Big Sur & Joshua Tree questions
 

1. Given the current closure of the road in the Big Sur area, is a drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco still worth it or would it be recommended to save that for another time when it reopens? Big Sur Pacific Coast highway has long been on my bucket list and I do have a chance to drive LA to SFO later this month if I want to, but not if I have to take a boring inland highway. Or is the coast from LA to San Luis Obispo scenic enough?

2. Separate question....is Joshua Tree Park doable as a day trip from Los Angeles? I know not ideal and I was going to stay in Palm Springs/Indio but something seems to be going on that weekend and the prices are crazy like $800 for a budget motel, so I need to day trip it. It would be on a Friday (last Friday of April) so I know it will probably be busy but it's my main chance and I have just one day. If so, what's the best time to go and entrance/exit to make the most of the day and avoid the crowds

thanks!

1) Lots of pretty scenery south of Big Sur but not the world famous/dramatic scenes you'd see in Big Sur. What were you planning on doing after driving the coast?? Because you can take 101 all the way to Salinas/Monterey (so part coastal and part inland) and then drive south into the best parts like Point Lobos, Point Sur state park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, etc.

2) LA is a HUGE area so where are you starting from?? But no, realistically JTNP isn't a practical day trip. If you are staying on the west side (like around Santa Monica) it will be a nearly 4 hour drive each way and could be longer if during commute hours or if there is a major tie up. If your are farther east -- say Pasadena, then it is around a 3 hour drive.

Thank you for the advice! Basically I will have 3 days.

I can either spend only in L.A., with a possible day trip to Joshua Tree on one of the days (I don't mind a long day with lots of driving)
or,
Don't spend as much time in L.A. and do the drive to San Fran, even though it might miss some of the Big Sur highlights

I will be staying in the Irvine area.

I have never really explored much of California at all, including L.A. but I can fly home from either LA or San Fran for basically the same amount

Irvine is in Orange County - not LA. JTNP is an easier drive from Irvine. Two hours if you are lucky, 3 with bad traffic.

With 3 days you'd have plenty of time to drive up 101, then down into Big Sur (this would include most of the best parts of BS) and on to San Francisco if you were starting from LA. Starting from Irvine tacks on an extra hour-ish. But still doable. The main hiccup is -- is this a weekend drive?? Because just about every place will have at least a 2 night minimum on weekends/holidays.

But even with a 2 night stay its doable -- Irvine to Monterey/Carmel via 101 is a 6 to 7 hour drive - so the first day. Staying the night in the general Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove area 2 nights so all day on day 2 Point Lobos, Big Sur and whatever else you want to see/do. Then on day 3 Monterey to SFO only takes about 2 hours, the city just a tad longer, so you'd have time to see and do some more things (Santa Cruz, Henry Cowell Redwoods, etc.

Just depends on your priorities (and IF you'll have a future chance to visit out here). Me -- I'd probably pick the coast/Big Sur myself. Especially if it is summer -- because JTNP could be really (REALLY) hot.

The rates in PS/Indio are probably high because of Coachella which ends April 23rd. Lots of STRs require booking for a month, so availability at commercial properties (motels, hotels) is affected. Plus, Friday to Sunday are the most popular getaway days of the week for Angelenos.

IMO, if driving the California coast between LA and SF is on your bucket list, you should wait until the road is open. Yes, Big Sur is the most famous part, but there are other stretches that are just beautiful. (Would it be a one-way car rental? There might be a surcharge.)

Joshua Tree from Irvine isn't (theroretically) too bad, but doing this as a day trip on a Friday might test your sanity. I'd leave Irvine as early as possible.

I very much like the drive which takes you through Pinnacles National Park. Unique hiking trails that go through the mountain, not just around or up.

So much of Big Sur is private land with no public access. Frustrating. I prefer the coast of Oregon to Big Sur as it's all public access.

The drive to Palm Springs is not really a day trip, plus you'd be missing out on the super highlight, Mt San Jacinto.

If this is a bucket list item and on your priority list, I'd suggest that you can still access and appreciate quite a lot of beauty of the SR 1 corridor, despite the closure. The northern end of the road closure (as of now) is at a place called Lime Creek, which is a couple of miles south of Juilia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, one of the highlights of the Big Sur area. What that means is that while you can't drive via SR 1 all the way from San Luis Obispo to Monterey, you can drive from the Monterey Peninsula south quite some distance before the road is blocked at Lime Creek.

That stretch of coastline, from Monterey and Carmel to Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP includes some fabulous scenery and points of interest, not the least of which is the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, just south of Carmel. Point Lobos is (IMO) one of the most beautiful parts of the entire California coastline, and the couple of extra hours needed to visit it as a side trip from US 101 between the LA area and San Francisco is more than worth it.

Then just south of Point Lobos, before one gets to the road closure, one could see the famous Rocky Creek and Bixby Bridges, and even stop at Nepenthe, the famous cliffside restaurant famed for its Hollywood connections. Plus the roadside scenery is phenomenal.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aeef134e06.jpg

Here's a map showing that this detour isn't all that bad.

Without the detour (using US 101) - https://goo.gl/maps/YXF8ybexoRnPZmHEA
With the detour (via Point Lobos) - https://goo.gl/maps/XfLdyBfo5dUtSeYt6
With the detour plus some highlights in addition to Point Lobos (google them) - https://goo.gl/maps/WUsfDmwFPjy8sgxy9

Now of course all Google maps should be taken with a fair amount of skepticism regarding drive times, especially where metropolitan traffic is involved, but you can see that the detour is not that terrible. If you could spend a day traveling from the Carmel/Point Lobos area up to SF, via the Monterey Peninsula, the old Spanish mission in Carmel, the cool and retro beachfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, and the awesome Henry Cowell redwoods, you'd more than compensate (IMO) for the part of SR 1 you'd miss due to the closure. Just my view of course.

If your objective is to see Joshua trees and not a specific place in JTNP, you can see lots of Joshua trees and some sand dunes in the Mojave National Preserve. Take I-15 north to the split and take I-40 east 78 miles. At Exit 78 go north through Kelso and Cima to get back to I-15 at exit 272. From there go back south on I-15 and get on CA 58 toward Bakersfield. If it is hot, spend the night at one of the two motels in Tehachapi. (top of the pass = cooler)
From Tehachapi, you can take CA 58 through Bakersfield all the way to US 101 north of SLO to rejoin Gardyloo's great map to get to Salinas and Monterey.

I fully agree with Gardyloo that Point Lobos State Park is superb. Long considered the Queen of the State Park System.. Otters playing is a common site, though I do not know if that is seasonal.

Gardyloo's 3rd map is what I suggested up in post #4 (plus driving farther south into Big Sur)

The airfare may be the same but there could be a big drop off fee for the rental car at SFO.

Since you are not familiar with the state, please realize that California has so many spectacular sites and experiences. You don't even have to go far from SF. The Point Bonita trail just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge is awesome. And seeing the elk (and vistas) at Point Reyes National Seashore is a wonder. Alamere Falls, Sculptured Beach, Red Rocks Beach, Drakes Beach are other highlights. I prefer walking coastal scenery to driving coastal scenery.

I just read an article on Big Sur Fodors just put out. It said now is the time to go and tells you how to access. It looks wonderful!

We just drove down to Big Sur from PG on Friday, a glorious day with clear, sunny weather.Traffic was extremely light, we pulled over for a faster vehicle once going down and once going back. The longest roadwork stop was 3 minutes, what a pleasant experience!

Stopped for breakfast at Deetjen’s, visited the Hawthorne Gallery (really love the building and grounds) and Pfieffer Big Sur State Park to walk along the stream and redwoods. Stopped for coffee and picked up a few treats at Big Sur Bakery on the way back. A perfect day!

For Joshua tree, did you check accommodation in 29 Palms? You may find cheaper rates there and it is just beside main entrance to the park