California Road Trip Itinerary help

Old May 24th, 2014, 09:21 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
California Road Trip Itinerary help

Hi all
After extensive research and forum surfing, we have finalised our 14 day California road trip. We have tried to balance the driving with exploring. The dates and hotels are all all booked, but we would really appreciate any advice / recommendations for "must sees"
The details are:
26th September - Fly to SF
27th & 28th - Explore San Fransisco
29th - Drive to Monterrey on Highway 1 (Santa Cruz for lunch?)
30th - Explore Monterrey/Carmel
1st October - Drive to Pismo Beach on Cabrillo Highway
2nd and 3rd - Explore Pismo Beach area / Wine country / Beaches
4th - Fly to Las Vegas (we cheated here a bit to save a long and boring drive!)
5th & 6th - Explore Las Vegas (Grand Canyon?)
7th - Drive up through Death Valley to Furnace Creek
8th - Drive to Yosemite Lodge at the Falls
9th - Explore Yosemite (we have a Valley Floor Tour booked)
10th - Drive to SF for the flight home

Many thanks in advance
Dave
smithdj24 is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 09:27 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Phil's Fishmarket in Moss Landing is fun place to eat

http://www.philsfishmarket.com
sunbum1944 is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 09:58 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sounds nice and not too rushed, although Death Valley might still be a bit hot in October, not as bad as the summer and September though, maybe Lone Pine instead?
Are you flying out of San Luis Obispo to Las Vegas? That is probably the closest town with an airport to Pismo Beach. You might enjoy a Hummer ride or rent dune buggies on nearby Oceano Dunes.
jamie99 is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 10:06 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,392
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Only 1 full day in Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove/Pt Lobos region and 2 full days in Pismo Beach????? I would do just the opposite. Only 1 full day in Yosemite????

If this was my trip, I would spend 2 more nights in the Carmel/Monterey area (or 1 more in SF & 1 more in Carmel). Do an up & back on Hwy 1 from Carmel, skip Pismo Beqch, fly from Monterey or San Jose to Vegas, and add a day to Yosemite.

Late September is 4 months away - accommodations can be changed.

Only 1 "r" in Monterey.

Here are my ideas of things to do in San Francisco
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley
StuDudley is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 10:48 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,370
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
Some thoughts...

You need to do some research on car rental (or car "hire" since I'm guessing you're from the UK or Oz/NZ based on some spelling and calendar giveaways) to avoid potentially very high one-way drop fees, or else be sure you budget for them. But I have a thought, that includes the "long boring drive" thing.

While Pismo Beach is fine (we used to go there as kids to go clamming for giant Pismo clams, as close to freezing to death as I've ever been) I don't think two days there is particularly the best idea. Instead, I'd get an early start from Carmel/Monterey (2 "r"s is the one in Mexico) and end in Santa Barbara. Just my view, but Pismo is the exception to the stretch of US 101 between SLO and the Santa Barbara area - on the water, v. some (generally boring to me) inland areas. You should also know that late September and early October can actually be quite warm (hot to some) in the inland valleys in California.

Santa Barbara is (a) gorgeous and historic, (b) surrounded by terrific beaches and wine country drives, and (c) has so many cool restaurants, walks to take, and neighborhoods to cruise, that it beats the socks off Pismo or, for that matter, any other town between SF and LA. I mean, where else in California can you get haggis and chips next door to a good Italian restaurant on one side and a good Indian place on the other, all on one of the most beautiful shopping streets in America?

Anyway, as for the "long boring drive" bit, frankly I'd do it for a couple of reasons. First, in time terms it probably will be faster than flying. From Santa Barbara it's around 5 hours, give or take, on the road. However, flying from Santa Barbara (also San Luis Obispo) you have to change planes somewhere, probably LAX, and the combined time and hassle to (a) return the rental car, (b) check in and go through security yoga at SBA, then (c) fly to LA and re-check in and wait for the (d) connecting flight, then (e) bag claim at LAS (usually a zoo) then (f) picking up a second rental car... well, you get my meaning. PLUS, if you kept the same car all the way, you wouldn't be faced with the aforementioned one-way fees, so the whole exercise would be way cheaper altogether.

Onward... the Grand Canyon really isn't easy to visit from Las Vegas without an overnight. I'd agree to skip it, and also I'd just transit Death Valley and not stay there - very expensive. Note too that while Tioga Pass will still be open, it will be getting quite chilly in the Yosemite high country by then.

Like I said, just some thoughts.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 11:00 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gardyloo, if they are from overseas, they can rent from an overseas broker like rentalcars.com (used to be carhire3000) and all the insurance will be included. Also this is a very common route and they often drop the oneway fees for folks from overseas.
jamie99 is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 11:09 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,370
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
My understanding is that carhire3000 and the like will drop one-way fees if the stations are in major cities, which neither SBP nor SBA qualify as being. Certainly worth checking though. However, part of my point was that the fastest flight times from SBP to LAS are around 5 hours and 6 hours from SBA (plus car drop and check in) and cost around $175 - $200 per person. Even with no drop fees, it's still cheaper and faster to drive.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 11:29 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,392
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
>>I'd get an early start from Carmel/Monterey and end in Santa Barbara.

That's almost a 5 hr drive along Hwy 1 - if you don't stop anywhere. The Big Sur Coast is one of the most scenic in the world, and late Sept/early October is the best time of the year to admire the coast. I would want to stop along the way at Pt Lobos, Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, Nepenthe for lunch, Pfeiffer State Park (redwood trees) Pfeiffer Beach, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Hearst Castle, and other scenic lookouts. IMO, this section of California should be done slowly - that's why I recommended 3 or 4 nights in Carmel & a down Hwy 1 to San Simeon & back on one of those days. Even an overnight in Big Sur would be fabulous.

Dave is from the UK. Santa Barbara might not seem that remarkable to him - compared to the cities in the UK and San Francisco. SF, Big Sur Coast, Vegas, Death Valley, Sierra Nevada Mtns, & Yosemite are all unique and interesting (although I'm not a fan of Vegas).

Stu Dudley
StuDudley is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 03:00 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,370
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
I've taken several British pals on road trips where we stopped in Santa Barbara, and every one of them thought it was wonderful - ultimate California - red tile roofs, palm trees, hip and cool shops, great beaches, and they all were knocked out by the Mission.

I agree that Carmel to SB in one day is a lot, although they could visit Point Lobos during the 1 1/2 days in the Monterey area. Actually I'd probably recommend spending one night around San Simeon/Cambria instead of two nights at Pismo, then spend the second night in SB. That would give them more time on the Hwy 1 day, and a full day and a half in Santa Barbara, given that Cambria to SB is just a couple of hours in the morning.

However your idea of making Monterey/Carmel to Hearst and back a day trip makes a lot of sense. If they wanted to skip the drive from Calif. to Las Vegas, they could simply drive back to San Jose airport or SFO, where I'm sure they could lose the car if no drop fees are involved. Of course that would eliminate any "Sideways" vineyard opportunities (or around Paso Robles) but maybe they could substitute it with one or two vineyards around Murphys in the Gold Rush country on the way from Yosemite back to SF. http://visitmurphys.com/what-to-do/ The Calaveras County wineries are really coming into their own, and that's a drop-dead splendid time to be in the Gold Rush country, which is unfortunately way under the radar for most overseas visitors.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 03:01 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,370
Received 79 Likes on 8 Posts
Duh, returning the car to SFO wouldn't entail a drop fee anyway. Duh.
Gardyloo is offline  
Old May 24th, 2014, 06:05 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 13,480
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
There are cheap flights from Santa Maria airport, near Pismo, to Las Vegas. Is that what you're doing?

Pismo is pretty sleepy in October. I think I'd drive down to Santa Barbara/Santa Ynez Valley instead.
clarkgriswold is offline  
Old May 26th, 2014, 10:36 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the responses. Definitely appreciate the thoughts and advice
To clarify a couple of the discussion points:
Regarding car hire:
a) my provisional investigations on cost have been one way with different drop offs and the costs haven't been too expensive, going from airport to airport
b) We are renting a convertible for the west coast (well you have too really, don't you?) and then we were going to swap it for an SUV for the Las Vegas to Death Valley to Yosemite leg, picking a car up from Las Vegas and dropping it back at SFO. We don't intend to have a car for the time in Vegas.
Re: Pismo
We quite liked the idea of having a day when we didn't really have to "do" anything hence the extra night in Pismo, but we will have a look at maybe swapping an night in Monterey instead.
We were trying to avoid one night stays, where possible. Not only will it be less tiring, but we would prefer not to live out of a suitcase as much as possible.
Do the think the weather will be suitable for a beach day in/around Pismo?
We had decided to cut the north to south trip earlier than Santa Barbara, but we will have a look at the option of driving to Santa Barbara for lunch and then flying from LAX. The flight rather than the drive isn't so much about time, more that we will have been driving all of the time and quite fancy a break from it
We know that there is only so much we can fit in the the time we have available; we can always come back!!!
As I said, many things to consider, but thank you all again
smithdj24 is offline  
Old May 29th, 2014, 10:13 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gardyloo: Can you recommend any accommodation, restaurants in Santa Barbara.
We might think about spending some time there
Dave
smithdj24 is offline  
Old May 29th, 2014, 12:22 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Stu Dudley: could you suggest a 1/2 day itinerary for Monterey?
smithdj24 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
englishwomanabroad
United States
15
Jul 18th, 2016 09:33 PM
MaeveF
United States
27
Feb 3rd, 2016 04:47 PM
aki19
United States
28
Oct 5th, 2011 03:29 PM
brandywine
United States
11
Feb 1st, 2008 07:58 PM

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 Off
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 -