Los Angeles --> San Francisco coastal trip (LAST MINUTE!)
Dec 22nd, 2011, 02:07 PM
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So if I left LA in the morning, I would be able to stop in SB, Solvang, and Pismo beach and arrive in SLO by nighttime?
If I am spending one night in SLO and 2 nights between SLO and SF, does it really matter where I stay inbetween? I was thinking 2 nights Monterey but am open to suggestions.
Also, am looking at hostels in LA and am looking specifically at Venice Beach Cotel but i hear that Venice Beach is a little bit seedy and somewhere in Hollywood is better for tourists. Is that an accurate statement? I would like to book banana bungalow but no private rooms are available for the time we are going.
Thanks once again everyone!
If I am spending one night in SLO and 2 nights between SLO and SF, does it really matter where I stay inbetween? I was thinking 2 nights Monterey but am open to suggestions.
Also, am looking at hostels in LA and am looking specifically at Venice Beach Cotel but i hear that Venice Beach is a little bit seedy and somewhere in Hollywood is better for tourists. Is that an accurate statement? I would like to book banana bungalow but no private rooms are available for the time we are going.
Thanks once again everyone!
Dec 22nd, 2011, 02:38 PM
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=los...ia=2,4&t=m&z=8
this seems like my rough map...
2 nights LA
1 night SLO
2 nights monterey/big sur/etc.
3 nights SF
Sound good?
this seems like my rough map...
2 nights LA
1 night SLO
2 nights monterey/big sur/etc.
3 nights SF
Sound good?
Dec 22nd, 2011, 02:46 PM
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
please feel free to let me know of anything else along the way that is good...
also, I am kind of unsure of the whole 2 nights monterey/big sur/carmel thing and where exactly to stay for those 2 nights. they can be 2 different places.
if anywhere we are looking to have a nice place to stay would be those 2 nights so somewhere unique and cool would be really nice!
also, I am kind of unsure of the whole 2 nights monterey/big sur/carmel thing and where exactly to stay for those 2 nights. they can be 2 different places.
if anywhere we are looking to have a nice place to stay would be those 2 nights so somewhere unique and cool would be really nice!
Dec 22nd, 2011, 05:28 PM
#24
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"There isn't necessarily a lot for tourists to do in Los Angeles". HUH? You heard wrong.
www.discoverlosangeles.com
I do think Hollywood would be better for you than Venice Beach since you are going to Staples Center and don't want to deal with that traffic all the way from the west side. The Hollywood city Inn in Hollywood is $60 that night, clean, with parking, and you can walk across the street and take the metro subway to Staples Center.
www.discoverlosangeles.com
I do think Hollywood would be better for you than Venice Beach since you are going to Staples Center and don't want to deal with that traffic all the way from the west side. The Hollywood city Inn in Hollywood is $60 that night, clean, with parking, and you can walk across the street and take the metro subway to Staples Center.
Dec 22nd, 2011, 08:33 PM
#25
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 26,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you're coming soon, DRESS WARM! Yeah, you're laughing and thinking, "I'm from Toronto, I know cold."
You do but people expect California to be warm. Not at this time of year. And it's even colder up north. I see a lot of visitors shivering in their sweaters here in Southern California.
You do but people expect California to be warm. Not at this time of year. And it's even colder up north. I see a lot of visitors shivering in their sweaters here in Southern California.
Dec 24th, 2011, 05:40 AM
#26
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
on the way up the coast you might want to consider Capitola. It is another cute little beach town. Also, like nearby Santa Cruz, there are lots of folks your age so hence cheap food, good coffee shops etc. Carmel is beautiful but again kind of like SB, it tends to cater to the older crowd IMO with galleries, etc. But the whole coast is full of great little stops. I know you were thinking of Esalen which is great, so you might also like Asilomar which is actually part of the state park systems
http://www.visitasilomar.com/
It has fabulous architecture designed by Julia Morgan from the Arts and Crafts era:
http://www.visitasilomar.com/discove...itecture-.aspx
You can actually stay the night there for around $120, so not cheap but might be worth it if you love architecture. Otherwise you could stop just to see it.
http://www.visitasilomar.com/
It has fabulous architecture designed by Julia Morgan from the Arts and Crafts era:
http://www.visitasilomar.com/discove...itecture-.aspx
You can actually stay the night there for around $120, so not cheap but might be worth it if you love architecture. Otherwise you could stop just to see it.
Dec 24th, 2011, 01:09 PM
#27
Near Pismo Beach, actually Grover Beach, are a grove of trees where the Monarch butterflies overwinter. Check it out. It is pretty amazing. You may also want to splurge and do a dune buggy or hummer tour of the dunes at Pismo. So much fun, but not cheap.
There is also a butterfly sanctuary in Pacific Grove, but not sure how good it is any more.
There is also a butterfly sanctuary in Pacific Grove, but not sure how good it is any more.
Dec 24th, 2011, 02:24 PM
#28
Hosteling International has 3 hostels in San Francisco. I have found that I like the HI hostels more than some of the others.
Link to the downtown HI hostel: http://sfhostels.com/downtown/
My very favorite HI hostel is at the corner of 10th & H in Sacramento.
Link to the downtown HI hostel: http://sfhostels.com/downtown/
My very favorite HI hostel is at the corner of 10th & H in Sacramento.
Dec 30th, 2011, 08:23 AM
#29
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My wife and I stopped in Monterey last year, we stayed in the Monterey Suites. Not sure of your budget, but we found it to be really good value, as the breakfast was huge and included in the price (I say huge, but that's huge to British standards!).
The restaurants nears the aquarium also we really good, something for all budgets.
SF, definitely drop the car - we had 3 days in SF and the buses were excellent. Taxi back to the airport was around $60 i seem to remember.
The restaurants nears the aquarium also we really good, something for all budgets.
SF, definitely drop the car - we had 3 days in SF and the buses were excellent. Taxi back to the airport was around $60 i seem to remember.
Dec 30th, 2011, 10:57 AM
#30
Don't forget Motel6 for the central coast, it started in Santa Barbara.
Quite often you can get a good rate midweek at Cambria Pines Lodge through moonstonehotels.com, I recommend the fireplace rooms which are on the upper floor. The rates include breakfast although it may not clearly state that on the website.
Try Expedia, Hotwire, Travelzoo etc. as well.
Usually you get better rates in the cities on weekends and on the coast midweek.
Good luck!
Quite often you can get a good rate midweek at Cambria Pines Lodge through moonstonehotels.com, I recommend the fireplace rooms which are on the upper floor. The rates include breakfast although it may not clearly state that on the website.
Try Expedia, Hotwire, Travelzoo etc. as well.
Usually you get better rates in the cities on weekends and on the coast midweek.
Good luck!
Jan 1st, 2012, 09:14 AM
#34
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've never stayed at the Adelaide Hostel in San Francisco and haven't seen it recommended before.
It is right on the borderline of the Tenderloin, one of the not-so-nice neighborhoods in San Francisco.
If you had to stay in the Tenderloin, I'd suggest you go with tomfuller's suggestion of the Hostelling International hostel on Ellis.
If you will have a car (and you would probably want to have a car for at least a day in San Francisco), try the Hostelling International at "Fisherman's Wharf", which isn't at FW but further west in Fort Mason and I believe it has free parking, a tremendous plus in San Francisco. Beautiful location. Safe.
http://sfhostels.com/fishermans-wharf/
It is right on the borderline of the Tenderloin, one of the not-so-nice neighborhoods in San Francisco.
If you had to stay in the Tenderloin, I'd suggest you go with tomfuller's suggestion of the Hostelling International hostel on Ellis.
If you will have a car (and you would probably want to have a car for at least a day in San Francisco), try the Hostelling International at "Fisherman's Wharf", which isn't at FW but further west in Fort Mason and I believe it has free parking, a tremendous plus in San Francisco. Beautiful location. Safe.
http://sfhostels.com/fishermans-wharf/
Jan 1st, 2012, 12:37 PM
#36
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
duncanm: go into tripadvisor.com and look at the reviews for the Adelaide. Do the "rating" reviews in reverse, from bad to good. I always get more information from the bad reviews than from the good.
Jan 1st, 2012, 07:16 PM
#37
I would skip the Madonna Inn. Stay in Pismo or shell Beach. We have had good luck with Cottage inn By the Sea. They usually have good Internet rates.
http://www.cottage-inn.com/
http://www.cottage-inn.com/
Jan 1st, 2012, 08:36 PM
#38
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think the Tenderloin is as bad as it was years ago when we lived there, but it's much nicer over by Lombard Street and the Marina. Google away and find a good hotel there is my best advice, and you might even keep the car for a day if you want to drive over to Sausalito and up to say Napa to visit a winery. Parking is included in some of the places and there is usually also some street parking - but you might have to drive around a little.
I like the two that are closer to the Presidio and you can catch a couple of different bus lines there or on the cute little street named Chestnut. http://tinyurl.com/6ttcvzr
I like the two that are closer to the Presidio and you can catch a couple of different bus lines there or on the cute little street named Chestnut. http://tinyurl.com/6ttcvzr
Jan 1st, 2012, 08:39 PM
#39
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Try this one - Marina Motel - and there is another across Lombard. http://www.marinamotel.com/san-franc...-services.aspx
Jan 2nd, 2012, 08:32 AM
#40
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Depends what part of the Tenderloin. Where the Adelaide Hostel is is perfectly fine (it's also on the "edge " of Union Square). Tom is right though IF you want to have your car in SF, because parking downtown is extremely pricey.
