California - California- Where to go?

Hi all,

Just been speaking to a friend who has been in California for the past 2 weeks and he said it was his best holiday ever. We are even considering the idea for next Summer- as we have a ton of BA miles to get through and we are hopeful that there will be availability for SFO and LAX and maybe even SAN.

Who has been before, and where would you recommend going? We like a chilled out holiday on the beach/by the pool with a bit of shopping/sightseeing involved and also some golf if it is available. Any suggestions? :)

I'd give San Diego a go for a few days. It's a lovely place.

Rent a house in Palm Springs. They all have pools and there are multiple golf courses in the vicinity. Shopping in outlet malls nearby is very easy.

For a beach/pool type vacation, go to San Diego. The Pacific Ocean is quite chilly even in summer, but better the further south you go.

Lots of interesting things to do around San Diego, such as Old Town, the zoo, nice dining, great shopping in La Jolla. Wine tasting is available not far from San Diego in the mountains if you like that sort of thing.

A really great trip, if you want to travel around, is to drive the Pacific Coast Highway from SFO to LAX, stopping in Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Barbara (one of my favorite places), etc. Santa Barbara is itself a good destination for beaching it, with great wineries nearby, great dining, etc.

Palm Springs is nice, but it is as hot as Hades in the summer - think 40-46 Celsius.

Hi,

SFO is excellent ( Alcatraz, hiring a bike and cycling from Fisherman's wharf along the bay and over Golden Gate bridge ( on a nice day )

You could then go to Yosemite NP (beautiful)

The Pacific Coast Highway after Monterey/Carmel is beautiful as you hug the coast with the pacific ocean on your right as you drive south

LA is ok for a few days depending on your interests.

Have not been to SAN but it is supposed to be good.

Palm springs hotels can offer good summer rates and you could tour Joshua Tree NP and take the cable car up the mountains by Palm springs

Regards

TBS

If you're into nature, you could also visit Sequoia National Park, and Death Valley (was 124 F last year when I was there, with a strong wind so like being in a blast furnace).

Santa Barbara for a few days and, if driving between LA and the Bay Area spend at least a night in San Luis Obispo. They have a fun farmers market on Thursday nights downtown.

Can't recommed California enough.

Fly into SFO and do some days out -Alcatraz, Sausalito, Napa. San Francisco is not really a 'beach' destination; in fact I don't know that many of the downtown hotels even have an outside pool. After that make you way down the Pacific Coast Highway/State Route 1 as suggested.

I'd skip Los Angeles and head for San Diego and head home from there (no F on that route in case that's important).

Thanks for all the suggestions so far- really interesting reading them! We quite like the idea of Palm Springs- even though it may be a little too hot! We might fly down via SFO, have a few days there seeing the sights (a place we have all wanted to go) and then may get another flight down to an airport near Palm Springs and have 10 days in a villa there. Only ideas at the moment, just a place we have fancied going. We looked at going this summer but never planned enough but we can remember seeing plenty of availability in the sale- MFU to CW to SFO was about £650 IIRC. We might even consider paying for CW out, WT+ back and MFU'ing both flights to F out and CW back as it is such a long trip. We have 450,000 BA miles in the HHA and think that we have to start using them soon! :)

If you after as you say a chilled out holiday by the beach / pool with some shopping and sightseeing. You couldn't go far too wrong with a trip to L.A

I actually like L.A alot, lots of peole hate it. I think the city is hard done by, it does have a bit of everything.

You could then head out to the Palm Springs area and hit the links.

SF is fantastic, i remember cycling over the GGB on a sunny Sunday Morning stopping for a spot of lunch in Sausalito before coming back on the ferry. SD Mmmm worth a visit but id only ever recommend a couple of days at the most.

The last two years I've rented a house for a month in Lake Forest, OC (close to Irvine).It makes a fantastic base for travelling anywhere up or down the I5/405. The house had a deck for lazing and and al fresco dining, and its own boat to cruise the lake and access the pools and gym at the community centre. The Irvine centre is fine for shopping (Hollister, Aeropostale, etc. Mission Viejo is pretty and has a slightly larger mall too.

Beaches at Dana Point and Laguna within 15 mins drive. Will be high 70s in July, and Lake Forest doesn't suffer as much from the morning fog.

Its about 50 mins from LA, 25 from Anaheim and an hour to San Diego. Will you be 21 by then? You could fly Jet Blue to Las Vegas for a few days too from Long Beach Ariport

I've done Palm Springs in July, even with your own pool you'll have to be under an umbrella by 10 a.m. Evenings are great, though, and a siesta is a must!

Concur on the Pacific Coast Highway, San Francisco and Santa Barbara/Montecito too.

PM me if you'd like a link to the house I rented this year.

R3dV

DEATH VALLEY, DEATH VALLEY, DEATH VALLEY. Hire a SUV - be brave - and do some amazing backroads in some even more amazing scenery and heat.

Best time of the year to "experience" it.

Hi Mikey,

how about mixing it up a little, fly LHR-SFO and return SAN-LHR ?

iv been to SFO twice and its a brilliant city, i know BBB is also a big fan of San Francisco so im sure he will be along fairly soon to add his opinions

im not too sure about the golf part as i dont play, but for being chilled out SFO gets my vote.

How about some time in San Francisco and then jumping over to Hawaii if your after beach and golf etc ? just dont try coming back HNL/OGG-LAX-LHR in one go, it will kill you !

If i were you, i might even consider flying back to the UK from one of the US airports served ex LGW and having your bags checked thru to JER, would save you a trip between LHR and LGW on your return ! and wouldnt be all that difficult to tack on a domestic AA sector

cs

Fly into SAN and there are lots of good hotels. I got rooms at the Omni last year for $60, using Priceline, which is an incredible bargain. Just a little further North there are lots and lots of beaches - at La Jolla, Oceanside and all points north. And plenty of golf courses, some of which are very challenging (Torrey Pines) and some of which flatter the high handicap golfer. Go a few miles further north on the PCH and you get to the Beach Cities. Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano are well worth a visit (and dine at Sarducci's at the Amtrak Station at SJC). Continue a few miles further north to Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, then take the I10 (I think!) to the big shopping mall at South Coast Plaza. If so inclined, then have a day at one of the two Disney Parks at Anaheim. Then take the 405 to spend a day at the Getty Center before departing from LAX.

Hey Mikey, I think the above posts demonstrate that a hioliday to California doesn't really need a justification - there's enough to see and for alomost anyone. I would suggest though that you do a little bit more than lounge by a pool and play golf - there's the great outdoors (especially Yosemite) and there's even some culture to be had. I was in LA a couple of years ago meeting ILFC and the one thing they recommended to spend an afternoon was the Getty Museum.

Also, some driving has to be done. Rent yourself a convertible, load up a good CD and hit the road.

Wow... lots to see and do by the looks of it! I quite like the idea of Palm Springs, but it isn't that close to the beach by the sound of things, but at least the weather is guaranteed. SFO for a few days sounds good, we might miss LA as my parents have been and didn't like it much, but we will go to San Diego as they loved it there. We will get my brother to have a look at the golf- he plays off scratch so always plays while we are on holiday!

cornishsimon we would much rather fly straight from LAX or SAN to LHR and then just transfer between the two airports other than flying from Tampa + getting an AA flight down because it will probably be cheaper as we will be MFU'ing and the long flight will be good as we will be able to watch a film, eat, have a good sleep and watch breakfast- I never normally manage over 4 hours sleep on those East Coast USA/Caribbean flights! The parents are a little apprehensive about going in F- they are happy with CW and think that F may be a bit snooty but like the idea of the extra space on such a long flight. New F looks amazing too, I really want to try it! :)

Please forget the desert in the Summer. It's just plain stupid. It's way to hot to play golf or anything outside. 100 degrees is one thing, but how do you like 120 or 130 ? San Diego, Big Sur, Monterey, SF, Napa-Sonoma, Yosemite, Kings Cyn, & Tahoe are all good ideas in the Summer. You want to be near the ocean or in the mountains in the Summer. Otherwise you're going to cook. wj

Please forget the desert in the Summer. It's just plain stupid. It's way to hot to play golf or anything outside. 100 degrees is one thing, but how do you like 120 or 130 ? San Diego, Big Sur, Monterey, SF, Napa-Sonoma, Yosemite, Kings Cyn, & Tahoe are all good ideas in the Summer. You want to be near the ocean or in the mountains in the Summer. Otherwise you're going to cook. wj

+1 A great list there. Taking two or three days to drive up or down Route 1, which is mainly along the coast, would be a lot of fun and offer some spectacular sights, including the stretch around Big Sur.

I love the SF Bay Area and urge you to include it in your visit. But be aware that in the summer, particularly August, you might get fog for all of part of the day. If you run into that, you'd want to have a warm sweater with you. On the other hand, sometimes San Francisco itself is in fog, but due to micro-climates in this area the town of Sausalito (in Marin County, north of SF) and the fun ferry ride over to it might at the same time be sunny.

LA is so big and sprawling that you can't get to see all of it and much of it is freeways and/or ugly, but there are definitely some nice sections in and around it. The town of Santa Monica, for instance, is pleasant and has a nice beach. And in a different neck of the woods, Venice Beach is a real scene to check out.

I've done this several times with various members of my family, and all, without exception, have loved every minute.

All the advice given by previous posters has my full and unfettered endorsement - you will really enjoy yourself.

We usually do an open-jaw on miles, and always, ALWAYS in a premium cabin, because of the length of the flight - and what's the point of having all those miles unless it's to reward yourself?! LHR-LAX-drive-Palm Springs-LAS-LHR was our latest jaunt, just a couple of weeks back. Palm Springs was not as hot as usual, and is to be thoroughly recommended. If you're into this kind of thing, Elvis's house in PS is currently being prepared for opening as a museum. If you take the 'rich and famous' tour they will get you inside for a private viewing: Mrs. Zhivago is still talking about our afternoon in Elvis's bedroom!

Wherever you go, I'm sure you will enjoy yourselves!

If you're around san luis obispo there is always Hearst castle and a night in one of the better rooms at Madonna Inn!

Hi,

SFO is excellent ( Alcatraz, hiring a bike and cycling from Fisherman's wharf along the bay and over Golden Gate bridge ( on a nice day )

You could then go to Yosemite NP (beautiful)

The Pacific Coast Highway after Monterey/Carmel is beautiful as you hug the coast with the pacific ocean on your right as you drive south


Think the list above is where I would start. SFO is my favourite US city and the bay area in general is awesome. I would then meander down PCH, stay in Carmel it's lovely, and do some wine tours around SFO. Yosemite and Yellowstone are both easily reachable and phenomenal, Yellowstone would probably be my choice.

I'd then nip across and see Vegas, death valley and grand canyon if you've not been.

Wouldn't bother with LA or San Diego. If you do go to LA then i normally stay in Santa Monica. Palm springs is interesting (i was there in May) but I'm not sure I would spend less time in the list above to go and see. Good golf and nice hotels, but you can get that in somewhere like Laguna beach which also has beach and ocean, I would do that.

Think the list above is where I would start. SFO is my favourite US city and the bay area in general is awesome. I would then meander down PCH, stay in Carmel it's lovely, and do some wine tours around SFO. Yosemite and Yellowstone are both easily reachable and phenomenal, Yellowstone would probably be my choice.

I'd then nip across and see Vegas, death valley and grand canyon if you've not been. Yellowstone is more than 1,000 miles from SFO. At least here in the U.S., we don't consider that "easily reachable." Yosemite is a good choice, but summer is high season and reservations will be difficult to come by unless secured well in advance.

As for nipping across to see Vegas and the Grand Canyon, you're talking about a 700 - 800 mile drive from SFO. Flying from SFO to LAS is easy, but summer in Las Vegas is absolutely brutal -- expect temperatures of 43 C or more during the day, and it doesn't get much cooler at night.

Wouldn't bother with LA or San Diego. I agree about LA (and I live there), though not about San Diego, particularly for someone who is looking to relax on beaches.

If you do go to LA then i normally stay in Santa Monica. Palm springs is interesting (i was there in May) but I'm not sure I would spend less time in the list above to go and see. Good golf and nice hotels, but you can get that in somewhere like Laguna beach which also has beach and ocean, I would do that.Laguna Beach is very nice for this and has a somewhat quaint town. During the summer, you can see Pageant of the Master, a tableaux vivant performance that is far more fun to see than it sounds.

My Good Friend mikey2124

A very good friend of mine and his girlfriend went to san francisco last year! he also said it was the best holiday he had ever had there is loads to see and do "he said make sure you hire a car and go adventuring" its well worth it one of his favourite parts of the trip was his visit to "Alcatraz" he said it was brilliant but at the same time "creepy"

Go for it mikey and family i think you would have a great time its definately on my list of places to go :)

I quite like the idea of Palm Springs,
Palm Springs is absolutely lovely but they do say that Palm Springs is for the gay 80s. Its full of both demographic groups. Dining in Palm Springs is interesting as the later group eat at 5pm and the former group dine at 8/9pm - great at keeping the restaurants full.

If you are after the beach but dont mind the using a pool, Palm Spring really works. It is very warm in the winter months (the heat stays in the valley for some reason) and Palm Spring still remains the weekend playground for people in LA. Forget about going there between May and September - its just too hot.

It is a very up market in terms of shops and restaurants. Lots of golf courses but also expect the more elderly (i.e. slower) golfer at the local courses. Some hotels chains have great courses of their own and these then to have tourists (i.e. younger) so select your course with care.

Also good for the occasion celebrity spotter given many retire to live there. Mikey is probably too young to know about many of them. We were once invited for Christmas drinks at the home of director of made Marathon Man.

Lots of slights for BBB to enjoy (I know I do) given the younger crowd from LA visiting at the weekend. For some reason, Palm Springs also has a concentration of clothing optional resorts. PSP can be party town at the weekends but only if you are interested in guys.

There is a great premium outlet mall about 25 mins drive out of PSP. Also a few casinos (one in town) on Indian reservation land. 3 flights a direct day to LAS and 2 with Alaska if you fancy a twin or multi-centre break. Alternatively, it is a 4 hour drive.

just to clarify that Palm Springs generally refers to about five towns next to each other; Palm Springs itself, Cathedral City (down market but a few hidden gems), Rancho Mirage (very posh where the rich and famous stay), Palm Desert (posh but one step down from Rancho Mirage with shopping mall and large shops) and Indio (never ventured this far so cannot comment). The feel and mix in each location is very different.

Also, a rental car is a must in the area.

We are doing both LAS and PSP in October.

Hi Palmsprings is a great place to visit, albeit in the summer it is around 45 (120F) but of course all the shopping malls are air conditioned. There are over 100 golf courses there, so you would have the pick of the crop. Great place to stay is Desert Hills, right in down town PS where most of the action is, with plenty of al fresco restaurants.
San Diego is good and the old town is worth a visit. Coronado Beach is nice, cannot remember the film, but the hotel is there.
Another good trip is to do the Big Sur SFO-LAX or the other way round, must visit Carmel, Monterary, beaches there especially Carmel are lovely. Visit also Yosemite, Alcatraz is another must, and one word of warning you must book that well in advance as it gets extremely busy, especially i imagine in the summer. If you like your wines, then are plenty of vineyards up the coast from SFO. I expect there are lots of other places to see, and am sure you have been given loads of advice from everyone else. We will of course need to have a TR as we are all helping you out as to where to go:D;)

Palm springs is hot. We went early July. Yes there are some areas that are very gay friendly. yes some where clothes are needed. But the resort we stayed at had plenty of familes and groups of girls. It was a good holiday!

As for nipping across to see Vegas and the Grand Canyon, you're talking about a 700 - 800 mile drive from SFO. Flying from SFO to LAS is easy, but summer in Las Vegas is absolutely brutal -- expect temperatures of 43 C or more during the day, and it doesn't get much cooler at night.


Should have been clearer, I'd drive to Vegas from LA, fly from SFO. Having said that I had to drive LA to Palm Springs this summer through high winds (flights all cancelled), the first two hours of that drive wasn't that relaxing.

We've done two California driving trips and there are lots of variations.

The first time we went to LA (ok Disneyland for me), San Diego, (Vegas), Yosemite and San Francisco.

The second time we started in San Fran, drove up to Eureka to drive the Avenue of the Giants, came back down to Sonoma & Napa, then drove the coast road taking in Monterey (loved the aquarium), Carmel, Big Sur and Cambria (as a base to visit Hearst Castle and see the giant seals), then Santa Barbara, LA and Palm Springs (which I didn't much like, it was too hot for me). We went to Santa Monica for the day from our LA base.

I have done several trips to California and highly recommend a holiday there. There aren't many places you can encounter such variety in one trip - world-class cities, the coast, the mountains, incredible National Parks etc.

A couple of things which have been mentioned but I think are probably key for your trip: (i) open-jaw flights, eg LHR-SFO and SAN-LHR, and (ii) rent a car and drive yourself around.

If you have two weeks, you could easily cover San Francisco, Napa, Yosemite NP, drive down the Pacific Highway (Monterey, Carmel, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara etc) to Los Angeles and then San Diego.

If you wanted to fit in Palm Springs then you can although agree with the comments that the heat in the summer there will be rather intense.

Personally, I didn't really like Los Angeles but I know a lot of people that have spent a bit more time there and have really discovered and appreciate the city so I wouldn't rule it out (although a lot of Brits that just spend a day or two there don't seem to come back with much appreciation for the city).

The only additional advice I could offer to that already posted is that you shouldn't under-estimate the distances involved and don't try to drive too far each day, otherwise it becomes an endurance test rather than a holiday.

The other point is that just because it's called a fly-drive holiday, you don't have to drive all of it in the same car - for example, if you wanted to go from Vegas to San Francisco you don't have to drive it, you can take a cheap flight and pick up a car at the other end. I didn't think it was worth having a car in SF itself but instead collected one at the end of my few days there to drive down the Pacific Highway.

Did SFO to LAX along Coastal Highway last year, had a great time. Recieved loots of great advice on this thread.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/california/1012412-road-trip-sfo-lax-how-would-you-do.html

Regards
FDM

After flying BA new first yesterday I'm sitting by the pool in Santa Barbara which is certainly worth a visit! Think typical California!

In a week we're heading down to San Diego which is also worth a visit; think incredible Mexican food!

After four years of heading to CA we absloutley love it!

There are some great national parks that you could include in a three or four week itinerary. They get a bit busy in summer but if you're prepared to put on your walking boots you can soon leave the crowds behind. Try and book accommodation in the parks themselves if possible. Yosemite is beautiful. Death Valley also has hidden treasures. Further afield, try Sequoia and Bryce. Stay at El Tovar right next to the Grand Canyon. Start with a few days in SFO, pick up your hire car and aim to finish in LAS or LAX. Enjoy.

Once again, there's a lot of bad info here. Bryce is a million miles from California and not that interesting. Worth less than an hour visit IMO. If that far E - Zion is a gorgeous, but 5 or 6 hrs across desolate desert from Vegas. Listen to me - Beach & Mountains - Beach & Mountains - Beach & Mountains. Yosemite is not to be missed ! wj

Beaches & mountains are good.

I broke a bone in my childhood and feel the rain or change in conditions. San Diego is nice. But its cold and things started to hurt. Especially coming from Palm Springs!

The OP is very young. Is it not Laguna beach which was in the tv show?

There are some great national parks that you could include in a three or four week itinerary.

I was at Lassen Volcanic National Park over the weekend and it was just gorgeous up there. Easy drive from the Bay Area. There was still some snow at the higher elevations around Lassen Peak (elevation 10,457 feet/ 3,187 meters).

http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-USA/2011-Lassen-Volcanic-National/i-PKMm33k/0/M/P1280551-M.jpg

With this thread having enjoyed a fruitful airing on the BA forum, let's move it over to the California forum for further feedback.

Prospero
Moderator: BAEC forum

When is a good time of year to travel SFO to SAN if you'd like to catch some beach time with the family on the way and in SAN?

When is a good time of year to travel SFO to SAN if you'd like to catch some beach time with the family on the way and in SAN?

August or September are generally the warmest along the coast. Swimming in the Pacific is almost always a quite chilly affair, but the beaches can be warm, especially as you get south of Santa Barbara. San Diego is super during these months. You may find cheaper accommodations in September as US schools are in session and you don't have to compete with as many US families.

When is a good time of year to travel SFO to SAN if you'd like to catch some beach time with the family on the way and in SAN?

Forget about beach time North of Santa Barbara. The water and the weather are very chilly, even in Summer. It can be done, but it is a matter of endurance, not enjoyment. Don't let the tourist offices info persuade you otherwise. This is not to say that the Coast North of SB is not a great place to visit and very beautiful, just not for beach swimming.

BUT, just North of Santa Barbara, at Point Conception, the ocean currents change and the climate and water temp change along with them. From there South beaching in late Summer and most of the Fall is great. Water temp is a little cool, but kinda invigorating.

Hi,

there are many places to seeing like Disneyland, Six Flag..... and many more
and a other think u do go to Raodrunner Shuttle website and go to tours page it's helps u much more website link is www.rrshuttle.com.

have a nice trip:cool:

Just booked this exact trip using my BA miles for two return CW flights to LA. San Fran wasn't available for the dates i wanted using miles.

LA - 3 nights
Train to San Diego - I've heard the train is stunning and first class seats are about £35 per person each way.
San Diego - 3 nights
Hire a car in SD and we have 3 nights driving up to San Fran. 2 nights in Santa Barbara and 1 night in Carmel
San Fran - 4 nights
Vegas - 3 nights

Then fly back to LA for our night flight back to London.