has anyone done this trip from San Fransisco to LA? thinking of doing it over 3 weeks next year. Any advice/ experience welcome. Tia
Yes. I've driven it a few times. Although you can do it in one day, I'd stop along the way and enjoy it. Places to stay / visit: San Luis Obispo Carmel Monterey Paso Robles Santa Barbara Santa Monica
Not sure about all the places, but the Santa Barbara Hotel on State Street (the main thoroughfare) is nice. I've stayed there a few times. It's a little old boutique hotel. There's a brewpub next door, where a friend of mine is the brewmaster.
Years ago I did that. As I remember it went something like this - might not be in exact order. In 3 weeks. San Francisco. Muir Woods Mono Lake Yosemite Down middle of California Inland Red Woods - General Sherman tree Salton Sea Along Mexican border into Arizona Organ Pipe Tucson Tombstone Up side of New Mexico Alpine Meteor Crator Walnut Canyon Flagstaff Grand Canyon Into Utah Canyon de Shay Monument Valley Bryce Canyon Zion Park Into Nevada Death Valley Hoover Dam Las Vegas Tracey San Francisco It’s big distances but it’s very easy to drive - 4500 miles - make sure you pick up a comfy car at the airport - plot your route -motels are easy to find - and then drive. Went further north in a RV a few years later - 3000 miles - Grand Canyon to Yellowstone etc. My advice is steer clear of RVs. There are plenty of motels.
Done both. Suggest spending more time in San Fran than LA itself. But plenty inbetween the two to look at and do. Downtown LA used to be a no-go later on. Presume it’s still the same now.
If you’re going for 3 weeks I think you should be a bit more ambitious and start in Seattle, or even Vancouver, and do the whole of the Washington State, Oregon, and California coastlines down to San Diego. It’s about 1300 miles which sounds a lot but is nothing by US standards. As others have said, don’t allow for too much time in Los Angeles.
LA Is spread over a large area. I have been twice to the west coast and would recommend you split it into two areas north where you can visit Hollywood, Santa Monica and Universal studios and South assuming you want to visit theme parks around Anaheim where its easy to visit Long Beach, Disneyland and Knots Berry Farm etc . It's also only about 60 or 70 miles down to San Diego and very near various beach resorts The distance up US1 is about 500miles so would definitely stage it, Carmel and Monterrey are well worth a visit. San Francisco is a great city with a lot to do. Las Vegas is as you would expect very commercial but still a good place to experience. We stopped en route at a place called Wuksachi Lodge in the Sierra Nevada mountains this is where the General Sherman tree is. If you do it in winter you definitely need chains and a 4 wheel drive to be allowed into the national park which can be hired at local garages etc. You need to plan your journeys in chunks of no more than 400 miles per day if possible allowing enough time to see the area and do at least 3 or 4 nights in major areas Good luck you will love it. PS if you do LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas you wouldn't find 3 more different cities anywhere in the US.
Done it loads of times and will be doing it again this August. With three weeks to kill, why not end up in San Diego rather than LA?
I’ve done it a few times, but when I did it similar to this, but also took in Death Valley. It was an amazing holiday. Can’t recommend Bryce canyon and zion national park enough. As YN says, you spend a long time driving, but see loads on the way. You also see the real America along the way. Motels are easy to come by, and are quite cheap if you plan and call ahead. Even if it is just the morning ahead. I can’t wait to do it again...
