California - where to go/what to see?

Personally I find booking a trip to be a tad difficult as I never know
where to go, where to stay, etc. etc.

My girlfriend and I have some Jet Blue credit which we would like to
use towards booking a trip out to California. We're from Long Island,
NY. I'm going to be 27 and she's going to be 26...I've always wanted to
check out California, being a very outdoorsy type person I've always
heard that it is gorgeous and has everything available to you from
amazing beaches to awesome deep forests/mountains. We';re just a very
fun couple that can do anything together and would like to just have an
awesome time out there. We want to enjoy it all when we go on our trip,
from the beaches to bars/clubs to a coastal drive to sightseeing and
quaint shops, etc. etc.

We're looking to travel from October 21-26th or so...
So, where should we go in California exactly? What should we do? Points
of interest? Any and all recommendations are helpful...

We had the idea of going to San Francisco as we've heard that it is
gorgeous. We've also been recommended San Diego as another couple whom
we are friends with said it was alot of fun, etc....this is where I find
booking a trip difficult. We like to go out and hit the bars & clubs but
don't like the very young/roudy scene that you can get sometimes and at
the same time we like to enjoy the atmosphere/what the area has to
offer.


--
cobrakillerta
Message origin: www.TRAVEL.com

On Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:47:41 -0500, cobrakillerta
wrote:


Personally I find booking a trip to be a tad difficult as I never know
where to go, where to stay, etc. etc.

My girlfriend and I have some Jet Blue credit which we would like to
use towards booking a trip out to California. We're from Long Island,
NY. I'm going to be 27 and she's going to be 26...I've always wanted to
check out California, being a very outdoorsy type person I've always
heard that it is gorgeous and has everything available to you from
amazing beaches to awesome deep forests/mountains. We';re just a very
fun couple that can do anything together and would like to just have an
awesome time out there. We want to enjoy it all when we go on our trip,
from the beaches to bars/clubs to a coastal drive to sightseeing and
quaint shops, etc. etc.

We're looking to travel from October 21-26th or so...
So, where should we go in California exactly? What should we do? Points
of interest? Any and all recommendations are helpful...

We had the idea of going to San Francisco as we've heard that it is
gorgeous. We've also been recommended San Diego as another couple whom
we are friends with said it was alot of fun, etc....this is where I find
booking a trip difficult. We like to go out and hit the bars & clubs but
don't like the very young/roudy scene that you can get sometimes and at
the same time we like to enjoy the atmosphere/what the area has to
offer.

Lemme see if I understand this. You have five days and you want
to see some of California?

You might want to be a bit more specific as to your likes and
dislikes.

In any case, San Francisco pretty much lives up to its reputation
and publicity and you could do a lot worse than spend the whole
five days there.

On the other hand, you could easily spend five days in San Diego.

Ditto the Los Angeles area...

Two warnings, though.

1. California has about 800 miles of beaches and the water is
damn cold off all of them, although the LA/SD stretch gets up to
simply very chilly. Don't believe what you saw on Baywatch.

2. October is the hot time of the year along most of the
California coast due to hot dry Santa Ana winds blowing in from
the deserts. So it's also the prime time for brush and forest
fires.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

We want to enjoy it all when we go on our trip,
from the beaches to bars/clubs to a coastal drive
to sightseeing and quaint shops, etc. etc.

Five days sounds like a lot, but it'll go by quickly. Personally I
think San Francisco and nearby attractions are your best bet.

I'd suggest 2 full days in San Francisco. It's a beautiful city with a
huge number of things to see and do.

Then I'd suggest renting a car and taking a day trip to the north to
see 1) Muir Woods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Muir_Woods_National_Monument) to see huge redwoods, and 2) the
beautiful wine country at Napa Valley.

Then take a day or two driving south along the coast, spending the
night in the Carmel or Monterey areas. Visit the city of Monterey,
take the famous "17 Mile Drive" (a scenic toll road on the coast of
the Monterey Penensula with magnificent ocean views), and visit the
quaint (though touristy) village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Just south of
Carmel is the Point Lobos state park, with walking trails that have
dramatic oceans views. If time permits you can drive further south
along the coast to see Big Sur.

As Dave said, the water will be chilly, but if you want to dip your
toe into the Pacific there's a nice public beach at Carmel.

James

On Aug 25, 9:47*am, cobrakillerta cobrakillerta.3xh...@no-
mx.forums.travel.com wrote:
Personally I find booking a trip to be a tad difficult as I never know
where to go, where to stay, etc. etc.

My girlfriend and I have some Jet Blue credit which we would like to
use towards booking a trip out to California. We're from Long Island,
NY. I'm going to be 27 and she's going to be 26...I've always wanted to
check out California, being a very outdoorsy type person I've always
heard that it is gorgeous and has everything available to you from
amazing beaches to awesome deep forests/mountains. We';re just a very
fun couple that can do anything together and would like to just have an
awesome time out there. We want to enjoy it all when we go on our trip,
from the beaches to bars/clubs to a coastal drive to sightseeing and
quaint shops, etc. etc.

We're looking to travel from October 21-26th or so...
So, where should we go in California exactly? What should we do? Points
of interest? Any and all recommendations are helpful...

We had the idea of going to San Francisco as we've heard that it is
gorgeous. We've also been recommended San Diego as another couple whom
we are friends with said it was alot of fun, etc....this is where I find
booking a trip difficult. We like to go out and hit the bars & clubs but
don't like the very young/roudy scene that you can get sometimes and at
the same time we like to enjoy the atmosphere/what the area has to
offer.

--
cobrakillerta
Message origin:www.TRAVEL.com


How to do it all in 5 days? Well you are pretty much limited to the
three big cities: SF, LA, or San Diego, to get to experience the
outdoors and clubs. Each has its own charm. Don't know what your
budget is, but LA is a good choice. Stay near the beach cities (Santa
Monica), rent a car and drive up Hwy 1 to Malibu for your beach
scene. I don't know about club scenes but there's plenty of action
near Santa Monica.

In article ,
cobrakillerta wrote:

Personally I find booking a trip to be a tad difficult as I never know
where to go, where to stay, etc. etc.

My girlfriend and I have some Jet Blue credit which we would like to
use towards booking a trip out to California. We're from Long Island,
NY. I'm going to be 27 and she's going to be 26...I've always wanted to
check out California, being a very outdoorsy type person I've always
heard that it is gorgeous and has everything available to you from
amazing beaches to awesome deep forests/mountains. We';re just a very
fun couple that can do anything together and would like to just have an
awesome time out there. We want to enjoy it all when we go on our trip,
from the beaches to bars/clubs to a coastal drive to sightseeing and
quaint shops, etc. etc.

We're looking to travel from October 21-26th or so...
So, where should we go in California exactly? What should we do? Points
of interest? Any and all recommendations are helpful...

We had the idea of going to San Francisco as we've heard that it is
gorgeous. We've also been recommended San Diego as another couple whom
we are friends with said it was alot of fun, etc....this is where I find
booking a trip difficult. We like to go out and hit the bars & clubs but
don't like the very young/roudy scene that you can get sometimes and at
the same time we like to enjoy the atmosphere/what the area has to
offer.
..
You want to have something to talk about when you return? Spend a night or
two at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. If you spend more than one
night, make sure you have a different room each and every night. Check the
web or your local travel agent for more information.

Sounds like you could do this:

1. Land in San Francisco early and spend the rest of the day.
2. Hit the road early and spend 2-3 days in Yosemite, King's Canyon
and Sequoia National Park.
3. A day in LA followed by a day in San Diego. Could hike up Cowles
Mountain and get a great view of the city.
4. Drop off car and fly back.

You can catch a one-way from SAN to SFO for not much if needed.

Best wishes, Marcus
http://www.panama-bank-guide.com/

Pretty good time of year to visit San Francisco, not that there's
really a bad one. http://www.sfgate.com, http://www.sfbg.com,
http://www.sfweekly.com, and http://www.eastbayexpress.com will help
give you an idea of what's going on (the first is a major mainstream
newspaper site; the latter three are alternative-press giveaways that
tell you about, among other things, the club and music scene).

If you're willing to wade through the flood of spam on this group
lately, you obviously don't mind a contrarian strategy, so may I
suggest that when you've had your fill of the City, you head *north*
-- maybe a little way (Mount Tam, Point Reyes, Muir Woods) or a long
way (overnight at the Benbow Inn maybe, then the Lost Coast, Trinity
Alps...) If you need culture again after all that, the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival isn't actually doing Shakespeare any more at that
time but will stage several other productions: http://www.osfashland.org/

Like wine? Napa Valley and some other worthy if less celebrated areas
are quite close to SF. Designate a driver and enjoy.

Or go down south to San Diego by car along the Coast Highway -- the
trip is reward enough in its own right. Monterey Bay Aquarium and
the 17-Mile Scenic Drive are among the must-sees along that route (and
can also be packed into a day trip or an overnighter out of and back
into SF).

Yosemite is another option for either an overnighter based out of SF
or a stop along the way south.

There's really more to see and do than you could pack into a month,
let alone a week -- just some ideas...

--Joe