TravelTess

Hi Jools - I'm on a family holiday so I haven't had a chance to reply. Here's some more of the fine-tuning you requested of me.

Day 5: Spend the morning in SB, as you planned. Do not drive to SLO and spend the night. Instead, drive to San Simeon or Cambria and spend the night. You haven't said what time of year you're coming (have you?. If it's in the summer, Hearst is open later. It takes a couple of hours to get to San Simeon from SB, depending on stops and traffic.

By the way, a good website for L.A.: www.seeing-stars.com/

tampatramp

jools,

Day 9. (not that I disagree with SAB that you could skip Sausalito and spend more time in SF) Two options are: just bike round-trip over the bridge (there is a nice view from the Marin end). Or take the ferry back from Sausalito direct to SF (check ferry schedule BEFORE lunch) and save retracing the ride over the bridge. (Be sure to get a good bike, San Francisco in NOT flat!)

jennhawk

Jools,
It looks like you have a wonderful trip planned. I've lived in CA 5 years and have been to all the places you include-it's great diversity.

I live in Pasadena, so we've been all over LA and I think the thing to remember is busy traffic times. It's better to get up very early and get to another area of the city, hang out, get breakfast, or sleep in and get breakfast at hotel, leaving mid-morning, than to try to get anywhere during rush hour(s). It's also always a good idea to factor in extra time for driving, and consider asking a local (someone at hotel should know) what drive time is at that time of the day. It's funny-in LA if you ask someone how far something is, the answer is in minutes. Just keep in mind-it's a bummer to spend way more time than you expected in route.

Try to hit the Hollywood Entertainment Museum-interactive and fun. For very casual, cheap, American food, go to Scooby's in Hollywood. Even if you don't like chili dogs (chili made w/ Guinness) they have the best fries in the world. It's better than Pink's and you don't have to wait 2 hours.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is a wonderful place to eat in Beverly Hills (though fairly expensive).

There are some good places to eat in Santa Monica, but anytime I'm in that area I drive on PCH to Malibu and eat at either Geoffrey's or Gladstone's. Great views and food. I've heard that Saddle Peak Lodge-up in the mountains-is good.

There are organized tours in SB-which are easy to find if you google SB wine tours. They will drive you around, feed you, take you to wineries. Very nice.

My husband works in Bishop part of the year, so I've spent quite a bit of time there. Two suggestions for that area: if you get to Bishop in afternoon and have time, I would drive up CA 168-East-to the Bristlecone Pines Forest. They are the oldest trees in the world and are really amazing. It's a 45-60 min. drive from Bishop, and it's higher elevation so it's much cooler. Bishop can get seriously hot. Secondly, make sure you stop at the Schaat's Bakery in Bishop. It's on the west side of the main road through town. Amazing bread and other treats, and it's just a cool place. Good for breakfast.

Some else said-and I agree-Death Valley in August should be seen in early morning or evening. It's sooooo hot. But climbing on the dunes is really cool.

For restaurants in Vegas, just make sure that if you go to the casino buffets, you go to the nicer ones and pay a bit more. The food can be so bad at some places, but it can also be so good. I have eaten at some and every dessert tasted the same-like artificial sweetener.

Best of luck. Have a wonderful time.