TWA884

I don't think so. The Yosemite valley is spectacular year round. You should just be aware that the higher elevations of the park, including Glacier Point, will not be accessible and that the famous water falls will have little if any water flow.

Not a good idea unless you intend on driving out of the city, i.e., to Muir Woods. Parking is going to be very expensive, probably more than the cost of renting the car.

If the focus of your stay in Los Angeles is Universal Studios, I recommend staying in Universal City or Hollywood. You may also consider Korea Town (Line Hotel). I generally recommend Santa Monica, but you are going to encounter a lot of traffic driving to Universal Studios from there.

I strongly suggest visiting the Getty Center and Getty Villa, for both the settings and the collections.

Not.

Overrated.

Why???

I'm not recommending that freddyfingers stay downtown, however, based upon this statement, you must not have been there in years and are unfamiliar with the revitalized Downtown, including L.A. Live, the Arts District, the museums, MOCA and The Broad Museum, the Music Center, including Disney Hall, the Los Angeles Central Library, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, the fabulous restaurants and more.

abmj-jr

Some really bad "advice" in this thread.

Yosemite is beautiful any time of year. Winter is glorious when there is snow. Early spring can be delightful as the wildflowers start to come out. Just be aware, as mentioned above, that you will not be able to drive over Tioga Pass to the east side highway on your way to Las Vegas. The alternative would be to drive south through the San Joaquin Valley and cross the mountains via Tehachapi, south of Bakersfield. That would make for a very long driving day to LV.

You seem to be trying to do everything in this one trip and not really accounting for how very big California and the western states are. Driving distances are long and take more time than many first-time visitors expect. You may need to trim a few things from your plans to avoid road burnout and actually see some of the country. For example, I don't think Los Angeles is worth more than a few days. Theme parks, museums, the planetarium, the beach. Cut some time there and see the more scenic places on your list.

You might consider returning to San Francisco (or Oakland, or even Fresno) after Yosemite and flying to Las Vegas. That would save hours of dull driving. Extend the trip from LA back to SFO at the end of the trip to 3 or 4 days and spend some time along the Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur and Monterey. A full day in Monterey would be far more rewarding than another day in LA.

FlitBen

The bus and metro network is extensive for a west coast city but it's not convenient for everything. I've tried to make car-free work, but only certain areas like those around the hills and the embarcadero /financial /SOMA districts are well-served. Towards the Sunset and Marina neighborhoods and of course into the big parks (especially the Presidio) a lot of time, transfers, and walking is involved, and he's got young kids.

They're four so a car also makes economic sense even with all insurance. Taxis may, but requires planning and discipline to pull off, and with kids... Available parking and rates get easier/cheaper the farther away from the business and commercial district, although new attractions like the Cal Academy of Science pose some problems. But generally there are affordable ways except for those Market/Mission streets and the Ferry area, to which we would take a bus or taxi from the hotels we usually stay on lower Nob. Those short-term MUNI passes aren't cheap, it's San Francisco.



Korea town has some good spicy Korean places. Santa Monica would be great for the beaches, Hollywoodsy and foodie stuff, and heading into the hills.



It's likely their first time, he didn't say he's flying in with a carload of layers and gear. But if he's willing or has friends in the area who can ready them for the late-winter conditions then why not. I sure would like to visit in the late winter for a second time.


Maybe, but let them find out. There's no other Disney park like CA and I've been to all of them except DisneySea, which I'm thinking of for our next Tokyo trip.



Why???

That's just us, but my son at that age found big CostCos interesting (go figure) and it was easy to keep him happy on the hot dogs and sundaes. I like perusing Frys.


You're right I haven't stayed the downtown in many, many years. I've fond memories of the Bonaventure, though. These days we only visit parts or usually are just passing through, which isn't saying much. I'm aware of the new places but like I said of us and the OP, young kids. On our own or with friends would be a different story. But I still prefer spending the time in the SF Bay Area.

TWA884

+ 1,000%

FlitBen

You guys' experiences got me re-thinking about winter Yosemite about mid March for my next drive. Has anyone stayed at the Lodge in the valley at that time, and if so were the units heated well enough?




Wouldn't it work better if they connected straight to Las Vegas to rest and then did the deserts first, acclimating on those drives all the way to LA, thence PCH/101 to the Monterey and SF Bay Areas? Then do Yosemite overnight from San Francisco as suggested, when Spring might be further along.

And do you think they should be driving the Big Sur part of the coast this first time? I genuinely ask because fwoomp's bringing up the issue reminded me that my friends' kids always get road sick on those high winding roads. So I was wary of driving PCH along the entire central coast, and even now usually stick to the SF peninsula and nearby Marin coast when bringing visiting families around.

freddyfingers

Thx. It is quite a puzzle....
I m happy to consider going to Yosemite first. We will probably be early awake anyway given the time difference of 9 hours. (In the past flying to Miami after a quick nap, we indeed also drive early in the morning towards ORLANDO) Therefore upon arrival at sfo, I think will take a hotel at airport, spend the night and early in the morning drive to Yosemite. On day 2 head back to SF spend another day in SF AND focus on the main attraction feasible to do by car (any suggestions?)

The next day we can drive via PCH towards LA. Spend the night over (or 2) somewhere half we way. Still given jetlag, I prefer to drive early in the morning (5-6am) and by doing this avoid traffic.
Spend 2 days in LA and afterwarts I think to drive to Las Vegas, spend 2 nights and limit sight seeing to grand Canyon and fly back to San Francisco and spend another few day without car in the city.... (In city center hotel)

TWA884

The Pacific Coast Highway between Monterey and San Luis Obispo is one of the most spectacular drives in the world. It is simply not to be missed. I strongly recommend that you review the following National Geographic article: Road Trip: California's Pacific Coast Highway. I've done the drive many times, as a child with my parents, with college buddies and with my family and child; I don't recall anyone ever getting road sick.

I'd follow abmj-jr's suggested itinerary; You don't want to drive PCH while still suffering from jet lag. Break your drive on PCH with a night near Cambria or Morro Bay, if you wish to visit the Hearst Castle, or a day in Monterey, or better yet both if you have the time.

FlitBen

By calendar reckoning alone, I think you should fly to Las Vegas after your first night in San Francisco rather than driving the PCH south right after. If you do this, you'll arrive on Sun 27 Mar and hit the tailend of the Vegas weekend crowd, and maybe lower hotel /rental prices. After 1 night on the Strip and then Grand Canyon (skipping the rest), followed by one last night in Las Vegas, you could be driving into LA by Wed 30 Mar. This would allow you to do the Parks and museums on Thu and Fri before the weekend crush. Then the beach cities and Griffith and some rest on Sat.

Then starting north on Sun 3 Apr, you'll have just enough days to drive the PCH all along the coast as they recommend. Advance bookings should be easier and less pricey, too. You could stay in Morro and Monterey and arrive in San Francisco on Tue 5 Apr. Then a trip overnight in Yosemite on perhaps Thu 7 Apr. Or maybe not - you'll find so much to do in the city that you *might* defer it for next time. You should still try to go, but be prepared to flex as your kids might be problematic at this point and you may all be slowing down already, those are some long if great drives.

FlitBen

First of all, prepare lots of quarters for the parking meters unless you decide to get an SFMTA parking pass. Get everyone a Clipper card with at least $10 load from stores like Walgreens, to give you transit options. https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around...t/fares-passes

For Muir Woods and Marin Highlands, prepay online the FasTrak toll before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Get to Muir Woods earlier than 9am on a weekday, for a chance at parking closer to the entrance,
https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/home/index.shtml
http://www.511.org/

On the way back drive around the Presidio and the Marina green/Palace of Fine Arts, snacks and coffee at Crissy Field Center. Maybe the Fort Mason center if there's something interesting scheduled with food trucks present.

Another day, drive to the Cliff House and/or the De Young museum to hike the coastal trails there, then the Golden Gate Park for the Conservatory, the Japanese garden, around Slow Lake Dr. Try biking, Segway etc. Or maybe the California Academy of Sciences instead, and if you come early you might catch free parking behind CAS along Pelosi Dr.

For the Exploratorium, you can park on Battery St. behind Levi plaza where the food trucks are then walk it. Afterwards park on Filbert or else go up Montgomery St. next to Coit Tower for a try at the scenic Filbert Steps on its hillside.

Drive up Twin Peaks for a picnic view of the city looking north. Afterwards go to the Mission district or South San Francisco for the taquerias and coffeeshops around the BART station at 24th St., followed by nearby Bi-Rite for ice cream, and a walk around Dolores Park if it's the weekend.

And if it is a weekend, you could try parking on the streets around the Embarcadero Center to get to the Ferry Building . If you're not so lucky, you could try the Golden Gateway Garage on Clay St. There might still be a validation discount available at the Ferry Plaza's weekend market. Or else, maybe park further up Clay St. and take the MUNI 1 bus towards the plaza.

There are others, but these are the situations I remember well when a car came in handy.

FlitBen

Yeah, that coast has been a siren call for years already. I've been planning to, but we've only ever gotten so far as Pt. Lobos almost, as friends-with-kids in the bay area talked me out of it last year. Anyway we've been along PCH/US1 north to Bodega Bay and parts beyond Jenner before, and around Pt. Reyes more recently. But I'm still planning, and dreaming, always... that's a great resource, thanks!

freddyfingers

You guys are great!

Any hotel you recommend in airport area for overnight stay and get rid of jetlag?
Family friendly value budget hotel. Or in neighbourhood from which it is easy to get around.

If we stay in the city center (and got rid of our car), suggestions for budget value hotel, 2 twin beds and thick walls and public transport nearby is basically what we need.... :-)

TWA884

I'll just reiterate that San Francisco is not a car friendly town. It has excellent public transportation and very good Uber and taxi coverage.

As for hotel recommendations, I'm Los Angeles based, so I profess no expertise to help with your specific needs (family friendly value budget hotel). I suggest that you ask in the San Francisco sub-forum. Many of the expert regulars there do not frequent the California forum.

FlitBen

My friend swears by the Embassy Suites South San Francisco. I've been there and it's classy with a nice breakfast and plentiful free parking, but it's not inexpensive. For budget I've heard good things about the Comfort Inn & Suites on San Bruno Ave and the Gateway Inn & Suites on El Camino Real. Another friend who stayed at Gateway Inn found it decent for the low price though that was a few years ago.


In SF "budget" can be relative, $150-200/night for 2 single beds is already reasonable. For budget we like the small older hotels on the hill, at Sutter or Bush between Jones and Powell Streets, like Hotel Rex or Golden Gate or White Swan. Lots of foodie breakfast and asian and cafe places around. The central location is great for walks around Union Square, and quick drives via Van Ness Ave. and to Fillmore and the Wharf. Even better, the MUNI 1, 2, 6 bus routes there run east to the Embarcadero and Ferry building in less than 30 minutes, and the 38/38R to points west along Geary Blvd towards Divisadero. Nearer Jones St., the MUNI 27 quickly runs down to/up from Powell BART Station and Westfield Center at Market St., and many parts of SOMA beyond Mission St. as well. And there's the California and Powell-Mason cable cars for a lark, too.

Edit: Problem is that some of the hotels mentioned have shared baths or lack airconditioning, and owners can be particular about very young kids /noise. You'll have to ask about amenities and house/parking rules, for overnight parking can be tight or expensive. As TWA884 mentioned the SF forum is full of regulars who can suggest other options.

SWCPHX

The Le Meridien on Battery Street (near the Ferry Building) is currently running a buy 2 get 1 free, buy 3 get 1 free night promo. I can't get any dates to work on the calendar, however, despite the calendar showing availability. Might have to call the hotel to figure out the problem.