Driving from San Francisco to LA

We are from the UK and are planning to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway from SF to LA this summer (July, after the 4th). We have been giving a lot of thought as to where to stay and have tentatively decided on SF 4 nights, Carmel 3 nights, Santa Barbara 3 nights, LA 4 nights. I have a number of questions which I’m sure people here can help with.

1) Is it best to drive SF to LA or LA to SF?
2) Is 3 nights too long to stay in Carmel & SB, would it be better to have say just 1 or2 nights in each and extra time in SF and or LA, on the basis that there is more to see in those locations.
3) As we would like to spend one day visiting Yosemite by coach tour, is it best to book this before we leave or on arrival?
4) I see that in SF & LA hotels seem to charge around $30 a day for parking. How easy is it to park generally around these cities, bearing in mind that we will be using a hire car to get around and see the sights.
5) In SF we were planning on staying in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, but what area would be a good base in LA to do all the touristy things, but probably not Disney?
6) Is a day trip from LA to San Diego feasible/worthwhile? If so how easy is it to cross into Mexico, just to say we have been?
7) As this is a special drive, is it worth paying the extra to hire a convertible?

Thanks in advance

Peter
UK

Hi Peter,

We did a trip two years ago at about the same time of year.

We drove from SF to LA. We didn't hire a car whilst in SF because everything is so accessible by bus/tram/trolley. We picked the car up on the morning we left and got a taxi into the city from the airport

We stayed in Monterey for 3 nights which is about the max amount of time you'd want to spend there as you'd have done all thats there - I would recommended thw whale watching boat trip. We stopped in Santa Barbara for a couple of hours but would go back.

One thing to think about is that you will probably encounter thick fog by the coast. We got away with it in SF but the day we set off down the PCH the fog clung to the coast line. A mile inland was hot and sunny so the drive wasn't quite what you see in the guide books but was still excellent - and we still drove about with the roof down on the convertible!

Hope that helps

Gareth

Cheers Gareth
That seems a good tip about not hiring a car until leaving SF, saves all the valet parking fees. Is a taxi from the airport expensive?

I didn't realise that whale watching would be an option in July, an added bonus thanks for that too. Was the boat trip from SF?

Peter

1) Is it best to drive SF to LA or LA to SF?

This is a popular question. If you drive from SF to Cambria, you will be on the ocean side of the "Cabrillo Highway" (no such thing as the PCH). Most people think that because you are closer to the ocean, the views will be better. However, I think the best vistas are looking north - so I prefer the LA to SF section. BTW, once south of San Simeon, the coast is not nearly as dramatic.


2) Is 3 nights too long to stay in Carmel & SB, would it be better to have say just 1 or2 nights in each and extra time in SF and or LA, on the basis that there is more to see in those locations.

I would cut down each by 1 day & add that time to both SF & LA. In fact, I would cut out Santa Barbara completly, and spend 5 in SF, 3 in Carmel, 1 somewhere on the coast - perhaps Big Sur, and 5 in the LA area.



4) I see that in SF & LA hotels seem to charge around $30 a day for parking. How easy is it to park generally around these cities, bearing in mind that we will be using a hire car to get around and see the sights.

As someone else said, you don't need a car in San Francisco. However, most motels in the Marina area have free parking. It is very difficult to park anywhere east of Van Ness Avenue - where most of the tourist sites are located. I know many "tricks" on where/when to park, but I've lived in SF & or very close by for 30 years & have learned from mistakes.

5) In SF we were planning on staying in the Fisherman’s Wharf area,

Why??? - I can't think of a more un-San Francisco area. Tacky, Tacky, Tacky !!!! If you really want to see why this is such a fabulous place to visit or live in, don't spend any time at the Wharf (except to take the Cable car or a boat OUT of the Wharf). I can't think of anyplace in the UK that is as tacky as the Wharf.


6) Is a day trip from LA to San Diego feasible/worthwhile? If so how easy is it to cross into Mexico, just to say we have been?

It's been 30 years since I lived in LA, but LA to San Diego is at least a 3 hour drive during work days. I would not attempt it. It's a very boaring drive too. I would not plan to go any farther south than Laguna Beach.


7) As this is a special drive, is it worth paying the extra to hire a convertible?

Not for the Northern California portion. It is likely to be very foggy in San Feancisco and along the coast.

Stu Dudley

Good advice so far, I didn't see any answers to your Yosemite question, so I thought I would chime in.

Yosemite from SF as a day trip is tough. The drive one way is 4 hours in a car - I imagine it would be longer on a tour bus since they can't go as fast. So you are looking at probably close to 10 hours on the bus. That doesn't leave much time for sightseeing.

If possible, I would take 1 night from Monterey and 1 night from Santa Barbara and spend them in Yosemite. You can rent a car as you leave SF, drive to Yosemite, stay for 2 nights, then head back to the coast to the Monterey area and continue your trip as planned.

While in SF, getting to the city from the airport is easy. There is a transportation system called BART which services the airport and downtown SF. There are also shuttle services availible for less than a taxi would cost. The airport isn't close to downtown, so taxis are the most expensive option.

I recommend going south on Hwy 1. First of all, you get a better glimpse of some of the houses built between the highway and the ocean--some of the sitings and structures are very interesting. Secondly, while the view on the northern part is better driving north, there are plenty of dramatic views driving south-six of one, half dozen of the other. Finally, I truly do not trust other drivers, and all the turn-offs for viewing are on the ocean side, usually on a blind curve.

Hi, we did a similar trip in 2001 and are in fact repeating this again this year in August. Last time we stayed in SF for 3 days near Union Square and picked up the car on the morning of our departure. The scenery driving south on H1 is very pretty and we stopped overnight in Monteray. We did visit Carmel, but I think 3 nights there would be too much. I would have more nights in the LA area - Laguna Beach is a lovely place to stay if you want to by-pass disney and has some great restaurants. Also its only 30 mins drive to Disney if you do change your mind anad visit.
Hope you have a great trip

Someplace else to consider when in SF is Napa, we love it there. You might combine Yosemite and Napa for a couple of nights

Thanks for the really great advice, so good to hear from people who have already done the trip or better still, actually live in the area.

In view of the advice we will definately be amending our itinarry.

Any suggestions for where to stay in Yosemite? A lot of the places I found were around 20 -30 miles away! Do they get booked up very quickly?

If Fisherman’s Wharf area is soooo Tacky, would Union Square be better?

From the comments it would seem that 3 weeks would be more realistic! Whilst that is not possible, I guess we will just have to hope that we can come back again, (and again, and . . . )

Thanks again Fodorites.

Peter
UK

Lodging in and around Yosemite fills up very quickly - it is a popular destination and lodging is limited. Also, summer is the high season because the kids are all out of school and the weather is warm. If you can get lodging in the valley, do it. If not, try:

* El Portal - on Hwy 140 just outside the Arch Rock entrance and about 20 minutes into the valley.

* Yosemite West - actually outside the park, but you wouldn't know it. You drive through the park to get there, also about 20 minutes from the valley.

* Wawona - in the park, about 30-40 minutes from the valley, close to the Mariposa grove of sequoias.

* Tenaya Lodge at Fish Camp - just outside the south entrance to the park on hwy 41, about 10-15 minutes past Wawona.

* Mariposa - a town about 45 minutes to an hour from the valley on Hwy 140.

With all of these options, you will have to drive into the valley each day, which although not ideal, isn't so bad. Once you find a place to park, you can ride the shuttle, walk, or rent bikes and ride around.

>>If Fisherman’s Wharf area is soooo Tacky, would Union Square be better?<<

Much better

Stu Dudley

Hi Pete,

If I remember correctly it cost about £30 for the taxi. However, the day after we landed the BART system was opened as far as the airport. Which would make it much cheaper I guess?

We stayed in Union Sq area at the Crowne Plaza. We got a big junior suite on a excellent deal on expedia and it was really handy for the cable car and a block from union square itself. The Wharf area is pretty touristy and as a result tacky think Blackpool at its very very very worst! We only went their to get the ferry to Alcatraz

The whale watching trip was excellent, we saw dolphins, humpback and millions of sealions! We did the trip from monterey.

Napa and Sonoma Valley's are worth a trip if you're interested in Wine some of the winery tours are good too.

BART to downtown should cost about $5+.

Yep, i'd hafta agree with Stu on the Fisherman's Wharf thing. Union square is more central for MUNI options fer sure. Although, i do see what makes poeple want to check out Fisherman's Wharf. It is something to experience. There are some great things there..like, sadly, the museum mechanique. Lord knows, though, it is NOT the same since it was relocated from it's true home adjacent to the Cliff House...but still worth seeing, i'd say. Heard one thing or another about the gussying up of that aqaurium and really, tourists doing touristy things is good for our local economy.

Oh, i'd recommend driving LA-Yosemite-SF
Check out Gold Country and the little town of Angel's Camp. There are trees there to really write home about! We stayed at Tenaya Lodge once. It was a great location. There was a Mormon convention there or something, which was a little, well, Mormon for my taste, but otherwise a nice, family friendly place right near one of the Park entrances.

Angel's Camp is where Mark Twain wrote the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. It's abit out of the way if you're going to Yosemite, and the big trees are actually even further up Highway 4, near Arnold. Highway 4 is a great route, with really large trees, including sequoias, then it passes up into alpine country, but doesn't have the bright granite of the rest of the Sierra, it's darker volcanic rock. Anyway, if you're going to Yosemite, you can see giant Sequoias at the Mariposa Grove. Allow at least one day to explore Yosemite Valley and another to explore the Glacier Point area and the Mariposa Grove.

Hi Peter,

I think you'll have a great trip in two week time period but you'll have to make choices. California is a BIG state!

I was born and raised in San Diego, lived in San Francisco since 1985 and recently relocated an hour away to Sacramento. So I'll give my two cents.

Weather: come in August or September for best weather, July 50/50, June is fog, fog, fog, and mist in both SF and the northern coast. In any case, bring jacket because nights get chilly/damp by the water.

Carmel is darling but tiny, so one night is good. On the way down from SF make sure to take the 17 mile drive and stop at the Inn at Spanish Bay for lunch or a drink. In Carmel, try the Cypress Inn, right smack downtown Carmel. Or the Best Western Carmel Bay Inn, also downtown. Al fresco dining at Village Corner restaurant. Good shopping.

Check out SFGATE.com for restaurants and what's happening.

You could have a second night at Big Sur, a half hour drive south. Ventana Inn. Have lunch at Nepenthe for a wow view of the Pacific.

Driving:
Driving from SF to LA, you'll be on the jagged cliff side in places, so if you get nervous, drive from LA to SF so that you'll be hugging the mountain side. (Maybe a good idea since you'll be driving on the "wrong" side of the road anyway). Yes, rent a convertible for this fabulous Highway One drive. About seven or eight hours between Carmel and LA. Do NOT have a rental car while you're in SF. Parking will be $30 to $60 dollars a day. Taxis and walking is all you need.

More stuff, Peter. I hit "post reply" prematurely in error...

(No whales to watch in Monterey/Carmel area; they're in Mexico end of spring).

I agree with the others. Do not stay at Fisherman's Wharf in SF. Stay in Union Square for overall central location - shopping, dining, theatre, China Town, South of Market area. Check out Kimpton Hotels -- Hotel Triton, Hotel Palomar or Monaco.

Union Square restaurants: Farallon, Le Colonial (Vietnamese). Belden Alley indoor/outdoor restaurants/cocktails. Chinese: R&G Lounge on Kearney for Hong Kong style (anything with black bean sauce, salt n pepper crab), Hunan on Broadway for hunan style (Diana meat pie), dim sum (which is brunch) at City View on Commercial Alley (steamed pork bun and shu mai). Columbus Street for casual Italian restaurants, a bit of bohemian flavor, good people watching. Hayes street newer hip area for restaurants and shops.

Check out Yuerba Buena area walking distance from Union Square - SF MOMA Museum, Metreon Centre (movie theatre, Sony super store, virtual bowling down SF streets, quick/cheaper restaurants).

Go to a SF Giants baseball game at SBC Park. Built on the bay, all seats are view seats. Cocktails/dinner at Momo's across the street. Walk along the water on the Embarcadero.

When you have your car, on your way into or out of SF, stop by the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. See musueum and just take in Golden Gate bridge and ocean views.

Music: Great American Music Hall, Slim's and an SF rock institution, The Fillmore.

Harry Denton's Starlight Room romantic nighttime views and dancing. For a daytime view, if your heart's in good shape, take the Filbert street stairs up to the top of Telegraph Hill. At the top is Coit Tower, momuent to the firefighters who battled the burning city burning of the 1906 earthquake; depression era New Deal WPA murals in tower. (You can also drive/taxi up the hil).

Always a hit with my out-of-town guests is a ferry ride across SF Bay to Tiburon for lunch. Have yummy Mexican at Guaymas (order Top Shelf Margaritas) or burgers and beers at Sam's a couple of doors down. Both are on water with fab views of SF skyline; ferry docks at Guaymas. Take Blue and Gold Fleet ferry from Pier 41 at Fisherman's Wharf. If interested, you can also take B&G Fleet to Alcatraz Island for prison tour.

See SFCityGuides.org for excellent walking tours. Mapquest.com or maps.yahoo.com for maps and driving instructions in US. BART is the train which goes from SF airport to downtown; Powell Street is Union Square exit; about one hour trip. Taxis are about $45.

One night in Santa Barbara should be fine. Very pretty but nothing really going on.

When in LA, people/star watching on Melrose (start at Highland and go west). Westwood is a cool area too (by UCLA).

I wouldn't bother going to Mexico. Tijuana is an ugly, poor, border town. You won't be able to take your rental car into Mexico. You can park at the border and walk across. Take Freeway 5 or 805 south.

Laguna Beach is beautiful, full of beautiful, artificially enhanced people with lots of money. They're pretty to look at for a short period of time.

San Diego is laid back and easy as well as being beautiful. It is all about the beach and outdoor lifestyle. (SD has perfect weather). Depending on traffic, 2 to 3 hours from LA.

Stay in a hotel near Prospect Street in La Jolla to be near restaurants and shops. Torrey Pines and La Jolla cove are probably the best beaches in San Diego. Or stay on the island of Coronado at the Hotel Cordova or the grand old Hotel del Coronado.

The San Diego zoo and the Wild Animal Park are both huge and incredible. Sea World is a big attraction too. I prefer to rent a bike and roll down the beach boardwalk.

Have fun!

I think that you have gotten some good advice here. I do not really think it matters whether you go north or south on the coast. I also cannot understand why anyone stays at the wharf. The Union Square area/Financial district/Market St. area have much better hotels. You do not need a car while in SF if you stay downtown and parking is quite expensive ($35/night) at these hotels. The Marina/Cow Hollow area is also a good area to stay in if you have a car and want to use it around the city as parking is included in some decent motels in the area. These motels are also much less expensive than the hotels downtown. Where you stay depends alot on your budget. I am staying at the Sheraton Palace in a few weeks for a meeting and cost including parking and tax would be about $270. Most of the other similar class hotels in the area would be about the same cost. Thes best hotels such as the Four Seasons/ Ritz and Mandarin would cost about $500/night. The motels in the Marina would be less than $150/night.
I would do your coast trip in a different manner if you plan on going to Yosemite. Would leave SF about 0900 after rush hour if this would be a week day and drive down 1 to Carmel and stay one night. I would than drive to Yosemite for 2 nights. All lodging on the valley floor is probably booked by now so unless you can waitlist I would probably book something right outside the Park in Fish Camp. There are some nice hotels and B&Bs in this area at moderate cost. Would probably advise 2 nights here than a drive back to Carmel for one more night. Drive the next day to San Simeon and stay one night with a visit scheduled to Hearst Castle. Drive to Santa Barbara for one night than onto L.A. Laguna Beach or Santa Monica would be good locations to base yourselves while in L.A.

I should substitute Oakhurst for Fish Camp as a location to lodge if you cannot find someplace to stay in the park.

Cheers Peter,
I've lived in Northern CA since 1960 and have traveled extensively along the entire coast. I completely agree to the message from SassTraveler - lot of good information on the SF Bay area. For great hotel rates in the SF Bay area try http://www.hotelres.com/

One night in Carmel is plenty unless you take an extra day & drive to Monterey (about 30 minutes) which I recommend. Yosemite & Sequoia National Park are a must.

Santa Barbara is considered CA's Riviera and one night is plenty unless you want to kick back on the beach or take an extra day & drive up to Hearst Castle.

Farther south, any of the beach towns, Santa Monica, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach will give a flavor of a typical Southern CA coast living. My favorite is Laguna Beach.

Driving north or south? I would drive north only because the sun will be in your eyes most of the time driving south. Otherwise it doesn't matter.

Enjoy your trip!