California dreaming

[svetigpung]

For me hols me and the family are travelling through California this summer. Highway 1 and all that jazz.

So what I'm after has anyone got any decent recommendations for places to visit, to eat and drink, etc. that are different from the usual touristy must-do lists.

Do we have any california saints that have insider tips on San Francisco, LA and there between?

All good tips appreciated.

[hutch]

There's plenty of room at the Hotel California

[Upwind]

Mirrors on the ceiling,

The pink champagne on ice

[Alanh]

I was advised to do Highway 1 from south to north - you get better views that way. Swingers is a cool diner in Santa Monica. The sushi in Chinatown in San Francisco is excellent. Don't spend too much time at Fisherman's Wharf in SF, but do spend time in the Haight-Ashbury district - loads of good independent shops and restaurants.

[TheCholulaKid]

It's not on Highway 1 but if you're in that neck of the woods you'd be mental not to do Yosemite.

[shurlock]

Planning to visit San Francisco/Santa Clara in mid-October - won't have a car, so will be almost entirely dependent on trains and public transport. Any way of getting out to the nicer parts of the coast or more secluded parts of the state on it - if so any recommendations where to go?

[Crazy Diamond]

I'm hoping to go to San Francisco next year to watch some baseball. I asked a few people in the Bay area about it on Twitter and they were very helpful. Consensus is that September is the best time to go, wherever you stay try and be close to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport), San Francisco itself is good for bars that do good beers - website tip, try BeerByBart.com. I hear Oakland is worth a visit too.

[ecuk268]

Mirrors on the ceiling,

The pink champagne on ice

 

You can check out any time you like

But you can never leave

[dubai_phil]

Plan 2 days in Monterey minimum. Do the Whale Watching Trip. It all looks like a rip off but was there a month ago and we had over 600 Dolphins around us then 15 Humpbacks, it is sensational. (Tip set your camera on manual and over expose the pics at sea unlike my pal who got a camera full of darkness!)

 

Also at Monterey dine on Cannery Row, drive the 17 mile drive to have lunch in Carmel and visit local vinyards. Also you MUST stop to see the Elephant Seals just before Cambria - insane. in 1992 they were thought to be extinct now there are some 500+ on one beach. Everyone who has been there loved Hearst Castle.

 

Monterey has expensive hotels by Fishermans Wharf & Downtown but a mile or so on the road out of town are plenty of nice comfy Motel type places. Cambria Pines Lodge is lovely down that way.

 

And yes do Highway 1 North to south - this was my 2nd time and it REALLY is so much better that way round for stopping to take in the view etc

[buctootim]

Carmel is well worth a stop, its next to Monterey and near wine country. If you are even a little bit interested in golf its woirth playing the Pebble Beach course which is one of the most famous and beautiful courses in the US. There are some great B&Bs (nothing like English ones!) in Carmel. Check them out on tripadvisor. The Tally Ho Inn is good too.

[Whitey Grandad]

I went to SF a couple of times in the 1980s and we had a couple of days stopover in LA a year or so ago. We had a car in SF and ten days so we did about 1800 miles and I can recommend:

 

Yosemite - an absolute must. If you do nothing ekse, do this. http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

Muir Woods giant redwoods are interesting. http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

Sonoma valley and Napa Valley. I was recommendeded the Simi winery http://www.simiwinery.com/

Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach and the 17-Mile Drive are beautiful. http://www.pebblebeach.com/activities/explore-the-monterey-peninsula/17-mile-drive

The giant sequoias are worth seeing, there are a couple of groves. http://www.fs.usda.gov/sequoia/

I wanted to go to Bodie but didn't have time http://www.bodie.com/

In SF the Bay Cruise and Alcatraz

Columbia Gold rush Town http://www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com/

 

In one day we drove SF - Modesto - Yosemite - Carson City - Reno - Sacramento - SF but our stops were limited by a slow puncture just inside Nevada. The 10-day visit was in March and the weather was like an English summer, all sunshine and green grass. I went back in June and all the grass was parched and it was much drier.

 

In LA all we had time for was a one-day city tour doing Venice Beach, Downtown, Old Los Angeles, Sunset Boulevard and the homes of the famous.

 

Do your research and you'll have a great time. California is a lovely place and I would love to go back for longer.

 

Have fun!

[Tamesaint]

I echo much of what has been said above.

 

Monterey, Carmel and Cannery Row are musts.

 

Senoma and the Napa areas are great. Don't miss them.

 

Remember what they say about Northern California "Leave before you get too soft. " Montecino and the surrounding area is a nice neck of the woods if you like a bit of peace and quiet. Ican understand how living there makes you too soft.

[LVSaint]

Decent advice above ^

 

Did you say drink? Russian River brewery an hour north of Frisco in Santa Rosa.

 

How long are you going for? Had you considered starting/ending in San Diego?

[aintforever]

As above, you have to do Yosemite. If you do I would recommend staying at the Ahwahnee Hotel which is bang in the middle of the park. The only other option in the park itself is the lodge which is basic and Curry Village which looked awful.

 

Mariposa Grove on the way into Yosemite has some amazing sequoias.

 

San Fran - we only had time to do the usual touristy stuff but Alcatraz was very good.

[CB Saint]

If you want wine, stay in yountville, not Napa. It is smaller and less commercial.

 

in San francisco, Alcatraz is a must. One of the best tours I have been on - make sure you book before you go.

 

ditto comments on Yosemite

 

try to avoid the star house tour in la, Cameron diaz's bush was an anticlimax

[shurlock]

Where's redslo when you need him...

[Horley CTFC Saint]

San Simeon - Alcatraz - Catalina Island - San Juan Capistrano Mission - Yosemite - Sequoia NP - The Queen Mary at Long Beach - Richard Nixon Library at Anaheim - The Rose Bowl at Pasadena - The Coronado Hotel - Old San Diego - Death Valley

[CylonKing]

Cannot add much to the above really. I've done the drive twice, first South to North and then North to South. It is spectacular no matter which direction you go. We camped the bulk of the way, some great campsites dotted along the route. Santa Barbara is good for a stop, Hearst Castle is touristy but well worth the stop and tour, Monterey aquarium is a must see, book tickets in advance online if you can to avoid the queues, Santa Cruz is a wonderful place to stop - can recommend the expensive but homely Adobe on the Green as a place to stay. Alcatraz in SF is an absolute must as is Yosemite, but that is one hell of a drive off of the route but well worth it. In LA we enjoyed Santa Monica and Venice Beach but that is all we did while there as for us, LA is all about the nightlife along Sunset Strip - The Whisky, Saddleranch and The Rainbow Bar and Grill. There are some wonderful little places just to pull into to check out along the coast, just see what takes your fancy - Morro Bay was good, not far from Pismo which again was a nice place to camp. It's a wonderful place to visit and you'll have a great time.

[svetigpung]

Thanks folks...some useful stuff there. Where is

We have planned the must-do's such as Alcatraz, Yosemite, Monterey & Carmel.

Good tips about the Beerbybart.com , Cambria , Hearst Castle.

Would love to hop aboard the whale & dolphin boat trip. But is this seasonal? are they hanging about in august?

We haven't enough time to go north of SF or down to San Diego. And we will not try and sneak a view of Cameron Diaz's bush (thanks CB Saint).

 

Any tips for LA? Runyon or Griffith parks? Is Sunset Boulevard cool and exciting or a touristy mess? Any tips for Huntington Beach.

 

O and the Hotel California that's been getting great reviews on here. Apparently a lovely place, even got mirrors on the ceiling, plenty of wine and pink champers. Unfortunately it was full.

[buctootim]

Any tips for LA? Runyon or Griffith parks? Is Sunset Boulevard cool and exciting or a touristy mess? Any tips for Huntington Beach.

 

I've never really 'got' Los Angeles despite going out with a native and visiting a lot. There are other move 'liveable' places in California imo. That said Griffiths park is very good as is the Getty Center. If you are there for the 626 night market thats a great laid back night as are the free beach concerts at Santa Monica Pier . Santa Monica is one of the best places to stay, its much more walkable than LA itself - good shopping, beach, hotels and restaurants. The Oceana hotel is good. Sunset Strip is tacky imo despite a TS hooker getting in my car one night - that said you have to visit it. Santa Catalina Island is a short trip away, but maybe save that for a second visit. Horse racing at Santa Anita is fun as is the Six Flags theme park if you're into that.

http://www.626nightmarket.com/home

http://santamonicapier.org/twilightconcerts/

http://www.santaanita.com/

http://www.hoteloceanasantamonica.com/

Edited 29 April, 2015 by buctootim

[Miffy]

My advice for Alcatraz is to go early. Maybe even try to get the first Ferry, it can get very busy later.

[um pahars]

Has anyone mentioned a hike/walk day out in BIg Sur??

 

Stayed on a great motel on PCH1 in Big Sur (Big Sur River Inn) and then stayed in some Dutch named place (Deetjens) there as well. Great countryside and coastline.

Edited 29 April, 2015 by um pahars

[egbb saint]

San Francisco can be cold in the fog so be prepared, and dress layered! If you get fed up with the USA take a side trip to Solvang and pretend you’re in Denmark instead, or for a seaside boardwalk style place try Santa Cruz. The US do tacky really well.

Food wise Californians eat well (you can buy meat other than beef) and drink micro-brewery beer. Some of it is surprisingly good.

I’d suggest a copy of Road Trip USA (you only want the Pacific Coast trip) and this website http://www.takemytrip.com/04cal/index.htm , both have been invaluable to us.

[Depressed of Shirley]

Plan 2 days in Monterey minimum. Do the Whale Watching Trip. It all looks like a rip off but was there a month ago and we had over 600 Dolphins around us then 15 Humpbacks, it is sensational. (Tip set your camera on manual and over expose the pics at sea unlike my pal who got a camera full of darkness!)

 

Also at Monterey dine on Cannery Row, drive the 17 mile drive to have lunch in Carmel and visit local vinyards. Also you MUST stop to see the Elephant Seals just before Cambria - insane. in 1992 they were thought to be extinct now there are some 500+ on one beach. Everyone who has been there loved Hearst Castle.

 

Monterey has expensive hotels by Fishermans Wharf & Downtown but a mile or so on the road out of town are plenty of nice comfy Motel type places. Cambria Pines Lodge is lovely down that way.

 

And yes do Highway 1 North to south - this was my 2nd time and it REALLY is so much better that way round for stopping to take in the view etc

 

Would agree with all of Phil's comments.

 

Are you planning to go across the desert to Vegas?

[svetigpung]

Dep Shirley..we will not visit Vegas, this time. I hate trying to explore too much on one trip. Keep it there for next time along with the canyon.

Egbb..not too bothered about the Danish village of Solvang. As i'm now living in Sweden, so. I've heard the San Francisco summers can be foggy and are constantly changing.

Um Pahars..will travel drive H1 through Big Sur. Sounds a nice place to take a stop. Then hopefully Cambia.

 

Was hoping to get an american football game in while there. Any of you living there know if the season is underway in july/august? Collage footy is meant to be just as entertaining??

[LVSaint]

College and professional american football doesn't start until September but you might be able to get a preseason friendly in along the way. Check the nfl website