melissagonzalez

Looking for suggestions. Flights are booked July 30 (LAX) - August 6 (SFO). Where to stay on way up the coast? Hearst Castle? Monterey? Santa Cruz? There will be 7 of us.

janisj

OK -- do you know about the highway through Big Sur is closed (as been for a few months and will be until probably the end of the year.

So you can still drive up the coast part way but then you'll have to head inland at San Luis Obispo and up 101 Salinas then west to the Monterey area.

Do you intend to spend any time IN LA and/or San Francisco? You only have a week so if you do want any time in either city you will be awfully rushed. Also -- if you are still along the coast on the 4th/5th weekend you will almost certainly need a two night Fri/Sat booking (and really should nail that down ASAP). What sorts of things do you want to see/do?

You will definitely need to pre-book any San Simeon tour(s).

jayne1973

Santa Cruz would be a great overnight with teens.


San Luis Obispo was also a fun place--if you are there on a Thursday they have a great market with street food, items for sale, a farmers market and live music.

I would not spend a night in the Hearst Castle area, which seemed incredibly boring. In fact, I thought Hearst Castle was a little boring, but that is personal opinion.

MichelleY

Agree with Jane. SLO even Pismo Beach woul be fun for an overnights guy with teens.

janisj

I agree totally Pismo Beach/SLO, Monterey and Santa Cruz would be great -- but that will be most of your week right there since you would probably want 2 days in Monterey (Aquarium, Point Lobos, the bits of Big Sur you can reach from the north end) and at least a full day in Santa Cruz (boardwalk, beach, redwoods etc)

jamie99

If you stay 3 nights each in LA and SF (please not "San Fran") that only gives you 2 overnights along the coast part that is open. That is only two full days for each of the two major cities.
I'd stay in Pismo Beach and Monterey.

melissagonzalez

Thanks for the responses. I know this is a lot and I really don't know about traffic and distances. So please help out!

Land at noon at LAX on Sunday. Thinking of Warner Brothers in afternoon/evening. Hollywood sign and Walk of Fame. Stay in Hollywood area.

Monday head down to Newport Beach/Balboa Island. Stay in Hollywood area.

Tuesday Universal? The teens want to go to The Grove, In-and-Out, Chocolate Chair, Randy's Donuts, Urth Caffe, Bruxie, Cisco Home Melrose...(I am not even sure what some of these places are!) Stay in Hollywood area or Santa Monica.

Wednesday Santa Monica and Malibu and stay in Pismo Beach/Morro Bay, maybe an airbnb.

Thursday A.M. drive up 101 to Monterey/Carmel area, Evening stay in Santa Cruz, do that mystery place?

Friday A.M. Santa Cruz pier then up to San Fran - cable cars, House of Nanking, Was hoping to go to Alcatraz but all tours are sold out - any tips on this?

Saturday - Sausalito, Muir Beach, ??

Sunday - depart SFO at 5:15pm Not sure what to do this day.

janisj

Not a great itinerary. Sorry

First of all 'Hollywood area' is not much -- you'll probably want to see it (cuz' how can you go home and say you didn't?? ) but I definitely wouldn't stay there.

>>Monday head down to Newport Beach/Balboa Island. Stay in Hollywood area<<

Any particular reason? From Hollywood it will be a 2 hour drive each way. There are closer beach towns . . .

>>Wednesday Santa Monica and Malibu and stay in Pismo Beach/Morro Bay, maybe an airbnb.<< Again -- from Hollywood that would be about a 5 hour drive to Morrow Bay w/o stops (assuming no traffic -- BIG assumption)

>>Thursday A.M. drive up 101 to Monterey/Carmel area, Evening stay in Santa Cruz, do that mystery place?<<

That is about a 4 hour drive without any stops so not <i>nearly</i> enough time to see Pt Lobos, Carmel, and the Aquarium. And the Mystery Spot is a curiosity but definitely doesn't ranks above other places you could visit.

>>Friday A.M. Santa Cruz pier then up to San Fran - cable cars, House of Nanking, Was hoping to go to Alcatraz but all tours are sold out - any tips on this?

Saturday - Sausalito, Muir Beach, ??<<

I'd ditch the House of Nanking -- you will just have to stand in line for pretty average food. There is sooooooo much to see and do in SF and you will really only have one a little over one day there (after visiting the Boardwalk you likely won't be in SF until late afternoon). I'd forget about Muir Beach (AND Muir Woods if that was what you meant) or Sausalito.

MichelleY

I agree with Janis. Not enough time to do all of this. Forget Sausalito and Muir Woods and spend more time in SF.

melissagonzalez

Thank you.
OK, when I said Hollywood area I guess I kinda meant a hotel within an hour of Hollywood. Trying to find a 'central' spot to stay near LA from Sun-Tues so we dont have to switch hotels.

Give me some ideas for what to do in SF. Bummer that Alcatraz tours are booked.

janisj

Honestly - I'd try to spend 3 nights (yes really) which is only 2 full days, in Santa Cruz. Using SC as a base for 3 nights/2 days would be rushed but enough time to squeeze in Pt Lobos, the Aquarium, SC Boardwalk/beach, Monterey Bay (TERRIFIC kayaking) and redwoods at Henry Cowell (maybe the Roaring Camp train)

janisj

>>Give me some ideas for what to do in SF. Bummer that Alcatraz tours are booked.<<

Golden Gate Park including the Academy of Science, a Giants game (they are in town that weekend and tickets are possible), a cable car ride (but take the California line not the Powell street line so you don't have to wait in long lines), rent bikes and ride through the Presidio and part way across the Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 (Stu Dudley wil yell at me but what the heck -- teenagers will like it)

DebbieDoesDulles

Los Angeles/Hollywood is all about the traffic. Driving across Los Angeles can take an hour at certain times of the day so staying somewhere "within an hours drive" doesn't mean much.

Booking this late, you might have to stay wherever you can still find availability for 7 people. Do you want two hotel rooms with 2 beds each? Here's an apartment that might work for you near The Grove. When booking an apt, make sure a parking space is included. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/548750

You have 6 full days...that's about 4 days less than what you need to make this trip really work.

I wouldn't plan WB for Sunday afternoon, your plane could be an hour or two late...it's an hour's drive to WB...and Sunday is very dull around the studio, deserted with maybe 40 of the 4000 employees there and working.

Do the Grove and all that Hollywood stuff on Sunday and Sunday evening, add Griffith Observatory open til 10pm. On Monday do Universal or WB. On Tuesday drive north to Santa Barbara,not south to Newport Beach. You want to put miles behind you not more miles ahead of you. Wed further up the coast leaves you Fri Sat for San Francisco.

Make certain that you all pack VERY lightly. a 7 passenger van does not hold 7 people and 7 bags and 7 backpacks.

melissagonzalez

Thanks Debbie. Makes sense. We rented a 12 passenger Ford Transit van so there should be room. Although not sure about parking availability wherever we go with a van that size.

The rooms are going to be a challenge. We need one for me and my husband. One for my 14 and 16 year old daughters and another room for my husbands three, 14 year old daughter, 15 year old son and 17 year old son! We have loads of Hilton points but need to figure out the best way to use them.

Thanks for the WB tip.
Griffith is a great idea!