San Francisco/LA Trip

[oracleslave]

Going to do LA up coast to SF then across to Las Vegas. 10 day trip.

Spend some time in Santa Barbara if you can, great beaches and I felt at home there with all the other wealthy good looking people.

There are loads of good places to stop off or take an interesting detour off Highway 1. I second the Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave desert drives.

Four seasons hotel in Vegas is good if you're prepared to pay.

[Vandalay]

LA is a hole, but the trip up to SF is amazing. In San Fran, try to avoid fisherman's wharf - very very touristy. Definitely visit the japanese centre of town, walk down Filmore st for a few miles, loads of cool restaurants and cafes. Make sure you go to philz coffee, probably the best coffee I've ever had, the place is an institution. The old trolley/trams are fun too. Golden gate park is also worthwhile, but needs a whole day.

Enjoy

[Bunk]

As others have said, LA is a dump. You only need to spend a couple of days there to see the sights. Maybe another day if you go to Universal Studios. I started in Vegas for 5 days, flew to LA for a few days, then drove up Highway 1 to San Fran. It's a nice drive, we did most of it in a day and stopped in Santa Cruz leaving us a short drive the next morning into SF.

[KernelUbermeister]

California Dreamin'

Ignore the comments of these LA naysayers! Clearly, they have been watching too many cop shows.

You've GOT to hire a drop top. (You'll also then realise why the Americans drive with their baseball hats reversed.)

LA: Reserve a room (on line) at the Sea Sprite motel on the shorefront at Hermosa Beach. Use it as a base for three days. LA is a city of villages and each district is clearly defined. Take in breakfast at the diner next door then wander up the beach as far as you like (or hire a bike/skates).
Yeah, go to Rodeo drive. Visit the original Disneyland. Go out to Valencia and spend a day at Six Flags Magic Mountain roller coaster park (Thorpe Park on steriods).

Drive up route 1 to SF. Drop into any number of places for lunch, dinner or o/n that you've heard in all the songs. Recommend a stay at Pismo Beach: a real Californian surf town. Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey... they're all good too.

SF: Approach via San Jose and up through Silicon Valley. Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, GG bridge. Take a Greyhound tour bus round the city and have a ride on a tram and the BART. (You have to say the latter with a real emphasis on the R, or they won't understand what you're saying.) Quick day trip up to Napa Valley.

Postscript: a good contractor mate of mine went to LA last Sept. On the penultimate day, took a punt with a local pimp who got him an interview with a finance house. Three months later: new job, new country, new life. So take your CV.

[Gruntfuttock]

Agree LA is a dump, but there are things to do that can make it better.
e.g. book a starter flying lesson with one of the many instructors at Van Nuys Airport - cost is about $120 and you get an hour in the air for that. That's enough time to fly over Hollywood (aerial view of the playboy mansion, etc), downtown LA, Venice Beach and out over water to Malibu. Worth every cent!

Also, make sure you take in the 17-mile drive on the Monterey peninsula. If you're a golf fan, even better as there's Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, etc. there. But regardless, the scenery is stunning.

Finally, take a few days for Yosemite. I made the mistake of doing it on a daytrip and now can't wait to go back there to see it properly. You have to climb to the half-dome and peer over the edge

Suggestion of a droptop is a good one. I had a convertible Mustang Sport and it was well worth it.

Enjoy!

Oh, and if you take your CV as suggested above, make sure it's invisible at your entry point - you'll be sent home on the first flight out if they find any evidence you might be there looking for work. And that is especially true if you're travelling alone.

[original PM]

Make sure you visit the city of Compton while ine LA

Apparently they are really friendly to white boys like you....

[redgiant]

Suggestion of a droptop is a good one. I had a convertible Mustang Sport and it was well worth it.

Enjoy!

Convertible is good for a cruise by the coast not so good in the desert. I used auto driveaway where you just pay for the petrol used and have a timelimit to get to your destination (Auto Driveaway: Shipping a Car, Vehicle Transport Companies, Auto Transport Rates, Car Shipping Rates | autodriveaway.com). I drove a Jeep Wrangler over from San Diego to Vegas and everytime I had the top down I got sandblasted ... would do it again though

[oracleslave]

For arriving in Vegas

[escapeUK]

Ive done this trip, hated San Fran. Was misty, grey, depressing, like England, wouldnt go there again. Loved LA, dont know how people can think LA is a dump. But then I was staying in the Beverly Wilshire, and it was oscar time of year.

We drove from LA to Vegas in a convertible. Arrived after dark, felt like being in a film or music video driving down the strip. Vegas was an experience. Its not somewhere you'd want to spend a lot of time unless you are into gambling, but moving between the casinos was fun theres like a little monorail linking them together. I stayed in the pyramid hotel Luxor, but they all seemed pretty good so just pick the one that has a theme that appeals to you.

Btw Disney is for children, personally I find it very crap. Maybe someone under 10 would have enjoyed it. Nothing like as good as Universal Studios which seemed to be aimed at all ages.

[Robinho]

Going to do LA up coast to SF then across to Las Vegas. 10 day trip.

Road tripping?

Sounds great.

Going to Yosemite? This vid i took at the top of a small peak there should tempt you...