Seeking travel wisdom - California

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Tree13

Tree13

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Just been informed that Mrs Tree and I will be joining up with several other family members for a road trip holiday... Starting in San Francisco, then driving down to San Jose before heading out towards the pacific coast and driving it down to LA. There have been requests to include San Diego too.

Anyone been to this part of the world recently? Any particular things worth seeing / doing, specifically cultural, artsy or outdoorsy?

Obviously Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge, and we're thinking maybe a day up to Napa Valley to see if the Yanks can compete with Stellenbosch and Franschoek... but otherwise, my knowledge of the Bay area is limited. San Jose I know nothing about.

Re the pacific coast bit - is driving a good option? Anyone tried the trains?

LA and San Diego... other than avoiding Compton and Disneyland, any tips for either of these places?

For info, we're going late march - early April. Flights are already booked, so we have to start in San Francisco and finish in LA.

Thanks in advance!
 

Tree13 said:
Just been informed that Mrs Tree and I will be joining up with several other family members for a road trip holiday... Starting in San Francisco, then driving down to San Jose before heading out towards the pacific coast and driving it down to LA. There have been requests to include San Diego too.

Anyone been to this part of the world recently? Any particular things worth seeing / doing, specifically cultural, artsy or outdoorsy?

Obviously Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge, and we're thinking maybe a day up to Napa Valley to see if the Yanks can compete with Stellenbosch and Franschoek... but otherwise, my knowledge of the Bay area is limited. San Jose I know nothing about.

Re the pacific coast bit - is driving a good option? Anyone tried the trains?

LA and San Diego... other than avoiding Compton and Disneyland, any tips for either of these places?

For info, we're going late march - early April. Flights are already booked, so we have to start in San Francisco and finish in LA.

Thanks in advance!
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If you want my honest advice, stay on the PCH and head the opposite direction...it gets prettier and prettier.
 
Gwladys St. Glory said:
If you want my honest advice, stay on the PCH and head the opposite direction...it gets prettier and prettier.
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Sadly we have no choice but to start in the north and head south - flights were substantially cheaper that way round for the dates everyone was available. Maybe we'll video it and watch the footage in reverse when we get home.
 

Tree13 said:
Sadly we have no choice but to start in the north and head south - flights were substantially cheaper that way round for the dates everyone was available. Maybe we'll video it and watch the footage in reverse when we get home.
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That works...that's just more my own opinion than anything as I can't stand LA/traffic.
 
Just back from 10 days in San Diego
Fifth visit in 5 years
Was there last June as well as part of a honeymoon
It’s late now but I’ll share with you on Monday.
One thing I and others have noticed is that the States are getting increasingly expensive
A rise in minimum wage rates has been passed onto every customer and it’s shown on every bill as well as minimum tips expected
I was in LA years ago and would avoid the city like the plague except for a one day visit to do the touristy stuff
Beaches are much better
 

Brisan123 said:
If you are all over 21 Vegas is a must see
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You mentioned pricing in your last post...Vegas is even worse in that regard. When I was in my early twenties, you could get a decent prime rib there for about $6. You can't even get a #1 at McDonald's for that now. This is what happens when you don't let the mob run it. @ilikecheese can back me up on this fact.
 
From Oakland to Sacktown
The Bay Area and back down
Cali is where they put they mack down give me love!
California, knows how to party
California, knows how to party (c'mon baby)
In the city of L.A. (L.A.)
In the city of good ol' Watts (that's right)
In the city, the city of Compton
We keep it rocking (keep it rocking)
We keep it rocking!
Now make it shake
Shake, shake it baby, shake, shake it
Shake, shake it mama, shake it Cali (shake it Cali)
Shake, shake it baby (shake it Cali), shake, shake it
Shake, shake it mama (West Coast), shake it Cali
Uh, yeah, uh, Long Beach in the house, uh yeah
Oaktown, Oakland definitely in the house
Frisco, Frisco
Hey, you know LA is up in this
Pasadena, where you at
Yeah, Inglewood, Inglewood always up to no good
Even Hollywood trying to get a piece baby
Sacramento, Sacramento where ya at? yeah
Throw it up y'all, throw it up, throw it up! I can't see ya
California love
Let's show these fools how we do it on this on that West Side
'Cause you and I know it's the best side
Yeah, that's right, West Coast, West Coast
Uh California love, California love, yeah
California (California), knows how to party (knows how to party)
California (California), knows how to party (knows how to party)(where they at uh)
In the city of L.A. (South Central)
In the city of good ol' Watts (yeah, yeah)
In the city, the city of Compton (in the city of Compton)
We keep 'em rocking
We keep 'em rocking!
Just c'mon just shake it baby baby baby shake it mama shake it mama sha' Cali'
Rector scale talking about a earthquake on the rector scale-la'
City of Compton, city of Compton where the girls shake their bootys.
 
Tree13 said:
Just been informed that Mrs Tree and I will be joining up with several other family members for a road trip holiday... Starting in San Francisco, then driving down to San Jose before heading out towards the pacific coast and driving it down to LA. There have been requests to include San Diego too.

Anyone been to this part of the world recently? Any particular things worth seeing / doing, specifically cultural, artsy or outdoorsy?

Obviously Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge, and we're thinking maybe a day up to Napa Valley to see if the Yanks can compete with Stellenbosch and Franschoek... but otherwise, my knowledge of the Bay area is limited. San Jose I know nothing about.

Re the pacific coast bit - is driving a good option? Anyone tried the trains?

LA and San Diego... other than avoiding Compton and Disneyland, any tips for either of these places?

For info, we're going late march - early April. Flights are already booked, so we have to start in San Francisco and finish in LA.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

What are you doing in SoCal? GSG gave you the best advice. SFO south to Monterrey, swerve LA and hook a left towards Yosemite. Dawdle up to Sequoia and Redwood, back down to Napa then back to SFO.

Then give LA the finger again and fly home.
 
Diogenes the Cynic said:
From Oakland to Sacktown
The Bay Area and back down
Cali is where they put they mack down give me love!
California, knows how to party
California, knows how to party (c'mon baby)
In the city of L.A. (L.A.)
In the city of good ol' Watts (that's right)
In the city, the city of Compton
We keep it rocking (keep it rocking)
We keep it rocking!
Now make it shake
Shake, shake it baby, shake, shake it
Shake, shake it mama, shake it Cali (shake it Cali)
Shake, shake it baby (shake it Cali), shake, shake it
Shake, shake it mama (West Coast), shake it Cali
Uh, yeah, uh, Long Beach in the house, uh yeah
Oaktown, Oakland definitely in the house
Frisco, Frisco
Hey, you know LA is up in this
Pasadena, where you at
Yeah, Inglewood, Inglewood always up to no good
Even Hollywood trying to get a piece baby
Sacramento, Sacramento where ya at? yeah
Throw it up y'all, throw it up, throw it up! I can't see ya
California love
Let's show these fools how we do it on this on that West Side
'Cause you and I know it's the best side
Yeah, that's right, West Coast, West Coast
Uh California love, California love, yeah
California (California), knows how to party (knows how to party)
California (California), knows how to party (knows how to party)(where they at uh)
In the city of L.A. (South Central)
In the city of good ol' Watts (yeah, yeah)
In the city, the city of Compton (in the city of Compton)
We keep 'em rocking
We keep 'em rocking!
Just c'mon just shake it baby baby baby shake it mama shake it mama sha' Cali'
Rector scale talking about a earthquake on the rector scale-la'
City of Compton, city of Compton where the girls shake their bootys.
Click to expand...

It drops deep as it does in my breath
I never sleep, ‘cause sleep is the cousin of death
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined
I think of crime when I'm in a New York state of mind
 
I took a road trip heading in the opposite direction a few years back, but some of the best spots were just north of San Francisco. If you want a good wine experience, I had a much better time in the Sonoma area than in Napa. In Napa, the scene felt like, well, a tourist destination. It was a much more rustic experience in the Sonoma area. For example, at each stop in Napa, the tasting rooms were packed with people and there wasn't much opportunity to have a personalized experience. Plus, you pay at each tasting. In Sonoma/Healdsburg, we started at a place called Hawkes Winery. We paid for our tasting and spent a good part of the afternoon speaking with the folks who worked there. They gave us a card and some directions to a vineyard they thought we'd like based on wine preferences...we ended up visiting 4 or 5 spots in one day and only had to pay one time.

And yeah, if you can go a bit further north and get into the redwood trees, you should. Have a great trip!
 

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