I will be arriving in LA (from Canada) next Thursday at noon and meeting my travel partner there. We have a rental car all lined up and are planning on taking the scenic route to San Fran. Short trip over Easter weekend, leaving from San Fran Monday afternoon. My question is - would it be worthwhile to stay in LA Thursday, maybe do a bus tour? Then head out for San Fran Friday morning? Or would our time be better spent in San Fran area? Any must see's or eats would be helpful as well!

For the short time you have, I would say don't bother with LA. Way too big and too much to see. Heading north and enjoying San Francisco (a much more manageable city) is the best use of your limited time.

I would be inclined to stay in LA the first night - probably in the Santa Monica area and just spend the afternoon wandering around the beach area.

Then take Friday and Saturday to drive up the coast to SF. That will give you 1 night stop over, which I would be inclined to spend in the Cambria/Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo area.

Then you will have all day Sunday and part of Monday in SF.

This seems like a fairly even itinerary, which gives you a nice taste of the areas you will be travelling through.

I would stop thursday night on the way up to San Fran.....Santa Barbara or Carmel.

Posiy,

By all means, spend the time in San Francisco. If you don't want to do the 6 hour drive right after a long flight, then stop around San Simeon to break up the trip, and visit Hearst castle.

IMPORTANT! when in San Francisco, always say San Francisco, never san fran. If you say "Frisco" you will be looked down upon as a tourist, but say san fran, well...why don't you just go back to canada.

SF is the nicest city in the country, I hope you have a great time.

I'm assuming you are landing at LAX.

As you drive up the freeway (405), take a detour at the Getty Museum. Well worth the stop. Have lunch there.

Then head on up the coast (Highway 101), stop in Santa Barbara for dinner (and to avoid the rush hour traffic).

Spend the night in Santa Barbara or further north along the coast.

If you spend the night in Santa Barbara or north, you may want to plan some time the next day visiting a winery or two.

Or, on Friday, just drive up Highway 1. You may want to try a tour at Hearst Castle.

Continue on through Big Sur. Plan to spend the night (Friday night) in Carmel/Monterey.

Saturday, wander around Carmel, hike Pt Lobos (2 miels south of Carmel) and then drive leisurely up to San Francisco.

This will give you about a day and a half to enjoy SF.

Have fun! and welcome to California!

If you plan to drive ALL the way up Hwy 1 to San Francisco, you can't. There was some errosion at Devil's Slide (north of Half Moon Bay) and they closed this portion of the highway on Monday. They said it won't reopen till the rains stop - which might be quite a while. You will have to head east on Hwy 92 at Half Moon Bay.

Stu Dudley

Thanks so much - VERY helpful. Road closures, routes, sites and city lingo - all that in half an hour! Really looking forward to exploring the area.

Stu is correct, there is a portion of Highway 1 that is closed due to a mudslide.

This portion is NORTH of Monterey, so should not affect the majority of your trip up the coast.

You can drive from Monterey inland, take Highway 1 to Highway 156 to Highway 101. Then you can take either 101 all the way up to SF or branch off onto Interstate 280 to SF; I280 is by far the more scenic route.

I think you should get out of LA as quickly as possible on Thursday, to avoid the potenitally disastrous Thursday evening traffic. You might stop in San Luis Obispo, Cambria, Morro Bay, Solvang, or somewhere in that vicinity (I would try to get as far north as reasonable without driving in the dark). I'd also advise an early start Friday morning so you can reach the Bay Area early in the day. Friday afternoon traffic won't be the best, either, although you should be going against the grain.

Definately OUT of LA right away! I did the trek last year...flew into LA, went immediately to Santa Barbara, stayed the night. Went to Monterey next, loved it even more! Ended in San Francisco.

Do you like wine? (You are Canadian, all my Canadian friends love to drink...so I am assuming you do! You do have the best beer... )

You can visit vineyards in the Santa Barbara and Carmel areas too.

Hearst Castle was beautiful.

Really enjoyed Monterey.

8-)

Yes, we are big wine drinkers. Is there a specific winery you would recommend visting?

I like Chateau Julien in Carmel Valley. Firestone in Los Olivos.