Help with distances LA x SF x LV
 

Hi, have around 12-14 days to spend in California/Nevada next month. Coming from South America with arrival in LA and departure also from LA. Would like to go to Las Vegas and stay some days in LA and San Francisco. Have no idea about the distances, and don´t know if it is better to rent a car all the time or go by plane to LV and then car to SF and to LA again. I can find info about hotels and places, but not about the distances. Suggestions are welcome please! Thanks.

You can get distances and driving times easily at www.mapquest.com. <BR> <BR>The drive from LA to LV (depending on where in LA you start) usually takes us around 4-5 hours, from LA to SF around 7 - 9 hours depending on route (inland, Interstate 5 is fast but boring, coast, US 101 is slower but more interesting and scenic.) <BR> <BR>LV to SF is a long drive mostly through uninspiring country, plan on 10 hours or so plus stops. Given current low airfares, I'd probably fly LA-LV return, renting a car in LV only if you want to explore beyond the city (otherwise taxis or bus or shoes are easier and cheaper) then rent a car for the LA-SF portion, using US 101 and/or US 101 plus beautiful California Hwy. 1 (Hearst Castle et al) for a fine driving tour. In SF city, park the car and use public transit whenever possible.

I strongly second John's suggestion. Fly from LA to Las Vegas and back. If you're looking to save time fly also to SF and don't bother to rent a car at all. If you want to see the California coast, don't drive I5---it's hot and boring and smelly though will only take about 5-6 hours--just you and the semis! To drive the coast on 101 you really should allow at least 2 days and plan to overnight somewhere on the Central Coast either south or just north of Big Sur. If by "next month" you mean November, the earlier in the month you can plan to be in SF and northern CA, the better. The rains will begin sometime in the latter part of the month. Today we have a heavy marine layer still at 10 am and cool temps. Not bad, but we see fall approaching.

Irisha: <BR> <BR>You've gotten some excellent advise. Driving times given are accurate. I often drive SF to LV. It's 10 hours, a long day's drive. This route and I-5 are boaring. Just farmland and desert. I once overheard a tourist complaining: "I can't understand what people think is so great about California. We drove down the whole state from Oregon to LA and saw nothing worthwhile. The state is just a bunch of barren farmland. " They should have asked the locals. They obviously drove down I-5 through the central valley. The central valley runs through the center of the state and is where all of that California produce comes from. On one side is the Sierra Nevada mountain range; on the other side is the coast range and the Pacific coast. Just a few miles either way for the beauty. They just drove right past everything. <BR>By all means take 101 or highway 1 up the coast and take the time to see the sights. <BR>Have a great trip.

Thanks for all advises. We are going to take flights to LV and the coast driving to SF. Have a nice week end you all!