Trip to California

"y_p_w" wrote in message
...


Since you have a car, the Marin Headlands hostel (Sausalito, but not
really in Sausalito), across the GG bridge from SF is an option if the
San Francisco hostels are full, though you'll need to drive into SF each
day (or drive somewhere you can take the Golden Gate Transit bus). I
stayed there last weekend with my son's scout troop. Very nice, very
quiet, and a beautiful area in the Golden Gate NRA.

Or Point Reyes. I stayed there one night, although I had the room all
to myself. It was formerly a dairy farm dormitory.

http://www.norcalhostels.org/reyes

Point Reyes is a woefully undervalued destination. I was recommended
to go there by a friend when working in Alameda and I think its
one of the natural treasures of the USA

Keith

Some advocated Southern California but I ... hope you don't
miss San Francisco and the incredible ocean-side drive South...
I also endorse the Grand Canyon, which is definitely unique, if you
could make a side trip from LA before flying out.

Aspasia, you and I disagree about Vegas, but I agree with all your
other points. San Francisco is my favorite city in the U.S. and is a
wonderful place to visit, and the drive down the coast of Monterey and
Big Sur is magnificent. And although the Grand Canyon is probably too
far out of his way, it's an incredible place to visit.

James

TheNewsGuy(Mike) wrote:
SMS wrote:
...
Insurance is not mandatory.

You're wrong about that and you're wrong about Las Vegas.
================================================== =========================
"In California, motorists are required to adopt car insurance and as per
the Californian law, one needs to cover both bodily as well as property
damage liability coverage.

The rental car company provides liability coverage. What they are
selling is a CDW insurance (collision damage waiver). It's optional.

Many credit cards cover the CDW, as do many people's own vehicle
insurance (if they own a vehicle).

For out-of-country renters there are different requirements for some
reason. When you put in a country other than the U.S. onto the rental
care web sites, the price goes up, but it doesn't go up for U.S. renters
that don't have their own insurance.

"SMS" wrote in message
...
TheNewsGuy(Mike) wrote:
SMS wrote:
...
Insurance is not mandatory.

You're wrong about that and you're wrong about Las Vegas.
================================================== =========================
"In California, motorists are required to adopt car insurance and as per
the Californian law, one needs to cover both bodily as well as property
damage liability coverage.

The rental car company provides liability coverage. What they are selling
is a CDW insurance (collision damage waiver). It's optional.


They offer only the minimum liability coverage required by the
state. CDW and enhanced liability insurance is extremely
important. It may be that you can get it more cheaply however.
My annual travel insurance policy covers me for CDW and
SLI in North America for example.

Many credit cards cover the CDW, as do many people's own vehicle insurance
(if they own a vehicle).


As has already been said foreign issued credit`cards do not
typically offer CDW and their own insurance policies dont cover
risks on rented cars. My own UK issued insurance certainly does not.

For out-of-country renters there are different requirements for some
reason. When you put in a country other than the U.S. onto the rental care
web sites, the price goes up, but it doesn't go up for U.S. renters that
don't have their own insurance.

Car rental companies operating in the European market are aware that
their customers will not normally have extra cover. Having lots
of uninsured customers isnt regarded as good business practise.

Keith

On May 7, 11:23 am, SMS wrote:
BlackHat wrote:
Hi,

I plan to travel to west coast in June and visit San Francisco, San Jose,
Santa Cruz, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego. I plan to rent a car and
travel for two weeks around California (and visit Las Vegas for 3 or 4 days)

Because this is my first time on the west coast and I was never in these
towns, I would appreciate any information about what is must see in
California, which areas in these towns are good to find a hostel to spend a
night and which area I should avoid (because they are dangerous, boring or
to expensive)

Thank you for any help and info!

Best regards!

First of all, forget Las Vegas and San Jose. You're trying to do too
much in two weeks, and both of those cities are utterly forgettable with
no redeeming value.

I could have sworn I saw you working a booth at Comdex some years
ago. Maybe that's your basis for your opinion of LV?

y_p_w wrote:

I could have sworn I saw you working a booth at Comdex some years
ago. Maybe that's your basis for your opinion of LV?

LOL, I worked in many booths at Comdex, for several different companies
and trade groups, as well as at CES, and NAB.

I actually don't mind Las Vegas. I know where to go away from the strip
for good restaurants at good prices, and I know how to get around the
city avoiding traffic, especially at trade shows. But it's not a place
I'd go on vacation unless I was into gambling. I guess it's interesting
to see the whole thing once, especially before the whole house of cards
collapses as hotels go bankrupt like the Tropicana just did. The utter
tackiness of it all can be fun.

On Thu, 08 May 2008 19:49:50 -0700, SMS
wrote:

SNIP
But it's not a place
I'd go on vacation unless I was into gambling. I guess it's interesting
to see the whole thing once, especially before the whole house of cards
collapses as hotels go bankrupt like the Tropicana just did. The utter
tackiness of it all can be fun.

Hi

However, Las Vegas is a very convenient place to start a vacation from
- particularly if you are from Europe. Certainly from Great Britain,
there are some incredibly cheap flights to Las Vegas; plus
accommodation and food is extremely reasonable compared to what is now
justifiably called "rip-off" Britain.

For example, as I mentioned in a previous post, my wife and I are
flying from the UK into Las Vegas in just over a week's time. We
shall stay there for just two nights to recover from the long flight
and get ourselves organised before stocking up with supplies (mainly
beer, steaks and charcoal) at the nearest Wal-Mart and heading off
into the wilds of Utah in a rental car with our tent. Paradoxically,
in order to reach some of the most stunningly awe-inspiring scenery on
the planet, the best place for us to fly into is the "utter tackiness"
of Las Vegas - however, the comparison does tend to make you
appreciate the sheer natural beauty of the high desert even more.

As we have a full day in Las Vegas prior to picking up the car, we may
as well see "the sights". Admittedly we have seen them several times
before, but the LV skyline is forever changing and - don't tell anyone
- but we find Las Vegas fun (although we certainly wouldn't want to
spend more than a day or two there). My wife and I visit the US
Southwest every year or so with our tent (camping in the high desert
is like a drug - once you have sampled it, you want more!!!) and every
time we start planning our next trip, we get the maps out and Las
Vegas inevitably turns out to be the most convenient place to fly into
(or out of - we usually book open jaw flights).

Certainly my wife and I are not gamblers (she lost a massive $10 on
our last visit to Las Vegas - mind you she won a huge $15 on our
previous visit, so we are ahead) and we far prefer the "Great
Outdoors" to a city. However, Las Vegas is so bizarre and "over the
top" and, here in the UK, we know so much about it from films and TV
that it is firmly on the list of "1000 places to see before you die".


Regards


KGB

On May 8, 7:49 pm, SMS wrote:
y_p_wwrote:
I could have sworn I saw you working a booth at Comdex some years
ago. Maybe that's your basis for your opinion of LV?

LOL, I worked in many booths at Comdex, for several different companies
and trade groups, as well as at CES, and NAB.

I actually don't mind Las Vegas. I know where to go away from the strip
for good restaurants at good prices, and I know how to get around the
city avoiding traffic, especially at trade shows. But it's not a place
I'd go on vacation unless I was into gambling. I guess it's interesting
to see the whole thing once, especially before the whole house of cards
collapses as hotels go bankrupt like the Tropicana just did. The utter
tackiness of it all can be fun.

Good restaurants at good prices? What ever happened to per diem and
finding a decent buffet dinner? The last few times I rather liked the
Palms buffet because it was cheaper than Rio across the street, the
lines weren't nearly as long, and the prices were reasonable (I think
$12 back in 2004).

"KGB (KGB)" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 08 May 2008 19:49:50 -0700, SMS
wrote:

SNIP
But it's not a place
I'd go on vacation unless I was into gambling. I guess it's interesting
to see the whole thing once, especially before the whole house of cards
collapses as hotels go bankrupt like the Tropicana just did. The utter
tackiness of it all can be fun.

Hi

However, Las Vegas is a very convenient place to start a vacation from
- particularly if you are from Europe. Certainly from Great Britain,
there are some incredibly cheap flights to Las Vegas; plus
accommodation and food is extremely reasonable compared to what is now
justifiably called "rip-off" Britain.

What is the cheapest price for two way ticket from UK to Las Vegas?

Best regards!