Drive from San Fran to Los Angeles
Mar 21st, 2004, 03:01 AM
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Drive from San Fran to Los Angeles
Hi, My husband and I are thinking of taking the drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles. We would love to visit Monterey/Carmel as well as Randolf Herst Castle. We are Australians on vacation (!!) and know next to nothing about time it takes to travel this road as well as places to stay!! (We are thinking of probably taking 3 days/2nights to travel the distance. Would anyone be able to help with a basic itinerary and a couple of nice places to stay and places that shouldn't be missed on the way down. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!! We are looking forward to this part of our trip as it looks lovely in all the travel guides we have studied! Thanks so much.
Mar 21st, 2004, 06:47 AM
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I live in Southern Calif & have done this drive numerous times - it never fails to amaze me with its beauty & splendor. The coast is awesome. Driving along Highway 1 is beautiful but it is a curvy 2 lane road so allow extra time. Monterey/Carmel is great - aquarium is a fun day, 17 mile drive pretty, you can stay on the water in Monterey & have great food. Big Sur is amazing & there are several places to stay one night. Napenthe for lunch & drinks. Hearst Castle & Morro Bay are next stop. You can book your tour choice online & should do so before the trip. Santa Barbara is a must see also. Next is Ventura then you are about 1 1/2 hours drive from LA. Plan so you avoid LA rush hour traffic which can be maddening. Another option is to take the coast route through Malibu towards Santa Monica & Venice & other beach cities. Much prettier & less frustrating drive unless of course you enjoy freeways!
Mar 21st, 2004, 07:10 AM
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Hi Princess!
Glad you are choosing this particular route! You will not be disappointed!
Three days is a bit of a squeeze. Could you spare one more day?
Take Highway 1 from San Francisco. It will lead you all the way down along the coast.
First stop: Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel. You did not mention budget, so it's hard to recommend places to stay. Pacific Grove has some wonderful B&Bs, some looking out on the Pacific.
In Monterey, there is the Aquarium, Cannery Row, and a number of restaurants. In Carmel, there is downtown Carmel, suggest you not miss that, and there is the Seventeen Mile Drive. If you are going to drive along the coast, you could safely miss the 17 Mile Drive. On the other hand, if you are golfers, you may want to see the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and visit the Pebble Beach Lodge, both are inside the 17 mile drive.
You would need to spend your first night in Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel.
Next morning you could start out for Big Sur. The stops along the way are: Point Lobos, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Nepenthe, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. There are a few not-to-be missed hikes in this area, especially at Point Lobos and at JPB Park.
Again, depending on your budget, there are a few other places you could visit. For example, you could eat/sleep at the Highlands Inn.
The drive along Big Sur is world famous. It is spectacular, plan for several view stops, and you should arrive San Simeon/Cambria for your second night's stay.
Depending on time of arrival, you could take either the evening or the morning tour of Hearst Castle. To do justice to Big Sur, you will probably be taking the morning tour.
After your tour of Hearst Castle, continuing southward, you could stop off near Nipomo to see La Purisma Mission. This is one of the California Missions and is one of the best preserved. Then onward to Santa Barbara.
Ideally, you should be able to spend a night near Santa Barbara, then continue on to Los Angeles.
If you really don't have the time, I would suggest making as few stops as possible after Hearst Castle and head directly for Los Angeles.
Hope this helps! I'm certain others will chip in with their suggestions. You will receive some wonderful advice here on this board! Have a safe trip and welcome to the States!
Glad you are choosing this particular route! You will not be disappointed!
Three days is a bit of a squeeze. Could you spare one more day?
Take Highway 1 from San Francisco. It will lead you all the way down along the coast.
First stop: Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel. You did not mention budget, so it's hard to recommend places to stay. Pacific Grove has some wonderful B&Bs, some looking out on the Pacific.
In Monterey, there is the Aquarium, Cannery Row, and a number of restaurants. In Carmel, there is downtown Carmel, suggest you not miss that, and there is the Seventeen Mile Drive. If you are going to drive along the coast, you could safely miss the 17 Mile Drive. On the other hand, if you are golfers, you may want to see the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and visit the Pebble Beach Lodge, both are inside the 17 mile drive.
You would need to spend your first night in Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel.
Next morning you could start out for Big Sur. The stops along the way are: Point Lobos, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Nepenthe, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. There are a few not-to-be missed hikes in this area, especially at Point Lobos and at JPB Park.
Again, depending on your budget, there are a few other places you could visit. For example, you could eat/sleep at the Highlands Inn.
The drive along Big Sur is world famous. It is spectacular, plan for several view stops, and you should arrive San Simeon/Cambria for your second night's stay.
Depending on time of arrival, you could take either the evening or the morning tour of Hearst Castle. To do justice to Big Sur, you will probably be taking the morning tour.
After your tour of Hearst Castle, continuing southward, you could stop off near Nipomo to see La Purisma Mission. This is one of the California Missions and is one of the best preserved. Then onward to Santa Barbara.
Ideally, you should be able to spend a night near Santa Barbara, then continue on to Los Angeles.
If you really don't have the time, I would suggest making as few stops as possible after Hearst Castle and head directly for Los Angeles.
Hope this helps! I'm certain others will chip in with their suggestions. You will receive some wonderful advice here on this board! Have a safe trip and welcome to the States!
Mar 21st, 2004, 11:27 AM
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Do you like technical things for kids? I don't know how it is possible, with such little time, that you will be able to come inland, go to San Jose and the youngster-oriented Tech Museum, dash back out to the coast, and fit all this into your schedule! But then, that's just me. Maybe you are crazy about tech things! 
Mar 21st, 2004, 01:18 PM
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Princess,
I agree with Treck's advice about starting on highway 1 in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area as opposed to taking it from SF. I have been on highway 1 from SF to Monterey and the scenery was not nearly as nice as the views south of the Monterey area. I especially liked Big Sur. As others have said, try to stop for lunch at Nepenthe at Big Sur for some unforgettable vistas.
The 280 to 17 to 1 route is the the most logical. San Jose's Tech Museum is really interesting, and is excellent for adults as well as kids. There's a nice IMAX theater as well. www.thetech.org San Jose is actually very near the coast, only about 25 minutes from the Monterey Bay in fact and right on the way to Monterey from SF. Even with your schedule, you should have plenty of time to visit San Jose as well. Of course there are plenty of other things to see in the city other than the Tech Museum. The Fodors miniguide on San Jsoe has some great ideas.
http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...n=san_jose@138
Also, I can't emphasize enough the importance of reserving your tickets for Hearst Castle. The website is www.hearst-castle.org.
Have a nice time in California.
I agree with Treck's advice about starting on highway 1 in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area as opposed to taking it from SF. I have been on highway 1 from SF to Monterey and the scenery was not nearly as nice as the views south of the Monterey area. I especially liked Big Sur. As others have said, try to stop for lunch at Nepenthe at Big Sur for some unforgettable vistas.
The 280 to 17 to 1 route is the the most logical. San Jose's Tech Museum is really interesting, and is excellent for adults as well as kids. There's a nice IMAX theater as well. www.thetech.org San Jose is actually very near the coast, only about 25 minutes from the Monterey Bay in fact and right on the way to Monterey from SF. Even with your schedule, you should have plenty of time to visit San Jose as well. Of course there are plenty of other things to see in the city other than the Tech Museum. The Fodors miniguide on San Jsoe has some great ideas.
http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...n=san_jose@138
Also, I can't emphasize enough the importance of reserving your tickets for Hearst Castle. The website is www.hearst-castle.org.
Have a nice time in California.
Mar 21st, 2004, 02:32 PM
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Hi Princess,
I agree with easytraveler and jojo's thoughtful suggestions. IMO the time spent on a detour through San Jose will be much better enjoyed at some of the other world-class places mentioned, including Pt. Lobos and Big Sur. You will also have more time for Monterey/Carmel.
SF to Monterey/Carmel will be a spectacular drive, and that area will be a good distance for your first overnight. Since you want to tour Hearst Castle, Cambria/Morro Bay are logical choices, then on to Santa Barbara or thereabouts before heading into LA.
If you must do the trip in 2 nights, I would take 280/85/101/156/1 to Carmel for your first night, then stay near Hearst Castle the 2nd. You won't see as much of the areas you'll be passing through, but a little is better than nothing.
Have a wonderful trip!
I agree with easytraveler and jojo's thoughtful suggestions. IMO the time spent on a detour through San Jose will be much better enjoyed at some of the other world-class places mentioned, including Pt. Lobos and Big Sur. You will also have more time for Monterey/Carmel.
SF to Monterey/Carmel will be a spectacular drive, and that area will be a good distance for your first overnight. Since you want to tour Hearst Castle, Cambria/Morro Bay are logical choices, then on to Santa Barbara or thereabouts before heading into LA.
If you must do the trip in 2 nights, I would take 280/85/101/156/1 to Carmel for your first night, then stay near Hearst Castle the 2nd. You won't see as much of the areas you'll be passing through, but a little is better than nothing.
Have a wonderful trip!
Mar 21st, 2004, 06:23 PM
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Hi Princess,
With such a short time to do this drive don't consider hanging around San Jose... many more beautiful places to see & experience... easytraveler has given you some wonderful destinations along the coast... and another great stop on the way would be Santa Cruz.
We also loved Pt Lobos Reserve in Carmel... stayed at the Tickle Pink Inn(ticklepinkinn.com)... and very much enjoyed the Carmel Mission...
Happy planning!
With such a short time to do this drive don't consider hanging around San Jose... many more beautiful places to see & experience... easytraveler has given you some wonderful destinations along the coast... and another great stop on the way would be Santa Cruz.
We also loved Pt Lobos Reserve in Carmel... stayed at the Tickle Pink Inn(ticklepinkinn.com)... and very much enjoyed the Carmel Mission...
Happy planning!
Mar 21st, 2004, 06:36 PM
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Hi again Princess,
Though you might like to read my trip report from the Carmel area last October. Again, have fun!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...1&tid=34452270
Though you might like to read my trip report from the Carmel area last October. Again, have fun!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...1&tid=34452270
Mar 21st, 2004, 06:48 PM
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PrincessAurora, accept a friendly warning from a humble commoner--a small but real danger lurks above.
Those of us who give advice often on California in this forum are aware that there is a person among us who registers many different screen names with Fodor's, then pretends to unwary folks who are new and asking questions here that he is a number of different people, who all pop up in turn agreeing with each other.
He does this because almost no one else would agree with some of his advice, but he seems to have an overwhelming need to try to persuade people like you that his are the majority or consensus views of the people speaking to you here, instead of only his own.
Unfortunately, he's already appeared on your thread above, pretending to be two different people. Sometimes, he's been known to try to present himself as as many as eight different people on the same thread.
I'm not going to identify him by the names he's used above, or identify which side he's taking on the disagreement, which you can tell exists above, about whether you should take time to go to San Jose on your trip. I'm even going to pass up the opportunity to give my own opinion on that issue.
I'm doing this partly because I think you'll be able to pick out his posts on your own, and evaluate the advice he gives accordingly. Even though he invents identities for all his different characters, and they claim to live in different places, all the posts he writes sound alike, and he becomes very easy to spot once you've read a few of them.
The other reason I'm not identifying him or his views is that I'm hoping this thread won't deteriorate into an argument back an forth between him and other people. Since I haven't named him or even what advice he's offering you, I'm hoping that he'll be smart enough not to pop up and say "It's me he's talking about!" and try to start a fight with me and others. At worst, I hope he'll just keep popping up as more and more fake people, each agreeing with the last, and keep hoping he's fooling you.
If he's unwise enough, though, to come forward and identify himself, if he behaves as usual he'll start to charge me and everyone else who disagrees with him with following the same practices he does, often copying what we've said about him word for word.
For my part, having sounded the alarm, I'm not going to write anything more on this thread (under any screen name) no matter what he says. I hope others, even if they are aware of how this guy operates, will just balance his views with their own on your question and not fight back with him. Princess, I'm confident you'll be able to see what's going on.
Unfortunately, if this guy is foolish enough to drive this thread into a fight, Fodor's tends to play into his hands by removing the entire thread from the site. For that reason, I'm taking the precaution of copying it, and if Fodor's removes it, I'll repost it with all the very helpful information you've received so far, minus any posts related to the controversy, including the one you're reading now. I'd also advise you to save any info you'd like to keep which you see on this thread, especially any posted after mine which I will not have saved.
You have received a lot of valuable advice above on which everyone, even the multiple screen names poster, has agreed,and I think you can look forward to a wonderful trip. Don't let any little problem this person creates here keep you from enjoying it!
Those of us who give advice often on California in this forum are aware that there is a person among us who registers many different screen names with Fodor's, then pretends to unwary folks who are new and asking questions here that he is a number of different people, who all pop up in turn agreeing with each other.
He does this because almost no one else would agree with some of his advice, but he seems to have an overwhelming need to try to persuade people like you that his are the majority or consensus views of the people speaking to you here, instead of only his own.
Unfortunately, he's already appeared on your thread above, pretending to be two different people. Sometimes, he's been known to try to present himself as as many as eight different people on the same thread.
I'm not going to identify him by the names he's used above, or identify which side he's taking on the disagreement, which you can tell exists above, about whether you should take time to go to San Jose on your trip. I'm even going to pass up the opportunity to give my own opinion on that issue.
I'm doing this partly because I think you'll be able to pick out his posts on your own, and evaluate the advice he gives accordingly. Even though he invents identities for all his different characters, and they claim to live in different places, all the posts he writes sound alike, and he becomes very easy to spot once you've read a few of them.
The other reason I'm not identifying him or his views is that I'm hoping this thread won't deteriorate into an argument back an forth between him and other people. Since I haven't named him or even what advice he's offering you, I'm hoping that he'll be smart enough not to pop up and say "It's me he's talking about!" and try to start a fight with me and others. At worst, I hope he'll just keep popping up as more and more fake people, each agreeing with the last, and keep hoping he's fooling you.
If he's unwise enough, though, to come forward and identify himself, if he behaves as usual he'll start to charge me and everyone else who disagrees with him with following the same practices he does, often copying what we've said about him word for word.
For my part, having sounded the alarm, I'm not going to write anything more on this thread (under any screen name) no matter what he says. I hope others, even if they are aware of how this guy operates, will just balance his views with their own on your question and not fight back with him. Princess, I'm confident you'll be able to see what's going on.
Unfortunately, if this guy is foolish enough to drive this thread into a fight, Fodor's tends to play into his hands by removing the entire thread from the site. For that reason, I'm taking the precaution of copying it, and if Fodor's removes it, I'll repost it with all the very helpful information you've received so far, minus any posts related to the controversy, including the one you're reading now. I'd also advise you to save any info you'd like to keep which you see on this thread, especially any posted after mine which I will not have saved.
You have received a lot of valuable advice above on which everyone, even the multiple screen names poster, has agreed,and I think you can look forward to a wonderful trip. Don't let any little problem this person creates here keep you from enjoying it!
Mar 21st, 2004, 07:45 PM
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Princess: Unfortunately the person johncharles refers to has infected your thread to the total of FOUR different aliases (I can't mention names because he tends to go a little "postal" whenever anyone tries to warn the unwary. But the initials are L, G, R and T)
If you value the suggestions some have given you so far (and there is some good info), you should print out the entire thread because it may soon explode and be deleted by Fodors' editors. It is such a shame this keeps happening - I am a native Californian but have pretty much quit posting to CA questions because this is so frustrating with innocents sent off on wild goose chases to San Jose all the time.
If you value the suggestions some have given you so far (and there is some good info), you should print out the entire thread because it may soon explode and be deleted by Fodors' editors. It is such a shame this keeps happening - I am a native Californian but have pretty much quit posting to CA questions because this is so frustrating with innocents sent off on wild goose chases to San Jose all the time.
