7 full days in California. Not including arrival and departure day.
May 17th, 2010, 10:45 PM
#42
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
chocoholic: being one who has driven to LA and back to the Bay Area in less than 20 hours (business related), I'd like to offer a different viewpoint. You can do what you had originally planned.
Keep the same number of days as you had planned originally and skip Point Reyes. You'll get the same kind of hiking at Point Lobos and Big Sur only the scenery would be more spectacular.
you didn't say what time you are arriving, but I'd suggest that you drive south from SFO and not go north into San Francisco itself (the airport is south of SF).
If you are arriving late, then spend the night in Monterey/Carmel. If early, then spend the night in Cambria.
Day one: Hike Point Lobos and Big Sur. I just wrote out a long post for a thread titled "Point Lobos and Big Sur...we only have two days to visit both", so I'll not repeat anything here. Check that thread for what and where to hike.
Day two: visit Hearst Castle. Best to get your reservations ahead of time. There are several tours to choose from. Later enjoy a meal in the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo or walk around their downtown and pop into a restaurant there.
Day three: head south to Santa Barbara, stop off at Mission La Purisma Concepcion
http://missions.bgmm.com/purisima.htm
Of the 26 Spanish Missions, only two are state owned, the rest are still in the hands of the Catholic Church. Concepcion is the best mission that I've seen so far that gives you some idea of mission life as there are rangers who dress up in costume and the entire Mission has been carefully rebuilt.
After the Mission, visit Santa Barbara and then head for Los Angeles.
Day four: assuming you have spent the night somewhere nearby, visit the Getty Villa in Malibu. You do need to make reservations ahead of time even though it's free. You also need to pay $12 for parking. Some nights, the Getty Villa also has outdoor plays; check and see if you will be there on a night when there will be a play showing.
Same day, also visit the Getty Museum.
You could do the Getty Museum first and then the Getty Villa, just whatever will work out best for you.
Day five: you could spend the morning doing whatever else you would like to do in LA and then start back for SF or you could start out really early (to miss the peak traffic hour traffic jams) for SF. Take Interstate 5 until Highway 152, cross over on 152 to Highway 101.
Highway 101 connects with Interstate 280, which is the more scenic route. Or you can get into SF by staying on Highway 101.
This will give you 2-3 days in San Francisco. Stu is very good with San Francisco. In fact, we call him "Mr. San Francisco". Do whatever he recommends that will fit into your schedule; you can't go wrong with Stu as a guide around SF.
Have a great time! Sounds like a wonderful trip!
Keep the same number of days as you had planned originally and skip Point Reyes. You'll get the same kind of hiking at Point Lobos and Big Sur only the scenery would be more spectacular.
you didn't say what time you are arriving, but I'd suggest that you drive south from SFO and not go north into San Francisco itself (the airport is south of SF).
If you are arriving late, then spend the night in Monterey/Carmel. If early, then spend the night in Cambria.
Day one: Hike Point Lobos and Big Sur. I just wrote out a long post for a thread titled "Point Lobos and Big Sur...we only have two days to visit both", so I'll not repeat anything here. Check that thread for what and where to hike.
Day two: visit Hearst Castle. Best to get your reservations ahead of time. There are several tours to choose from. Later enjoy a meal in the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo or walk around their downtown and pop into a restaurant there.
Day three: head south to Santa Barbara, stop off at Mission La Purisma Concepcion
http://missions.bgmm.com/purisima.htm
Of the 26 Spanish Missions, only two are state owned, the rest are still in the hands of the Catholic Church. Concepcion is the best mission that I've seen so far that gives you some idea of mission life as there are rangers who dress up in costume and the entire Mission has been carefully rebuilt.
After the Mission, visit Santa Barbara and then head for Los Angeles.
Day four: assuming you have spent the night somewhere nearby, visit the Getty Villa in Malibu. You do need to make reservations ahead of time even though it's free. You also need to pay $12 for parking. Some nights, the Getty Villa also has outdoor plays; check and see if you will be there on a night when there will be a play showing.
Same day, also visit the Getty Museum.
You could do the Getty Museum first and then the Getty Villa, just whatever will work out best for you.
Day five: you could spend the morning doing whatever else you would like to do in LA and then start back for SF or you could start out really early (to miss the peak traffic hour traffic jams) for SF. Take Interstate 5 until Highway 152, cross over on 152 to Highway 101.
Highway 101 connects with Interstate 280, which is the more scenic route. Or you can get into SF by staying on Highway 101.
This will give you 2-3 days in San Francisco. Stu is very good with San Francisco. In fact, we call him "Mr. San Francisco". Do whatever he recommends that will fit into your schedule; you can't go wrong with Stu as a guide around SF.
Have a great time! Sounds like a wonderful trip!
May 19th, 2010, 06:59 AM
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We've checked into flying into LA and leaving from San Francisco. The rental is $400 more through expedia like one of the posters said before. So, that may be a good idea. The air fare is relatively the same departing from a different airport.
EasyTraveler, Looks like you got everything in there that I wanted to do. Except I have to squish in Universal. Yeah I was thinking about cutting out Point Reyes.
Thanks for all the restaurant ideas you all. I will write them all into my itinerary.
I was watching foodtv a while back. Is Cioppino's all its drum up to be in San Fran? Or is it a tourist trap?
EasyTraveler, Looks like you got everything in there that I wanted to do. Except I have to squish in Universal. Yeah I was thinking about cutting out Point Reyes.
Thanks for all the restaurant ideas you all. I will write them all into my itinerary.
I was watching foodtv a while back. Is Cioppino's all its drum up to be in San Fran? Or is it a tourist trap?
May 19th, 2010, 09:31 AM
#44
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personally, I would not go through Expedia. It's a middle man and sometimes they get the lion's share of the profit of a booking instead of a hotel or a car rental place which furnishes the actual commodity.
If you have the time, try going to each major car rental website and just type in the days and pickup-dropoff locations.
Between LA and SF, I've seen no drop off fees or fees as low as $125. Just shop around.
If you have the time, try going to each major car rental website and just type in the days and pickup-dropoff locations.
Between LA and SF, I've seen no drop off fees or fees as low as $125. Just shop around.
May 19th, 2010, 09:40 AM
#45
Try kayak.com to shop rates for your rental car...flight too for that matter.
It's a search engine that looks at them all at the same time. Then you can follow links to the ones that have the lowest prices listed.
Book directly with the airline and rental car agency.
It's a search engine that looks at them all at the same time. Then you can follow links to the ones that have the lowest prices listed.
Book directly with the airline and rental car agency.
May 19th, 2010, 10:16 AM
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
May 19th, 2010, 10:20 AM
#48
Actually sf7307 . . Cioppino is a restaurant. One of those along Jefferson around the Anchorage/Cannery. Certainly not a destination place 
(Though chocaholic -- While you are out here, you should try Cioppino the dish, not necessarily at Cioppino the cafe.)
(Though chocaholic -- While you are out here, you should try Cioppino the dish, not necessarily at Cioppino the cafe.)
May 19th, 2010, 11:21 AM
#55
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, if some people won't scare others away from Fisherman's Wharf, they'd know all about "cioppino".
(Just kidding!)
I don't mean the touristy places but go to the back, to the wharf areas where the real fishermen are still fishing for real fish, but one would have to arrive there rather early to be able to talk with them.
The legend goes that "cioppino" is a San Francisco dish - it was "invented" by those very fishermen, who, in the early days without refrigeration and not been able to sell all that they had caught that day, would toss what remained into a pot - et voila! -cioppino was born!
The other legend is that cioppino was invented on one of the fishing boats while out at sea. The fishermen would just cook up whatever they might have caught, so they didn't have to come back to shore but continue fishing.
The way it started, "cioppino" just means a mix of seafood in a stew. Nowadays you'll find purists arguing whether "cioppino" is/is not really "boullabaise".
I agree with janisj, don't go to the restaurant called "Cioppino". Unless you live somewhere not near the sea, cioppino is not really necessary to sample in San Francisco. There are plenty of other great restaurant treats to try.
Besides which, it's become somewhat of a "tourist" thing and is therefore more expensive than it's worth.
BUT, if you must try...
My recollection is that many, many years ago - A. Sabella's (slightly off Fisherman's Wharf) made a good cioppino, as did the Big Four Restaurant in the Huntington Hotel up on Nob Hill. Both are not cheap, and the Big Four is known more for its meats than its seafood.
Maybe someone else has a more recent experience. If so, I'd go with his/her recommendation.
(Just kidding!)
I don't mean the touristy places but go to the back, to the wharf areas where the real fishermen are still fishing for real fish, but one would have to arrive there rather early to be able to talk with them.
The legend goes that "cioppino" is a San Francisco dish - it was "invented" by those very fishermen, who, in the early days without refrigeration and not been able to sell all that they had caught that day, would toss what remained into a pot - et voila! -cioppino was born!
The other legend is that cioppino was invented on one of the fishing boats while out at sea. The fishermen would just cook up whatever they might have caught, so they didn't have to come back to shore but continue fishing.
The way it started, "cioppino" just means a mix of seafood in a stew. Nowadays you'll find purists arguing whether "cioppino" is/is not really "boullabaise".
I agree with janisj, don't go to the restaurant called "Cioppino". Unless you live somewhere not near the sea, cioppino is not really necessary to sample in San Francisco. There are plenty of other great restaurant treats to try.
Besides which, it's become somewhat of a "tourist" thing and is therefore more expensive than it's worth.
BUT, if you must try...
My recollection is that many, many years ago - A. Sabella's (slightly off Fisherman's Wharf) made a good cioppino, as did the Big Four Restaurant in the Huntington Hotel up on Nob Hill. Both are not cheap, and the Big Four is known more for its meats than its seafood.
Maybe someone else has a more recent experience. If so, I'd go with his/her recommendation.
May 21st, 2010, 10:45 AM
#57
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, StuDudley,
My initial plans included a hike at Pt. Reyes (but if Big Sur is nice I can do it along the way.) and to Universal Studios for rides.
The only 2 things I wanted to do in LA is the Getty and Universal.
My initial plans included a hike at Pt. Reyes (but if Big Sur is nice I can do it along the way.) and to Universal Studios for rides.
The only 2 things I wanted to do in LA is the Getty and Universal.
May 22nd, 2010, 03:44 AM
#58
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FYI, I just booked a rental car picking up in San Fran. for mid July and dropping off in ONT airport and there was no drop off fee. Booked directly through Hertz with a pickup at the Geary Blvd. location in S.F. Actually, they are picking us up and taking us to their rental site to p/u the mini van.
Got a rate of $845 total for the week.
Got a rate of $845 total for the week.
May 22nd, 2010, 11:51 AM
#60
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, we're flying Ontario back to Tampa. Our trip is taking us Tampa to S.F. for 3 nights, drive the coast for 2 nights on our way to 5 nights at Big Bear Lake. Drive back to Ont to head home from there.
