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Old November 29th, 2013, 09:13 AM posted to rec.travel.usa-canada
Terry Pinnell[_3_]
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Posts: 28
Default Recommendations for 8 days in California

Thanks a bunch, Graham, extremely helpful. Crystallises my view on
several key points:

1. I'll stay just one night in LA and collect the car on the 13th, not
the 14th, extending my rental from 8 to 9 days.

2. So I'll look for a hotel close to LAX and with a shuttle that
doesn't need me to phone them first, if such an option exists? And
possibly even factor in access to a walkably close Avis depot which
might avoid my returning to LAX on 13th. All that to be
organised/booked within the next few days.

3. I've abandoned intentions of both Yosemite and Grand Canyon, which
I have after all visited before, in summer/autumn (and Bryce, Death
Valley, Zion and Las Vegas).

4. The PCH/Highway 2 plan now needs rethinking because:

4.1 With Yosemite and GC out of the equation (and the Sequoias NP,
both sections of which I visited with my wife last summer) it would
take me NE, increasingly further away from potential W and SW
alternative destinations. See later.

4.2 I've visited Santa Monica twice and also enjoyed the Amtrak Costal
Starlight from LA to San Luis Obispo and your outline convinces me I'd
have to drive half way to SF before I fresh and attractive sections
justified the distances.

5. So, a radical rethink! I'm now going to make a wide clockwise sweep
out into the Mojave and down into Arizona before heading east back to
Carlsbad. Perhaps including some or all of Lake Mead, Lake Mohave,
Lake Havasu, Phoenix, Yuma, Salton Sea... Excluding Palm Springs,
Joshua Tree NP and San Diego. If I can get a scenic train (ideally
steam) for an excursion that would be a bonus.

Any further idea and suggestions would be warmly appreciated please.


--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

====================


"Graham Harrison" wrote:


When I fly to the west coast from the UK, particularly on a latish flight,
my body will let me do very little else than head to a bed. I used to go
to SFO almost every year to see a relative and I could manage the 15 minute
drive down to San Mateo but that was about it; by the time you get through
customs (LAX can be a zoo) find the hire car desk, get the shuttle, find the
car it's going to be much nearer, if not more than, 2 hours than 1 hour.
The area around LAX is not pedestrian friendly so walking out is not
necessarily a good idea.

I'm not a fan of Los Angeles. I can find things to do there but, in
general, it's somewhere to leave as far as I'm concerned.

The PCH (nearly) as far as Santa Barbara is urban sprawl. It's expensive
sprawl but it's still sprawl. Santa Barbara is quite nice. Three things
stick out in my memory; the tree at the station, the fish restaurant just
round the corner from the station and the Mission which is some way inland.
It seemed quite lively in the evening.

Beyond Santa Barbara the "coast" bit in PCH becomes a bit of a misnomer
because the military have several large bases/ranges. San Luis Obispo
isn't a bad place and once a week (Thursday?) they have a really lively
street market. Hearst Castle is a wonderful example of how money can
corrupt - whole rooms ripped out from palaces in other parts of the world
and incorporated into the Castle. You have to take a tour, no choice, so
by the time you leave the PCH, drive up to the visitor centre, get the bus
to the castle, do the tour and then drive back it's a couple of hours at
least. We were going South but it took us the whole day to do the section
between Hurst Castle and Monterrey. This is where you find the pictures of
the PCH with the road leaping canyons and surf haze. Monterrey is arty
(even the cheap gifts are pricey) and the 17 mile drive is best taken
slowly. Santa Cruz has a railway running into the woods connecting with
another railway that runs old Shay logging locomotives. It also has a
seafront fun fair with old fashioned amusements.

Beyond Santa Cruz you slowly begin to see the effect of San Francisco.
However, unlike the stretch through Malibu it's all much more subtle and the
coast remains pretty untouched. Half Moon Bay is where the effect really
starts. Just before you get to HMB there's Martins Beach which is private
so you have to pay a small toll (if it's open) but if you're lucky there
will be Seals in the surf and Pelicans flying by. At low tide there are
rock pools at the north end. Sadly the natural arch at the south end has
fallen. HMB itself is another arty place.

Coming inland you have to bear in mind that, even today, the Sierras are a
formidable barrier and you aren't going to be able to drive across anywhere
between Lake Tahoe and Mojave (the road through Yosemite across Tuolumne is
only open June to October). It's tempting to say "go to Yosemite". It's
a stunning valley but even in December the number of visitors is equally
stunning. Consider Sequoia and Kings Canyon further south. Each equally
special and with many fewer visitors (particularly Kings Canyon).

We tour slowly - it took us 5 nights/6 days from HMB to LAX. It can be
done quicker but I enjoyed our perambulation! If you do go up the PCH and
back via Sequoia then cut through the "Inland Empire" (around Perris) to get
to Carlsbad that would be a good 8 days for me.