9 Day Trip to California_Advice
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Anonymous
| My husband and I are planning a 9 day trip to California the last week of August. We are renting a car in San Francisco and driving all the way to Los Angeles and/or San Diego if time allows. It is our first time vising California, so I would love to hear about the cities, towns, and beaches that are a must see there. Many thanks in advance!!! |
Anonymous
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Laguna Beach
Sausalito (20-minute ferry ride from SF) Must-Dos in San Francisco: Ghirardelli Square China Town North Beach (Little Italy) Cable Car Museum and ride cable cars Union Square Alcatraz (book well in advance) Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point (under the bridge) Haight-Ashbury Alamo Square Park Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf (extremely touristy, but if you're there, you might as well go see it) Lombard Street |
Anonymous
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You can't do San Francisco and Los Angeles, and San Diego, and the coast in between in 9 days.
If it were me, I would prioritize San Francisco and the coast and skip Los Angeles and San Diego, unless you really like beaches. The drive on Route 1 is nicest between Hearst Castle and Monterey, with a stop at Big Sur. That's a few days right there. For San Francisco, I know it better with kids, but I would go to Alcatraz, get some good food, go to some museums (depending on your interests). |
Anonymous
| Monterey Bay |
Anonymous
| Thank you very much for your advice! That's very helpful. |
Anonymous
The drive down Hwy 1 from SF to LA is a dream. Carmel, Pismo Beach, and points along the the way are some of my favorite places ever! The redwood forest is also a favorite (if you cut over from Hwy 101.) The Bay Area is my favorite, but I am biased. I have only heard amazing things about San Diego though I have never visited. In LA I would do the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Venice Beach. If you have a favorite TV show I would try to get tickets to be in the live audience one evening for that. I also say try to do a day trip or overnight trip to the wine country as the starting point of your drive down the coast. Enjoy! I am so jealous! |
Anonymous
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If you are doing "the city" you can do it in one day. From the list provided I would cut in down as follows (this is coming from a native)
My recommendations: China Town North Beach (Little Italy) - Columbus St./Coit Tower Pier 39 Ride cable cars from Market Street to Pier 39 or along California Street Union Square and Market Street (shopping) (All can be done in one day) Golden Gate Bridge (walk across) Presidio Haight-Ashbury (not a must do but nice if you have time) Alamo Square Park (see above) Ferry Building/SOMA (museums, etc.) Mission District (for the best burritos in the world!) The Cliff House Twin Peaks for view on a clear day or night with burritos picked up from the Mission District |
Anonymous
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I'm from Santa Barbara and live in Los Angeles, and I agree with PP that it's not enough time to do it well so I'd pare it down.
What I would do, if it were me, is do the SF things listed, drive down the coast on the PCH (Hwy 1), seeing stuff and ending in Santa Barbara (not continuing on to LA). If you are flying out of LAX, then you can drive from Santa Barbara to LAX in under 2.5 hours (really just 2, but I'm padding here in case of traffic). You take the 101 Fwy South to Las Posas Road, then get back on the PCH until it "ends" by going into a tunnel and coming out facing east, and that will be the 10 East, and from there you can get to the airport in a few ways. (Ignore this advice if you love the celebrity culture and want to do the Hollywood-type things) |
Anonymous
| Thank you all very much for the info and advice!!! |
Anonymous
I forgot to add that if you walk across the GG bridge or even drive across it then have lunch in one of the little towns on the other end. Sausalito is a favorite but Larkspur is also a cute town. |
Anonymous
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Along with the drive down the coast, a day or two in the San Luis Obispo area is worth a stop. Cute little town, good hiking in the area -- Montana de Oro has an easy walk to tide pools, Bishop's Peak for a more challenging climb and good views, hike down Poly Canyon on the college campus to see the "architecture graveyard" (that's my kids' favorite). If you happen to be there over a Thursday, the town's Thurs. night Farmer's Market is a lot of fun. There's also an old-fashioned drive in movie theater on the edge of town.
http://www.visitsanluisobispocounty.com/profile/1932/sunset-drive-in-theatre http://www.sunkissedhiker.com/blog/poly-canyon-architecture-graveyard-san-luis-obispo/ http://www.visitsanluisobispocounty.com/events/461 http://www.hikespeak.com/trails/montana-de-oro-bluff-trail/ |
Anonymous
| While in SF my wife and I rented bikes, toured the city, then headed over the GGB. Ended up having a late lunch in Sausalito and then took the ferry back to SF. It's a good way tot see the city. |
Anonymous
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Okay, OP. I live in SF, and I'm going to break down these suggestions for you.
China Town - cute to walk around and buy cheap gifts for people back home. NOT the best food. If you feel the need, Obama got takeout at Great Eastern on Jackson Street North Beach (Little Italy) - Columbus St./Coit Tower - plan your Coit Towel trip for after you eat at Tony's Pizza on Stockton. He's won awards for his dough throughout the world, multiple times. Great guy. Get the meatballs too. Then walk up to Coit, then go down the back and hit up Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 (don't eat there) then walk south along the Embarcadero and eat dinner at the Ferry Building (but not at Market Bar, not to be confused with One Market, where you CAN eat). Pier 39 - see above. There's a store for lefties in the back as well as a big candy store. Ride cable cars from Market Street to Pier 39 or along California Street - Pick up the cable car at the Hyatt Embarcadero (hint: it's not on the Embarcadero) because it's MUCH less crowded there than in Union Square where all the tourists wait. Take it up California , then back down the other side. Union Square and Market Street (shopping) - eh. it's not like you live in the appalachian mountains and have never seen these stores before. It's crowded, touristy, tons of homeless, tons of construction right now, there's just no need to go. (All can be done in one day) Golden Gate Bridge (walk across) - agree Presidio - if you'll be around on a Friday night, hit up Off the Grid in Fort Mason Haight-Ashbury (not a must do but nice if you have time) - don't bother. there are no hippies. but there are a ton of homeless, and a ton of junkies. do NOT sit in grass unless you want to get stabbed by a dirty needle. Alamo Square Park (see above) - no need. You want a park? Go to Duboce Park or Dolores Park. If you go to Dolores, go get some food at Bi-Rite, then get ice cream across the street at Bi-Rite Creamery. Ferry Building/SOMA (museums, etc.) - do this. Take the T train to The Ramp in the Bayview/Hunter's Point. It'll be on your left. Then take the train back. Don't wander around. Go to the Jewish Museum (great gift shop), and SF MoMa. Walk across 3rd Street and eat a snack at Beard Papa. Do NOT walk down 6th Street. Anything lower than that is fine. Mission District (for the best burritos in the world!) - sure. Bi-Rite is there. Frjtz is also really great. The Cliff House - eh. It's where locals take visiting relatives. 
Twin Peaks for view on a clear day or night with burritos picked up from the Mission District - eh. Nothing to do there but if you're into an Alfred Hitchcock setting, there's your ambiance. Christopher Playground is up there, but there's nothing spectacular about it. Ghirardelli Square - skip this. Total waste of time unless you're REALLY into seeing fudge made or something. If you REALLY want the ice cream, go to the shop on Market instead - I think it's near ... 2nd Street? No line, same stuff. They also have an outpost in the Westfield Shopping Centre. Cable Car Museum and ride cable cars - museum is free but boring, see about cable car advice above. Alcatraz (book well in advance) - do this. the self-guided tour is pretty interesting. GREAT views. Interesting history. Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point (under the bridge) - eh. I guess it's a necessity if you're a tourist. Lombard Street - eh. It's not even the crookedest street in the world. the residents who actually live there had to beg the city to block tourists from hanging out at certain parts of the day because it was getting too congested. |
Anonymous
| If you do make it down to SD, there's Balboa Park and the zoo and museums there. Coronado is gorgeous especially at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. Just north of SD is La Jolla and you can see sea lions sunning in the cove. |
Anonymous
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I agree that Ghirardelli Square is pretty much a waste. I like chocolate, but found the ice cream to be a bit of a letdown. I think you got 1 sample for free.
We really liked Lombard Street. If the SF Giants are in town, go by AT&T Park and watch a couple of inning for free through the peep holes in the outfield. Also look out over McCovey Cove. We did Transamerica Pyramid (just really to see it - interesting architecture), Coit Tower, Wharf, Lombard Street, Ton'y Pizza, and AT&T Park in one day. All by walking, but we did take a bus back to our hotel from AT&T Park. |