Driving from San Jose to Gilroy
 

Hi,
I fly into SJC this weekend and my first stop is Gilroy. When I've done Mapquest, I have gotten two different recommendations. One is to take 101 to Gilroy and the other recommends 87 to 85 to 101. Is one better than the other? Seems like it would be easier to just do 101 the whole way, unless there are construction or speed issues that would make the other better.
Thanks in advance.

Either one will work.

101 may be easier for you, but it's the older freeway and goes through some industrial, ugly areas.

Both 87 and 85 are newer freeways and "ride" better - less bumpy.

It really all depends on the time of your arrival. During peak traffic hours, 101 and 87 are particularly congested as everyone streams from work (downtown) home to the suburbs.

I'm going to be hitting the road probably around 1 pm.

Either works - both are easy. Why Gilroy?

One would suspect the Gilroy outlet mall is the draw, but I've never found bargains to be found there that are worth even the 45 minute drive from my house.

1pm is a good time. Traffic starts on 101 around 3pm.

101 would be easier for you to drive, if you have problems deciding which route.

I was on both your routes this last weekend and saw no construction problems.

Are you going further than Gilroy?

I smell garlic.

If by 'weekend' you mean Saturday, don't worry too awful much about traffic.

If on the other hand, you mean Friday - get on the road as early as you can. 1PM will be fine, later - not so good.

It will be Friday and my ultimate destination is Carmel.

Thanks everyone (with the exception of bulldog and the weird comment).

bulldog's comment is not at all weird. Gilroy is known as the garlic capital of the world. It's not a bad guess that your destination may have been the famous Gilroy Garlic Festival!

<It's not a bad guess that your destination may have been the famous Gilroy Garlic Festival!>

Except that it's always held at the end of July.

aggiegirl: unless you have family or pressing business in Gilroy, I'd suggest that you continue on to Carmel at the earliest possible time that is feasible for you.

When it's a nice weekend, everyone leaves early and heads for the beach or southern California or...so traffic will get pretty bad early on a Friday along 101.

The best way to get from Gilroy to Carmel is to follow 101 until you see a sign that says "156, Monterey Peninsula". Follow 156 westbound (it's very short, only about 7 miles on a two-lane road) and then 156 will get you to Highway 1. Going southbound on 1 will take you to Carmel.

Have a good trip! :)

Since Carmel is your destination, I'd bag stopping in Gilroy and just carry on straight to Monterey/Carmel. Leaving by 1PM will miss the worst of the traffic but not all.

I agree - unless you have some pressing business in Gilroy, don't stop, or the part of your drive from Gilroy to Carmel will be awful.

I'd just take 101 - the bumpy/industrial part of 101 that you will drive through is less than 10 minutes of your drive.

And I think we are unanimous about heading straight to Carmel.

Ok, straight to Carmel it is! Thanks everyone!

Sorry, but Garlic isn't only the first thing I think of,it's really the only thing I think of when someone mentions Gilroy. And you will be able to smell garlic in your car with the windows up.

I just read something the other day that somewhere in Gilroy is going to start producing Black Garlic. Evidently this is only being produced in Korea currently. I didn't know that it is fermented garlic at a high temperature. I have eaten it, but never actually cooked with it myself.

I vote to head straight to Carmel too. This will also save you one less time of having to pack/unpack at your hotel.

easytravler, Was that a garlic press you were referring to?

Hey bulldog, the Gilroy stop was only a short stop, not an overnight. Anyways, I now have my priorities straight with regard to Gilroy. Thanks!

spirobulldog: :)

How did you guess?

BTW, we were returning from down south at about 9pm last Sunday and, boy, could we smell the garlic once we got close to Gilroy!

aggiegirl: don't know where you're coming from, but if you are leaving San Jose airport at 1pm (assuming that you have your rental car by them), and you are getting hungry, you can stop off in Gilroy for an In-n-Out burger. Take the Leavesley street exit. go over the freeway and you'll see the red and yellow sign on your left.

http://www.in-n-out.com/

Made from 100% beef (no "slime" added), freshest ingredients, etc. etc.

Try one "animal style" - which is with grilled onions

Or try it "protein style", substituting the bun with a lettuce wrap.

you can have it protein and animal style.

A "two by two" is two hamburger patties with two slices of cheese. A "three by three". I believe the max is a "six by six".

Their milk shakes, too, are all natural ingredients. Fattening and yummy!

I had my first In and Out burger last week. Yes, I ordered it Animal Style. There are actually a lot of "secret" ways to order at I&OB.


If I were coming from San Jose, I would stop at Falafel's Drive Inn.

aggiegirl,

This will also be better if the low tide is early morning that day(so you can do your tidepooling)

http://daviswiki.org/In-N-Out_Secret_Menu


http://www.falafelsdrivein.com/

The Banana Shake is popular at Falafels as is the Falafel Sandwich. Fast Food Kicked Up Greek.

Oh boy, I guess it's time for me to confess why I was thinking of stopping in Gilroy. Yes, I wanted to try In-n-out Burger! Seriously, that was my reason! I have heard good things and we will definitely be hungry after a long flight.

Well Falafels scores higher marks with me. But, you could try one going and one coming. Can't really go wrong with either of them though. In and Out reminds me of a cross between McDonalds and Krispy Kreme. Falafels is a one of a kind unique place.

You have to ask for pickles on In & out. I always forget to ask for them and then I'm disappointed.

Just in case . . . here is an in-N-out practically right next door to the airport.

It'll be fun to stop at In-n-Out because of its "aura", but don't expect great food! The burgers are good for fast food burgers, no more, no less. I personally think the fries taste like cardboard (and I've eaten at various outlets at least 100 times --- soccer team choice, not mine!)

Ate at the Gilroy In-n-Out several times on the way to Carmel. Double double, fries and a shake. Good fast food, cheap and delicious.

I think you should get lunch at the In-n-Out across from the SJC airport (on Coleman Ave, in front of the Lowes store), then take I-880 south, which becomes Hwy 17, follow Hwy 17 over "the hill" to Santa Cruz, where you pick up Hwy 1 south all the way to Carmel. I think it's a much nicer/prettier drive than 101-156-1.

I just thought I was smelling garlic, it was hamburgers. I really don't see all the hype of In and Out. They are good, but they are just a hamburger.

spiro- I love the Falafel drive in too- what a fun place- has been featured on the Food Net Work- just a hole in the wall but great food

I would second hazel's suggestion ONLY if you're used to driving around curves at a rapid speed.

I was just talking with someone from the East Coast earlier this week and she said that the first couple of times she drove over Highway 17, it was a "white knuckles" event most of the way. Highway 17 is a mountainous, curvy road - just so you know.

Otherwise, take 101-156-1, because it's flat and pretty much straight all the way.

There's also an In-n-Out Burger in Morgan Hill before Gilroy. Get off at the Cochrane exit, go over the freeway and it's in the large shopping center.

We pretty much have In-n-Out everywhere now.

"<i>We pretty much have In-n-Out everywhere now.</o>"

But interestingly, not many anywhere along the OP's route south of SJ or on the coast. Just San Jose near the airport, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy. (fewer in that vast area than w/i 10 miles of my house.)

oops -screwed up the italics. Teach me to not preview :(

Living in Oklahoma, we only see them when we go to Dallas(we go to Dallas 4 or 5 time per year). I don't think would eat at one while on vacation in say California, unless I was just in the mood for a fast food burger. To me a gourmet burger at say Chili's is better than In and Out. In and Out doesn't have burgers like Southwest, BBQ, Swiss/Mushroom, etc or anything that is even slightly different. In and Out burgers are kinda like Mcdonalds fries, sometimes they are just what your in the mood for.

An In-N-Out burger can't be compared to a "gourmet burger" anywhere! It's a good fast food burger (sauce, lettuce and tomato). I've heard Five Guys' burgers are way better than In-N-Out, even from Californians.

Five-Guys is good too - totally different type of burger though. I think both chains have lost some of what made them special though - just because they are so common now. In-n-Out used to be something out of the ordinary, that you could only have if you happened to be in one of the few places where they existed. Now there are 11 in the south bay alone. But it is mostly a west coast/southwest thing, so for people in other parts of the country, it may still be a novelty.