SFO to LA - Fly or Drive?
 

I am weighing options of driving or flying from San Francisco to LA. Is it possible to do the drive in 2 days with a quick stop in Monteray? We are a family with 2 kids ages 11 & 9. Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks.

Hi laura, the drive can be done in one day actually. But with a stop in Monterey you might want two days. I guess the answer as to driving versus flying is how content your children are in the car with road trips. Believe me..you wouldn't want children like my brother and I when we were growing up, lol.

We did this drive in one day. It was actually a fun adventure because our kids (and us) were able to enjoy the landscape which is quite different from the east coast (particularly the mountain range).

We slowed down a bit near LA, but other than that we had a great drive!

The drive is quick if you take I-5 the whole way -- 6 hours of straight driving. We used to do quick trips in college this way, though your kids might not like straight driving (do it during their sleep time?). Going the coast route adds a bunch of time, look at mapquest or yahoo maps. It is possible to get back to I5 from 101 (monterey) via one of the passes (hwy 46) and that makes the monterey boondoggle less costly in time (try mapquesting it). Taking 101 all the way to LA is scenic, but not as speedy.

It really depends on what you want to do. I've done the fast I-5 route -- boring as hell, but you get it over with (and Harris Ranch is a great stop for a late lunch). If your main desire is to get from SFO to LA as quickly as possible, then that's the answer.

Flying means four tickets, a fair amount of hassle, and certainly not the most economical answer (assuming the car is a good deal).

The coast really is spectacular and if you haven't seen it, then I vote for that. And yes overnight at either Monterey or Carmel or get through Big Sur then stay at Cambria would be good options. If you do the latter you could even book an early tour of Hearst Castle in the morning, then easily head on to LA. When I've done the full day trip down the coast -- it seems too much. Overnighting is good.

OK, here's another really off-the-wall suggestion. When this decision came up for us this past summer, we decided to fly for a change, but air tickets were pretty high. One day playing on AA.com I tried a multi city and discovered tickets from SFO (but then we changed it to go from San Jose) to Las Vegas and then Las Vegas to LAX for a total of $79 each. This was cheaper than any non-stop we could find SFO to LAX. So you find those, you could take a morning flight to LasVegas, spend a day and night there, and then fly the next afternoon into LAX.
How's that for a suggestion?

I vote for the drive along the 101. We did this drive three years ago with our children and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery.

Skip I-5, it is soooooo boring. I've driven across Nebraska and Kansas multiple times and I prefer those drives to I-5.

We took two days and spent a night in San Luis Obispo at the Apple Farm Inn.

www.applefarm.com

It was a cute place to stay and family friendly. Our kids enjoyed the pool while my husband and I relaxed in the hot tub. We were in SLO on a farmer's market night. We caught the trolley right outside our hotel and had fun stolling through the downtown area and browsing the many produce booths.

We didn't get a chance to visit Hearst Castle, but it is on my list for next time.

I haven't visited the Reagan Library but my mom swears my boys would love exploring the Air Force One and Marine One exhibit. Since it is also on the way, I thought I would throw it out as a suggestion.

Hi Patrick. I love Harris Ranch, though I have had semi slow service sometimes. The best roast beef sandwich I've had was there. :-)

Oh, and I like your Las Vegas idea too! :-)

Harris Ranch should be good food but sometimes the manure from the feedlots depresses your appetite as you go down the highway past Kettleman City. In n Out has a stand somewhere on the route.

I don't know when you were last on I 5 but the feed lot was not adjacent to the freeway last time I drove down. I assume they rotate the feed lot because it isn't always there. I used to think that the drive was dull and boring but since I've been doing it more frequently I have found that some times during the year are better than others. Summer is bad but spring is just really beautiful. The green of the west hills and all the fields can really be quite pretty. I tried to look at it as a non resident would and I actually thought it was pretty neat with views of the aquaduct. Then again maybe I was just trying to be as positive about the situation as I could!! ;)

Nope, collins149 is right. That stinky, smelly and foul odor manure/feedlot is always where it is at Kettleman, near Harris Ranch.

We've done the I-5 drive way too many times not to notice this and that's the area where we break the speed limit by multiple times just to get out of as quick as we can.

I'm aware of that "stinky spot". It's really easy to roll up the windows, put the AC on recirculate, and the problem is gone. That seems safer than breaking the speed limit to get out of there to me. That doesn't ease the boredom, however.

If you go to to Monterey/Carmel (2 1/2 hours)for day 1, you have spectacular ocean scenery, the Aquarium, the charming town of Carmel with its town beach. You can still have the next morning there and head for LA the next afternoon via 101, which is much more scenic than I5, and quicker when you are starting from Monterey. Without stops, the beginning of LA (San Fernando Valley) is about 6 hours. On a weekday, do not get to the beginning of LA before 7 PM, or you'll regret being in the rush hour traffic.

Wow, thanks everyone for your great suggestions! I think we'll do the drive. I have to remind myself that sometimes taking the long road & beautiful too, is the best way. Thanks again. laura

Patty,

We'll roll it up the next time and still drive fast. I just hdate for my car to get exposed to all that bad air.

But for you to suggest stopping for a meal in the vicinity is simply cruel. Perhaps, you are just used to it - the smell.

What a pleasant post, bill_boy but I won't stoop to your level.

I'm with Patrick on the stinky stuff. Just "recirculate" for a few minutes and you are past it. Rarely, have I smelled the stink at the Harris Ranch restaurant.

And I have done the I-5 trip well over 50 round trips (maybe closer to a 100). I do like hwy 101 better, only if I can do an overnight on the way.

"And I have done the I-5 trip well over 50 round trips (maybe closer to a 100)."

Oh. You have my deepest sympathy. I've done it maybe 6 or 8 times, but it seems like a 100.

Oooo - that I5 drive. You know how everyone has childhood memories of never-ending road trips? That's mine. Santa Paula to Grass Valley - which meant I-5 from just south of the Grapevine all the way through Sacramento. We did this every summer, every Christmas, and a couple other times a year.

And I just made plans to go see a friend in San Diego in August, so more I5 for me! LOL.

Hmmmm J, Santa Paula? You don't hear that too much. Did we grow up together?

Yeah - it is a pretty small place. I don't run into people very often who have even heard of it. We lived there from 1981-1985 - elementary school years for me.

Santa Paula?? I have a family member by marriage that has lots of family members in Santa Paula.

I have always found I-5 soooo boring and personally I like 101 better. But I-5 is quicker.

Enjoy your time in California laura!

We lived there from 1981-1985 - elementary school years for me.

LOL! Nope already married by then. But prior to 79 I was there. Parents left in 2000. Several generations of family lived there but no one any more.

LoveItaly, if they've been there for awhile we'd probably know each other!! ;)

Hi Suzie, I would imagine my inlaw's family and your family did know each other. It is a small world isn't it.

LOL Patrick. My DH of 23 years has his parents, and lots of relatives down in SoCal so we make the trip a lot. Makes me miss "my" San Jose when I go down there, LOL.