California Vacation

[Abester33]

Hey all,

Thinking about taking a 7-8 day trip to Cali at the end of September with my girlfriend (we are 29 years old). Just wanted to get any advice from those who have been there. We want to fly into San Fran and explore the coast and leave from San Diego. Some of the things we want to see are:

San Francisco, 49ers game, Napa Valley tours, LA/Hollywood, San Diego..

Any insight/tips would be helpful, Thanks!!

 

[mildone_rivals]

If flying into San Francisco International Airport, be sure to do a good job hiding your vacation blow stash. They are real sticklers about that.

 

[cicero grimes]

Hey all,

Thinking about taking a 7-8 day trip to Cali at the end of September with my girlfriend (we are 29 years old). Just wanted to get any advice from those who have been there. We want to fly into San Fran and explore the coast and leave from San Diego. Some of the things we want to see are:

San Francisco, 49ers game, Napa Valley tours, LA/Hollywood, San Diego..

Any insight/tips would be helpful, Thanks!!

Should be a great trip. San Fran and San Diego are musts. LA in my opinion not so much. Try to stop in Carmel as well if you ride along the coast.

 

[Knight Shift]

You probably know 49ers stadium is now in Santa Clara, in the heart of the Silicon Valley, not exactly a tourist destination. While there, however, definitely check out the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, which was owned by the heiress to the Winchester gun company. It is really worth the stop.

In San Francisco, definitely go to Golden Gate park, Muir Hill, Fisherman's wharf and ride a trolley. On the ride down to San Diego, stop in Monterrey and check out Cannery Row and the Aquarium. Big Sur and Santa Barbara are also must places to see. Take the PCH down the coast and not the interstate. Jaw-dropping views.

Not a huge fan of Los Angeles, but I liked checking out the beach towns of Santa Monica, Redondo Beach and Venice Beach.

In San Diego, definitely go to La Jolla section and gaslight district of downtown. There is a lot more, but this is a good start.

 

[rutgersal_rivals139582]

Hey all,

Thinking about taking a 7-8 day trip to Cali at the end of September with my girlfriend (we are 29 years old). Just wanted to get any advice from those who have been there. We want to fly into San Fran and explore the coast and leave from San Diego. Some of the things we want to see are:

San Francisco, 49ers game, Napa Valley tours, LA/Hollywood, San Diego..

Any insight/tips would be helpful, Thanks!!

From SFO, I'd drive up to Lake Tahoe, then make my way down. I thought Beringer Winery had the best tour in Napa. Definitely get In -N-Out Hamburger. Visit Fishermans Wharf and take a whale watching tour to the Farallones from there. visit the ghiradelli chocolate factory. take the pacific coast highway. visit monterey when traveling from SF to LA. Do Universal Studios in Hollywood. Take the tour of the stars houses in Hollywood. Eat at Mastro's steakhouse in beverly hills or orange county. stay onboard the queen mary for a night. take surfing lessons in huntington beach. have a blast in san diego.

if you can, drive out to tijuana, mexico.

that's all i've got.

 

[RUBOB72]

I believe you are cutting it a bit close with all you would like to do or see on your trip...my suggestion is add 2-3 days... it will make it a much easier trip...we just came back from a strictly "foodie" trip to San Francisco...it is truly the great city by the bay...Carmel and Monterrey Bay...Santa Barbara ...L.A. is loaded with things to do and very plastic people...Laguna Beach and surrounding towns are fantastic...San Diego and the LaJolla Beach coast is scenic with many great things to do...have a great trip.

 

[Knight Shift]

Forgot about Carmel--definitely worth a stop. Clint Eastwood was Mayor there once.

Also, Santa Cruz has a cool boardwalk.

 

[RUJohnny99]

So in 7 years of reading this board you had nothing football to talk about?

 

[Retired711]

It is almost impossible to flub a California vacation. All of the above suggestions are excellent. The only thing is that if you drive to Lake Tahoe from S.F., you will have to drive back on the same road before heading south. You must remember that Lake Tahoe is uphill from S.F., and so it's not an easy drive there. I don't think I'd spend time at Lake Tahoe in September on your limited travel schedule.

 

[R1776U]

go to Coloma and also do some hiking/camping in El Dorado county... you just might stumble upon an abandoned gold mine... i did when i lived in gold country for a year

 

[red sail]

7 years lurking and that was his first post . Ha. That's amazing.

 

[Abester33]

From SFO, I'd drive up to Lake Tahoe, then make my way down. I thought Beringer Winery had the best tour in Napa. Definitely get In -N-Out Hamburger. Visit Fishermans Wharf and take a whale watching tour to the Farallones from there. visit the ghiradelli chocolate factory. take the pacific coast highway. visit monterey when traveling from SF to LA. Do Universal Studios in Hollywood. Take the tour of the stars houses in Hollywood. Eat at Mastro's steakhouse in beverly hills or orange county. stay onboard the queen mary for a night. take surfing lessons in huntington beach. have a blast in san diego.

if you can, drive out to tijuana, mexico.

that's all i've got.

Thanks for the tips!!!

 

[phlop87]

On your drive down to San Diego stop at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon ... Its about 5 hours south of San Fran ... Also I would add driving along the coast whenever you can (CA-Route 1), it definitely adds time but its worth it

 

[Abester33]

You probably know 49ers stadium is now in Santa Clara, in the heart of the Silicon Valley, not exactly a tourist destination. While there, however, definitely check out the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, which was owned by the heiress to the Winchester gun company. It is really worth the stop.

In San Francisco, definitely go to Golden Gate park, Muir Hill, Fisherman's wharf and ride a trolley. On the ride down to San Diego, stop in Monterrey and check out Cannery Row and the Aquarium. Big Sur and Santa Barbara are also must places to see. Take the PCH down the coast and not the interstate. Jaw-dropping views.

Not a huge fan of Los Angeles, but I liked checking out the beach towns of Santa Monica, Redondo Beach and Venice Beach.

In San Diego, definitely go to La Jolla section and gaslight district of downtown. There is a lot more, but this is a good start.

Great tips, thanks a lot!

 

[RUKnight08]

I live in LA so of course there's the touristy stuff to do in Hollywood but there's also lots to do now in Downtown LA around the Staples Center called LA Live. If you're going along the coast, the best LA beach is Zuma Beach in Malibu. Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade is are nice touristy spots. If you're looking for younger drive 5 minutes down the road you can see the Venice canals and then go to Washington Blvd in Venice. Great place on the beach with awesome sunset beach views and drinks called the Venice Whaler.

Hermosa Beach and also Newport Beach in Orange County are also great stops going down the coast.

But once you get to San Diego, definitely check out Coronado Island great place to explore. As mentioned earlier there's La Jolla, and downtown (Gaslamp District) but Pacific Beach (Garnet Ave) is a personal favorite also for a mid to late 20's crowd.

 

[BigLou]

While in SF think about renting bikes and riding over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. Easy ride, if your experienced riders you can go further (Tiburon). Make sure you buy a reserved ferry ticket as soon as you get to your destination. This keeps you from having to wait on a long line on the ferry back (you don't want to ride back to SF - all uphill).

Also book tickets to Alcatraz in advance. During busy times it sells out weeks in advance.

Try and set up a tour to wine country so you don't have to worry about drinking and driving. Napa and Sonoma are both within about 45 minutes.

Instead of a 49'ers game, check to see if the Giants have a day game while your there. Great stadium.

Go over to Berkeley and check out the town and campus. You can take the BART.

I too would skip Tahoe. SF is a great city and its a long enough drive to San Diego without adding on the miles to Tahoe.

 

[R1776U]

Also book tickets to Alcatraz in advance. During busy times it sells out weeks in advance.

take this advice... that **** sells out quick.. buddy and i did a day trip there(to SF) thinking we could just get a ticket at the pier... buy in advance if you want to see the rock

 

[Knight Shift]

Also book tickets to Alcatraz in advance. During busy times it sells out weeks in advance.
.

take this advice... that **** sells out quick.. buddy and i did a day trip there(to SF) thinking we could just get a ticket at the pier... buy in advance if you want to see the rock

What they said X1000. Really regretted not being able to bring my kids to Alcatraz. We went in 1998, and it was easy to go. About 5 years ago, needed to buy way in advance. It is worth going. If they still have the audio tour, that was really cool. Download and watch Escape from Alcatraz before you go. Great flick, and it makes the trip more fun.

 

[Mike from MD]

I assume you will drive down the coast toward San Diego. Use as much of the PCH/Route 1 as practical. Lots of great vistas. You'll drive past Big Sur, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara.

You mentioned a wine tour in Napa, but also consider the San Ynez valley wineries in Santa Barbara County which are known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. A personal day tour (about $100/person) is well worth it.

You may want to consider using rail service between SF, LA and San Diego. Amtrak runs the Surf Liner between these cities and much of the rail line between SF and LA runs along the coast. It's a relaxing way to travel.

Enjoy the trip. You'll look for ways to stay here permanently!

 

[RU from Jersey_rivals]

If you or your girlfriend is squeamish, and you plan on driving the PCH, I would suggest starting in San Diego and end up in San Fran. This way you are diving on the inside of the PCH and not on the edge because it is an awesome drive and to me it is more relaxing when you are not squeezing the steering wheel.

 

[Retired711]

If you or your girlfriend is squeamish, and you plan on driving the PCH, I would suggest starting in San Diego and end up in San Fran. This way you are diving on the inside of the PCH and not on the edge because it is an awesome drive and to me it is more relaxing when you are not squeezing the steering wheel.

Yes, that's the way I did it. If you do it the other way, resist the temptation to go fast. You want to enjoy the drive.

 

[R1776U]

What they said X1000. Really regretted not being able to bring my kids to Alcatraz. We went in 1998, and it was easy to go. About 5 years ago, needed to buy way in advance. It is worth going. If they still have the audio tour, that was really cool. Download and watch Escape from Alcatraz before you go. Great flick, and it makes the trip more fun.

http://www.tadichgrill.com/location-sf.php

 

[R1776U]

http://www.thebuenavista.com/home/home.html

 

[RUtix4me]

http://www.hotelhealdsburg.com Sanoma over Napa anyday

 

[Feech_LaManna]

Love SD. I make it a point to go once decade. Usually stay in Mission or Pacific Beach. LA and SF, you can have it but I'm a beach kinda guy.

 

[Scarlet Jerry]

Visit the historic Hotel Del Coranado in San Diego. You can have dinner there, or even a drink.

Eat at George's Terrace restaurant in La Jolla. Get a table on the roof for great views of the sunset overlooking the Pacific.

Universal Studios is worth a visit. The studio tour is the real deal, unlike the Florida theme park.

If you have time, visit Stanford. It's one of the the most beautiful college campuses in America.

I love California, so I'm very jealous!

-Scarlet Jerry

 

[NJbound]

Two things that you will not regret:

1) while in SF, have dinner at Crustacean on Polk St. Order the Roast Garlic Crab from the Secret Kitchen menu. Just superb.

2) spend a half day riding the dunes at Pismo Beach. Rent from one of the local places. I would recommend that each of you rent your own vehicle (rather than a two seater) and go with the 400cc ATV over the dune buggy. These are serious dunes. Nothing like it anywhere in the US.

Enjoy.

 

[JerseyVegas_rivals]

Take PCH/Highway 1. You will not regret it breathtaking. Take the wine train to/thru Napa. In LA San Pedro is underrated and Drive to/thru Coronado island in San Diego.

 

[withoutregard]

you list san fran, la and sd but only list 7-8 days, my advice is decide on northern or southern cal to make the most of your time, it also gives you an excuse to come back for the other half of the state in the future. with east coast air travel you will have more to do's than time to do it, even if you pick northern or southern cal, but if you try to do it all, it will be too much for 7 days, so pick one and enjoy it

 

[sct1111]

OP, I'm doing the same exact trip with my GF right now. We started in SF, drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, slept halfway then LA and now we just got to San Diego.

It's awesome. We're doing the whole thing in 9 days. It took a lot of planning and we're exhausted at the end of the day because there is so much to see but we've had a blast so far. PM me if you want to ask specific questions.

 

[Alaska_Dawg]

Take Pacific Highway 101 ...it runs along the coast and make sure to stop at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey for some seafood that will knock your socks off.

 

[_dave_]

It is almost impossible to flub a California vacation. All of the above suggestions are excellent. The only thing is that if you drive to Lake Tahoe from S.F., you will have to drive back on the same road before heading south. You must remember that Lake Tahoe is uphill from S.F., and so it's not an easy drive there. I don't think I'd spend time at Lake Tahoe in September on your limited travel schedule.

Why the same road? I'd take 50 to Tahoe and then 395 south and up to Yosimite.

 

[17Q66]

While you're here, if you want to make it clear to everyone you meet that you're from New Jersey, be sure to refer to them as "Cali" and "San Fran."

Also, good to see Al's vacation tips are as solid as his football takes.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

I lived in San Diego for 14 years. It wasn't enough time to see and do everything there is to do. It is an absolutely stunning piece of real estate. Plan trip on line according to what you both like to do. One thing you shouldnt have to worry about is rain.

 

[Alaska_Dawg]

 

[mikebal9]

While in SF, check out Tony's Pizza Napoletana. My wife and I stumbled upon it by accident. Tony won the 2011 world championship in Naples, Italy for best pizza. I had stromboli and it was amazing.
Fisherman's Wharf is fine, but you can see it in a couple hours. Definitely book your Alcatraz trip early.
I'll also vote for La Jolla over LA beaches.
When we were in Napa, we found a tour company that picks you up at your hotel and drives you to 4 or 5 wineries before dropping you off safe and sound. Way better than attempting to drive.

 

[PSU_Nut_rivals17625]

Hey all,

Thinking about taking a 7-8 day trip to Cali at the end of September with my girlfriend (we are 29 years old). Just wanted to get any advice from those who have been there. We want to fly into San Fran and explore the coast and leave from San Diego. Some of the things we want to see are:

San Francisco, 49ers game, Napa Valley tours, LA/Hollywood, San Diego..

Any insight/tips would be helpful, Thanks!!

There is so much to do in California don't waste a day going to an NFL that is the same generic experience at any NFL stadium.

Somethings you may want to consider:
17 mile Drive and play golf at spyglass or pebble beach
Drive down route 1/101 along the coast
Hearst Castle Tour
Fisherman's warf in San Francisco
Disney Family Mueseum in San Francisco
Check out a winery
San Diego Zoo
Redwood National Forrest.

I am sure many others can add to the list. California is such a large state with such diverse landscape. There are so many different attractions.

 

[Jackson206:)]

Take the Ferry from SF to Sausalito - a beautiful trip to an awesome little town.

 

[Retired711]

Why the same road? I'd take 50 to Tahoe and then 395 south and up to Yosimite.

And then where would you drive from Yosimite?

I've driven Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe, and back on 80 -- but in my experience 50 is much slower and so would not be good for the OP.

 

[Retired711]

Take Pacific Highway 101 ...it runs along the coast and make sure to stop at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey for some seafood that will knock your socks off.

101 does not hug the coast the way HIghway 1 does. You can reach Monterey from 101, but I remember it as a difficult trip.