Hi everyone! This fall I'd like to travel to California and do it as absolutely cheap as possible. I'm all set with an airline, but I'm concerned about travelling the state itself. Here's what I'm planning on doing: I'm thinking about landing in Los Angeles to visit some friends, and from there travel along the coast north all the way up to the Redwood National Park. I've always wanted to see the Redwoods, and feel deeply, personally compelled to now that the timber industry is so close to clear-cutting the entirety of the nation's old-growth forest. I'd like to stay in hostels or the cheapest accomodations I can find.
What I'm wondering is, has anyone done this, travelled California cheaply (though I'm sure many have) and travelled the length of the coast? About how much would it be for different modes of transportation? Would a bus be best? Or train?
And has anyone been to the Redwood National Park, or the hostel there?

Really I'd like any information on travelling in Cali, any advice on how to do it super-cheaply, to minimize the cost of the trip both financially and for my own well-being and that of others, stress-wise, gas-wise, ecologically.

Whew, I'm babbling. Okay, thank you so much in advance and for reading this!

~ladysmith

I can speak to the transportation aspect - a car would be best. In general, trains and buses don't service most of what you want to see. Except for some sections in Southern California, the train follows in inland route. Greyhound is an option, but again, it tends to take the quickest route rather than the most scenic.

You may be able to piece together some local public transportation to get to some of the places you want to go - for example if you get to Monterey, you could take a Monterey county bus down into Big Sur a little ways and see a section of the coast there. From Monterey you can link up to the Santa Cruz county metro which operates a bus to Big Basin state park. Very piecemeal, but doable in some areas. I don't know what sorts of public transportation options are availible along the north coast.

Another option would be to get rides through something like Craigslist.

I don't have any real information on hostels though - everybody I know who has done the coast cheaply has camped.

Hi ladysmith

I might be able to help. How much time do you have? What is your ballpark budget once you get to LA? Is this a round trip from LA? As you must know driving is the only way to do this (unless you fly to Arcata from LA) and going up highway 1 from LAX to redwood national park is about 800 miles... mostly slow miles.

Have Fun
GP

Have Fun

Here a youth hostel link:
http://www.norcalhostels.org/
I'm not personally familiar with any, except I've been to the Montara Lighthouse hostel (north of Half Moon Bay on Hwy 1) visiting a relative staying there. It's beautiful there. Anyway, this link looks like a good resource for you. Also check out the following: www.green tortoise.com
They have bus tours and a hostel in SF.

Sorry, it's: www.greentortoise.com