Mother Daughter Trip
 

I am planning a trip to San Francisco with my daughter in May. I have been looking at The Caravan Tour from San Fran to LA. I know it is a typical tourist thing to do! However , it takes a lot of the pressure off since it is all planned out. My question is, does anyone know anything about this company? We are new at this travel thing and we probably won't have another opportunity for a trip like this. I am not sure where to fly into (Oakland or San Fran). I would truly appreciate any and all input so I can get this booked! Thank you..

I'm a Travel Agent-Caravan has been around a long time. Hotels are on the moderate side-and may not be central in SFO, but they will get you point to point, and will offer tours to purchase, and they are very reliable. You could also rent a car and copy their itinerary.
SFO airport is definetely closer to the city, and would be better. OAK has a lot of traffic and you have to cross the Bay Bridge.

The Coast route is lovely-the downside to a bus tour, is that if you are on the 'port' side of the bus (left) you will not be able to see too much of the beautiful coast line. I would do this:
fly into SFO-take the super shuttle into the city, and stay there 3 nights. Then take the shuttle back to the airport and get your car, and do the route on your own. Stop in Monterey and do the 17 mile drive in Carmel (buses not allowed), and stop at Pt. Lobos-gorgeous park. Overnight in Monterey.
Then drive down to Solvang and stay the night there and enjoy the shops and pancake houses. From there drive to Santa Barbara and spend the night. You are an hour to L.A. and you could then stay in L.A. and do the Getty, Griffith Observatory, and Santa Monica.
drop your car off at LAX and fly home

There is scads of stuff here on Fodors about SF and the Coast.

A bus down the coast is absurd. You're going to want to get out at several places, take pictures, admire the views, explore on your own, and dawdle over lunch at Nepenthe and shop in the gift shop.

You could spend most of a day at Pt Lobos alone!!

There are dozens of longtime Calif residents willing to offer advice to you - if you are willing to provide some likes, dis-likes, how much time you have for this trip, and engage in some feedback.

Start Here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

I would advise you to do a search on "San Francisco", but the "advanced search" on Fodors will not retrieve anything posted since about May last year. And Fodors doesn't seem to have any interest in fixing it. Maybe this is why the activity on Fodors has diminished recently.

Stu Dudley

Gee Stu,

that was kinda rude.

OTOH I agree completely about doing the drive on your own. You didn't say how old your daughter is, but I did it with mine, when each of daughters was looking at colleges and it was wonderful. We stayed one or maybe two nights in Carmel (the American Cannes) then SLO, then Santa Barbara, then LA. San Diego is wonderful too... (I now live in CA but I didn't back then)

The drive back up I5 is no fun, just pure boredom -- but an easy one day's drive, and you'll be at the perfect time of the year at least. And there are plenty of chain hotels in all of those towns if you want to avoid heavy planning,

Enjoy your drive together -- I hope it turns into a bonding time with your daughter.

JMWN

>>Gee Stu,

that was kinda rude. <<

Huh - I didn't intend to be rude..... Please explain!!

Stu Dudley

>>that was kinda rude. <<

What on EARTH was rude????

He said the tour was absurd -- not that the OP is . . .

>>A bus down the coast is absurd. <<

And stu -- it is even worse than that -- the Caravan tours I saw on line squeeze in Napa, Yosemite, the coast and LA . . . not just a simple ride down the coast.

It seems that we have more and more new members who feel that any comments that are not joyfully positive about everything are rude.

Rude is telling the OP that they are stupid or lazy.

Pointing out negatives to their plans - yes, in straightforward language - is providing invaluable help - often from people with massive experience.

Poster here are not cheerleaders - most are sharing a wealth of experience - and new posters should be grateful for the help (not take umbrage for "rude" posts with information pointing out better choices).

Gailster, while Caravan has been in business for many years (I was a travel agent 30 years ago and it was around then.) there is no need to take a coach tour. Yes, they make the arrangements, but it is being herded like cattle and very inflexible. With help from the many Fodor's posters (including many of us who are native Californians) you can easily plan this trip yourself. Tell us what you hope to see and experience, your budget and time frame. We can help you plan a California experience you will truly enjoy, not just see from the window of a bus.

I agree with the others that this is an easy enough drive to do yourself, May should be lovely and you will have longer daylight hours for the drive. Try and stay overnight at least two nights, although I do not agree with Poster #1, it is a LONG drive from Monterey to Solvang or Santa Barbara. I'd stay in Cambria or Morro Bay. Then if you had a third night you could stay in Santa Barbara which is a lovely town, one of my favorites.

Stu is a regular poster here, and I've never seen a rude response from him.

To the OP: I hate to drive, and I can be rather lazy about planning.....but even I would decline to take a bus trip down the California coast for the exact reasons mentioned above. :)