Trip to California
 

Heading to California this summer(early July) with my boyfriend. First time out there for both, 10 days, on a budget and want to see as much as possible. Hoping to do San Francisco to San Diego even if that means not stopping too much. I know I'll never be back again. Now I've been reading the posts--someone suggested going north to south is cheaper? Please confirm. Also, I haven't picked up any maps yet but I'm trying to get a handle on mileage and time to get from here to there. For instance, San Diego->LA time and distance. LA->Santa Barbara and so on. Is there a website I can access before heading to Barnes and Noble?
I will create new threads as I research my trip but in a nutshell--in search of cheap, clean motels, good food at a reasonable price, and off the beaten path bars, taverns,etc. We are a low-maintenance couple with modest wants. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

After you do Barnes and Noble, come back with specific questions. You can also do a "search" on fodors and it will answer most of your questions. They have been asked countless times. Just plug in "trip to california". You will get more info than you know what to do with.

Curious

You can also use Mapquest or Yahoo! Maps to get rough estimates of travel times-- go to Driving Directions and simply put in the city names, and you'll get distances from city center to city center. However, said estimates can go out the window given unusual traffic conditions (say, an accident on I-5 or CA-1).

Never be back again, huh? Don't be too sure-- there's a lot in this state that keeps people coming back!

didn't you hear her rjw? maybe someone will actually visit california and not decide to stay (we can only hope) :d

malvado, you may have a point there.... ;)

All I meant by the "not coming back" comment was I want to see as much as possible with the assumption that I will not have the means or time (or cash for that matter) to take such an extensive trip. My vacation time is limited, I'm surprised I can take 10 days. But thanks to all for your humor. This is a wonderful site.

of course, we're just teasing. as with anything in life, especially travel, do it with the assumption you'll never have the chance again.

south to north car rental is running about $10 less per day right now. You can drop off the car in SF downtown and save $ and parking fees, probably won't need it in SF.

Just to offer an alternative. July is a very crowded time on Hwy 1 and also can be very foggy. You may not see much or it can be wonderful. Not my favorite time of year there.

An alternative is to drive up the back of the Sierra on US 395 and see some of the best scenery in the US. Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, Bridgeport, Lake Tahoe, etc. If you have time, you can drive into Yosemite. It's also much less crowded, camping is easy, and motels are a lot cheaper.

Whatever, have a great trip.

We Borgs of California have no sense of humor.
@-)@-)@-)@-)@-)@-)

But I did hear that Gov. Arnold is considering closing California for the month of July to clean it up and save some money. Anyobdy else hear that rumor? :-d

The 2c tax on potato chips would have solved all of California's problems...but after it was passed the fool residents of CA just thought it was too darn high so they repealed it!

I live in San diego and of course the beach is free! As is window shopping in La Jolla and watching the sunset. On tuesdays there are several museums in Balboa Park that are free, different museums each week.

For good food, fast food In N Out has the best burgers. And casual dine-in, Islands has nice atmosphere and great food.

Have a wonderful vacation!