Drive between LA and SF

[viaggiamo]

Hi
we are an Aussie family wanting to drive between LA and SF, we have allocated 11-12 nights to do this, stopping along the way, with a 3 and 5yo in tow.
Prior to this we are in Anaheim for 7 nights, afterwards SF for 5 nights and then on to Vegas for a conference.

Any advice would be welcome!

Should we drive to Vegas from SF? I was thinking of flying. And then to LAX from Vegas, is the drive worth doing or fly instead?

Another option, as many of the threads I have read have only taken 3-4 nights to explore the coast road between LA and SF, is driving north up along the coastal road in Sonoma and Marin Counties.

We like to take our time, explore, even eating at a local diner or Mexican-style restaurant is a new experience for us. We are not having to do the child-orientated excursions every day.

I would like to visit Hearst Castle and DH would like to play Pebble Beach if we can.

And would $200pn for accommodation be enough (we are happy to share a room) for the driving sector(s) of our trip?

thanks, this is my first post here but I am looooving this forum and have learnt so much already.

V

 

[WDWLinda]

Hi there & welcome to the Disboards! We're a family of 4 and we drove from SF down to LA and then SD 4 yrs ago when our boys were 3 and 6 yrs and it was one of our favorite trips - so much to do and beautiful scenery. I can send you an Excel sheet with an itineray I made up that will show what we did and the prices then. I don't think I can attach it here, so maybe if you send me a PM with your email I can send it out. I used "Calif for Dummies" - a great book for planning, and Trip Advisor for hotel reviews to back up the book.

Have fun planning!
Linda

 

[usnuzuloose]

Hi
we are an Aussie family wanting to drive between LA and SF, we have allocated 11-12 nights to do this, stopping along the way, with a 3 and 5yo in tow.
Prior to this we are in Anaheim for 7 nights, afterwards SF for 5 nights and then on to Vegas for a conference.

Any advice would be welcome!

Should we drive to Vegas from SF? I was thinking of flying. And then to LAX from Vegas, is the drive worth doing or fly instead?

Another option, as many of the threads I have read have only taken 3-4 nights to explore the coast road between LA and SF, is driving north up along the coastal road in Sonoma and Marin Counties.

We like to take our time, explore, even eating at a local diner or Mexican-style restaurant is a new experience for us. We are not having to do the child-orientated excursions every day.

I would like to visit Hearst Castle and DH would like to play Pebble Beach if we can.

And would $200pn for accommodation be enough (we are happy to share a room) for the driving sector(s) of our trip?

thanks, this is my first post here but I am looooving this forum and have learnt so much already.

V

Are you making advanced reservations for Pebble Beach? You cant just walk up and get on there. Even with a 4 team it is probably 6 months out. My DH still has a GC for it and being a single he still needs a few months out to just play.

There is Santa Cruz and the boardwalk, kids would like that. Monterey also has the Aquarium. The drive from SF to Las Vegas can be boring. There is a little town called Calico, there is a cost to see it , not sure how much. It is worth a few hour visit on the way. Other than that it is all desert. So it all depends on your children and how they are in the car. Flying from Frisco is about an Hour and twenty minute flight. There is alot to see along the coast. It is very pretty and you can get alot of pictures. Hope this helps a little. Ask away if you have more questions. Welcome to the Dis!

 

[usnuzuloose]

Sorry to bump, just to let you know if your DH is an ncga member I believe he can get a discount at Poppy Hills. Here is the number for Pebble Beach for reservations for Pebble beach ( 800 ) 654. 9300. My DH has played a few other courses , Spy Glass, Spanish Bay, and Poppy Hills.

He has never played Peter Hays which is next to Pebble Beach. Even if he doesnt play Pebble Beach you can still go through the hotel area and go out on the 18th hole and take pictures. They have a nice resturant there also. They also have a little store across the street that has a Deli which you can get sandwiches. They also have some shops that are fun looking at. They have the whole 17 mile dr which is a self guided driving tour. The cost to get into 17 mile dr, Last time I went in was 9.50. Great way to have a picnic lunch as so many places for the kids to stop and play in the sand and the water. Depending on the time of year. I only live 3 hours away so we go quite often. I love the area.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi and welcome to the DIS.

When we have guests from out of town (Spain), I've taken them on week-long trips to San Francisco.

I would recommend visiting at least one of our 21 missions that are part of the California History. Purísima is a beautiful mission, between Solvang/San Luis Obispo and Monterey. I would recommend visiting that one, Santa Barbara Mission, or San Juan Capistrano, which is between Los Angeles and San Diego.

You might consider going to Yosemite or Sequoia National Park to see some of the largest living things on Earth. (Sequoia has the General Sherman tree, which is the largest living thing on Earth) Yosemite has some sequoia groves, Mariposa being the most famous.

Lake Tahoe is also a fun destination. You can gamble, if you'd like that experience, plus you are up in the Sierras, which is beautiful. You can take side trips, like to Virginia City (still looks like an "old west town"), Donner Lake, etc. It makes for a fun trip.

If you do go to Las Vegas, I recommend a side trip to Hoover Dam.

 

[viaggiamo]

thanks so much everyone, we are going in October, so will book DH into Pebble Beach (hopefully) this week when I have finalised dates. It will be just him, so hopefully easier to get on with a single.
Do you think 10 nights is too long for the drive, I have read threads with people taking only 1 night or 2...
We want it to be fun and relaxing and are happy to do things the locals do rather than all touristy stuff.
I will PM you WDWLinda.
Is $200 per night for accomodatioin reasonable? Or should I budget more?

We are in Vegas for 5 nights and I am thinking about hiring a car and seeing Hoover Dam with the DC while DH is at the conference.

Thanks

C

 

[jdb in AZ]

thanks so much everyone, we are going in October, so will book DH into Pebble Beach (hopefully) this week when I have finalised dates. It will be just him, so hopefully easier to get on with a single.
Do you think 10 nights is too long for the drive, I have read threads with people taking only 1 night or 2...
We want it to be fun and relaxing and are happy to do things the locals do rather than all touristy stuff.
I will PM you WDWLinda.
Is $200 per night for accomodatioin reasonable? Or should I budget more?

We are in Vegas for 5 nights and I am thinking about hiring a car and seeing Hoover Dam with the DC while DH is at the conference.

Thanks

C

When our kids were little we drove from San Francisco to Disneyland in one day. It was a long day, but do-able. It just depends on how much touristy stuff you want to do along the way. I really love Monterey and the 17-mile drive. San Francisco has such a wide variety of restaurants. If you're looking for authentic Mexican, the Los Angeles area tends to have more of those restaurants (along with Arizona, and Texas -- the closer to the border, the more Mexican restaurants.)

If you don't stay at the very elite hotels, $200 per night should work. You could actually go cheaper at some places, then splurge. Vegas hotels can be pricey -- hopefully your DH will get a nice conference rate.

Since you'll be in Vegas, you might want to do a side trip to the Grand Canyon, with a stop at Sedona.

 

[viaggiamo]

jdb in AZ

thanks for replying.
In Vegas our business is paying so we can splurge a bit more, I am thinking the Four Seasons. What do you think?
Or Cesears Palace?
I have been to Vegas many years ago without children, so this will be a very different trip. I just want to relax, shop a bit and hopefully swim (late Oct) if it's warm enough.
Do you guys think we should maybe just spend 6 days driving LA-SF and then either go north of SF or visit somewhere else?

Like: Seattle, San Diego, Colorado,???

Yosemite sounds amazing but with 2 small children hiking is just not going to happen...

C

 

[GrazingGoat1966]

Ocker, IMO 10-11 days is way more than you need. Even with taking our time and overnighting, taking 3 days is a stretch (and that included half a day at Hearst Castle). At the very longest take no more than 4 days, and that is allowing for plenty of stopping for sightseeing etc. If you are looking for other places to visit in and around SF, then you should do Yosemite, even without worrying about hiking. It's only about a 4 hour drive from San Fran and there are a range of accomodation options nearby as well. Drive up into the Napa Valley to while away a couple of easy days too.
Seattle is probably a stretch too far in the time you've got, put look at going up to Lake Tahoe and staying for a night.
See you back on the Australia board!

 

[viaggiamo]

Thanks everyone.
I agree i think, looking at the areas we want to visit on the way, I think we will keep it at 5 nights between LA-Sf as Dh wants to play golf in the Monterey area and we are debating whether Pebble Beach is worth the motza they are charging...
We may just tack on extra days to our locations, I have been to Napa and Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam so we are giving thise a miss, we may look at Yosemite.
Seattle was on the list but I think we'll leave it until next time.
Decisions, decsions!!
C

 

[GrandBob]

Thanks everyone.
I agree i think, looking at the areas we want to visit on the way, I think we will keep it at 5 nights between LA-Sf as Dh wants to play golf in the Monterey area and we are debating whether Pebble Beach is worth the motza they are charging...

If money is the issue (and yes, Pebble is outrageous, and I'm not even a golfer), you may want to consider the Pacific Grove Municipal Course. One of the best bargains on the peninsula, and the views are every bit as marvelous as at Pebble:

http://www.pggolflinks.com/index.php

We may just tack on extra days to our locations, I have been to Napa and Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam so we are giving thise a miss, we may look at Yosemite.
Seattle was on the list but I think we'll leave it until next time.
Decisions, decsions!!
C

I didn't catch what time of year you're planning a visit, but YES, Yosemite is amazing. Spend at least 2-3 nights there.

Also, whether hubby believes it or not, there are actually a whole lot more things to do around here (Monterey) than just golf. The Aquarium, Cannery Row, 17 Mile Drive, Big Sur coast, eat, Carmel, Pacific Grove, eat, etc. You might want to spend several days here, too.

HTH,
Bob

 

[Anaheim boy]

Gotta agree with GrandBob, there are many things to see around the Monterrey area. The aquarium is one of the best, boasting the largest salt water aquarium in the world (last I remember at least). If you are doing a drive up the Cali coast you NEED to make a stop to see Hearst Castle. It is absolutely amazing this palace that Hearst built. And sometimes you can see the wild animals Hearst shipped over still roaming the mts around the estate (zebra and other non native American animals). It is amazing. But that is something you need to book for. You take planned tours to see the estate, you can't just drive up and see it. A bus takes you up the mt to where the estate is. And those tours book up fast. Definite must.
I too would recommend Yosemite. It's not all about hiking, and my parents took me there all the time as a little kid and I loved it. The valley is amazing with it's granite monoliths. There are plenty of things to do within the valley that would keep kids amused.
Sonoma and Carmel, kinda near Monterrey, has great vineyards. My cousin used to live there and they loved the wines that came out of that area. Something else to maybe see the country side.
Tahoe is a relatively easy 1 and a half hr drive from San Fran and quite beautiful. Easily done in a day trip from SF if you wanted. It's worth the trip for the scenery. Very nice.
You could drive from SF to Vegas if you wanted to allocate time for it. Takes a little longer but you could go the back way around, I think on route 395 (?) that goes through Mono Lake and such. Think you could wind Tahoe and Yosemite into this leg of your journey. It's a bit lesser used route and more mountainess but again, a very beautiful journey and probably nothing like what you would see in Aus. Sounds like a great journey at any rate.
In Vegas, you can find plenty of cheap accommodation. It's not expensive at all, unless you want it to be. But if your company is paying...I probably wouldn't do the 4 seasons. It's way at the end of the strip next to Luxor. You'll be away from the center of the strip, and while transport is pretty easy to find in Vegas, I would like being closer to the middle of the strip. Really, anywhere in the middle there would work, they're all pretty good.

 

[SailorsWife]

Ok, I live in California and I am a bit puzzled by the 1 1/2 HOUR Drive SF to Lake Tahoe. I live in Sacramento which is between the two, and it maybe 2 hours to SF with no traffic and 2 hours to Tahoe. Just being honest. It is an easy trip, but I would not make a day trip out of it. Totally agree, you can go from SF to Tahoe and then down Highway 395 to Las Vegas. There is a real Ghost Town called Bodie that has the old mine still on site. LOTS of old buildings and artifacts. Worth the winding dirt road off the Highway. Mono Lake is a must see. Very Different from anything I have seen in my travels. Mammoth Lakes is a cute town and would be a good stop over. Devil Postpile is an area near there that would be good to see too. Some odd rock formatioms. Lee Vining is the "back side" of Yosemite. Spend a day or two just at Yosemite. The valley floor is flat and easy trails can get you to some great vistas.
Another place I would make the effort to go to is Death Valley. Easily could be a detour off of 395 and then hook up with Highway 15 out to Vegas.

October can be snowing in the Sierra's. Or it can still be mild 60's. So watch the weather. I advise Highway 50 or 80 to cross over the Sierra's. The smaller highways can close because of snow. One of which is the highway from Lee Vining into Yosemite. You may want to skip crossing the mountain and head down Highway 99 or I-5 go get to Yosemite. Then head to Las Vegas (and Death Valley)

Napa and or Sonoma wine country can both be done as day trips out of SF. A day is plenty. I am partial to Sonoma because I live there for number of year. Sonoma (city) and Napa (city) can be done in one day. The county of Somoma could be done over two days and you still won't hit every place.

BUT if you want something a bit more off the beaten path. Between SF and Tahoe, you will find the town of Placerville on Highway 50. That area has some wineries that are small, welcoming and give you FREE wine tastings, Napa and some Sonoma places charge these days.

Working my way back to LA area to San Francisco. Go up to Santa Barbara, then Hearst Castle. Stay in San Luis Obisbo at the Madonna Inn if you can. Each room has it's own themed decor. It's a bit touristy but so worth the time. My kids loved it. Then spend the day going up Highway 1 to Monterey. It's got some beautiful views, again, something I haven't seen else where. AND Reservations, reservations, reservations. AND allow plenty of time between your stops. Us California's can do LA to SF in under 8 hours out on I-5, but enjoy your trip and time.

 

[Anaheim boy]

Ok, I live in California and I am a bit puzzled by the 1 1/2 HOUR Drive SF to Lake Tahoe. I live in Sacramento which is between the two, and it maybe 2 hours to SF with no traffic and 2 hours to Tahoe. Just being honest.

Ahhhh, you are so right. I was born and raised in Cali, but I obviously got my times mixed up. Oops. Most of the time I did that drive I would stop in Sacramento on the way. I think my average time was about 3 to 3 1/2 hrs from San Fran to Tahoe. Sorry about that. Forgot about the Madonna Inn. Yes, something to see. If you were in a hurry, I have done San Fran to LA via I-5 in about 5 to 5 1/2 hours, but that was mostly stopping for gas only. By all means, slow down and check things out on the way though.