Hey fellow s2k enthusiasts
A couple of friends and myself are going to be coming down to cali to do the pacific coast hwy from san fran to LA.
We have 3 cities in mind that we want to do in that 1.5 week span. LA, san fran and las vegas.
I was hoping you guys could give me some insight as to best do the trip.
we were thinking of flying into san fran and then going south from there.

So whats the best way to do this guys, all help is greatly appreciated!
how many days in each city, how long to allot for driving, should we just bang out the drive from la to san fran or slow it down and stop over at some places?

let me know the best itinerary for a 9 day trip, cheers!

 

I would suggest 3 days up in NorCal, 3 days in SoCal and 2 days in Vegas. Budget one day for the drive south from SF and rest.

NorCal
- SF tourist traps
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Alcatraz
- Cable car ride
- Drive down Lombard Street
- Fishermans Wharf

- Monterey
- Monterey Bay Aquatium
- Mazda Speedway at Laguna Seca

- Napa (if you're old enough to drink)
- wineries
- bike tour to all the wineries
- drink wine and eat good food

- SoCal
- Beaches
- Hollywood Blvd
- hike in the local mountains
- Griffith Observatory
- Getty Museum or Getty Villa
- night clubs
- S2000 meets
- Go visit Evasive?

- Las Vegas
- lots if shit to do

 

I've done this trip a dozen or more times -- this is my "get out of LA" vacation.


My biggest tip:
Stay to the coast. No reason to deviate...stay on PCH at all costs.
Wifey and I select a few lighthouses along the way and promise we'll stop at them -- just to guarantee that we don't leave the coast. Outstanding lighthouses definitely include Point Reyes (if you end up flying into SF, it's about an hour from there) and you drive out a long road to climb down a bunch of stairs...trust me, worth it.



Without question stop in the Monterey peninsula. More specifically, Pacific Grove. Great place to overnight (cheap hotels RIGHT on the water) and it's probably the prettiest place I've ever seen.

Explore and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. Also check out Point Lobos Nat'l Park.
Then head South.

I happen to adore Cambria (small town just South of San Simeon / Hearst Castle) but there isn't much to do -- except wine taste and walk the beach. Stop at the Elephant Seal beach just North of Cambria to see something you'll likely never see again.


South of that is Pismo Beach where you can drive on the sand (!) or rent ATVs and play in the dunes.
Expensive and make sure you rent one with plenty of HP or you'll be bored to tears. Not really my scene but lots of people love this activity.

Stop in Santa Barbara (possibly for the night?) and check out where the uber-rich live.
Lots to do there -- maybe go to a polo game (horses...actually really fun) and for a great, cheap place to stay look at the Cliff House Inn in Mussel Shoals / Carpenteria.

Then you're into LA (drive through Ventura and into Malibu). Make sure you stop at many of the beaches. You won't be sorry.


Enough from me - but ENJOY THE TRIP!

 

^^^ Great advice... A couple of things I would add is to take a little side trip up the coast when you get to SF to see some of Marin County (Sausalito/Tiburon and up to Petaluma). Also, having grown up in Pacific Grove, I would specifically recommend driving 17-mile-drive in nearby Pebble Beach and also visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea beaches, and if you're into wine, Carmel Valley wineries.

 

You grew up in PG?!

Jealous...

 

I have lived in SF, grew up in LA, and practically grew up in Vegas and my sister lived there. This is my advice but since I don't know what you're interested in, take it for what it's worth:

San Francisco/Bay Area (2 days, at most 3):
SF is not a touristy place, in general, besides the tourist attractions/traps.
Go to Alcatraz
Take the Golden Gate Bridge. Going out of SF (North) is Sausalito/Marin County. Quaint areas with Sausalito being one of the most expensive areas to live in (Did you know Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay) is about Sausalito?). Going back to SF via GG is at least a 6 dollar toll.
Height Ashbury is all shopping/hippy and slightly dirty.
I highly recommend going to Golden Gate park just because it's huge and beautiful. There are "hidden" gems there like the Japanese Garden and real life buffalo.
There's the best food in SF:

• Ethiopian in Lower Height (Height Street)
• Mexican on Divisadero Street in Lower Height
• Mexican in the Castro
• Japanese in the Castro
• Nepalese on Divisadero Street
• Mama's Restaurant by Little Italy
• China Town for Dim Sum

(I lived around Height Ashbury and my sister in the Castro. I miss eating in SF!)

Napa is about an hour or two away if you want to go wine tasting.

PCH is a beautiful drive but expect a 9 hour trip from SF to LA.

LA (2 days):
Disneyland if you haven't been already. Tickets are expensive and you can easily take up 2 days going to both parks. You can also be there for one day if you just want the experience.
Universal Studios can be done in a half day.
The beach if you want to relax. Santa Monica pier is a tourist trap but fun. If you want a clean beach go up PCH to Malibu.
Hollywood is fun to people watch. There's a few touristy places like Ripley's Believe It Or Not that are entertaining.

Vegas is a three or four hour drive from LA. Along the way is Buffalo Bills. You MUST go on their roller coaster- one of the tallest in the country and very fun. You can spend the most time in Vegas (I have spent weeks there).

Free things to do:
Cruise the strip even in traffic.
Walk the strip and go every hotel that looks interesting (which is all).
Watch the Pirate Show at Treasure Island
See the Volcano explode and the white tigers at the Mirage.
There's a cute/kiddish show at The Excalibur that includes a dragon.
If you like to people watch, the strip is amazing but Hard Rock Hotel is the best place to go to.
Don't miss the penguins at The Flamingo!
There's talking Gods at Ceasar.

Some random things:
Paris has a restaurant at the top of it's Eiffel Tower.
New York New York has a roller coaster that's supposed to be fun.
Eat at a buffet! The Mandalay Bay Buffet is AMAZING.

More off the strip is the Stratosphere. There are amusement park rides at the very top, including a bungee jump off of it.

Downtown Vegas is seedy and be careful if you go- there's gang violence and just plain weirdos. There is a free show that you can see at night and there is the neon light museum.


And don't forget: Every location has In-N-Out! You have to eat there!!

If you fly into SF, are you flying out of Vegas?

Good luck and if you need any help please don't hesitate to PM me.

 

Haha yeah... it's actually a pretty boring place to grow up, although the beach and the area's natural beauty never gets old

 

Dude, I'm from rural VT -- don't tell me about boring.
Hope to live in PG someday.

 

Haha okay I guess it's not so bad