Road Tripping in the USA!
- Thread starter [TW]Fox
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SF is very expensive to stay in, especially parking.
I don't drink so I stayed in a nice Marriott out in Foster City. Much cheaper, free parking. It was about 15 miles from SF which sounds far but took literally 15 minutes to drive as its right down the interstate. Useless if you want to go out drinking though. 4 nights is a very long time in SF, too. We did 2 I think (With 3 days there).
I don't drink so I stayed in a nice Marriott out in Foster City. Much cheaper, free parking. It was about 15 miles from SF which sounds far but took literally 15 minutes to drive as its right down the interstate. Useless if you want to go out drinking though. 4 nights is a very long time in SF, too. We did 2 I think (With 3 days there).
[TW]Fox;26142169 said:
We've got the time I think to do 4 nights;
Sunday 10/08/2014 Los Angeles
Monday 11/08/2014 Los Angeles
Tuesday 12/08/2014 Los Angeles
Wednesday 13/08/2014 San Diego
Thursday 14/08/2014 San Diego
Friday 15/08/2014 San Diego
Saturday 16/08/2014 San Diego
Sunday 17/08/2014 Las Vegas
Monday 18/08/2014 Las Vegas
Tuesday 19/08/2014 Las Vegas
Wednesday 20/08/2014 Las Vegas
Thursday 21/08/2014 Death Valley
Friday 22/08/2014 Yosemite National Park
Saturday 23/08/2014 Yosemite National Park
Sunday 24/08/2014 San Francisco
Monday 25/08/2014 San Francisco
Tuesday 26/08/2014 San Francisco
Wednesday 27/08/2014 San Francisco
Thursday 28/08/2014 Pacific Highway
Friday 29/08/2014 Pacific Highway
Saturday 30/08/2014 Los Angeles
Sunday 31/08/2014 Home
We still get 3 nights going from Vegas to SF and 2 nights going from SF to LA so plenty of time either side.
Neither of us are heavy drinkers (nor do we plan on getting drunk) but both enjoy having a few with dinner etc... so I don't think somewhere out of town is suitable. What are taxi's like?
[TW]Fox;26142242 said:
We sort of get that already, the final night stay (LA in my post above) just means we are arriving and staying somewhere near LAX that night ready to fly home the next morning.
We will leave SF midday on Thurs 28th and spend all of Friday and nearly all of Saturday on PCH so we'll end up getting 2.5 days there.
I see the point though, still need ideas on where to stay. If Taxi's are reasonable then I'd be happy to stay outside of SF and the days we do want to drink just get a taxi in and out (but if they are mega $$$ then there is no point and it'll work out better just paying more for a hotel in the city).
One less night in SF, one night in SB. Might be able to stay in my house for free if you like as I'm in the UK then, as long as you don't mind watering a couple of the plants
I needed to look into SB anyway as the GF really wants to stay there! Not sure if you're serious about offering your house out though
Right, looking for a bit more advice on our trip. I've got everything up to and including Vegas booked and sorted now, which leaves the last leg of the trip.
We have 3 nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) to spend in Death Valley and Yosemite National Park. This then gives us 3 nights (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) in SF, 2 nights on (Wednesday and ThursdaY) the PCH and 2 nights (Friday and Saturday) in Santa Barbara before flying home (these two nights are sorted!).
Death Valley & Yosemite National Park
I see a few people have stayed in Baker - this looks like a good point to stop when driving from Vegas so I'm going to go ahead and book the basic Travelodge unless anyone has any major objections to this.
This leaves me needed to sort 2 nights in Yosemite NP. There looks to be some good accommodation in 'Mammoth Lakes' but this looks very close to Baker. Ideally I'd like to stay in two difference places on the two nights in the park, but after Mammoth Lakes there doesn't appear to be anywhere really to stay (we're not interested in camping) until you are right through to the SF side of the park.
If you have 2 nights for YNP where would you stay? At the moment I'm thinking Baker, Mammoth Lakes and then the final night being at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge?
San Francisco
With our £100 a night budget we can't seem to get anything decent in SF, so I think we are going to resort to staying just outside the city and drive in each day. This shouldn't bother us as we are staying in LA and SD. Can anyone suggest somewhere close to SF that's worth staying in and using as a base.
PCH
Leaving SF we have 2 nights before we arrive in Santa Barbara. Looking at the map it seems sensible to stop somewhere around Monterey for the first night and somewhere near San Luis Obispo for the second night.
Can anyone suggest nice towns or places to stay along this route?
As always - any and all advice welcome!
We have 3 nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) to spend in Death Valley and Yosemite National Park. This then gives us 3 nights (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) in SF, 2 nights on (Wednesday and ThursdaY) the PCH and 2 nights (Friday and Saturday) in Santa Barbara before flying home (these two nights are sorted!).
Death Valley & Yosemite National Park
I see a few people have stayed in Baker - this looks like a good point to stop when driving from Vegas so I'm going to go ahead and book the basic Travelodge unless anyone has any major objections to this.
This leaves me needed to sort 2 nights in Yosemite NP. There looks to be some good accommodation in 'Mammoth Lakes' but this looks very close to Baker. Ideally I'd like to stay in two difference places on the two nights in the park, but after Mammoth Lakes there doesn't appear to be anywhere really to stay (we're not interested in camping) until you are right through to the SF side of the park.
If you have 2 nights for YNP where would you stay? At the moment I'm thinking Baker, Mammoth Lakes and then the final night being at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge?
San Francisco
With our £100 a night budget we can't seem to get anything decent in SF, so I think we are going to resort to staying just outside the city and drive in each day. This shouldn't bother us as we are staying in LA and SD. Can anyone suggest somewhere close to SF that's worth staying in and using as a base.
PCH
Leaving SF we have 2 nights before we arrive in Santa Barbara. Looking at the map it seems sensible to stop somewhere around Monterey for the first night and somewhere near San Luis Obispo for the second night.
Can anyone suggest nice towns or places to stay along this route?
As always - any and all advice welcome!
I picked Foster City. 20 minutes down the interstate from Downtown SF.
Exactly where I stayed - though we picked Morro Bay down the road from SLO. Morro Bay is nothing special but was a handy overnight stop. Monterery is very, very nice and Laguna Seca is of course a 10 minute drive away.
I prefer Carmel to Monterey personally although it's more expensive - but then again you are staying there mid-week so I think it would be worth investigating at least. You'll definitely want to do 17 mile drive will can take up to a couple of hours with the stops and photo ops so if you end the day in Carmel you'll get more time and/or a more relaxed start to head down PCH the following day.
That said, nothing wrong with Monterey at all, nice fishing town and obviously the (expensive!) aquarium is there too.
Definitely stay in SLO - you'll be there on Thursday which is the night they have a big street market where all the restaurants open up on to the pedestrianized street with huge BBQs and live music etc. It's great and they run a shuttle from downtown to the motels so good to have a couple beers also
There's a place called Apple Farm which is really nice, glass of wine and cookies when you check in kind of place but again a little more spendy ($130 a night). If we're on a budget we stay at one of the nearby budget motels and walk over there for breakfast and it has a nice little store for buying gifts etc. It's only 2 hours or so from SLO to SB so Pismo Beach is worth a little stop on the drive down.
That said, nothing wrong with Monterey at all, nice fishing town and obviously the (expensive!) aquarium is there too.
Definitely stay in SLO - you'll be there on Thursday which is the night they have a big street market where all the restaurants open up on to the pedestrianized street with huge BBQs and live music etc. It's great and they run a shuttle from downtown to the motels so good to have a couple beers also
There's a place called Apple Farm which is really nice, glass of wine and cookies when you check in kind of place but again a little more spendy ($130 a night). If we're on a budget we stay at one of the nearby budget motels and walk over there for breakfast and it has a nice little store for buying gifts etc. It's only 2 hours or so from SLO to SB so Pismo Beach is worth a little stop on the drive down.
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Perfect, I've gone for Monterey as Carmel was about double the price for the same quality of hotel.
Also got a place in SLO.
I'm having the most trouble with Yosemite National Park as I can't work out how to spend 2 nights there without camping. Mammoth Lakes is just so close to Bishop and then there isn't really anything until the SF side. I'm thinking I should just skip Bishop and have 2 nights in Mammoth Lakes.
Looking at car rental as well, I'm trying all the websites. I'm right in thinking Alamo are probably the best to go with as they'll let me pick a car myself from the class? Coming in at just under £650 for Convertible (Mustang or similar) with Alamo for 21 nights.
Also got a place in SLO.
I'm having the most trouble with Yosemite National Park as I can't work out how to spend 2 nights there without camping. Mammoth Lakes is just so close to Bishop and then there isn't really anything until the SF side. I'm thinking I should just skip Bishop and have 2 nights in Mammoth Lakes.
Looking at car rental as well, I'm trying all the websites. I'm right in thinking Alamo are probably the best to go with as they'll let me pick a car myself from the class? Coming in at just under £650 for Convertible (Mustang or similar) with Alamo for 21 nights.
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From SF, to Monterrey DO NOT do the boring US101.. Drop off and take the US17 thru the Santa Cruz mountains. One of my favorite drives. Huge redwoods chopping past you on a fast twisty dual carriage mountain road, which has plenty of blind bends and everyone gunning it at 60mph.. It's a lot of fun... Once the ride is over, you're in Santa Cruz. So may aswell stop and take a break there. See the famous surf / skate scene over there.
Then on the US1 head to Monterrey / Carmel..
Then on the US1 head to Monterrey / Carmel..
[TW]Fox;26174140 said:
I think I'd rather do my first night in Mammoth Lakes and then the second night somewhere else and the third night the other side of Yosemite. The only probably is I can't find anywhere to do the second night!
Will make sure we go via Santa Cruz and on the 17.
I can't remember if you are staying in Death Valley or not. If you are not and driving from Vegas then IMHO Mammoth Lakes is too far. If you are overnighting in DV then it'll be fine.
Unless your second night is in Yosemite I'm not sure I see the point in having the second night? It'll take a good few hours to get into Yosemite from any of the towns either side anyway.
We did one night one side, day in Yosemite, one night the other side.
You've been planning this thing for months, I'm going the month after you and I've not even booked a flight yet
[TW]Fox;26175445 said:I can't remember if you are staying in Death Valley or not. If you are not and driving from Vegas then IMHO Mammoth Lakes is too far. If you are overnighting in DV then it'll be fine.
Unless your second night is in Yosemite I'm not sure I see the point in having the second night? It'll take a good few hours to get into Yosemite from any of the towns either side anyway.
We did one night one side, day in Yosemite, one night the other side.
You've been planning this thing for months, I'm going the month after you and I've not even booked a flight yet
I'm planning on leaving LV in the morning, spending the whole day in DV but then staying at either Bishop or Mammoth Lakes (which is only 45 minutes further than Bishop). I think I'll then have my second night right near Mono Lake (there is a motel there) and the final night somewhere near the Valley.
It means a long day doing DV and a long drive from Yosemite to SF but gives us the most time in the park as possible.
Where are you going this time?
To jump back to an earlier question - Alamo are the 'best' to rent with correct?
Into and out of Boston, then Vermont, New Hampshire, into Canada, down to Toronto, hopefully across to Chicago and back.
Not really my first choice of route frankly but it'll still be cool hopefully. I'd rather go to Colorado and Utah
Its who I rent with now, it's just much better being able to wander around and take your own car. If you get a crap one just swap it at the next corporate Alamo location. Which if you are picking up from LAX will be Vegas.
[TW]Fox;26175613 said:Into and out of Boston, then Vermont, New Hampshire, into Canada, down to Toronto, hopefully across to Chicago and back.
Not really my first choice of route frankly but it'll still be cool hopefully. I'd rather go to Colorado and Utah
That looks a nice journey, but does it lend itself well to a loop (is there much to see on the way back)?
[TW]Fox;26175613 said:
That's very useful to know - I assume it's just a case of walking in and asking to swap and they're happy to do it?