[stevescoots]

I am taking a short break with she who must be obeyed in June, Staying in San Francisco over the weekend, leaving Monday and ending up in Vegas on the Friday. Plan is to drive down from SF to LA on R1 then across to Vegas on the Friday. SF I have been many times so got it all covered but LA I have only ever been a transit. Would appreciate any suggestions where to stay half way between SF and LA for a night (post ranch at Big Sure is booked out) but then also where to stay, places to go in LA over 3 days. Neither of us are shopaholics so that’s out, not really beach people except walking along them. Looking for places to visit, good but casual places to eat etc , maybe a vineyard visit?

[MartynSinclair]

I used to enjoy Santa Catalina Island. Take a boat across and it takes you away from the humdrum of LA. Wonderful Ox Burgers (when I was eating meat)..

I suppose one of the must do’s is people watching at some of the cafes along Rodeo Drive. You literally never know who you are going to see.

Sunday lunch in one of the many beach restaurants is fun (why it is considered different on a Sunday, I am not sure)…

There is also the Reagan museum – https://www.reaganfoundation.org/library-museum/ which houses his Air Force One…

See if there are any sports events (if you are into sports) – LA Galaxy…

[FDOS_UK]

Steve, have a look in the Monterey/Carmel area – not too far from Big Sur and, if you are a fan of Steinbeck, you can look at the Cannery Row area of Monterey.

I can’t recommend a hotel, as I’ve not stayed there, only visited.

Also, hire a drop top Mustang for the Pacific Coastal highway drive 🙂

[Charles-P]

The Getty Centre – Impressionist art, Greek sculpture, French royal furniture and a lovely garden. Have evening dinner at their restaurant, has a fantastic view.

Venice Beach boardwalk – magicians, Bohemian types. Lots of fun.

Reel Inn restaurant, 18661 Pacific Coast Highway. Best seafood ever.

To stay –
The Queen Mary, docked at Long Beach
Hotel Figueroa -a Moroccan Oasis.
Charlie Hotel – once home to Charlie Chaplin – http://thecharliehotel.com

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=806971]The Getty Centre – Impressionist art, Greek sculpture, French royal furniture and a lovely garden. Have evening dinner at their restaurant, has a fantastic view.

Venice Beach boardwalk – magicians, Bohemian types. Lots of fun.

Reel Inn restaurant, 18661 Pacific Coast Highway. Best seafood ever.

To stay –
The Queen Mary, docked at Long Beach
Hotel Figueroa -a Moroccan Oasis.
Charlie Hotel – once home to Charlie Chaplin – http://thecharliehotel.com

[/quote]

Some good suggestions, there.

[Celticplumber]

Half way between SF and LA is a typically Californian small town called Cayucos. I stayed at a delightful small hotel B&B called On The Beach which (as the name suggests) is right on the sandy beach, and next to the pier.

[sandtrekker]

Steve, Make sure to check that the route you wish to take. Recent storms and floods have washed away a bridge in the Big Sur region. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-big-sur-isolation-20170326-htmlstory.html

[capetonianm]

For somewhere rather quaint and unsophisticated, look at Cambria, where I spent a lovely weekend on the way from LAX (dump) to SFO.

[UKFly79]

Totally Agree, look at Cambria. I’ve stayed a night there on the way down to LA at a very comfortable, clean and reasonable place called The Fogcatcher Inn, right on the coast. A 5 minute drive into the main town and there are many lovely quaint restaurants.

The Cannery in Monterrey has a lovely Intercontinental; a chain yes, but nicely done and right on the water again and only a short walk to anywhere as its right in the middle of the cannery area.

Enjoy!

[maxgeorge]

Sandtrekker has the most important piece of advice. Hwy 1 is impassable.

February storms cut off Big Sur completely. Pfeiffer Bridge has to be replaced after a partial collapse, and a landslide north of Cambria has still to be cleared.

So you’ll be driving down Hwy 101.

Paso Robles and the surrounding wine country is a great stopover, as is San Luis Obispo.

[stevescoots]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, perfect! when it comes to planning business trips its easy, but leisure ones I am a total dufus! We usually holiday in Asia as I work there so much and it’s almost a busman’s holiday Although this time I did get into trouble by dropping on her we need to swing by NC and GA for a few days for work…….Only 3 weeks to go so better start booking today

[stevescoots]

FDOS, CA sunshine and myself have a bad relationship. first time i took out a jet ski in San Diego, full factor sun cream but forgot to do my feet. I got so badly burned I could not walk in any foot wear for days. The last time I hired a drop top in CA i ended up with weeping blisters on my forehead from sunburn, dropping the top was a spur of the moment thing and i did not put anything on. This time lesson learned,just going for a full size sedan

[conc001]

The Andaz in LA is very nice and a good location. You will need the car in LA public transport is a joke.

[maxgeorge]

Not entirely fair, conc.

You can get to places like Santa Monica (beach), Pasadena (nice old town), Hollywood (Universal Studios) and Long Beach (Queen Mary, Aquarium) by the efficient if sometimes crowded Metro Light Rail System.

But not to the airport, thanks to that old crook Tom Bradley, who trousered millions from taxi and parking companies to ensure that the Green Line made a sharp left turn 2 km from LAX.

Metro trains (but not buses) are a good alternative to driving So Cal’s complex freeway system.

[jsn55]

I’m almost a native San Franciscan, so of course I think you should spend all your time up here and take a plane to Vegas. LA has many nice things, but overall it’s an awful place with the smog and the traffic. We have Napa wine country, the seashore all the way from Oregon to Carmel, gorgeous UK-like scenery north of the Golden Gate, the city itself … plenty to happily occupy you for a week.

[Author]

Posts