| If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
|
29-11-2004, 08:15 AM
|
#1
|
|
|
Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
We are a family of 6.
Landing at San Diego Airport.
First issue - no minivans available at airport (where else can we
rent?). Assume we could cab to hotel, but what hotel's are near ocean,
reasonably priced and close to car rentals?
Next- stay in San Diego for 2-3 days - kids are 6-14 - what to do?
Then - go north (where should we stay as we go north)? Help us map out
a route.
Our interests are culture, history, dining (unique food/wine/etc.).
Will visit zoo, aquarium, in San Diego area - but what can we do north
of city?
What route should we take?
How much time to spend in san fran?
It's 7+ hours (non stop) from San Diego to San Fran- can we take one
routh north and another south?
Any help is appreciated.
--
CanuckRider
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CanuckRider's Profile: http://travelforums.org/forums/member.php?userid=251
View this thread: http://travelforums.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18395
This post was submitted via http://www.TravelForums.org
|
|
|
|
|
29-11-2004, 09:36 AM
|
#2
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Here's a possibility. Is it hitting the type of sights you are looking for?
My kids need 3 days for the two Disney parks, but others can't stand more
than one day, so you can pick up days there if you want. You can also drive
up the coast in 2 days, or even up 101 in one day and back on 5 in one day
if you want to.
"CanuckRider" <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote in message
news:CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org...
>
> We are a family of 6.
>
> Landing at San Diego Airport.
>
> First issue - no minivans available at airport (where else can we
> rent?). Assume we could cab to hotel, but what hotel's are near ocean,
> reasonably priced and close to car rentals?
>
> Next- stay in San Diego for 2-3 days - kids are 6-14 - what to do?
>
> Then - go north (where should we stay as we go north)? Help us map out
> a route.
>
> Our interests are culture, history, dining (unique food/wine/etc.).
> Will visit zoo, aquarium, in San Diego area - but what can we do north
> of city?
>
> What route should we take?
>
> How much time to spend in san fran?
>
> It's 7+ hours (non stop) from San Diego to San Fran- can we take one
> routh north and another south?
>
> Any help is appreciated.
>
>
> --
> CanuckRider
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> CanuckRider's Profile:
http://travelforums.org/forums/member.php?userid=251
> View this thread: http://travelforums.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18395
> This post was submitted via http://www.TravelForums.org
Day 1 arrive in San Diego/old town for dinner
Day 2 San Diego Zoo/La Jolla
Day 3 Sea World/Drive to Anaheim
Day 4 Disneyland/California Adventure
Day 5 Disney
Day 6 Disney/ Start north on hwy 101/Stop at Santa Barbara? Pismo? San
Luis Obispo? (If San Luis Obispo, Madonna Inn is very kitschy, kids love
it.)
Day 7 Stay on hwy 1 - tour Hearst Castle/Stay in Cambria
Day 8 Drive hwy 1/stop in Big Sur for lunch/ get to Monterey
Day 9 Monterey Aquarium
Day 10 Drive North, stop in Santa Cruz for lunch, get to SF along coast
Day 11 Alcatraz/Pier 39/Waterfront
Day 12 Shopping on Union square/Chinatown
Day 13 Golden Gate Bridge/Marin Redwoods
Day 14 Drive 5 to LA (6 hours)
Day 15 See Grumman's Chinese Theatre/Hollywood tour/Drive to San Diego
Day 16 Catch plane home
|
|
|
|
|
29-11-2004, 09:37 AM
|
#3
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
CanuckRider wrote:
> We are a family of 6.
>
> Landing at San Diego Airport.
>
> First issue - no minivans available at airport (where else can we
> rent?). Assume we could cab to hotel, but what hotel's are near ocean,
> reasonably priced and close to car rentals?
>
> Next- stay in San Diego for 2-3 days - kids are 6-14 - what to do?
>
> Then - go north (where should we stay as we go north)? Help us map out
> a route.
>
> Our interests are culture, history, dining (unique food/wine/etc.).
> Will visit zoo, aquarium, in San Diego area - but what can we do north
> of city?
>
> What route should we take?
California Highway One. Interstate 5 is very boring but the
fastest route. Take it only if you want to get to San
Francisco as fast as possible without stopping in between.
>
> How much time to spend in san fran?
The rest of your lives, if possible.
>
> It's 7+ hours (non stop) from San Diego to San Fran- can we take one
> routh north and another south?
Oh, it's 7 hours if you take Interstate 5, it's over 12
hours by Highway One, but you should split it into several
days.
Another scenic route is US 395 down the east side of the
Sierra Nevada. You can go through Yosemite to get this
route in the summer, but between November and June, Tioga
Pass is closed and you'd have to go north to Lake Tahoe to
get onto 395. Even then there's some little pass that's
closed in winter.
>
> Any help is appreciated.
>
>
|
|
|
|
|
29-11-2004, 10:21 AM
|
#4
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Excellent itinerary, Cathy.
The only thing I would add is that according to a posting "CanuckRider"
made in another thread, this trip is beginning on Dec. 17th. That will
put them at Disneyland about Dec. 20 or 21. Not as bad as the following
week, but it'll be very crowded. On the other hand, leaving San Diego
early would (1) put them at DL on a weekend, and (2) prevent them from
enjoying SD for a few days.
I recommend that they use your itinerary, and just realize that they
aren't going to get on every ride at DL in the time they have available.
But the park has so many other nifty things at Christmas (decorations,
entertainment, etc.) that one can have a nice time interspersing rides
with walking around doing other things.
I didn't count the days to see where the itinerary would put them
on New Year's Eve, but they may want to tweak that part if there's
somewhere special they want to be on that day. Hmmm, if they're going
back south again, there's always the Rose Parade on New Year's Day!
I went with some friends this year (first time I'd seen it in person
in decades) and it was fantastic.
Patty
|
|
|
|
|
29-11-2004, 11:22 AM
|
#5
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
"CanuckRider" <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote in message
news:CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org...
>
> We are a family of 6.
>
> Landing at San Diego Airport.
>
> First issue - no minivans available at airport (where else can we
> rent?). Assume we could cab to hotel, but what hotel's are near ocean,
> reasonably priced and close to car rentals?
>
Minivans ARE available at the airport just be sure
to book in advance. National car rental just quoted
me a rate of $305 per week
> Next- stay in San Diego for 2-3 days - kids are 6-14 - what to do?
>
Head for La Jolla and enjoy yourself
Keith
|
|
|
|
|
29-11-2004, 12:24 PM
|
#6
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
CanuckRider <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote in
news:CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org:
> It's 7+ hours (non stop) from San Diego to San Fran- can we take one
> routh north and another south?
If you're looking for scenery, consider the long route through the eastern
mountains (Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, etc.). If you're
traveling during the winter, you need to be careful of snow closures, but the
mountains are especially beautiful during the winter.
Everyone will recommend Hwy 1 down the Pacific Coast. This is a beautiful
route, but be careful of weather since this route can be hazardous in stormy
weather (and winter is the storm season in California). If you're a good
driver, this route is more scenic when driving north to south.
|
|
|
|
|
30-11-2004, 03:42 AM
|
#7
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Ken <nospam@spam.no> wrote in message news:<Xns95AFA70674394x12@216.251.47.166>...
> CanuckRider <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote in
> news:CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org:
> > It's 7+ hours (non stop) from San Diego to San Fran- can we take one
> > routh north and another south?
>
> If you're looking for scenery, consider the long route through the eastern
> mountains (Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, etc.). If you're
> traveling during the winter, you need to be careful of snow closures, but the
> mountains are especially beautiful during the winter.
>
> Everyone will recommend Hwy 1 down the Pacific Coast. This is a beautiful
> route, but be careful of weather since this route can be hazardous in stormy
> weather (and winter is the storm season in California). If you're a good
> driver, this route is more scenic when driving north to south.
I'll sort of second this recommendation for an eastern route on the
return if you have the time and don't think it's too far out of your
way. I always liked the drive down the "backside" of California. The
only caveat is that there are some pretty long distances between
kid-friendly places along the route. The highlight would (and should)
probably be Death Valley. The tufa formations on the south side of
Mono Lake are also really neat. Note that you'd still have to go east
for about a 5 hour drive from San Francisco (probably I-80 through
Reno) before heading south. There are some things to stop for along
the way (the train museum in Old Town in Sacramento is about
half-way).
Going north, I'll still recommend Hwy. 1 - at least far enough to see
Hearst Castle. The drive from San Simeon to Carmel (and also beyond
to SF) along the coast is beautiful, but between San Simeon and Big
Sur, it is also quite desolate - I don't even remember a public
restroom along the way. Again, there isn't a whole lot for kids,
especially if the weather gets bad and the whole coast is fogged in.
101 is a nice alternative - it has better scenery than 5 and isn't as
desolate as 1. It's also easy to get back to from San Simeon without
too much backtracking, so you can still enjoy the best of both worlds.
Note that if time is an issue (i.e. you have 1 day to drive up and 1
day to drive back), then (at least between LA and the SF Bay Area) go
up on 101 (with a side-trip to Hearst Castle if time permits) and
return on 5 (do something in the LA area on the way back). Note that
the Central Valley is also prone to bad fog on occasion around this
time of year - take this into consideration before planning to cruise
down I-5 at 75mph.
|
|
|
|
|
30-11-2004, 08:04 AM
|
#8
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
The highlight [on that route]...would be Death Valley
I missed the beginning of this discussion so I'm not
sure when the trip is planned, but be aware that
portions of Death Valley National Park are *CLOSED*
for months due to heavy flood damage.
The official site is:
http://www.nps.gov/deva/
Jim
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
|
|
|
|
|
30-11-2004, 09:33 AM
|
#9
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
"Patty Winter" <patty1@wintertime.com> wrote in message
news:codj0c$97n$1@bolt.sonic.net...
> Excellent itinerary, Cathy.
>
> The only thing I would add is that according to a posting "CanuckRider"
> made in another thread, this trip is beginning on Dec. 17th. That will
> put them at Disneyland about Dec. 20 or 21. Not as bad as the following
> week, but it'll be very crowded. On the other hand, leaving San Diego
> early would (1) put them at DL on a weekend, and (2) prevent them from
> enjoying SD for a few days.
Actually, we go to Disney every other year during Christmas week,
were there last year. We get the park hoppers, take advantage of
the fast passes, and just switch parks when one gets crowded.
(Start at Disneyland...) We usually have seen everything in
one and a half days if we play it right. You are right, crowds
go up exponentially starting Christmas day. Christmas eve it's
like a ghost town.
>
> I recommend that they use your itinerary, and just realize that they
> aren't going to get on every ride at DL in the time they have available.
> But the park has so many other nifty things at Christmas (decorations,
> entertainment, etc.) that one can have a nice time interspersing rides
> with walking around doing other things.
>
> I didn't count the days to see where the itinerary would put them
> on New Year's Eve, but they may want to tweak that part if there's
> somewhere special they want to be on that day. Hmmm, if they're going
> back south again, there's always the Rose Parade on New Year's Day!
> I went with some friends this year (first time I'd seen it in person
> in decades) and it was fantastic.
>
>
> Patty
>
|
|
|
|
|
30-11-2004, 07:08 PM
|
#10
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
>
> Going north, I'll still recommend Hwy. 1 - at least far enough to see
> Hearst Castle. The drive from San Simeon to Carmel (and also beyond
> to SF) along the coast is beautiful, but between San Simeon and Big
> Sur, it is also quite desolate -
Desolate!?! Not in my book. I just drove it yesterday- for probably the
25th time. It's breathtaking, spectacular, remote. Can't remember about
bathrooms- but there are lots of bushes.
About the fog, though- now that's a different matter. It can really be a
problem, like you said- but if the weather's good- or even mediocre- I
think the ride up highway 1 is worth every minute of it.
Susan
I don't even remember a public
> restroom along the way. Again, there isn't a whole lot for kids,
> especially if the weather gets bad and the whole coast is fogged in.
> 101 is a nice alternative - it has better scenery than 5 and isn't as
> desolate as 1. It's also easy to get back to from San Simeon without
> too much backtracking, so you can still enjoy the best of both worlds.
>
> Note that if time is an issue (i.e. you have 1 day to drive up and 1
> day to drive back), then (at least between LA and the SF Bay Area) go
> up on 101 (with a side-trip to Hearst Castle if time permits) and
> return on 5 (do something in the LA area on the way back). Note that
> the Central Valley is also prone to bad fog on occasion around this
> time of year - take this into consideration before planning to cruise
> down I-5 at 75mph.
|
|
|
|
|
30-11-2004, 11:21 PM
|
#11
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Cathy Kearns wrote:
> "CanuckRider" <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote:
>> We are a family of 6.
> Day 1 arrive in San Diego/old town for dinner
> Day 2 San Diego Zoo/La Jolla Day 3 Sea World/Drive to Anaheim
> Day 4 Disneyland/California Adventure
> Day 5 Disney Day 6 Disney/ Start north on hwy 101/
> Stop at Santa Barbara? Pismo? San Luis Obispo? (If San
> Luis Obispo, Madonna Inn is very kitschy, kids love it.)
> Day 7 Stay on hwy 1 - tour Hearst Castle/Stay in Cambria
> Day 8 Drive hwy 1/stop in Big Sur for lunch/ get to Monterey
> Day 9 Monterey Aquarium
> Day 10 Drive North, stop in Santa Cruz for lunch, get to SF along
> coast Day 11 Alcatraz/Pier 39/Waterfront
> Day 12 Shopping on Union square/Chinatown Day 13 Golden Gate
> Bridge/Marin Redwoods Day 14 Drive 5 to LA (6 hours)
> Day 15 See Grumman's Chinese Theatre/Hollywood tour/Drive to
> San Diego
> Day 16 Catch plane home
I could pick nits in that itinerary but it's really pretty good.
For information on San Francisco, please visit
http://geocities.com/iconoc/Articles/Sights.html at the site at Right
in the sig.
>> How much time to spend in san fran?
Carmen L. Abruzzi said:
> The rest of your lives, if possible.
That's the smartest thing I've ever seen from you. ˇBrava!
__________________________________________________ ___________
A San Franciscan in 47.335 mile˛ San Francisco
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net
|
|
|
|
|
01-12-2004, 03:49 AM
|
#12
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Susan Wachob <susan@swachob.com> wrote in message news:<I%Uqd.588619$mD.234756@attbi_s02>...
> >
> > Going north, I'll still recommend Hwy. 1 - at least far enough to see
> > Hearst Castle. The drive from San Simeon to Carmel (and also beyond
> > to SF) along the coast is beautiful, but between San Simeon and Big
> > Sur, it is also quite desolate -
>
> Desolate!?! Not in my book. I just drove it yesterday- for probably the
> 25th time. It's breathtaking, spectacular, remote. Can't remember about
> bathrooms- but there are lots of bushes.
>
> About the fog, though- now that's a different matter. It can really be a
> problem, like you said- but if the weather's good- or even mediocre- I
> think the ride up highway 1 is worth every minute of it.
>
> Susan
>
Sorry, I don't speak no good English some times. Maybe remote
would've been a better choice than desolate. I didn't mean to imply
that it was less scenic than it is, just that there isn't much in the
way of people, food, gas, etc. between San Simeon and Big Sur. It is
a worthwhile experience if the weather is good, so long as the 4 kids
in the back seat aren't too restless.
:-Dan
|
|
|
|
|
01-12-2004, 05:16 AM
|
#13
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Dan Checkman wrote:
> Susan Wachob <susan@swachob.com> wrote in message news:<I%Uqd.588619$mD.234756@attbi_s02>...
>
>>>Going north, I'll still recommend Hwy. 1 - at least far enough to see
>>>Hearst Castle. The drive from San Simeon to Carmel (and also beyond
>>>to SF) along the coast is beautiful, but between San Simeon and Big
>>>Sur, it is also quite desolate -
>>
>>Desolate!?! Not in my book. I just drove it yesterday- for probably the
>>25th time. It's breathtaking, spectacular, remote. Can't remember about
>>bathrooms- but there are lots of bushes.
>>
>>About the fog, though- now that's a different matter. It can really be a
>>problem, like you said- but if the weather's good- or even mediocre- I
>>think the ride up highway 1 is worth every minute of it.
>>
>>Susan
>>
>
>
> Sorry, I don't speak no good English some times. Maybe remote
> would've been a better choice than desolate. I didn't mean to imply
> that it was less scenic than it is, just that there isn't much in the
> way of people, food, gas, etc. between San Simeon and Big Sur. It is
> a worthwhile experience if the weather is good, so long as the 4 kids
> in the back seat aren't too restless.
>
> :-Dan
Hi Dan-
Yeah, I usually think of desolate as barren, nothing to see, etc.
Nothing to apologize for!
Susan
|
|
|
|
|
01-12-2004, 07:52 PM
|
#14
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
This looks like an impressive plan, but is it too much? I don't have
any children and my own childhood was 45+ years behind me, but there
is an awful lot of driving. Maybe kids play with their Gameboys or DVD
players, but this trip would probably make me whiny and cranky. You
might want to plan more relaxation -- what Rick Steves calls a
Vacation from your Vacation.
I live in San Diego and I don't care much for Old Town. It's crass and
kitschy and the Mexican food is pretty mediocre. I'd prefer Little
Italy which isn't far away, but with 6-14 year olds, mediocre Mexican
food might be just fine. Also you can get very good Mexican food in
Old Town at El Agave.
The other big amusement parks in San Diego are LegoLand in Carlsbad
and the Wild Animal Park near Ramona. I think the younger children
would enjoy LegoLand more than the older ones, but I think everyone
would like the Wild Animal Park. San Diego's newest museum is the USS
Midway aircraft carrier and that might be something to do. It would be
near the airport so you could go on your first or last day.
I don't know what day of the week you are traveling, but on a weekday
I can guarantee you some heavy traffic driving north from San Diego in
the late afternoon. You might want to eat dinner in town and drive to
Anaheim later on. I suppose motel rates near Disneyland would be
reasonable due to the large number of competing hotels, but you might
stay the night in San Diego or north San Diego / south Orange County
and leave for Disneyland a little bit earlier than you would have
otherwise planned.
I've been to Hearst Castle but I'm skeptical that 6-14 year olds would
be fascinated by it.
Do you think your kids would really like Grauman's Chinese Theater? I
suspect that few of the celebrity names and footprints would be known
to them, other than Marilyn Monroe. I'm sure there are some more
recent stars, though? Also Hollywood is rather seedy in that
neighborhood.
I'm also not sure how interested the entire family would be in San
Francisco's China Town, but if your family has any interest in
science, I think you would all love the Exploratorium.
DKM
On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 03:21:57 -0800, Icono Clast <IClast@jps.net>
wrote:
>Cathy Kearns wrote:
>> "CanuckRider" <CanuckRider.1gg6qa@no-mx.travelforums.org> wrote:
>>> We are a family of 6.
>> Day 1 arrive in San Diego/old town for dinner
>> Day 2 San Diego Zoo/La Jolla Day 3 Sea World/Drive to Anaheim
>> Day 4 Disneyland/California Adventure
>> Day 5 Disney Day 6 Disney/ Start north on hwy 101/
>> Stop at Santa Barbara? Pismo? San Luis Obispo? (If San
>> Luis Obispo, Madonna Inn is very kitschy, kids love it.)
>> Day 7 Stay on hwy 1 - tour Hearst Castle/Stay in Cambria
>> Day 8 Drive hwy 1/stop in Big Sur for lunch/ get to Monterey
>> Day 9 Monterey Aquarium
>> Day 10 Drive North, stop in Santa Cruz for lunch, get to SF along
>> coast Day 11 Alcatraz/Pier 39/Waterfront
>> Day 12 Shopping on Union square/Chinatown Day 13 Golden Gate
>> Bridge/Marin Redwoods Day 14 Drive 5 to LA (6 hours)
>> Day 15 See Grumman's Chinese Theatre/Hollywood tour/Drive to
>> San Diego
>> Day 16 Catch plane home
>
>I could pick nits in that itinerary but it's really pretty good.
>
>For information on San Francisco, please visit
>http://geocities.com/iconoc/Articles/Sights.html at the site at Right
>in the sig.
>
To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example X_X_X@EarthLink.net.]
|
|
|
|
|
01-12-2004, 11:25 PM
|
#15
|
|
|
Re: Driving from San Diego to San Fransisco (16 day round trip)
Dan Checkman wrote:
> the Central Valley is also prone to bad fog on occasion around
> this time of year - take this into consideration
That's an understatement! It's called tule (pronounced two-lee) fog
and can often be described with statements as unbelievable as any
you've ever heard.
My only encounter with it I pulled onto an on-ramp under a light when
I felt the truck I was following was going too fast and I couldn't
stay far enough behind him to feel safe.
While stopped, I was appalled at the traffic whizzing by at
50mph-plus when 30mph was too fast. Fortunately, they got through
without incident . . . that time!
Dan Checkman wrote:
> I didn't mean to imply that it was less scenic than it is, just
> that there isn't much in the way of people, food, gas, etc.
> between San Simeon and Big Sur. It is a worthwhile experience if
> the weather is good, so long as the 4 kids in the back seat aren't
> too restless.
It's only 90 miles from Morro Bay to Carmel. The "desolate" portion
isn't long.
__________________________________________________ ___________
A San Franciscan in 47.335 mile˛ San Francisco
http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/
ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +11. The time now is 06:32 AM.
Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Travel Forum
|
|
|
|
