first time to california
Sep 25th, 2006, 10:34 PM
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first time to california
I am looking at travelling sept '07 to LA and surrounds with husband and two kids (14 & 12). Havent travelled os before (from Australia) and looking at 2-3 weeks. Places of interest are LA, SF, Yosemite,Las Vegas & Grand Canyon. We are happy to do both fly and drive but I am really not sure on which is the best route to follow and which is the most economical. We would like to do Disney and Universal studios whilst in LA.
Could you expert people please give your opinion what would be the best holiday for us. I know that it is a general question, but I really am new at all this and I think that some of your obsrevations and ideas will inspire some new questions I should be asking. Some good ideas appreciated
thankyou
Could you expert people please give your opinion what would be the best holiday for us. I know that it is a general question, but I really am new at all this and I think that some of your obsrevations and ideas will inspire some new questions I should be asking. Some good ideas appreciated
thankyou
Sep 25th, 2006, 10:49 PM
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Hello cktraveller, as someone in Northern California I can tell you that visiting San Francisco in September is the most beautiful month of all. I just had friends from Australia visit San Francisco for four days and they wished they had allowed themselves more time.
As time goes on and as others add to this thread and as you do also I can make some suggestions for your time in San Francisco.
If you will post back on this thread you started and comment about what your families interst are and what you hope to see when at the various locations it will help everyone to make suggestions.
I would say that if you have two weeks trying to visit all of the places you have listed would not make for a relaxing trip.
In that you want to visit LA and also SF I would suggest an "open jaw" or "multicity" airline ticket meaning flying into one city and departing home from another city (example..fly into Los Angeles which is LAX and fly home from San Francisco which is SFO) so that you do not have to do any backtracking.
You will have fun planning this trip for next year..and we will have fun helping you! Best regards.
As time goes on and as others add to this thread and as you do also I can make some suggestions for your time in San Francisco.
If you will post back on this thread you started and comment about what your families interst are and what you hope to see when at the various locations it will help everyone to make suggestions.
I would say that if you have two weeks trying to visit all of the places you have listed would not make for a relaxing trip.
In that you want to visit LA and also SF I would suggest an "open jaw" or "multicity" airline ticket meaning flying into one city and departing home from another city (example..fly into Los Angeles which is LAX and fly home from San Francisco which is SFO) so that you do not have to do any backtracking.
You will have fun planning this trip for next year..and we will have fun helping you! Best regards.
Sep 25th, 2006, 10:53 PM
#3
certainly hope you can work out 3 weeks - because 2 weeks isn't long enough for LA, SF, Yosemite, Las Vegas & Grand Canyon.
Flying open Jaw into LA an out of either Las Vegas or SF would maker a 3 week itinerary possible - though a bit rushed.
As one example of possible routes:
4 days in the general LA basin (1 day for Disney, 1 day Universal, 1 day beach cities and 1 day add'l sightseeing)
2 days driving up the coast to SF (this would be a minimum - 3 days would be better)
3 full days in SF - 4 if you wanted a day trip to the Wine country or Marin county/Muir Woods. (Again 0 this is a minimum)
2 full days/nights in Yosemite (stay in the Valley)
2 full days night in LV - or more if you want to see many shows.
About 2 days to explore the Grand Canyon and N. Arizona
Return to LV to fly home
This would total about 17 days plus 1 day flying each way brings you up to 19 days. This is a fairly quick trip but not too bad.
The route could be reversed -- OR you could fly into LAX and out of SFO doing LA/Orange county > Grand canyon > LV > Yosemite > Monterey/Carmel > SF > OZ
Flying open Jaw into LA an out of either Las Vegas or SF would maker a 3 week itinerary possible - though a bit rushed.
As one example of possible routes:
4 days in the general LA basin (1 day for Disney, 1 day Universal, 1 day beach cities and 1 day add'l sightseeing)
2 days driving up the coast to SF (this would be a minimum - 3 days would be better)
3 full days in SF - 4 if you wanted a day trip to the Wine country or Marin county/Muir Woods. (Again 0 this is a minimum)
2 full days/nights in Yosemite (stay in the Valley)
2 full days night in LV - or more if you want to see many shows.
About 2 days to explore the Grand Canyon and N. Arizona
Return to LV to fly home
This would total about 17 days plus 1 day flying each way brings you up to 19 days. This is a fairly quick trip but not too bad.
The route could be reversed -- OR you could fly into LAX and out of SFO doing LA/Orange county > Grand canyon > LV > Yosemite > Monterey/Carmel > SF > OZ
Sep 25th, 2006, 10:57 PM
#4
Sorry about the typos - should have gone to bed long ago 
I was posting the same time as LoveItaly - basically we definitely agree you need to plan on open Jaw to make it work (or you could fly from your last stop back to your arrival airport to fly home)
I was posting the same time as LoveItaly - basically we definitely agree you need to plan on open Jaw to make it work (or you could fly from your last stop back to your arrival airport to fly home)
Sep 26th, 2006, 03:34 AM
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Hiya kctraveller.
Good planning is the key to a successful trip and you have plenty of time to organise your trip which is excellent. We have just returned from California, travelling from the UK. I will list below a quick summary of where we visited and it may give you some ideas
br />
Flew in to San Francisco for 5 nights, visiting all the main tourist sites or the first 3 days and then hiring a car for the last 2 and driving over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and Muir Woods. Also spent 1 day at Six Flags - Marine World (but would give this a miss)
Day 6 - Drove to Yosemite for 2 nights - fabulous place would love to have stayed longer
Day 8 - Drove to Monterey for 2 nights, taking in the 17 mile drive, Carmel and Monterey.
Day 10 - Drove down the Big Sur Coast, stopping off at Rocky Point restaurant for breakfast( great place) and also visiting Hearst Castle.Stopped overnight at Fogcatcher Inn on Moonstone Beach ( Cambria)
Day 11 - 18 Drove to Anaheim for 7 nights for our Disney experience.
I would add this was our 4th trip to California and so we did know what we wanted to see, however the amount of time spent in each place was just about right. On previous trips we have also driven from LA to Las Vegas, so I guess you could add this onto your trip if you have 3 weeks.
San Diego is also worth a visit for a few days. We also have 2 teenagers, so we tried to ensure that everyone had some part of the holiday that appealed to them. We spent more time in Anaheim because we love Disney and its easy to also drive to Universal, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica etc for day trips for a break from Micky Mouse
I used this forum and 'trip advisor' for hints and tips. The hotels that you stay in are also an important part of the planning process and I did a lot of research into what was best for location, rooms and price. In SF we stayed in a 2 room parlour suite at the Beresford Arms (excellent choice with 2 teenagers)
In Yosemite we stayed in the park at the Yosemite Lodge - pricey but worth it for the location.
In Monterey we stayed at the BW Beach resort - good location on the beach but small rooms and not worth the price we paid.
At Moonstone Beach we stayed in the Fogcatcher Inn - great place, across the road from the beach, large rooms and a free breakfast,
In Anaheim we stayed at the Park Vue Inn in a 2 room suite, again great having 2 bedrooms with the kids. Very clean and exceptionally cheap ($93 a night) The best thing about this hotel is its location, its just across the road from Disneyland, which is just what you need after a long day in the parks when your feet are burning up.
If you want any further help, then please keep posting the questions I am sure that you will get lots more tips and ideas to help you with your planning. Have a great trip, we did and we absolutely love California and I'm sure that you will too.
Good planning is the key to a successful trip and you have plenty of time to organise your trip which is excellent. We have just returned from California, travelling from the UK. I will list below a quick summary of where we visited and it may give you some ideas
br />
Flew in to San Francisco for 5 nights, visiting all the main tourist sites or the first 3 days and then hiring a car for the last 2 and driving over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and Muir Woods. Also spent 1 day at Six Flags - Marine World (but would give this a miss)Day 6 - Drove to Yosemite for 2 nights - fabulous place would love to have stayed longer
Day 8 - Drove to Monterey for 2 nights, taking in the 17 mile drive, Carmel and Monterey.
Day 10 - Drove down the Big Sur Coast, stopping off at Rocky Point restaurant for breakfast( great place) and also visiting Hearst Castle.Stopped overnight at Fogcatcher Inn on Moonstone Beach ( Cambria)
Day 11 - 18 Drove to Anaheim for 7 nights for our Disney experience.
I would add this was our 4th trip to California and so we did know what we wanted to see, however the amount of time spent in each place was just about right. On previous trips we have also driven from LA to Las Vegas, so I guess you could add this onto your trip if you have 3 weeks.
San Diego is also worth a visit for a few days. We also have 2 teenagers, so we tried to ensure that everyone had some part of the holiday that appealed to them. We spent more time in Anaheim because we love Disney and its easy to also drive to Universal, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica etc for day trips for a break from Micky Mouse
I used this forum and 'trip advisor' for hints and tips. The hotels that you stay in are also an important part of the planning process and I did a lot of research into what was best for location, rooms and price. In SF we stayed in a 2 room parlour suite at the Beresford Arms (excellent choice with 2 teenagers)
In Yosemite we stayed in the park at the Yosemite Lodge - pricey but worth it for the location.
In Monterey we stayed at the BW Beach resort - good location on the beach but small rooms and not worth the price we paid.
At Moonstone Beach we stayed in the Fogcatcher Inn - great place, across the road from the beach, large rooms and a free breakfast,
In Anaheim we stayed at the Park Vue Inn in a 2 room suite, again great having 2 bedrooms with the kids. Very clean and exceptionally cheap ($93 a night) The best thing about this hotel is its location, its just across the road from Disneyland, which is just what you need after a long day in the parks when your feet are burning up.
If you want any further help, then please keep posting the questions I am sure that you will get lots more tips and ideas to help you with your planning. Have a great trip, we did and we absolutely love California and I'm sure that you will too.
Sep 26th, 2006, 06:43 AM
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I would fly into SF and fly out from LV. Most economically, try to plan weekend days (Fri Sat Sun) for San Fran and L.A. since room rates are a bit lower and traffic on Sat Sun is light and good for sightseeing. Beaches, Yosemite, and Las Vegas, are best planned for Sun-Thurs as weeknights are less crowded and more affordable.
If you are going to Vegas and then Grand Canyon...you might also considering continuing on up through the State and National Parks of Utah for a couple of days, flying out from Salt Lake City instead of LV. It would make for a beautiful end to your trip to the USA and if you have three weeks i think you'll have time for it all.
If you are going to Vegas and then Grand Canyon...you might also considering continuing on up through the State and National Parks of Utah for a couple of days, flying out from Salt Lake City instead of LV. It would make for a beautiful end to your trip to the USA and if you have three weeks i think you'll have time for it all.
Sep 26th, 2006, 10:43 AM
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Hello kctraveller,
Welcome to the U.S. I'm going to suggest a slightly different route that minimizes backtracking and driving time in places other than what you listed. I suggest you fly into San Francisco and out of LA. Spend 4-5 days (or more) in the SF area, then drive to Yosemite and spend 2 nights (or more) in the Valley. From there, drive up to the high country of Tuolumne Meadows---lovely in September, and unlike any scenery you have in OZ---to spend one night (the only lodging there is tent cabins, but they are clean and comfortable). Then over Tioga Pass and down the east side of the Sierras to Las Vegas. Lots of lodging choices there. From Vegas, it is 4 to 4.5 hours to drive to the Grand Canyon, South Rim. Spend two nights (or more) there, then drive the freeway to LA. You might like to spend a couple of nights in LA and then move south, perhaps even to one of the beach towns, to be closer to Disneyland and out of the LA traffic.
For both Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, the sooner you book your lodging, the better chance you will have of getting lodging inside the parks---well worth it. Also, mid-week is a better time to visit both parks than weekends; in September it will be much less crowded.
In Yosemite, Yosemite Lodge should work well for your family, unless you want to save money and rough it a bit at Curry Village in tent cabins (we stayed in one briefly last summer and met qute a few Australians there, actually). Yosemite Lodge is more of a motel than a rustic lodge, but it is well-located in the Valley, near Yosemite Falls (which might actually be dry in September, but other falls are full then, and the Valley is beautiful at any time). The official website for lodging inside the park is:
http://www.yosemitepark.com/
There are other webistes which offer lodging just outside the park, but it is well worth it to stay right in the Valley---that is what everyone comes to see.
At Grand Canyon, there are four lodges in a row right on the rim of the canyon; some have canyon-view rooms. These are El Tovar (most expensive; traditional national park lodge style); Bright Angel Lodge (more rustic, some rooms with bath down the hall, but clean and very reasonable; they also have cabins); Thunderbird Lodge (more modern), and another more modern one whose name I forget. The official website for information and reservations is:
http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/
Sunrise and sunset offer incredible colors in the canyon. During the day, there are level walks along the rim in both directions, or you can hike down into the canyon on a well-graded trail as far as you like---remembering that you also have to walk back up.
Welcome to the U.S. I'm going to suggest a slightly different route that minimizes backtracking and driving time in places other than what you listed. I suggest you fly into San Francisco and out of LA. Spend 4-5 days (or more) in the SF area, then drive to Yosemite and spend 2 nights (or more) in the Valley. From there, drive up to the high country of Tuolumne Meadows---lovely in September, and unlike any scenery you have in OZ---to spend one night (the only lodging there is tent cabins, but they are clean and comfortable). Then over Tioga Pass and down the east side of the Sierras to Las Vegas. Lots of lodging choices there. From Vegas, it is 4 to 4.5 hours to drive to the Grand Canyon, South Rim. Spend two nights (or more) there, then drive the freeway to LA. You might like to spend a couple of nights in LA and then move south, perhaps even to one of the beach towns, to be closer to Disneyland and out of the LA traffic.
For both Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, the sooner you book your lodging, the better chance you will have of getting lodging inside the parks---well worth it. Also, mid-week is a better time to visit both parks than weekends; in September it will be much less crowded.
In Yosemite, Yosemite Lodge should work well for your family, unless you want to save money and rough it a bit at Curry Village in tent cabins (we stayed in one briefly last summer and met qute a few Australians there, actually). Yosemite Lodge is more of a motel than a rustic lodge, but it is well-located in the Valley, near Yosemite Falls (which might actually be dry in September, but other falls are full then, and the Valley is beautiful at any time). The official website for lodging inside the park is:
http://www.yosemitepark.com/
There are other webistes which offer lodging just outside the park, but it is well worth it to stay right in the Valley---that is what everyone comes to see.
At Grand Canyon, there are four lodges in a row right on the rim of the canyon; some have canyon-view rooms. These are El Tovar (most expensive; traditional national park lodge style); Bright Angel Lodge (more rustic, some rooms with bath down the hall, but clean and very reasonable; they also have cabins); Thunderbird Lodge (more modern), and another more modern one whose name I forget. The official website for information and reservations is:
http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/
Sunrise and sunset offer incredible colors in the canyon. During the day, there are level walks along the rim in both directions, or you can hike down into the canyon on a well-graded trail as far as you like---remembering that you also have to walk back up.
Sep 26th, 2006, 02:26 PM
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thankyou for the info from everyone..I will definately investigate all of your ideas...in regards to LoveItalys comments, we would like a bit of relaxation and adventure. Especially for my son who can get bored with scenery..(boys!!). We arent hikers but we do like exploring and walking. We like adventure.
In SF I would like to see Alcatraz and the other major 'touristy' sights. In LA we would want to do the Homes of the stars (kids really), the Walk of Fame and the beach areas, Disney Universal, Mings.
I would like to do some rafting in Yosemite aswell.
Should I leave any of these places or destination cities out of our itinery? By the sounds of some of the response I think we might have too much to do. What should we leave out, if any? Are all these places worth the visit? My husband is not sold on Yosemite but I have this real desire to go. Should I insist? I want all of us to feel like we had a great holiday and not to feel so exhausted that we need a holiday to get over a holiday (maybe that doesnt sound too bad...)But I do want a mixture of experiences.
In SF I would like to see Alcatraz and the other major 'touristy' sights. In LA we would want to do the Homes of the stars (kids really), the Walk of Fame and the beach areas, Disney Universal, Mings.
I would like to do some rafting in Yosemite aswell.
Should I leave any of these places or destination cities out of our itinery? By the sounds of some of the response I think we might have too much to do. What should we leave out, if any? Are all these places worth the visit? My husband is not sold on Yosemite but I have this real desire to go. Should I insist? I want all of us to feel like we had a great holiday and not to feel so exhausted that we need a holiday to get over a holiday (maybe that doesnt sound too bad...)But I do want a mixture of experiences.
Sep 26th, 2006, 03:14 PM
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I'm going to comment on the LA portion a bit, since it sounds like you need a bit of guidance....
First of all, I really urge you to go over the information found in this website for the greater LA area. Outsiders come here with no clue as to the vastness of the area we're talking about; it's larger than many countries and comprises well over 100 cities.
Then, here are some specific comments on the things you've mentioned already:
-- The "stars' homes" tours, self-guided or on an actual tour, are a bit misleading. The homes of the stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood are often gone (demolished for some nouveaux riches' faux-Tuscan monstrosity, more likely than not) or heavily-remodeled (i.e., Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's house). The tours might have an idea of where some current Hot Stars may have lived, but the reality is that the tours focus on the Beverly Hills area, while many stars now live in the Hollywood Hills or Malibu or Brentwood/Pacific Palisades-- less-accessible places.
-- The Walk of Fame in Hollywood is nowhere near any beaches. It is about 24 km from Santa Monica, which would be the easiest beach community to get to from that part of LA. Hollywood itself should take no more than a couple of hours.
-- Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood are not only two separate theme parks, they are in two separate cities. In two separate counties. Fifty-six km apart. Each park will be the centerpiece of one day. And by the way, it's worth it to spend the extra scratch for the VIP tour at Universal, which gets you extra backlot access. Or, just do the more no-nonsense tour over at Warner Brothers. Which I prefer anyway.
-- Ming's?!?!? Do you by any chance mean Grauman's Chinese Theatre? Combine it with the Walk of Fame stuff. You still will only need a couple of hours.
-- Beach areas is vague. There are wonderful beaches up and down the entire California coast. In the greater LA area, there are the nice sands in LA County (the most notable: Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes) and Orange County (practically the entire coastline: Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente). You should probably focus on the LA County beaches; from most tourists' standpoints, the coast between Malibu and Venice Beach is enough sand.
-- You're leaving out cool stuff like the Getty Center and the Getty Villa (two separate, architecturally-stunning properties), Disney Concert Hall (another incredible construction), the cool shopping on Melrose Ave (your kids will love it), the high-end shopping on Rodeo Drive (that's for you, Mum!), historical sites in the area (Olvera St., the historic center of el Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula; missions up and down the coast, including the famous Misión San Juan Capistrano), and thousands of other things to see and do. Without a real picture of your family's interests, it's hard to narrow them down.
As is the case in every other place you might go in California. It's embarassingly rich in possibilities, and people spend lifetimes here and never run out of things.
First of all, I really urge you to go over the information found in this website for the greater LA area. Outsiders come here with no clue as to the vastness of the area we're talking about; it's larger than many countries and comprises well over 100 cities.
Then, here are some specific comments on the things you've mentioned already:
-- The "stars' homes" tours, self-guided or on an actual tour, are a bit misleading. The homes of the stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood are often gone (demolished for some nouveaux riches' faux-Tuscan monstrosity, more likely than not) or heavily-remodeled (i.e., Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's house). The tours might have an idea of where some current Hot Stars may have lived, but the reality is that the tours focus on the Beverly Hills area, while many stars now live in the Hollywood Hills or Malibu or Brentwood/Pacific Palisades-- less-accessible places.
-- The Walk of Fame in Hollywood is nowhere near any beaches. It is about 24 km from Santa Monica, which would be the easiest beach community to get to from that part of LA. Hollywood itself should take no more than a couple of hours.
-- Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood are not only two separate theme parks, they are in two separate cities. In two separate counties. Fifty-six km apart. Each park will be the centerpiece of one day. And by the way, it's worth it to spend the extra scratch for the VIP tour at Universal, which gets you extra backlot access. Or, just do the more no-nonsense tour over at Warner Brothers. Which I prefer anyway.
-- Ming's?!?!? Do you by any chance mean Grauman's Chinese Theatre? Combine it with the Walk of Fame stuff. You still will only need a couple of hours.
-- Beach areas is vague. There are wonderful beaches up and down the entire California coast. In the greater LA area, there are the nice sands in LA County (the most notable: Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes) and Orange County (practically the entire coastline: Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente). You should probably focus on the LA County beaches; from most tourists' standpoints, the coast between Malibu and Venice Beach is enough sand.
-- You're leaving out cool stuff like the Getty Center and the Getty Villa (two separate, architecturally-stunning properties), Disney Concert Hall (another incredible construction), the cool shopping on Melrose Ave (your kids will love it), the high-end shopping on Rodeo Drive (that's for you, Mum!), historical sites in the area (Olvera St., the historic center of el Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula; missions up and down the coast, including the famous Misión San Juan Capistrano), and thousands of other things to see and do. Without a real picture of your family's interests, it's hard to narrow them down.
As is the case in every other place you might go in California. It's embarassingly rich in possibilities, and people spend lifetimes here and never run out of things.
Sep 26th, 2006, 04:28 PM
#11
Leaving off Vegas or Yosemite or the Grand Canyon is not a reflection on whether they are interesting or not, but for a car trip that's a *LOT* of miles to cover, with everything else you've got going on. We've got some BIG states here out "west".
Sep 26th, 2006, 05:52 PM
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My husband and I just took a two week trip to California.
Here is a link to the report; it may help you since we went to LA, SF and Yosemite.
This is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/ju9ab
I don't know how to make it so that you can click on it; you could cut and paste!
You will have an excellent trip!
Here is a link to the report; it may help you since we went to LA, SF and Yosemite.
This is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/ju9ab
I don't know how to make it so that you can click on it; you could cut and paste!
You will have an excellent trip!
Sep 26th, 2006, 06:59 PM
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kctraveller - being from Australia, I'm sure you are familiar with vast distances, and maybe even long drives through unchanging landscape, but you've set up a potential itinerary with some hard slogs as far as driving, and a number of different climates. Don't underestimat the additional time to drive through the mountains, even if the roads look straight on the map! The trip from Vegas to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is not scenic once you get past Hoover Dam and the tiring switch-backs in the mountains, but it's tolerable (I've done it 3 times - don't want to do it again). Just count on 5 hours if you make any stops. Get reservations as far in advance as possible for one of the lodges on the rim itself. The driving between SF and Yosemite is not very interesting until you get to Yosemite. Yosemite is fabulous but also very busy over weekends. Definitely advise biting the bullet on the high cost of staying at one of the lodges in the valley itself if you're there for just a couple of days, as you'll spend too much time driving into the park otherwise. September is supposed to be very nice. There's a substantial difference in daytime and nighttime temps in the Valley. Check the weather averages. You probably won't get the same flow over the different falls in Sept as in the spring, although this August, there was still a high level of water going over Vernal and Nevada Falls because the snow pack was still melting upstream. Not so much over Yosemite Falls itself, however. I cannot comment on Los Angeles, since I've never been there (no real desire), but all of the places you've identified are among our favorite places in the world. SF for the sights, food and culture, and if you fancy wine, a sprint north to wine country. (Sept. is sunnier than August in SF!) Yosemite for natural wonders. Vegas for unnatural wonders. Sept. can be hot in Vegas, so you might want to make that your last stop. Have never driven between Vegas and LA but I'm told it's just lots and lots of sand (and you don't even go by Death Valley!) Have fun planning!
Oct 2nd, 2006, 08:48 AM
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I always have to chuckle at people who say they have "no desire" to see the greater Los Angeles area. Like there's nothing here of interest in southern California. How about:
-- World-class theatre (home-grown, not just touring companies-- outstanding quality and lots and lots of them)
-- World-class museums
-- World-class orchestras
-- Cutting-edge art (some outstanding art galleries all over the place)
-- World-class restaurants (we're just not snobs about the truly good ones)
-- Much better newspapers
The fact is: Southern California is actually culturally incredibly rich. It's truthfully very much worth an in-depth visit. As is northern CA; I love it up there too, for complementary reasons.
So the riches of California are not all in one small geographic location. Explore, explore! Exploration should be like oxygen to a true World Traveler.
-- World-class theatre (home-grown, not just touring companies-- outstanding quality and lots and lots of them)
-- World-class museums
-- World-class orchestras
-- Cutting-edge art (some outstanding art galleries all over the place)
-- World-class restaurants (we're just not snobs about the truly good ones)
-- Much better newspapers
The fact is: Southern California is actually culturally incredibly rich. It's truthfully very much worth an in-depth visit. As is northern CA; I love it up there too, for complementary reasons.
So the riches of California are not all in one small geographic location. Explore, explore! Exploration should be like oxygen to a true World Traveler.
Oct 3rd, 2006, 06:52 PM
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There are lots of good actors in LA? I'm shocked! Seriously, I know that LA has many fine qualities, it's just not as high on my list of places to visit before I die as other spots. There are so many places I haven't seen, finite resources, and a dwindling supply of time.
Oct 6th, 2006, 01:01 AM
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Visited Yosemite 5 days ago. It was dried up. NO Yosemite Falls. Very small bit of water at Bridel Falls. Camping grounds and parking lots were VERY dusty. This is Not the NP as I anticipated. The long drive getting to south gate and out of west gate were great.
Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon received thunderstorms today, so are lovely.
Grand Canyon is a great site but this week be prepared for rain, winds and temp highs in the low 60s and lows below 40.
Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon received thunderstorms today, so are lovely.
Grand Canyon is a great site but this week be prepared for rain, winds and temp highs in the low 60s and lows below 40.
Nov 6th, 2006, 03:15 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2004
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It's funny - when you are from NY it is common to hear people say, "I hate L.A.". It's like yo are not supposed to like L.A. Well I'm from NY and love L.A. - I love California, esp the Santa Monica/Venice/Malibu area. Also Laguna and Newport Beach. It's just so different - it's not the culture, it's the vibe
