California Dreamin' - Road Trip '08 - Random Q's

[A.N.Other]

ote kwana icmag i hope you are all well.

my mrs and i are planning a trip to the states next year, a nice slow relaxed (v8 powered) road trip along the pacific coast highway and would like some advice from socal locals as to the best time to go (we are thinking autumn?), whether to go North from LA to SF or South from SF to LA and also what the really interesting (and less well known) sights, sounds and trips along the way are? is the coast road and it's surrounds enough to fill a few weeks or should we be diverting off elsewhere along the way?

we're pretty open minded so all suggestions are welcome but keep in mind that my girl is an ms sufferer but gets around most of the time pretty well however exceptionally rigorous cross country stuff is out (unless we borrow some quads/horses! hehe) but gentle hiking is generally OK.

what's it like a long there in terms of places to stay? we don't really want to pre-book much apart from a weeked in LA and a weekend in SF and want to really have the freedom to just say this places looks cool, let's stay here for the night, any good inns/motels/hotels/guest houses that really stand out?

on a more practical level, anyone ever rent from fox? when you ask for a (rag top) mustang how likely are you to get a mustang? do you usually end up with a chrysler sebring or crossfire?

don't worry i'll be asking similar questions at more appropriate forums but it would be cool to have a Californian heads view or a visiting heads view.

i hope everyone is safe, happy and high.

 

[Rufid]

This was one of my families best vacations.Unless your into smog and traffic,stay away from La.Yeah, I know there's a lot to do ,but the drive up the coast is one of the most scenic drives in the world. Definitly go south to north as the scenery just keeps getting better.
What can I say about Frisco, We love the place.Spend a day or two here,you wont regret it.
I'll let other's chime in on what to do,we just camped all the way up the coast and into Canada

 

[A.N.Other]

hi rufid thanks for your response. i'm glad you found your trip a good time! the whole west coast is one big trip, i hope you enjoyed that one too.

south to north appears to be the consensus from people i have asked so that definitely seems like the plan. regarding la i'd like to see it but we're only going to do a day or two there just to see he sights and say we've done it! we've been told that when visiting la the best place to stay is long beach so we won't be staying in la proper anyhow.

i think when we get to sf we are going to stay for a few days and probably a few more, hehe. my girl is a little worried about the hilly terrain but we will have the car and there is always cabs (though i have heard that taxis are expensive in sf?). is there anywhere you recommend staying in sf (or anywhere else)?

thanks a lot for your reply, it is much appreciated. take care and enjoy your next trip wherever it may be

 

[Guest]

Definitely south to north. Don't stay to long in SF though keep going North it's some of the most beautiful country in the world.

GCG

 

[A.N.Other]

thanks for your response garlic city gro. we need to end (ideally) somewhere with a busy international airport (cheap flights!!), how much further north do you reckon we should go?.. to the next major city or just a diversion before flying out of sf?

thanks again for your reply.

edit: NICE gh!!

 

[Guest]

If you can I say go all the way to the Oregon border at least Arcata then go back to SF to catch your flight.

I'm sure a lot of friendly folks from up there would be glad to hookup up with you?

GCG

 

[A.N.Other]

thanks for the further info gcg, i must admit i would love to keep going north all that way, can you do the drive back to sf in a day if pushed (without getting tugged by the old bill!)? i'm going to have to get google earth and check out the geography further. who wouldn't pass up a trip through mendo and humboldt!

lot's of interesting sounding places on the trip. skunk train?? hehe

further north even that arcata i see something called the mystery trees?

i've heard good things about the area and definitely about the people and it's always good to see friendly faces.

thanks again

 

[A.N.Other]

Any further thoughts on the matter from any cali heads? i know there's plenty of you out there

 

[dontlockmeup]

just skip LA and so cal all together. I grew up down there and man does it suck. If you like being around a bunch of rude people go for it. definitely go north of SF. Go all the way to oregon on the coast. north of arcata is awesome country. Huge redwoods to check out and an elk preserve too. Your best chance of scoring anything will be in Arcata.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[RedwoodGrower]

I got to agree LA sucks just go north SF is cool but it's best further north

 

[wantaknow]

got to go to china town ,just pack a lunch ,so you know what you are eating

 

[Orange Crush]

Gotta check out Pacific Grove and carmel/big sur

 

[PicosPoisonftw!]

I vacationed out there for a couple of months. We went as far south as Half Moon Bay, and all the way up to Eureka. I'd have to say my fav's were Half Moon Bay (beautiful), Santa Cruz (my #1, I will live there one day), San Fran (what a diverse place, GREAT ****in clubs, haight st., china town where you can eat so much you'll puke for under 10 bucks), Mendocino (did some hiking here, absolutely beautiful), and Garberville (really cool small town, gorgeous and the people are awesome). Wouldn't go to Eureka again, except maybe for the incredibly cheap bubble we got there .

Few pics:

 

[Guest]

you can make it up to Arcata in under 5 hours from San Francisco...my advice, spend more time in the bay and north than south....

 

[Guest]

for the record I've been in that house....

 

[PicosPoisonftw!]

http://i24.tinypic.com/103fpl1.jpg

for the record I've been in that house....

for surious? right on. where is it?! I can't remember lol

 

[Guest]

skyline blvd....in between halfmoon bay and santa cruz....

 

[A.N.Other]

thanks for all the great replies people, and special thanks for these images that have really wet my appetite!

i'm going to do a little more research on the places you've all mentioned and then start thinking about if i have any more focused questions to ask! on the face of it though it looks like we should fly into la and spend a few days, up to a week doing the trip between LA and SF and then move on north for a little longer.

thanks again for all the comments, keep them coming!

 

[PicosPoisonftw!]

skyline blvd....in between halfmoon bay and santa cruz....

had a good time in Santa Cruz...

 

[ninjagrow]

thats an awesome pic pico... ive never heard of the high times santa cruz medical cup