Driving … San Fran to LA and maybe Las Vegas

[TheRobsters]

Morning all….
I’m really looking for help and advice from experienced West Coast visitors.
We have wanted to do the West Coast for a long time, but every time we get put off and end up back in Florida.
So next year we are thinking of driving the PCH but my concerns are that it will not feel like a relaxing holiday as we will be on the move quite a bit and we don’t want to feel like we are spending all our time in the car.
Can anyone who has done this reassure 1 way or the other.
My other concern is that our youngest will be coming (19) and the idea of him sharing our room is not ideal, but too rooms a night is a rather an expensive option.
Any thoughts and opinions very much welcomed.

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by TheRobsters

Morning all….
I’m really looking for help and advice from experienced West Coast visitors.
We have wanted to do the West Coast for a long time, but every time we get put off and end up back in Florida.
So next year we are thinking of driving the PCH but my concerns are that it will not feel like a relaxing holiday as we will be on the move quite a bit and we don’t want to feel like we are spending all our time in the car.
Can anyone who has done this reassure 1 way or the other.
My other concern is that our youngest will be coming (19) and the idea of him sharing our room is not ideal, but too rooms a night is a rather an expensive option.
Any thoughts and opinions very much welcomed.

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Thats one of the biggest things UK and Irish people really underestimate, is the size and distance and how long it takes to get from A to B.

Yes it will be a lot of driving, you will drive for 4 to 6 hours a day, so your driving days wont be sightseeing / doing stuff days.

The drive from Hollywood to Vegas will be about 6 hours. I did it with friends, we drove on one day, had 2 days in Vegas and then drove back to Hollywood.


What places on PCH, your start and end place do you want to go to, as then we can help you with specific info

[Bad Pink Tink]

Ive also driven to Santa Barbara / Solvang with friends. That drive takes about 4 hours.

[megaflyer]

The drive down the PCH is stunning and you won't want to rush it - there are literally hundreds of different stopping off/over night points for you to choose from depending on interest. If you are on a 2 week holiday it is lperefelty doable bur ditch the vegas part (that drive is long and boring - you can double the estimate of 6 hours on a Friday /Sunday evening or there is a RTC) instead carry on down the PCH to San Diego (or detour via Palm Springs) both are far more beautiful and restful than Vegas but Guess if you have 3 weeks or more then you can do the lot

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by megaflyer

The drive down the PCH is stunning and you won't want to rush it - there are literally hundreds of different stopping off/over night points for you to choose from depending on interest. If you are on a 2 week holiday it is lperefelty doable bur ditch the vegas part (that drive is long and boring - you can double the estimate of 6 hours on a Friday /Sunday evening or there is a RTC) instead carry on down the PCH to San Diego (or detour via Palm Springs) both are far more beautiful and restful than Vegas but Guess if you have 3 weeks or more then you can do the lot

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Agree about Vegas. We did it mid week and left after morning rush hour so that we avoided both the morning rush hour and evening rush hour.

Vegas to me would be a separate trip, especially for a first time trip to West Coast.

The biggest mistake is trying to see it all and cramming too much into too short a time and not factoring in rest days.

Also I would either do San Francisco to LA OR LA to San Diego OR LA to Vegas.

San Francisco would be arrival day, then 2 days for sight seeing, then travel day.

Travel day from San Francisco to place 1
1 full day at place 1

Travel day from place 1 to place 2
1 full day at place 2

Travel day from place 2 to place 3
1 full day at place 3

Travel day to from place 3 to LA
Rest day at Santa Monica Beach / Venice Beach

Hollywood sight seeing day
1 place in the morning, 1 place in the evening

Hollywood sightseeing day
1 place in the morning, 1 place in the evening

Travel day to Anaheim
2 full park days
1 non park rest day - Huntington Beach
2 full park days

Travel day to Lax

[TheRobsters]

Thank you so much for your thoughts, like you say we don’t want to rush it and then feel like we have missed bits.
Would quite like to see Avenue of the Giants as well but this seems off route.
The trip would be probably 19 nights… where would you suggest we use those xtra nights?
Just to say that we would do Disneyland so thinking that LA would need another couple of days maybe?
San Diego my sister did a few years ago and really didn’t like it, although they did enjoy the zoo. This has put me off going further south than LA .

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by TheRobsters

Thank you so much for your thoughts, like you say we don’t want to rush it and then feel like we have missed bits.
Would quite like to see Avenue of the Giants as well but this seems off route.
The trip would be probably 19 nights… where would you suggest we use those xtra nights?
Just to say that we would do Disneyland so thinking that LA would need another couple of days maybe?
San Diego my sister did a few years ago and really didn’t like it, although they did enjoy the zoo. This has put me off going further south than LA .

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On Dis someone was basically asking the same as you so I have copied some of their itinerary. This does not include rest days or LA sightseeing but will give you an idea of what some people do

Arrive LAX
Day 1: DL/DCA
Day 2: DL/DCA
Day 3: DL/DCA
Day 4: Start drive up PCH, stopping in Santa Barbara, Solvang. End at Madonna Inn
Day 5: Explore some more, stopping in Cambria for night
Day 6: Drive PCH to Pacific Grove
Day 7: Pacific Grove
Day 8: Pacific Grove
Day 9: Drive to Yosemite
Day 10: Yosemite
Day 11: leave Yosemite, drive to San Francisco
Day 12: San Francisco
Day 13: San Francisco
Day 14 : Fly Home

[megaflyer]

Even though your sister visited SD and didn't enjoy it (I wonder what she didn't enjoy ?) the vast majority of Dibbers that have been there love it so I wouldn't discount it personally and flights, at the moment, to SD are cheaper than to LAX or SFO

[cornishfrogboy]

Have a look at the trip report California 2018 in my signature. That will give you an idea of what is involved in SFO, Monterey, LA, San Diego and a few other bits. This was 14 nights and perfectly feasible.

I have planned out ( and cancelled) 3 x further California trips and you will find those very close to top of the California Pretrip reports section. These spread into Nevada and Arizona, possibly giving you other ideas and hotels. All were fully researched, booked up and ready to go… before cancellation.

Yes, there are some driving distances involved.
No, you will not seemingly spend all your time in the car as there are plenty of stops spaced out along the way and in any case, the views are amazing.
Yes, there are regional flights that with 3 of you will not cost too much, should you go hand baggage only. They can dramatically cut out driving.
Yes, you will have hundreds of iconic options to choose from.
No, it is not all about Disney, with Annaheim possibly not even on your final plan. There are just so many alternatives.

West Coast is absolutely nothing like Florida in that the planning, researching and booking is almost as much fun as the vacation itself. There is quite simply ‘something for everybody’, you just have to find it.

Like Megaflyer, I struggle with the idea of not enjoying San Diego. If I could pick any City to live in within the United States, then it would be San Diego. It is a truly beautiful place.

We return in October of 2022 and simply cannot wait! California, Arizona and Nevada… Yes, there are 3 nights in San Diego. 😃

[SleepingBeauty]

We've done the PCH twice from LA to San Fran. Yes, it's a long drive, but driving in itself can be relaxing when you have incredible views. Driving is part of our culture here in America, and I promise you'll love it. There are lots of great places along the way to stop as well.