Help with SF to LA trip plans, PLEASE!
 

Just wondering your thoughts on doing a partial drive down Highway 1 from SF and a return, - - say 3 hours down and 3 hours back? This is because we get tired very easily driving and my husband is not too keen on driving all the way to LA where we will visit our son.

How far down is the most beautiful of scenic areas (I know that all of God's creation is beautiful), hearing that the Palisades would probably be just that? We could, perhaps, stay overnight and return.

We are planning a 4 night stay at the Columbus Motor Inn, - - we would have to rent a car. Since the price of a one way trip would cost, probably, (I don't really know) more than a pickup and return in SF, we thought that we'd do that.

We could then take a plane into LAX and Fly-Away into downtown LA or Hollywood (closer to our son).

I wanted to do the Coast drive from SF but we need to be in LA on Wednesday. We leave from Chicago on Saturday.

Any comments or suggestions from you would be greatly appreciater

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Could you clarify "3 hours down and 3 hours back" re: your drive down Hwy 1?

Pacific Palisades is all the way down in LA between Malibu and Santa Monica.

If you only want to go 3 hours south of SF, you would be in the Big Sur region. McWay Falls would be just about it. If you want to stay overnight in that region you had best have reservations well in advance.
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How about 3 nights in SF and then rent a car and drive to Hearst Castle for an overnight then on to LA the next day? Don't know your dates but think maybe the rental car for two days (with about $100. drop fee) might be less then one day rental and two plane tickets. If you can do 6 hours (3 down and 3 back) I vote for driving the whole way.

Sweet Caroline, I mean that we would rent a car in SF and drive for three hours at most down the coast to get a taste of the trip and then return to SF.

I'm thinking if you're okay with being in the car 6 hours ("3 hours down and 3 hours back") then you may as well go the whole way from SF to LA because you'll almost be in LA, anyway. The other thing to consider is not taking Hwy 1 the entire way, but cutting over to 101. It doesn't have the spectacular coastline scenery, but most of the trip will be through agricultural land which is nice until you get close to the more metro areas (then it's not too pretty!) but it will get you to LA much faster than taking 1 the whole way. The fastest way to drive to LA from up north is on the 5 but it's really boring.

OK - you are willing to drive 6 hours in one day but not willing to drive to LA? That just doesn't make sense to me.

Instead of back-tracking to SF - and paying for a flight - drive to maybe Cambria or Morro Bay on day one and from there to LA on day two. Since the drive wouldn't be over a weekend you wouldn't face 2-night minimum stays in most places.

I'd suggest just driving as far as Carmel, with a stop in Half Moon Bay and another in Monterey, maybe even Santa Cruz. That's a beautiful area of coastline, especially if you include the 17-Mile Drive (entrance fee).

Well it looks like janis was posting the same time as me--so I will just say that I agree with her and was going to say the same thing. I was also going to suggest Cambria as an overnight stop. If you drive on 101, SF to Cambria is maybe 3 1/2 hours. However you would want to drive some of Highway 1 to see the sights so that would take longer. But it makes no sense to backtrack.

I have stayed at Columbus Motor Inn before and really like it. Parking is free which is one reason I picked it. I drove some San Diego to SF so that's why I had a car but the whole time I was in SF, I never drove it except to go to Muir Woods. So you could pick up your car right before you are ready to leave SF.

Thank you all for commenting on my trip. Well, we are staying at the Columbus Motor Inn and will be in SF for 4 nights.

We have decided to save the driving trip down the coast for another time. It seems that we can only drive 3.5 to 4 hours at a time and then need to rest. Stopping off at various vista points will take quiet a while. I would like to see Hearst Castle, also, and so it would really need to be a 2 to 3 day trip.

We go standby on the airlines (daughter works for airlines) and so it will not cost us much to fly into LAX. We need to visit our son during the 2 days that he is off of work, - - Wed. and Thurs.--which comes in the middle of the week, so, for now this seems to be the best plan. If he were off on the weekend, then we would have tried to complete the drive.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

Princess-What you might want to do instead is rent a car for one day and drive to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach. They are just north of SF and not a long drive. You would get to see some beautiful scenery.

You know, Paula, I suggested this to my husband to go on our own and see Muir Woods, but he wants to go on a tour bus where there is a guide. Actually, I think we would save money on our own renting a car for the day.

You are thinking right, but - - - hubby just isn't cooperating! Thanks!

Either way, it's good to hear you are going to Muir Woods. Enjoy the beautiful trees and scenery.