Driving from LA to Vancouver

Old Jun 24th, 2001, 07:17 AM
  #1  
Jill
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Driving from LA to Vancouver

We are arriving from Australia mid September and hope to hire a car in LA and drive to Vancouver. We have about 2 weeks to do this.Have we allowed enough time? What are the 'must sees'? Any recommendations for special places to stay which have character and are not too pricey? We've been to LA before and San Francisco so hope to concentrate on out of town sights and places. What touring publications are recommended. Suppose that's silly - Fodors must have one of course.
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 09:59 AM
  #2  
Cindy
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Are you driving one way to Vancouver over two weeks, or return?
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 10:18 AM
  #3  
jill
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Only one way. We realise it is a huge distance but are used to that in Australia and imagine a lot of it will be on freeways or at least decent roads.
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 10:52 AM
  #4  
kam
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Hi Jill, can help with the California part. Also, I know you don't want to stay in cities, but I would make Seattle the exception. It's a great place to spend some time.
From LA, rent the smallest car that will fit you and luggage (gas is expensive) and drive to Santa Barbara,(stay one night), next day explore the Sta. Inez wine country, see the mission at Solvang and the little town--kitchy but cute, drive up 101 to Pismo Beach, Morro Bay or Cambria (stay one night) See Hearst Castle (make res. prior to visit), drive hwy 1 though Big Sur (about 3-3 1/2 hours just for this) to Carmel, Pacific Grove or Monterey.(stay 2 nights) Explore the Monterey Peninsula and relax for a bit--go kayaking in the bay with the sea otters, eat on Fisherman's Wharf--you're a tourist, right?, walk down the beach from Pacific Grove--some butterflies might be coming home by then but most arrive in October. Drive up hwy 1 (easy drive) through Santa Cruz (see boardwalk and surfer museum, if it's open) to Half Moon Bay (stay one night in a charming little B&B--Seal Cove Inn is one of the best, but pricey) Next day drive up hwy 1 through SF to Pt. Reyes National Seashore (possibly see Muir Woods along the way) Stay one night in Inverness or Bodega Bay. Eat lots of oysters, look for birds at Bolinas Beach, hike the beach. Next day drive up to Mendocino (leave lots of time, not an easy drive) or you could cut over and see some more wine country on 101 and then return to the coast on 128 through the very interesting town of Boonville, where they speak their own form of English! Stay one night in Mendocino--lots of choices. Last day in California drive up through Redwood National Park, stay the night either south at Trinidad or in Klamath. From there on I can't help but beware in Oregon. The state troopers are very aware of California plates--or it this being paranoid? Fodor's has a road guide to California that seems pretty good. Have a great trip. It's a fantastic time of year to do it. Oh--hotel suggestions if you give me a budget.
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 02:42 PM
  #5  
John
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Jill, Kam's Calif. suggestions are great. Let me only add a couple of recommendations for food indulgence: a "family style" (translated - whoa) Italian meal in Occidental, between Petaluma and the Hwy. 1 coast north of SF, and second for the Samoa Cookhouse in Samoa, also a Pacific island but this one near Eureka, Calif. - a lumber mill mess hall serving "family-style" meals in a building full of fascinating memorabilia from the timber industry - pictures of 20 guys sitting on a redwood stump, things like that...

The Oregon coast gets lots of play here in Fodor-land, you'll enjoy the rocky, sand-duney variety it offers. Follow the coast north to the mouth of the Columbia, then cut east to Portland and on to the Columbia Gorge, using the "historic" highway, not the freeway. From there my recommendation would be to head north on US 97 past Mt. Adams and through the Yakima Indian reservation to Interstate 90, thence back west to Seattle. The change in landscape from one side of the Cascade Mts. to the other is very dramatic. From Seattle you can carry on to Vancouver, or get there the long way via the Olympic Peninsula, including, if time permits, a loop out to the Pacific shore to see the rain forest valleys, followed by a ferry across to Victoria and from there Vancouver.

Your 2 weeks will be very full traveling this route, but be advised there are literally dozens of side trips or alternate routes, any of which would be rewarding and enjoyable. And frankly, you could spend the whole time in any one of the states or province and still not scratch the surface. Happy planning!
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 03:51 PM
  #6  
allen
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Readers Digest has published a book entitled, "The Most Scenic Drives in America", listing 120 road trips. Although published a few years ago the information is still relevant. Lots of pictures, maps and suggested routes with over a dozen drives covering the West Coast area you are considering. A very nice reference guide. Check your public library or bookstore. Good luck.
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 04:46 PM
  #7  
xxx
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Just so you don't get confused, Kam mentioned Sta. Inez. It's actually called Santa Ynez Valley.
 
Old Jun 24th, 2001, 07:00 PM
  #8  
jill
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Thank you so much everyone. We shall take note of all this valuable info. I especially like the idea of kayaking with sea otters and hiking along beaches and, being a child of the folk singing 60s and Woodie Guthrie days, the Columbia River has always had a fascination.We are from the west coast of Australia and have no huge mountain ranges so your scenery will be awesome.
Kam, although we usually stay in reasonable hotels, the $Australian is not travelling too well these days so suppose it would be fun to try some recommended b&bs or even motels. All we need is a clean bed and our own bathroom facilities. We'd be out all day or on the road to the next destination.
We'd welcome more recommendations for good restaurants along the way. We're interested in food presentation - and eating of course - especially on holidays. casual/local to 'gourmet'.
 
Old Jun 25th, 2001, 04:16 AM
  #9  
Tony Hughes
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Jill

We did the very same drive (as part of a longer trip) back in march/april of this year.

I would give Santa Barbara 2 nights, SLO a night, somewhere in Monterey/Carmel/Seaside etc for a night, then maybe somewhere off the 101 or the interstate, like Oroville in Northern Cali.

I liked Oregon, Crater Lake is worth the detour, wasn't impressed with Eugene, I did like Grant's Pass, though. Newport, Oregon on the coast was lovely, Warrenton less so. Washington coast is superb. Port Angeles nice too.

2 weeks is plenty time.
 

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