USA West Coast Road Trip routes - things to see

Where are you staying during this roadtrip? I mean if you stay in SF you could rent a car there and drop off at LAX or further south which will be cheaper unless you use a major chain.

No interest in area 51 etc?

I would be visiting LV just for the view at night (I don't gamble either).
 
D.P. said:
I would not have a convertible for the PCH, it is nearly always freezing cold and foggy!
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It's just one of those things you have to do. Pick up any of the '1001 must do travel experiences' books you'll find in Waterstones and one of them will say 'Drive Highway 1 in a Convertible'.

It was about 63f when I did it, it was completely fine.
 
twoblacklines said:
No interest in area 51 etc?
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Unless you are a sign enthusiast there is nothing to see - far more interesting things in the area, like Death Valley National Park which I found incredible.

I do agree there is more to Vegas than gambling - its well worth visiting once because it's quite unlike anywhere else you will find. A huge, massive, colourful city in the middle of the desert packed with thousands and thousands of high end hotel rooms at ridiculously low prices and a useful base for a day trip to the Grand Canyon and/or Hoover Dam. I can't beleive nobody would find that intruiging enough to give it a few days. Thats the point in travel - experiencing different places. Vegas is a box to tick if you are close.
 
You may not be interested in Vegas but the Grand Canyon is well worth a trip imo, probably the most memorable part of my West Coast road trip.

Enjoy it whatever you decide, should be great :)
 
My plans for LA are LA - SF via mountains and back via PCH, then LA to Vegas and back via A51, and then if I time it right Cars & Coffee meet.

But I won't be staying in hotels, I am going to rent a house via airbnb and a snazzy car through some contacts out there. I think personally LA and the surrounding areas would take about a month to explore and experience properly.
 
WRT timing, a San Diego to Seattle trip that visit a reasonable amount of th things to see along the way, without driving 8 hours a day and flying through each place but actually spending the minimal time to enjoy each local I would say is an 8 week trip minimum. That is spending a few hours to 1 day for the small sites (smaller state parks), 3-4 for the bigger places like Yosemite. This is a minimum, many of the places rally deserve long and you don't get a feel for them without spending some days exploring and sleeping there. E.g., you can drive up Highway 1 in about 10 hours from LA to SF, barely getting out of your car, and you will wonder why people think it is so amazing. You need to slow it down, stop at many of the state parks along the way, look for the unmarked side roads that lead down to a secret beach or a hidden grove of redwoods, spend a couple of hours at some of the watch points looking for whales, dolphins and otters, etc.
 
Me and my girlfriend are doing a West Coast USA trip next year as well!

My plan, which seems the way do it, is to fly into LA, then south to San Diego, then inland through Yosemite and up to Las Vegas, then over to Napa Valley (and maybe Chico if time allows - it probably won't), down to San Fransisco and then back out of LA.

We think that 3 weeks should be plenty of time. She really wants to fly out of New York on the way back and spend a few days there so I'm seeing if it's viable or just mad expensive. I can't wait, tempted to book car hire soon. I'm planning on going in June.
 
Ahleckz said:
Me and my girlfriend are doing a West Coast USA trip next year as well!

My plan, which seems the way do it, is to fly into LA, then south to San Diego, then inland through Yosemite and up to Las Vegas, then over to Napa Valley (and maybe Chico if time allows - it probably won't), down to San Fransisco and then back out of LA.

We think that 3 weeks should be plenty of time. She really wants to fly out of New York on the way back and spend a few days there so I'm seeing if it's viable or just mad expensive. I can't wait, tempted to book car hire soon. I'm planning on going in June.
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Sounds like a good plan.

Yosemite isn't really on the route between San Diego to Las Vegas though!

Your best bet is:

LA to San Diego to Las Vegas to Yosemite to San Francisco to LA. Conicidently exactly the route I took.

Note this relies on a particular road - Tioga Pass - the North Eastern entrance to Yosemite. It is closed for winter and doesnt open until mid to late June. If you can, go in September. Great weather, all the roads are open, etc.
 
^^ Was about to say the same thing, Yosemite NP is not on the direct rout to Vegas.



Any in gards to San Fran, the best stuff is not rally the city at all but the coast around it.
Check out Point Reyes State park and the whole high way down to Monterey and Point Lobos park.

Also Santa Cruz is a fun hippy town, the boardwalk is classic American and you can just hear the Beach Boys playing in the background.
 
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