chrismueller

I need tips on how to plan our 10 days California trip including SFO, LA and San Diego.
We fly to SFO on Dec 23rd, and fly back from San Diego on Jan 4th. We stay there 10 full days.
We will rent a car.
How many days shall we plan for SFO, LA, San Diego, and for the road trip between SFO and LA?
This is our first time in California.
Thanks a lot!
Chris

janisj

I assume you don't mean SFO -- that is an airport. As for San Francisco, you don't need, nor want, a car IN the city. Hotel parking will run around $40 a day. (Motels are different - but which ever you choose - you need to book ASAP)

"How many days shall we plan for SFO [San Francisco or even SF], LA, San Diego, and for the road trip between SFO SF and LA?"

Depends on what sorts of things you want to see/do. 10 days is not very long for all that. Even just 3 days each in SF/LA/SD only leaves 1 day for the coast highway which is 2 or 3 days too little.

So decide what sorts of things you want to see and we can help you sort it out. Also - bear in mind there could be winter storms which would make a coastal road trip problematic.

ncounty

I would probably do 3 or 4 days in SF, 1 full long day for the drive to LA, 2 or 3 nights in LA, and 2 or 3 in SD.

I have friends who visit SD for a week in the summer and they enjoy it thoroughly and you could easily spend a week in each city but it you want to catch the highlights, that should probably do it.

I highly recommend doing the Huntington Library in Pasadena when you are in LA. It is my favorite place in Southern California.

janisj

"1 full long day for the drive to LA"

Along the coast that would be a slog in summer - and harder in winter - especially w/ the short daylight. The sun sets just before 5 PM.

SF to LA taking the coast from Monterey onwards is 450 miles and easily 9 hours 'behind the wheel' time w/o ANY stops. It really isn't a one-day drive. 2 days is doable but even that isn't great because there are sooooo many places to see/stop.

Tomsd

Would suggest 3 nights in SF - 2 traveling down the coast - maybe one night in Carmel/Monterrey and the 2nd in Cambria - especially if you want to visit Hearst Castle. http://www.hearstcastle.org/

And then split the last 5 days between LA and SD - maybe spending 3 nights in SD if you get a better Hotel deal there.

As for SF - if you have a car - check out such places as the Chelsea Motor Inn on Lombard - http://www.chelseamotorinn.com/ which includes parking in their rates. Some places along Lombard are a bit noisy so check around. There are some B & B's in the Marina as well.

happytrailstoyou

Arriving December 23 and departing January 4, I count 11 full days.

Thus, you could spend three days in each of the three cities and two days traveling Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Since this is your first time in California, you might want to visit Orange County as a day trip from Los Angeles, spend one of the nights in Palm Springs, and drive to San Diego from Palm Springs via CA 371 and CA 79.

HTtY

sf7307

I also count 11 days, and I would also recommend 3 days in each city and 2 traveling down the coast. I would not detour to Palm Springs, nor would I spend any time in Orange County on this particular trip. I like Tom's plan.

StuDudley

>>I would not detour to Palm Springs, nor would I spend any time in Orange County on this particular trip. I like Tom's plan.

ncounty

Lovely neighborhood you grew up in, Stu! I stay at the old Huntington Hotel regularly for business (now a Langham Hotel) and occasional take walks in the neighborhood. My thought was "I haven't arrived until I own one of THESE homes", lol. Gorgeous architecture, old world elegance.

StuDudley

>>I stay at the old Huntington Hotel regularly

chrismueller

Thanks for all the great tips.
I meant San Francisco, not the airport!
We have 10 full days. We arrive in SFO on 24th late night (not 23rd) and leave from San Diego on 4th early.

happytrailstoyou

I would not detour to Palm Springs, nor would I spend any time in Orange County on this particular trip. I like Tom's plan.

Nor would I. You'll have "too much driving" by then, IMO, and you don't need to add any more.

I guess it depends on one's stamina and interests. Mileage with detours to Orange County and Palm Springs is about 1,000 which isn't too much driving for me. I just returned from a 4,000-mile road trip in Texas and Lousiana. Also, towns such as Laguna Beach and Palm Springs are interesting to me--we don't have such places near Seattle.

HTtY

PS I wouldn't suggest to somebody with 10 days in California to spend a day in Pasadena at Huntington Library. However, the OP doesn't need me to scoff at the idea in order to make his or her decision about whether to go there.

Tomsd

And I agree with sf7.

If you do want to see an art museum on this trip - suggest the Getty - in LA - which is more centrally located/close to freeway 405. http://www.getty.edu/

Otherwise, would split the trip up as previously suggested - and then you could decide where to spend more time on your next trip.

Tomsd

And BTW - I/we used to live in SF and love it - but there is more to see in California than just SF.

Alli66

I think there is a lot of good advice already in this thread but here is my addition... Definitely spend a few days in SF. But not more than 3, IMO. Then your choice is this.. Do you want a relaxing, scenic, very "California" trip or a sight seeing whirlwind trip. If you want more leisurely I highly suggest Santa Barbara and the central coast area and then focus on San Diego rather than LA. Absolutely gorgeous, wine tasting, leisure. I live in and love LA and it has many great sites but is somewhat spread out. If you choose to focus on sites and mostly just do SF and LA then in the LA area hit Manhattan Beach, Venice beach if you want, museums, the Getty, Hollywood tourist sites etc. A note on that - Hollywood itself is gross do some research on what exactly you want to see.

ayaueto101

as someone mentioned ealier 10 days not enough time for 3 major CA. cities. (10 days only good for 2 cities (LA and SD) includes travel time or 10 days per city (so much to do, so Little time) Spent 10 days at SF, alone, with day trips to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park. To San Jose - Winchester mansion and Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.
To Monterey Bay Aquarium. To Napa Valley - Wineries. To Six Flags- Discovery Kingdom - Vallejo, California. To California's Great America - Santa Clara, Fishermans Wharf (historic ships, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Ripley's Museum) SF Zoo, Golden Gate Park (CA Academy of Sciences, de Young Museum, Japanese Tea Garden) has 3 Chinatowns (Sunset, Richmond), JapanTown, Alcatraz Island.
10 days in LA area alone, to Universal studio, Universal City Walk 1 day each, CA Disney, Disneyland, Downtown Disney, Knotts Berry Farm, Hollywood, Griffith Park, LA Zoo, Hollywood Bowl and museum, Santa Monica and Pier, Long Beach Aquarium, Rodeo Dr., Little Tokyo, Exposition Park - LA County Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs, dioramas, rocks, life exhibits), California Science Center (exhibits that demonstrate concepts of science or show the history of science), California African American Museum and Fisher Museum of Art at USC. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.
7 days San Diego, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo, The Scream Zone or Haunted Trail, Knott's Soak City, Legoland, Balboa Park - 17 museums San Diego Air and Space Museum , Del Mar Fairgrounds, Mission Beach, Old Town, Little Italy, San Diego Safari Park, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park , Seaport Villag, The Gaslamp Quarter , La Jolla -beach, Sunny Jim Cave.