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#1
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
Thanks a bunch all for those helpful later suggestions to my original
post, and my apologies for slowness in acknowledging. I'm posting this as a new thread as it's been such a long time. On Thursday 12th December I fly into LAX and intend to book 2 nights in an LA hotel. Mid-range upwards, room wifi, shuttle bus to LAX so that I can return to collect my rental car at 10 am on 14th. Any recommendations welcomed please. I'd also appreciate suggestions for one full day in LA please, Friday 13th. I have previously visited LA but saw little except Santa Monica. Forty years ago I enjoyed Universal Studios and would probably do so again unless better options emerge. (I note that it's only #20 in Trip Advisor top LA attractions list, but most of the museums and parks ranked ahead don't really appeal. Maybe a guided bus tour? No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th. And for the evening? Concert, dinner, show, 'City Walk'? ... I then have 8 days of touring, so far unplanned, apart from collecting rental car from Avis at LAX and returning it in Carlsbad by 5 pm on 21st December. Preferences are for scenic driving, canyons, desert, atmospheric towns, comfortable motels (room wifi essential). Have previously visited Joshua Tree, Temecula, Palm Springs, San Francisco (but too far for this trip anyway), Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, Zion. Haven't planned to book beyond LA because of current uncertainty about weather forecasts on 14th Dec onwards. If accessible would love another look at Grand Canyon, despite two previous visits. Or Canyonland, which I've never visited. But open to any and all suggestions please, including motels. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
#2
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... Thanks a bunch all for those helpful later suggestions to my original post, and my apologies for slowness in acknowledging. I'm posting this as a new thread as it's been such a long time. On Thursday 12th December I fly into LAX and intend to book 2 nights in an LA hotel. Mid-range upwards, room wifi, shuttle bus to LAX so that I can return to collect my rental car at 10 am on 14th. Any recommendations welcomed please. I'd also appreciate suggestions for one full day in LA please, Friday 13th. I have previously visited LA but saw little except Santa Monica. Forty years ago I enjoyed Universal Studios and would probably do so again unless better options emerge. (I note that it's only #20 in Trip Advisor top LA attractions list, but most of the museums and parks ranked ahead don't really appeal. Maybe a guided bus tour? No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th. And for the evening? Concert, dinner, show, 'City Walk'? ... I then have 8 days of touring, so far unplanned, apart from collecting rental car from Avis at LAX and returning it in Carlsbad by 5 pm on 21st December. Preferences are for scenic driving, canyons, desert, atmospheric towns, comfortable motels (room wifi essential). Have previously visited Joshua Tree, Temecula, Palm Springs, San Francisco (but too far for this trip anyway), Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, Zion. Haven't planned to book beyond LA because of current uncertainty about weather forecasts on 14th Dec onwards. If accessible would love another look at Grand Canyon, despite two previous visits. Or Canyonland, which I've never visited. But open to any and all suggestions please, including motels. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK Carlsbad California or New Mexico? |
#3
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
"Graham Harrison" wrote:
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message .. . Thanks a bunch all for those helpful later suggestions to my original post, and my apologies for slowness in acknowledging. I'm posting this as a new thread as it's been such a long time. On Thursday 12th December I fly into LAX and intend to book 2 nights in an LA hotel. Mid-range upwards, room wifi, shuttle bus to LAX so that I can return to collect my rental car at 10 am on 14th. Any recommendations welcomed please. I'd also appreciate suggestions for one full day in LA please, Friday 13th. I have previously visited LA but saw little except Santa Monica. Forty years ago I enjoyed Universal Studios and would probably do so again unless better options emerge. (I note that it's only #20 in Trip Advisor top LA attractions list, but most of the museums and parks ranked ahead don't really appeal. Maybe a guided bus tour? No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th. And for the evening? Concert, dinner, show, 'City Walk'? ... I then have 8 days of touring, so far unplanned, apart from collecting rental car from Avis at LAX and returning it in Carlsbad by 5 pm on 21st December. Preferences are for scenic driving, canyons, desert, atmospheric towns, comfortable motels (room wifi essential). Have previously visited Joshua Tree, Temecula, Palm Springs, San Francisco (but too far for this trip anyway), Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, Zion. Haven't planned to book beyond LA because of current uncertainty about weather forecasts on 14th Dec onwards. If accessible would love another look at Grand Canyon, despite two previous visits. Or Canyonland, which I've never visited. But open to any and all suggestions please, including motels. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK Carlsbad California or New Mexico? California! "...No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th." On reflection I suppose I've asked too many questions in one post, hence the absence of replies. To focus, can I ask for considered advice on a key question please, as time is now getting tight. I'm wondering whether I should stay in LA at all? To remind you, I land at LAX at about 19:00 on Thursday 12th December and so hope to be out of the airport at say 20:00. My thinking was to get a hotel shuttle bus to an as yet undecided hotel and probably have dinner there if I'm hungry - time zone from UK and generosity of Virgin Airlines will be factors. If not, maybe walk or get a cab to say Venice or Santa Monica etc for a stroll and a drink before getting to bed around midnight, latest. The plan for the following day was/is even vaguer. See earlier post. But I'm going off the idea of Universal Studios. Getting there from an airport hotel could take too long for one thing. I'm still hoping for some other attractive practical suggestions. Perhaps a bus tour, starting from hotel or easily accessible place such as airport, using hotel shuttle? Otherwise maybe I should just skip LA and hit the road. If so I need to bring forward my car hire by one day, making it 9 days instead of 8. I rather like the idea of driving the PCH, as I enjoyed the scenic Amtrak trip (Coastal Starlight?) I did with my wife in the summer of 201l from LA to San Luis Obispo. In any event, I'd like to go N or NE, maybe heading out to Yosemite and/or Death Valley and/or Grand Canyon and/or etc. But I'm beginning to stray... -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
#4
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
On Friday, November 22, 2013 9:22:51 AM UTC, Terry Pinnell wrote:
On reflection I suppose I've asked too many questions in one post, hence the absence of replies. Nope, the thread has not been viewed by many and your post kind of says, you know what you like and you know what you're going to do, plus you have relatives there, that there is little else that anyone can advise you on. |
#5
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
"Terry Pinnell" wrote in message ... "Graham Harrison" wrote: "Terry Pinnell" wrote in message . .. Thanks a bunch all for those helpful later suggestions to my original post, and my apologies for slowness in acknowledging. I'm posting this as a new thread as it's been such a long time. On Thursday 12th December I fly into LAX and intend to book 2 nights in an LA hotel. Mid-range upwards, room wifi, shuttle bus to LAX so that I can return to collect my rental car at 10 am on 14th. Any recommendations welcomed please. I'd also appreciate suggestions for one full day in LA please, Friday 13th. I have previously visited LA but saw little except Santa Monica. Forty years ago I enjoyed Universal Studios and would probably do so again unless better options emerge. (I note that it's only #20 in Trip Advisor top LA attractions list, but most of the museums and parks ranked ahead don't really appeal. Maybe a guided bus tour? No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th. And for the evening? Concert, dinner, show, 'City Walk'? ... I then have 8 days of touring, so far unplanned, apart from collecting rental car from Avis at LAX and returning it in Carlsbad by 5 pm on 21st December. Preferences are for scenic driving, canyons, desert, atmospheric towns, comfortable motels (room wifi essential). Have previously visited Joshua Tree, Temecula, Palm Springs, San Francisco (but too far for this trip anyway), Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, Zion. Haven't planned to book beyond LA because of current uncertainty about weather forecasts on 14th Dec onwards. If accessible would love another look at Grand Canyon, despite two previous visits. Or Canyonland, which I've never visited. But open to any and all suggestions please, including motels. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK Carlsbad California or New Mexico? California! "...No theme parks etc as I'll get more than my share with grandsons around San Diego from 21st December until flight back on 28th." On reflection I suppose I've asked too many questions in one post, hence the absence of replies. To focus, can I ask for considered advice on a key question please, as time is now getting tight. I'm wondering whether I should stay in LA at all? To remind you, I land at LAX at about 19:00 on Thursday 12th December and so hope to be out of the airport at say 20:00. My thinking was to get a hotel shuttle bus to an as yet undecided hotel and probably have dinner there if I'm hungry - time zone from UK and generosity of Virgin Airlines will be factors. If not, maybe walk or get a cab to say Venice or Santa Monica etc for a stroll and a drink before getting to bed around midnight, latest. The plan for the following day was/is even vaguer. See earlier post. But I'm going off the idea of Universal Studios. Getting there from an airport hotel could take too long for one thing. I'm still hoping for some other attractive practical suggestions. Perhaps a bus tour, starting from hotel or easily accessible place such as airport, using hotel shuttle? Otherwise maybe I should just skip LA and hit the road. If so I need to bring forward my car hire by one day, making it 9 days instead of 8. I rather like the idea of driving the PCH, as I enjoyed the scenic Amtrak trip (Coastal Starlight?) I did with my wife in the summer of 201l from LA to San Luis Obispo. In any event, I'd like to go N or NE, maybe heading out to Yosemite and/or Death Valley and/or Grand Canyon and/or etc. But I'm beginning to stray... -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK 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. |
#6
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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. |
#7
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Recommendations for 8 days in California
Correction!
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 NW, increasingly further away from potential E and SE alternative destinations. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK |
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