West Coast Newbies

Stokieuk · 15 Aug 21, 07:56 AM

So after decades of travelling only to Florida (bar one drunken short stay in Vegas), the missus walked in yesterday and told me she had booked a West coast trip for next August 😳

She's booked

3 nights San Fran Rui Plaza Fisherman's Wharf

Pick up a car.

7days later

3nights Hilton San Diego Mission Valley

2days later

4nights Bellagio fountain view

No idea if that's all Do-able but its booked now so best get planning!

Thoughts and tips generously received folks 🙂

**kateb78** · 15 Aug 21, 08:04 AM

Sounds like a great trip!

There are some really good trip reports on here of people who�ve done the pacific coast highway drive so you�ll pick up some great tips.

We did it last year and loved it! After San Francisco we stopped in Monterey, Cambria, Santa Barbara and Burbank on our way to San Diego. It was one of the best trips we�ve done (even though it was interrupted by covid and we had to come home early!) and we�ll definitely go back and do it again.

We were going to ditch the car after San Diego and fly to Vegas as we got cheap flights and knew we wouldn�t use the car in Vegas. That�s an option to save some driving time.

If you have any questions ask away - I got loads of useful information from Dibbers before our trip so everyone will be happy to help.

Here�s a link to the summary I wrote after our trip which has our hotels and things we did included - https://dibb.in/14353277

jdouds · 15 Aug 21, 08:10 AM

Hi so am I correct in saying you have 7 days to fill, if so then we would suggest 2 n Yosemite, 3.5 hour dr and then 2 n Monterey again 3.5 hour dr and then down the coast to Santa Barbara

Stokieuk · 15 Aug 21, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by kateb78

Sounds like a great trip!

There are some really good trip reports on here of people who�ve done the pacific coast highway drive so you�ll pick up some great tips.

We did it last year and loved it! After San Francisco we stopped in Monterey, Cambria, Santa Barbara and Burbank on our way to San Diego. It was one of the best trips we�ve done (even though it was interrupted by covid and we had to come home early!) and we�ll definitely go back and do it again.

We were going to ditch the car after San Diego and fly to Vegas as we got cheap flights and knew we wouldn�t use the car in Vegas. That�s an option to save some driving time.

If you have any questions ask away - I got loads of useful information from Dibbers before our trip so everyone will be happy to help.

Here�s a link to the summary I wrote after our trip which has our hotels and things we did included - https://dibb.in/14353277

Thanks so much. Will have a read🙂

Stokieuk · 15 Aug 21, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi so am I correct in saying you have 7 days to fill, if so then we would suggest 2 n Yosemite, 3.5 hour dr and then 2 n Monterey again 3.5 hour dr and then down the coast to Santa Barbara

Yes that's right. Yosemite is somewhere I have always wanted to go see so will definitely try fit that in.

**kateb78** · 15 Aug 21, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Stokieuk

Thanks so much. Will have a read🙂

You�re welcome! Yosemite would be a great addition to the trip - but as we went in March we knew we couldn�t rely on the weather so we�re saving that for another visit

Palm Springs was another option en route to Vegas - but again, we didn�t get that far. Next time�

There is so much to see and do that one trip just won�t be enough!

jdouds · 15 Aug 21, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Stokieuk

Yes that's right. Yosemite is somewhere I have always wanted to go see so will definitely try fit that in.

On leaving San Fran you will arrive mid day approx taking into consideration a coffee stop. An afternoon tour would be the best way to get your bearings, they have a 2 hour open top trailer tour which gives basic history and let�s you see some of the main points. This would leave you the evening for a walk over to El Capitan and the perhaps the next morning a walk up to the vernal falls and down the John muir trail followed by a drive up to glacier point 7500 ft viewpoint, fantastic. A walk the next morning and then of to Monterey where whale watching is one of the best things we have ever done. 17 mile dr, Carmel, pebble beach , aquarium.

the_lemms · 16 Aug 21, 04:08 PM

For the 7 days between San Fran and San Diego it depends on what interests you, I am big coastal / boat trip fan so I would do the following (having done similar a couple of years back):
Day 1 drive to Yosemite
Day 2 Yosemite
Day 3 drive to Santa Cruz for a whale and shark spotting trip
Day 4 Drive to Monterey
Day 5 Monterey including a whale watching trip
Day 6 drive the PCH to Santa Barbara stopping off at Carmel, Elephant seal beach, Pismo beach
Day 7 Drive to San Diego

If the boat trips are not your thing then either use the santa cruz day at Yosemite or Santa Monica / Venice beach.

The 2 days between San Diego and LV I would look at the route and what the areas between have to offer, I'd like to visit Phoenix maybe stay at a dude ranch. We drove the opposite way from LV to LA, we didnt stop off we just drove the I-15 in one go so as not to waste a day.
The 2 key things you need to understand are what you enjoy so you dont waste any days / time and what is the longest duration you want to drive for.
We enjoy the coast and wanted to do the famous spots such as holly wood, venice beach etc.

16 Aug 21, 04:08 PM	#8
	16 Aug 21, 04:08 PM the_lemms Proud to wear my Ears
the_lemms Proud to wear my Ears Join Date: Sep 07	For the 7 days between San Fran and San Diego it depends on what interests you, I am big coastal / boat trip fan so I would do the following (having done similar a couple of years back): Day 1 drive to Yosemite Day 2 Yosemite Day 3 drive to Santa Cruz for a whale and shark spotting trip Day 4 Drive to Monterey Day 5 Monterey including a whale watching trip Day 6 drive the PCH to Santa Barbara stopping off at Carmel, Elephant seal beach, Pismo beach Day 7 Drive to San Diego If the boat trips are not your thing then either use the santa cruz day at Yosemite or Santa Monica / Venice beach. The 2 days between San Diego and LV I would look at the route and what the areas between have to offer, I'd like to visit Phoenix maybe stay at a dude ranch. We drove the opposite way from LV to LA, we didnt stop off we just drove the I-15 in one go so as not to waste a day. The 2 key things you need to understand are what you enjoy so you dont waste any days / time and what is the longest duration you want to drive for. We enjoy the coast and wanted to do the famous spots such as holly wood, venice beach etc.