven't already, sign up at least a couple of days in advance of booking to avoid delays:

https://www.airbnb.com

I agree with others that Monterey/Carmel should be a must stop on your trip. I've lived in San Francisco, Monterey and Los Angeles. In Monterey, the aquarium is top notch so I highly recommend it. You can also do the 17-mile drive from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach/Carmel area. Lots of great places to eat in this area. I'm a big fan of the Fishwife in Pacific Grove, or the Fish House in Monterey. In one day you can accomplish all of this. Leave SF in morning, do aquarium when you arrive, late afternoon 17-mile drive (or just drive from Pacific Grove around the beach line to Pebble Beach) or meander around Carmel and then dinner and hotel.

The drive down to Big Sur is pretty, as is Cambria and San Luis Obispo, and Morro Bay. So is Santa Barbara so you could conceivably overnight at any of these places, based on how you want to drive there - either Hwy 1 or Hwy 101. In some parts of the state, these highways merge for a little bit.

In Los Angeles, Hollywood is iconic and fun to drive around - Santa Monica Beach area is also nice. I guess it depends on what interests you and your son. As for food, I would recommend Mexican, Korean or Thai. However, with that said, I'm a huge fan of Roscoe's in L.A. - it is near the Hollywood area. Chicken and waffles. Soooooo good! That's always an option for a lunch. There are so many good restaurants in these cities - I'd yelp the heck out of them to see what people recommend.

Monterey/Carmel is a great suggestion. If you include it in your itinerary, be sure to drive the 17 Mile Drive for some really fantastic coastal views, including Pebble Beach.

Travel along the Big Sur highway (Hwy 1) for some really great scenic driving. Between Santa Cruz and San Francisco you will find dozens of small beaches which are usually deserted most of the time during the week. Better if you rent a performance car as the Big Sur hugs the seaside cliffs for a good portion of the route.

If you pass through Lompoc, take a few hours to explore the restored ruins of La Purisima Mission. Aside from possessing the distinction of being the only California mission built in a straight line (as opposed to the traditional quadrangle design of the other Spanish colonial missions), La Purisima is also the only mission still owned by the State of California. During the 1930's, the State completely restored La Purisima to be authentic to the early 1800's, complete with livestock corrals, a functioning fountain, and a fully tended garden. The buildings have all been displayed with period furnishings and original clothing worn by the mission inhabitants.

Great advice! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to write. Lots of info to chart the details.