newyork07

I'm looking for recommended driving routes from San Diego to Palm Springs. I am flying into San Diego early October and heading to Palm Springs for a few days to go to Joshua Tree and then going back to San Diego for a few more days. I would like to start by driving up the coast to Oceanside or San Juan Capistrano and then going over to Palm Springs. If anyone has recommendations of points to see along the way, I would love to hear about them. Thanks for your help.

PSLocal

Here are a couple route alternatives.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...=1&tid=1350349

If you wanted to go the mission in SJC you could also come up into the Irvine Spectrum area after and take the toll road over to the 91 freeway into Riverside, then 60 east to the I-10 east at Beaumont and on in to the desert that way.

If you went any route that took you on I-10 east and through Cabezon you could stop at the gigantic dinosaurs, which is, I guess one of our equivalents to the World's Largest Ball of String.

Have fun.

PSL

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...=1&tid=1350349

fdecarlo

I second Tahquitz's directions. They're a bit complicated, but if you can catch the desert cacti in bloom (early October is a good bet, especially if it's just rained in the area), it's a spectacular drive -- far prettier than going up the coast.

PSLocal

An added thought after I re-read the Tahquitz directions:

The Julian area was dramatically affected by wildfires last year. I have not personally been there to see what the consequences are. It is possible that a lot of the quaint charm that was there was consumed.

Maybe someone with more recent Julian knowledge can comment.

kristeng

There are some beaches in San Diego county that are a lot prettier than Oceanside and not quite as far north. Oceanside is mainly a miltiary base (Camp Pendleton).I would recommend La Jolla, Encinitas, Del Mar, and Solana Beach. You will find any of these areas to be absolutely beautiful. Once you get closer to Palm Springs, there is some great outlet shopping in Cabazon. As a former resident of San Diego now living in Palm Springs, I don't personally think there is much to do here. The desert landscape is beautiful though. I would recommend checking out Palm Canyon drive, where all the little shops and restaurants are. It has a cute, small town feel. There are also some fun Vegas-style Indian casinos in and around Palm Springs. In San Diego there are many things to do. Some of the highlights are the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Coronado Island (home of the famous haunted Hotel Del Coronado), the historic Gaslamp District in downtown, all the beaches,Horton PLaza (huge outdoor shopping mall in center of downtown) and Old Town (Spanish style birthplace of California with great Mexican food and the best margaritas ever). Old Town also has the Whaley House, which is certified as one of the most haunted places in America. Make sure to eat lots of Mexican food in San Diego- you haven't had real mexican food until you've tried it here. Hope this helps, and have fun.

Barbara

I was in Julian a couple of months ago. The "downtown" part is intact and just as lovely as always. Outside the town to the south, there is major devastation with many homes destroyed. The landscape has changed completely. Before the fire, you would drive along the road and be almost engulfed by trees; now many of those trees are black stumps, hills that were formerly hidden from view by the trees lining the road are now vosible, and they also are bare. Driving through that area was the saddest thing to do. The trees will grow baack, they are already beginning to do so, but it will never look the same in my lifetime.

Isn't there a road - CA 74? - that goes from San Juan Capistrano to the 60, then to the 10E? I have never driven that way so I really can't comment on waht it's like. Does anyone know?

newyork07

Thanks for the advice so far. When I said Oceanside I meant that I would like to go at least that far (probably on the 101?), knowing I would see La Jolla, Del Mar, etc. Also, Palm Springs is our stopping point to go to Joshua Tree NP - but PS looks really great from what I've been reading. I am also driving back to San Diego, so I have 2 routes to plan. And thanks, PSL, I think I will stop and see the dinosaurs.