Eastbay1K

Noon is an excellent idea. Expect a minimum of 8 hours drive time to LA.

Non-NonRev

For the notes - bierrocks in Fresno. Bierrocks are an old Russian/German homemade pocket pastries with a savory minced meat and vegetable filling. The Berrock Shop not to far from highway 99 sells them daily (closes at 8 pm).

camachinist

Yeah, I worked at the feed lot over the years enough to get used to it. I think John still operates that and hasn't moved it to Mexico yet so, if so, expect the fragrance. The feed lot is massive.

I was noting the I5 and 99 runs and, OK, have fun but as a CenCal native I just have to ask why? I5 in CenCal is one of the most desolate stretches of highway in the state. The only excitement is an occasional brush fire or a sinkhole like closed it up by Stockton a couple months ago, along with Harris' feed lot stench. It's a whole lot of nothing. That's why people doing the SF-LA runs on it do 100mph whenever possible.

However, this is the perspective of someone who's been plying those roads since when I5 didn't exist and Los Banos was a dusty wide spot on 152 as one braved death alley to drive basically under where San Luis reservoir is to get to the welcome cool nirvana of the coast.

I concur with the drive time estimate of 8 hours and that's with minimal stops. It usually took us 4.5 hours straight through from Fresno to get to LAX or the OC area. More if the freeway was a parking lot down south.


Oh, regarding the Beerock Shop in Fresno...... they used to be on Clinton near Weber but moved up to Bullard and West a few years ago. We eat lunch there regularly when I'm in town and it's still excellent. I usually have the hot roast beef sandwich. Everything on the menu is good IMO. If wishing to stop, the easiest/fastest way to get there is take the Herndon offramp on south 99, go east to West Ave, then south to Bullard. Last driveway before light turn right. Shop is I think third or forth on right. Parking is always tough.

OliverB

I was about to rejoice and change up our plans yet again, but alas, there's a 2-night min. stay for Labor Day weekend.

Bummer. Onward to L.A.

Thanks for the tip nonetheless; it'll surely come in handy for similar situations in future.

Need

Heh you rather drive 7 hours (x2) than spent $89 on a round trip? You can get a roundtrip ticket between Oak and Lax from Saturday morning to Monday for $89.

Eastbay1K

2 tickets plus a rental car plus to/from airport incl. SFO airport transport / parking ... driving will be faster and cheaper. Besides, SNA is their airport. From landing LAX to rental car to driving to Irvine is a 2 hour project.

OliverB

Just thought I'd post an update since everyone was so helpful...

Our close friend, savior, and true American hero has offered us her beautiful 1930's apartment off Retro Row in Long Beach for the entirety of the weekend, since she'll be trading cities with us for the holidays; car and garage included! I've just cancelled our dismal hotel in Anaheim along with the Avis rental and booked roundtrip fare on Jetblue for the equivalent or less than what this unfortunate trip would have otherwise cost us. We're now flying directly into LGB on Saturday, landing just after noon, and flying back out again Monday late evening. Hallelujah!

OliverB

Exactly... it would have cost almost an additional 1K for a trip neither of us really wanted to make, whereas driving is around $200 with gas factored. If this were a personal vacation, I wouldn't think twice about flying. Rental car comes to approx. $145 with corporate rate and all reasonable flights were closer to $180 p/p each leg, at agreeable times that worked with our schedule. That's almost $800 for airfare alone. Then another $500-600 for hotel stay for the weekend. You get the idea... it's one thing if it were an enjoyable trip that we were looking forward to, but under normal circumstances, you would almost have to pay me the equivalent just to visit my in-laws for 3 days.

VickiSoCal

Yeah!

I've been contemplating a trip in the reverse, maybe just partway up the coast, to get away from the evils of the Yorba Linda area. But the traffic and expense has me rethinking.

OliverB

Are you talking about Labor Day weekend?

Our biggest hindrance was the family thing, but if you're not tied to any strict schedule as we were, I'm sure a drive up the 101 would be very nice. There's a million places to stop along the coast. Your biggest problem might be securing rooms at this point; many of our usual spots were already booked solid when I called. You could always take the 99 and cut into the mountains too. I'd have much preferred to spend the weekend around Sequoia and Kings Canyon in the Eastern Sierra.

VickiSoCal

I think I have dithered too long on the Labor Day thing for anything to happen now.

abmj-jr

Just FYI, those two parks are almost impossible on Labor Day. Yosemite would be worse but Sequoia and KC are also very bad. On general principles I avoid all three until after Labor Day, and we are only talking a couple of hours from home.