San Francisco > Lake Tahoe > PCH > Los Angeles Road Trip
#1
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San Francisco > Lake Tahoe > PCH > Los Angeles Road Trip
I have reading through all the great advise in this thread. I am also planning a trip to SF, Lake Tahoe and LA in July long weekend (7/1-7/9).
I am flying from Columbus, OH and landing in San Jose airport on 7/1 at noon. SF: I am planning to stay in SF Union Square area for 3 nights and will be visiting SF for almost 3 days.
Lake Tahoe: I will be driving from SF to Lake Tahoe on 7/4 evening, will stay in a hotel that night. I am planning to see Lake Tahoe whole day on 7/5. I am planning to drive from Lake Tahoe the same evening and stay at OAK or SJC airport hotels.
CA1 Drive: Starting the drive on 7/6 morning, will cover, Monterrey, 17 mile drive, Carmel, Bixby bridge and some more that day and thinking to stay in Cambria on 7/6 night.
Next day (7/7): I will start from Cambria, cover many places and thinking to stay in Santa Barbara that night.
LA: Will start from Santa Barbara on 7/8 morning, will see the town and then some spots in LA. Will stay in LA on 7/8. I do have a flight from LA in the evening of 7/9 so probably will be seeing some more places in LA before going to Airport.
I will have my wife and my mother (57 years) and we want to see beaches and mountains. Not much interested in Hearst castle. Is this plan looks good or you guys recommend any changes based on your experience.
I am flying from Columbus, OH and landing in San Jose airport on 7/1 at noon. SF: I am planning to stay in SF Union Square area for 3 nights and will be visiting SF for almost 3 days.
Lake Tahoe: I will be driving from SF to Lake Tahoe on 7/4 evening, will stay in a hotel that night. I am planning to see Lake Tahoe whole day on 7/5. I am planning to drive from Lake Tahoe the same evening and stay at OAK or SJC airport hotels.
CA1 Drive: Starting the drive on 7/6 morning, will cover, Monterrey, 17 mile drive, Carmel, Bixby bridge and some more that day and thinking to stay in Cambria on 7/6 night.
Next day (7/7): I will start from Cambria, cover many places and thinking to stay in Santa Barbara that night.
LA: Will start from Santa Barbara on 7/8 morning, will see the town and then some spots in LA. Will stay in LA on 7/8. I do have a flight from LA in the evening of 7/9 so probably will be seeing some more places in LA before going to Airport.
I will have my wife and my mother (57 years) and we want to see beaches and mountains. Not much interested in Hearst castle. Is this plan looks good or you guys recommend any changes based on your experience.
#3
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If I were you, I'd spend the night of July 6 in the Monterey/Carmel area, after exploring Monterey and Carmel, and driving the 17-Mile Drive, and drive from there to Santa Barbara on July 7.
#4
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#5
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Lake Tahoe: I will be driving from SF to Lake Tahoe on 7/4 evening, will stay in a hotel that night. I am planning to see Lake Tahoe whole day on 7/5. I am planning to drive from Lake Tahoe the same evening and stay at OAK or SJC airport hotels.
...
I will have my wife and my mother (57 years) and we want to see beaches and mountains. Not much interested in Hearst castle. Is this plan looks good or you guys recommend any changes based on your experience.
...
I will have my wife and my mother (57 years) and we want to see beaches and mountains. Not much interested in Hearst castle. Is this plan looks good or you guys recommend any changes based on your experience.
#6
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Also if you want to see mountains, I would make a pitch for taking US395 out of Lake Tahoe and going through Yosemite to get back to the Bay Area. Mono Lake is pretty interesting too.
#7
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#8
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#9
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It might be worth considering overnight in Yosemite if there are any rooms to be had and then picking up CA-1 at Monterey.
#10
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I will then drive from Yosemite to Monterrey on 6th but I think that will be whole day drive on 6th July. Then I will have to stay in Monterrey on 6th July instead San Simeon. And then I will have to drive from Monterrey to Santa Barbara on 7th July. Is it doable considering many pit stops for sight seeing and photos ? Again I am not interested in Hearst Castle.
If this makes sense then I will probably change my plan. Good thing is my hote bookings are flexible so I can cancel only thing is to find hotels in Yosemite.
Please provide your thoughts on this plan. Thanks.
#11
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Regarding the Yosemite portion, the last time I did a road trip in this area I left Lake Tahoe around 5:30 AM and reached the eastern entrance of Yosemite around 8 AM.
I would definitely try to stay overnight in Yosemite to allow seeing more sights/at a more leisurely pace, but if you can't find any suitable lodging in it or nearby, depending on your tolerance/endurance for driving you could conceivably leave Tahoe, spend most of the day at Yosemite, exit to the west in the evening, and stay overnight somewhere on your way to CA152 all in the span of one very long day.
I would definitely try to stay overnight in Yosemite to allow seeing more sights/at a more leisurely pace, but if you can't find any suitable lodging in it or nearby, depending on your tolerance/endurance for driving you could conceivably leave Tahoe, spend most of the day at Yosemite, exit to the west in the evening, and stay overnight somewhere on your way to CA152 all in the span of one very long day.
#12
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Edit: I eventually found the information and there is no availability on the 5th.
Last edited by MADPhil; Jun 21, 2016 at 11:45 am
#13
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I will then drive from Yosemite to Monterrey on 6th but I think that will be whole day drive on 6th July. Then I will have to stay in Monterrey on 6th July instead San Simeon. And then I will have to drive from Monterrey to Santa Barbara on 7th July. Is it doable considering many pit stops for sight seeing and photos ? Again I am not interested in Hearst Castle.
Driving Monterey to Santa Barbara is totally reasonable as a full day trip. You will have ample time for short stops along the coast.
#14
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Regarding the Yosemite portion, the last time I did a road trip in this area I left Lake Tahoe around 5:30 AM and reached the eastern entrance of Yosemite around 8 AM.
I would definitely try to stay overnight in Yosemite to allow seeing more sights/at a more leisurely pace, but if you can't find any suitable lodging in it or nearby, depending on your tolerance/endurance for driving you could conceivably leave Tahoe, spend most of the day at Yosemite, exit to the west in the evening, and stay overnight somewhere on your way to CA152 all in the span of one very long day.
I would definitely try to stay overnight in Yosemite to allow seeing more sights/at a more leisurely pace, but if you can't find any suitable lodging in it or nearby, depending on your tolerance/endurance for driving you could conceivably leave Tahoe, spend most of the day at Yosemite, exit to the west in the evening, and stay overnight somewhere on your way to CA152 all in the span of one very long day.
#15
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It all depends on how much time you have. I would look at
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/maps.htm
and
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm
for further ideas.
At the risk of complicating plans even further, if you do spend a night in Mammoth, you might also consider the Devil's Postpile
https://www.nps.gov/depo/index.html
which I mention only because it is otherwise rather far removed from any major metro area, but if you happen to find yourself right next to it... however there's much less to see there (in a mainstream touristy sense) so unless it would definitely be of interest then probably skip it given all the other stuff you have planned.