Friday, March 30, 2012

Monterey or another region?

My husband and I are planning a California trip, but we only have 9 days. We are starting in San Diego (for a wedding), but can leave from anywhere.





So far, I%26#39;m most interested in wine country (not set on which region), but I have no idea where we should go...to the busier places (Napa and Sonoma) or to one of the smaller locales? What else can we do in Monterey if we choose that location?





We%26#39;d also like to visit some things like: Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. We can%26#39;t do everything in a week...any suggestions?





We love wine, laid back, scenic drives, cute towns, etc.



Monterey or another region?


There are many fun and scenic things to do in and around Monterey. I would suggest the Ventana Vineyards some wine tasting, it is right next door to Tarpey%26#39;s Roadhouse, a great restaurant. The tasting is complimentary at Ventana, they produce some excellent Sauv Blanc and Chardonnay.





The Monterey Bay Aquarium is really fun, you should allow at least a couple of hours to go through this. Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf and Cannery Row are also major attractions in Monterey.





Close by you can go to Carmel, visit the Mission, Pt. Lobos State Reserve or stroll through the quaint downtown area of Carmel. Lots of cool art galleries with gorgeous paintings, sculptures, etc. There is also the Carmel Beach which is very pretty.





17 Mile Drive is also a nice thing to do in the area,if you have a meal at Roy%26#39;s your entrance fee to the drive will be re-imbursed. Carmel Valley is a nice place to wine taste also,. Chateau Julien and Bernardus area a couple of my favorite places to wine taste in this area. Wickets at Bernardus is nice for lunch.





Have fun your travels! :)



Monterey or another region?


If you%26#39;re coming in the summer, then Monterey/San Francisco is a good choice because it%26#39;s cooler on the coast. Napa/Sonoma and Palm Springs will be extremely hot.




If you want laid back, cute towns, scenic drives and wine... I have just the place for you.





Central California coast!





Specifically, Cambria %26amp; Paso Robles.





Cambria is a quaint coastal town with lots of charm, excellent restaurants, and neat little shops. There are several wonderful inns along Moonstone Beach Drive with the ocean right across the street with a lovely boardwalk for sunset walks.





The best part for wine lovers is the fact that Cambria is a short drive east into Paso Robles wine country. Paso wines are world class, like Napa, but without the heavy commercialism you find in Napa. In fact, many Napa wineries purchase their grapes from Paso area wine grape growers to make their wines. Paso Robles also has a quaint downtown area and the nearby town of Templeton is also worth a look.





I think you%26#39;ll enjoy the wineries located on the west side of Paso Robles, since they%26#39;re located in rural areas and provide many scenic drives you%26#39;re looking for.





And, you can head east on Hwy 46 and pick up Hwy 41 east for Yosemite right in Paso Robles! From there, you can hit Tahoe and then over to San Francisco, if you wish.

Day trip to Catalina

Hi,



my husband and i are hoping to take a day trip to Catalina in July this year. We want to catch the 9.30am Catalina express to Avalon. Then we thought we would hire some snorkelling gear and snorkel around Lovers Cove. We then might have lunch and look around the shops and return to Long Beach around 4pm. We want to see the Queen Mary at Long Beach and then off to LAX at 6pm for our trip home to Australia. Is this a realistic plan? What are the water temps like in mid July? Would we need wet suits as well to snorkel?



Thanks for your help!



Day trip to Catalina


Doable??? it dependis on when your flight is and when the express returns. If your flight leaves at 6p.m not doable as it takes 2 hours to clear customes. However, if you%26#39;re saying your flight is after 8 p.m. then doable.

Lake Tahoe or elsewhere?

My husband and I are planning a California trip, but we only have 9 days. We are starting in San Diego (for a wedding), but can leave from anywhere. So far, I%26#39;m most interested in wine country (not set on which region), Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. We can%26#39;t do everything in a week...any suggestions? We love wine, laid back, scenic drives, cute towns, etc.



Lake Tahoe or elsewhere?


Wow! That%26#39;s quite a list. California is waayyy too big to see in 9 days!When are you traveling? Lake Tahoe and Yosemite offer amzingly beautiful scenery, but are extremely crowded during the summer. These two places are exceptionally crowded because they just don%26#39;t have the roads to accomodate all of the cars.





You might want to fly into Reno, Nevada and rent a car. You could head down 395 to Yosemite, then drive on 89 to Lake Tahoe. This is a beautiful drive. After visiting Tahoe, you could take either 50 or 80 to San Francisco.





Wineries abound in California! You could visit the Sierra foothills wineries or the Napa/Sonoma wineries. The main street in Napa has tons of wineries, but it%26#39;s crowded. Weekdays are a better choice for wine tasting.





There are scenic drives and cute towns in the Sierras, Napa/Sonoma and all down the coast. San Francisco is wonderful, so much to do and see. I love to drive down the coast on either 1 or 101. There are lots of great little beach towns. The Central Coast wineries are really taking off. You might want to check out a few in that area. San Luis Obispo is a lovely, quaint college town.





I am the rare person who likes L.A.. You didn%26#39;t mention it, so I will avoid extolling the virtues of my hometown. Palm Springs is great for golfers. I%26#39;m not a huge fan of the desert.





Like San Francisco, San Diego is a wonderful place to visit. Beautiful city, lots to do.





I%26#39;ve lived in L.A., San Diego, and just North of San Francisco. I currently live 15 minutes from Lake Tahoe. Let me know if you have specific questions about any of these areas. There are so many options. Enjoy your trip!


  • colorsilk revlon
  • Where to stay???????

    On a trip in the USA, was going to do 7 nights in Anaheim to cover the general LA area, but after the advice of you helpful people, have decided to do probably 3nights Anaheim then 4 near LA. Is this the right amount in each???



    Also where should I stay for the second leg, as I will be visiting places like Universal studios, LA, Hollywood, Santa Monica??? I need a central place, but one that is safe and nice to walk around etc. thanks



    Where to stay???????


    The number of days you plan to visit Disneyland and/or Disney%26#39;s California Adventure (or, my favorite Knotts Berry Farm -- Knotts.com -- in nearby Garden Grove) should determine the number of nights you spend in Anaheim. When I was a kid (decades ago), families visited DL for one day (and that was a tiring but fun adventure). Today, ';park hoppers'; are commonplace -- now that there is a Disney California Adventure -- and Disney sells multi-day passes that can span as much as 5 days at their parks.





    So, it%26#39;s up to you -- how much ';Disney'; do you want?





    For your second question, Beverly Hills is the most central area in the L.A. metro region. If you stay there, you will be within 30 minutes to all points in Los Angeles. Beverly Hills is on the expensive side, however. What is your budget for hotels?





    The least expensive BH-area hotels are: the Residence Inn and the Tower Hotel on the southern edge of BH. Room here are around $220-$240 per night.





    Hollywood is the least expensive option with rooms closer to $100-$150 per night (there are also inexpensive hotels in downtown L.A.). You can also find some budget hotels in Santa Monica in the low $100s although Santa Monica is, as a rule, in the $200+ category. With a car, it almost doesn%26#39;t matter where you stay as long as you plan to visit the entire breadth of Los Angeles.





    I believe I posted this map for you in a different discussion but here it is again. Note: Hollywood is in the wrong location. It should be just south of the orange dot denoting Universal Studios.





    visitlongbeach.com/maps/southerncalifornia.h…





    Good luck!



    Where to stay???????


    www.sunsetplazahotel.com

    Las Vegas & Anaheim

    We are considering doing a dual Las Vegas %26amp; Anaheim trip in November.

    Can anyone tell us what kind of crowds we can expect in Nov at Disney %26amp; California Adventure? Also, what is the weather like at that time of the year?

    We are also looking at flights that fly into Orange County airport instead of the horrible excuse for an airport that LAX is (in our opinion anyway). Does anyone know if regular shuttles run from there to Disney area hotels?

    Thanks a bunch!

    Las Vegas %26amp; Anaheim

    Noivember is winter (off-season). Still, the end of the month is the national Holiday of Thanksgiving (the kids have time off for this) and so the park could have a little bit of a crowd -- but nothing compared to the summer season.

    Southern California weather is pretty consistent throughout the year. Daytime temperatures year round seldom fall below 60 degrees fahrenheit (16 celsius). The winter months tend to hover in the 60s and there is a possibility of rain. (Of course, our rain is nothing like your rain).

    There are two shared van companies that shuttle to the DL area from SNA (John Wayne Airport in Orange County):

    super shuttle (supershuttle.com)

    and

    prime time shuttle (redvans.com)

    In addition, there is a coach that goes to the same area:

    Disneyland Express:

    http://anaheimsightseeing.com/anaheimairport/

    Las Vegas %26amp; Anaheim

    Thanks so much. 16 degrees in November sounds pretty good cause it will be more around 5 degrees up here most likely. Glad to know we have the same shuttle options as LAX with hopefully less hassle! :)

  • channel
  • LA to Las Vegas - how long to drive?

    Hi all





    Is this drive easily managed in a day, and are there any main stops on the way that are worth seeing?





    Any help advice much appreciated!!!





    Thanks



    LA to Las Vegas - how long to drive?


    Unless you%26#39;re doing this drive on a Friday afternoon, once you get out of the LA/San Bernardino area it is less than 4 hours to Las Vegas. Not a whole lot to see on the way. Victorville, Barstow and Baker are places you can stop to eat. Don%26#39;t run out of gas and don%26#39;t buy it in Baker, it%26#39;s PRICEY.



    LA to Las Vegas - how long to drive?


    Thanks RU!




    Its a very popular drive on a friday to LV and return on a sunday, so if you can plan around that then it will be better.Most find the drive boring as you drive through the desert but as you are from the UK you%26#39;ll find the drive very difference from what we are use to.We have driven it 2-3 times now and on average it takes about 5 hours,Try not to speed as i%26#39;ve always been told the police are just waiting for a easy pull.




    If you are a early morning type of person, i would recomend to leave L.A.before rush hour starts. Around 5.30/6 am. That way you are out of L.A. in no time and could make it to Vegas by 10am and spent the entire day at the pool of your hotel




    Sunday thru Thursday is always the cheapest times to visit Vegas. And yes gas prices in the middle of the desert are outrageously HIGH and about 50 cents higher than in the city. There are stretches of highway where there won%26#39;t be a gas station for up to 60 miles.





    Barstow is halfway in between and I usually stop at Barstow Station at the Main St. exit, get out and stretch my legs, and grab some lunch from McDonald%26#39;s or the other handful of fast food places there.





    One other place in the desert I hear worth seeing is Calico Ghost Town.





    Link is below:





    http://www.calicotown.com/

    1st time in America...LA. Would appreciate some advice......

    Hi, my cousin and I are visiting LA for 12 days in July (1st time %26#39;state-side%26#39;). We%26#39;ve only booked our flights as we can%26#39;t decide where%26#39;s best to stay. We%26#39;re both 29, enjoy nightlife and seeing the sights. We%26#39;re also on a budget (she%26#39;s a teacher, I%26#39;m a nurse!!) We%26#39;d love somewhere by the beach...are there any little %26#39;cheap%26#39; gems around, and do we really need a car? Should we stay a few days in different locations? Also, are there any guest lists to any good clubs we should try and get on.... All these questions! Finally...what%26#39;s the average temperature there mid July? We from Ireland, so rarely see the sun (';,)



    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.



    Thankyou.



    Janine



    1st time in America...LA. Would appreciate some advice......


    What is the budget? Santa Monica/beach is expensive, but there are some deals to be found - however they book up very quickly and it might be too late for a July room (Sea Shore, Hotel Carmel, Cal Mar - but try priceline.com for a SM hotel like the 3* Delfina). There are lots of other spots in town that have great deals (Beverly Terrace, Elan, Orchid Suites, Celebrity Hollywood)





    Temp is usually around 80, expect overcast in the morning, it burns off by about noon.





    Yes, you need a car - please see the FAQs at the top of the Los Angeles forums. As for guest lists, I%26#39;m sure Alex will offer his help.

    hello all-marina del rey or manhattan beach for house rental

    u were all very helpful to me re my son%26#39;s internship in beverly hills. Well, he will stay in ucla and we will rent him A Car.





    now re us- we will visit him this summer and are considering staying in a house thru vrbo(it is the south end of manhattan beach). However we noticed a beachfrontcondo in marina del rey that is one block south or so to , i think it is, Washington Ave, which i am told is , a hopping venice street. We will have my mom and my 18 year old son and a friend of his. We want him to find fun, but not anthing too unsavory! thanks for any suggestions. limpia



    hello all-marina del rey or manhattan beach for house rental


    You probably mean Washington Bl (there%26#39;s a Bl and a St but no Ave (to my knowledge)).





    Here%26#39;s a little map of MDR (Marina del Rey) and surrounding areas.... (hope it comes out when I post it).





    PACIFIC OCEAN -- SANTA MONICA





    etc (about a mile from the center of SM to the



    center of Venice -- one continuous beach)





    PACIFIC OCEAN -- VENICE ----%26gt; (inland 1/2 mile is MDR)



    PACIFIC OCEAN -- Washington Bl (southern boundary of Venice





    etc -- MARINA PENISULA (the stretch of land south



    of Venice on the beach (expensive area)





    PACIFIC OCEAN





    This area is great for swimming, sunbathing, bike riding or skating up or down the ';bike path'; which runs along the beach (north and south) to Santa Monica and MDR (and beyond). respectively. Nothing unsavory here unless you consider ';wash off'; henna tattoos unsavory.



    hello all-marina del rey or manhattan beach for house rental


    It came out a little screwy. Just ignore all the blank spaces within the map and read the sentences as if they didn%26#39;t have the spaces in them.





    Bottom line: Marina Peninsula is very nice and reasonably close to Westwood.




    thanks so much hsj- so do u think it would be more fun to be there or in manhattan beach for ateen?




    I like MdR better, because of the proximity to Venice Beach. Teens can surf or hang out at the Boardwalk. Also, the Santa monica Big Blue Bus system is great if they don%26#39;t have acccess to a car all the time.




    Both spots will be beyond crowded in the summer, so don%26#39;t plan to drive on the weekends. Washington Bl, especially, will be PACKED - park on Friday and don%26#39;t move the car again.





    Personally, I think he%26#39;d have more fun on the Marina Peninsula, but your mother might enjoy the cleaniness and town feel to Manhattan Beach more.




    thanks- just mulling it over.




    Manhattan Beach all the way! Great for young and old alike. Parking crowded on weekends near pier, but not impossible. I%26#39;m there every day for shops, restaurants or walking the Strand. Any questions, just ask. My neighbor graduates UCLA this month, not a far drive at all.




    thanks CA native- and how about teens? Actually i am having trouble finding a place since its late in the season- thought i had something but it slipped away.




    Manhattan Beach is also great for teens and young people. I grew up here, as did our sons. Teens walk or ride their bikes to the beach, roller blade, play volleyball, surf or just hang loose . Very safe town centered around the beautiful pier. Family restaurants, like the Kettle, great for B, L or D. Patio seating. Ice cream and places to buy Coffee or Tea. Farmer%26#39;s Market every Tuesday.





    Every Sunday in summer, Concerts in the Park, at Poliwog Park, families of all ages attend with their picnics and folding chairs.



    Movie theater complex, all in a couple mile area.

    Priceline

    Got the Delfinia and am NOT happy. Am stuck there and wish I had never gone to Priceline. Now I have to pay parking, no microwave, fridge, free parking, etc.



    NEVER AGAIN. Wish I could go back to the Holiday Inn Express in Marina del Rey. This hotel is in a lousy area of Santa Monica. This will definitely ruin the first 4 days of our trip. Do not use Priceline people. You don%26#39;t know what you%26#39;ll be getting into and they will not refund your credit card.



    Donna



    Priceline


    Hi, Donna





    I%26#39;m not sure why you are upset about the Delfina. It%26#39;s 5 blocks from the beach, and 6 blocks to the 3rd Street Promenade, Besides, the hotel offers free shuttle service to these (and other) Santa Monica attractions.





    The hotel has a complimentary 24-hour fitness center and heated pool. Their website says that the rooms have coffee makers, irons, ironing boards and hairdryers Plus, refrigerators are available. (Call ahead and ask about one).





    Regarding parking, if you don%26#39;t want to pay for the valet parking, park in one of the Santa Monica municipal lots. The closest lot that offers 24-hour service is structure #5 on the corner of 4th Street %26amp; Broadway -- adjacent to the 3rd Street Promenade. Between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., the first 2 hours you park in the lot is free; after that, it%26#39;s $1 for each 30 minutes (with a maximum daily charge of $7). If you%26#39;re driving around L.A. for most of the day and park in the structure after 6 pm, there is a $3 flat rate for the evening.





    The Delfina is a very nice hotel. You%26#39;ll enjoy it!! (And, it%26#39;s MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better than the Travelodge on Pico -- yuck! and much better located than the Holiday Inn Express (which is in an ugly part of Venice)).





    Trust me: You did good!!





    ENJOY YOUR VACATION!





    (and don%26#39;t forget to bring us some pizza from Chicago).



    Priceline


    HSJ, I%26#39;m upset because I read the reviews on both hotels after getting stuck on Priceline. The Holiday Inn has great reviews and the Delfina doesn%26#39;t. Bottom line, I want out of the Priceline deal and can%26#39;t. The reviews are what counts when looking for a hotel. I%26#39;m miserable about this.





    Donna




    priceline is very clear about this policy...i%26#39;m not sure why you%26#39;re blaming them.




    Holiday Inn in the Marina is about 30 minutes outside of LA, especially in the summer - you would be much more miserable sitting in traffic for hours everyday. It%26#39;s in a terrible neighborhood, extremely noisy, and the rooms are, in a word, ugly.





    Delfina has just been refurbished - it%26#39;s a $350/night hotel. It%26#39;s close to all the sights, just blocks from the beach, and has every amenity.





    Believe me, we know how miserable you would have been at the Holiday Inn and Travelodge. Unless you%26#39;re miserable in more luxurious hotels -




    Apparently I have no choice except to make lemonade out of the lemons. I don%26#39;t like the no free fridge/micro and the $22 a night to park is out of my budget. But, no sense ruining the trip. Check out the reviews on this hotel and the small rooms and so-called views. At least I can smoke on the balcony, IF they give me one and hopefully it won%26#39;t be as noisy as the reviews say it is.




    It kind of blows my mind that you%26#39;re complaining about this hotel, given your other two options - you booked the Travelodge on Pico at Centinela first, then the Holiday Inn Express on Washington and Lincoln - and you say that you have to make lemons out of lemonade!!! I can tell you, the noise would be far worse at either of your other two hotel options, you would be in terrible neighborhoods, stuck in traffic constantly, and overall miserable.





    I was just looking at the Delfina from the Jury Duty room at the SM court today (you can see it) and was thinking what a good job they did restoring it, and what a great location it is. I mean, you%26#39;re at the beach! Oh, and any school noise that might be in those reviews - school won%26#39;t be in session when you%26#39;re there. Also, you%26#39;ll find plenty of free parking in the neighborhood, just read signs carefully.




    Okay, back after reading the rooms - you singled out ONE complaint about noise, from 6 very recent reviews, all of which said they were very happy and would go back. All said it was a luxury hotel, along the lines of a W, and even say the pool is fantastic.





    The one complaint about street noise (you%26#39;re other two choices would have been far worse), got their parking comped.




    Okay, I%26#39;m better now. Chill everyone, I am. I called the hotel directly to ask what kind of room I booked and they told me that thru Priceline there is no guarantee of type of room. So I upgraded to the club level for $40 a night more and got a top floor, (no noise), and breakfast and hors durvs (sp) LOL. OK? I%26#39;m fine with it now, sorry to put everyone through such grief!!! Guess I got a bit obsessive. Have a final exam and final clinicals this week and to top it off, my ex got fired 2 weeks ago, which means $900 a month less in the bank. Have been a bit on the edge lately.





    Thanks to everyone for not yelling at me!!!





    Donna




    P.S. I got a balcony too and he said they send up fridge%26#39;s at no cost.





    DK




    Ok, Donna. Just post the room number and we%26#39;ll all come over for a drink.





    LOL!





    Have a great time.


  • colorsilk revlon
  • Trip from SF to SD

    Hello all-

    I can%26#39;t make a decision! We are traveling the PCH in June and planning 3 days in SF, then stay in Monterey, Pismo and have one more night to stay somewhere before we get to San Diego. I thought Santa Barbara; my kids think Huntington Beach.

    Would there be time to have lunch and spend some time in SB to get the flavor of it and still make it to Huntington Beach without massive traffic? Or do we stay in SB, and just stop over in HB on our way through to SD?

    The night in question is a Wednesday night. We will also be visiting LA for 2 days after SD, so no reason to stop in LA on our way through.

    Any advice, ideas or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

    Thank you all!

    Trip from SF to SD

    Santa Barbara is less than two hours south of Pismo Beach (I assume that is the Pismo you are typing about). You could easily have lunch there, spend a few hours checking out the architecture, shops, mission, etc. Then head on South and be in Huntington Beach by nightfall.

    Trip from SF to SD

    Why not stop at Huntington on the way back to LA?

    The only concern about stopping at SB and HB in the same day is rush hour. Our rush hour is from 3 pm to 7 pm so if you are stopping a lot, you could end up in the thick of it. Of course, you could stop in HB around 3, spend some time at the beach, have dinner and then resume your trip after 7.


    you could have lunch in santa barbara, walk the beach, catch rt1 to santa monica. get the I-10 to the I-405 south. huntington beach is exit 39. traffic starts getting heavy around 3 and it will take over an hour to huntington beach any time after that. huntington beach isn%26#39;t that far distance wise from santa monica, just the traffic.


    Thank you all for your suggestions. Assuming we can avoid the worst travel times, how long would it take to get from Santa Barbara to Huntington Beach?

    Thanks again!


    21/2 to 3 hours if you don%26#39;t have traffic. the traffic around LAX will be the key to your travel time.

  • sun spots on the face
  • Sir Francis Drake Hotel - Bad Choice?

    Hi there,





    Me and my girlfriend are visiting SF from London for the first time in June 07 for 4 nights. I%26#39;ve booked us into the SFD... having read some reviews i%26#39;m regretting it! It%26#39;s central location and good price persuaded us - have we made a big mistake?





    As it%26#39;s our first visit to SF,(and my first post on this site!) is there anything in particular attraction / restaurant / club wise we can%26#39;t miss? We%26#39;ve heard the Soma Valley wine trip is fantastic?





    Any suggestions or comments would be great!





    Cheers.



    Sir Francis Drake Hotel - Bad Choice?


    My husband and I used to stay at the Sir Francis Drake frequently some years ago. It has not been getting good reviews, which is too bad because its public spaces are spacious and nice. Evidently the rooms are in need of rehab.





    The location, as you probably know, is excellent. Have you looked at the Chancellor? It is across the street from the SFD a little down toward Union Square. The staff at this hotel is extremely friendly and helpful and the rates are reasonable.





    If you don%26#39;t stay at the SFD, do go to Harry Denton%26#39;s Starlight Roof at the top of the hotel for a drink and a view.



    Sir Francis Drake Hotel - Bad Choice?


    It%26#39;s obviously not the best hotel in town, but the location is excellent and recent reviews seem mostly positive:



    tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60713-d81377-R鈥?/a>




    If you can cancel and want a nicer hotel, I%26#39;d do it. While the common areas are nice, I haven%26#39;t heard good things about it in quite some time. If you%26#39;re merely looking for a place to sleep, you%26#39;ll be fine. It isn%26#39;t the worst choice but it certainly isn%26#39;t the best in my opinion.




    I think the hotel is fine, the rooms are a little small, that%26#39;s because it%26#39;s an older building, like most smaller hotels. The doorman is in a beefeater outfit and a wealth of info for whatever you want. If you are lucky, you might meet Tom who is the senior doorman and a great person.




    I think people get thrown off by the small rooms. this was standard in the past and the SFD is an old hotel. the lobby and public areas are beautiful. it%26#39;s probably a standard hotel room size for a Londoner. Americans are used to a lot more space in their room and frequently are shocked by smaller older hotel rooms in densely populated areas. it%26#39;s not a dump or anything, but the rooms are ready for a refurb. It will probably be fine, but not quite posh (Lobby excepted-quite posh).




    Ditto everything Drummerliz said but I agree with puter____have a look at the Chancellor which is right across the road from the SFD.





    Small rooms like the SFD but in MUCH better condition and a better friendly atmosphere. Read the TA reviews.




    I%26#39;ve stayed at the Sir Francis Drake three times in the last five years and have loved it.



    The location is fantastic. The common areas are beautiful. I found the rooms to be more than adequate. The staff is very helpful. The bathrooms are a bit small and dated but to me it only adds to the charm of staying in a historic hotel in a historic city.

    One more question, Ferry to Jack London Square.





    The last ferry from San Francisco back to Jack London Square



    is 6:30 PM. If I miss this ferry can I take BART back to



    Jack London Square. If so what stations, and is the



    station in Oakland safe late at night ( 9pm) ?





    Thanks for your help.





    GeriatricMike



    One more question, Ferry to Jack London Square.


    You can take BART back from Oakland. You will need to walk from 3rd and Broadway to 12th and Broadway to catch BART (12th Street station). At 6:30 p.m. nowadays, it%26#39;s fine. It%26#39;s plenty light out. At 9 p.m., I%26#39;d be more cautious, particularly walking under the freeway. You can take a cab to go the short distance. They can always call you a cab at Scott%26#39;s Seafood Restaurant.



    You can also take the #72m Castro %26amp; Tewskbury bus, (AC Transit) which picks up on the NE corner of Broadway and the Embarcadero, and goes past 12th and Broadway. transit.511.org%26#39;s trip planner says it takes 23 minutes including wait time at that hour of the night. Fare is $1.75.







    www.bart.gov





    http://mondomap.com/mondo/map_ocvb.cfm?bid=10



    One more question, Ferry to Jack London Square.


    Ah, I just noticed from your previous post that you are thinking of staying at the Waterfront Plaza Hotel. Excellent choice. You will notice on its website that it provides a complimentary shuttle to downtown and the BART station. I would imagine it is available in the evening hours, but you should call ahead and ask.




    As stated previously, the walk is relatively safe during daylight hours. I would be hesitant to walk between downtown and Jack London Square at night because the underpass and adjacent industrial area is isolated. Your best bet at night is to take the hotel shuttle. If no shuttle is available, take a south/west AC Transit 72 or 72M. The ride takes 5-10 minutes and costs $1.50 when you use a free transfer available inside the BART station. Alternately, you can take a taxi. The fare won%26#39;t be astronomical since it%26#39;s a short ride.




    Fare on AC Transit now is $1.75




    The fare is $1.50 with a BART transfer, $1.75 without. OP will be taking BART to Oakland.








    Thank you BetterthanBings and Davdaven. I appreciate



    the time and effort to respond to my questions.





    Thanks again.





    GeriatricMike

    1st time in LA/ America

    Hi, my cousin and I are visiting LA for 12 days in July (1st time %26#39;state-side%26#39;). We%26#39;ve only booked our flights as we can%26#39;t decide where%26#39;s best to stay. We%26#39;re both 29, enjoy nightlife and seeing the sights. We%26#39;re also on a budget (she%26#39;s a teacher, I%26#39;m a nurse!!) We%26#39;d love somewhere by the beach...are there any little %26#39;cheap%26#39; gems around, and do we really need a car? Should we stay a few days in different locations? Also, are there any guest lists to any good clubs we should try and get on.... All these questions! Finally...what%26#39;s the average temperature there mid July? We from Ireland, so rarely see the sun (';,)



    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.



    Thankyou.



    Janine



    1st time in LA/ America


    I would recommend a rental car and I would recommend that you stay at a few different locations. The beach areas, particularly in July will be more expensive. If you want to limit yourself to Southern California you might consider these locations:



    Hollywood



    Venice Beach



    Orange County: (choose from Anaheim, or a beach city such as Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, or Laguna Beach



    San Diego



    There%26#39;s much to see throughout California from San Francisco, to Yosemite, to the Big Sur coast and the redwoods. Don%26#39;t know if these interest you or you plan to make additional time for them.



    1st time in LA/ America


    As the prior poster states, there are lots of different communities you could visit. It would help a lot if you could tell us what you are comfortable paying per night for a hotel. July is the ';high season'; so there are no deals. Count on $100 minimum per night for a modest hotel. Prices can be $200,or $300 (or more).





    So, tell us what you are comfortable paying.





    While a car is the most convenient way to get around, it will cost you much more than public transit. Keep in mind that when you look at prices for rental cars, you must add in the cost of the ';optional insurance'; (required of Europeans driving in the U.S.), the cost of petrol (gasoline) at $3.50 per gallon (4 liters), the cost of parking (some hotels charge as much as $30 per night) and the cost of parking at some attractions (Disneyland charges $11; Universal Studios charges $10 or $20 depending on where you park). The total could be $60 to $80 per day,. Look at Yescarhire.com for estimates on cars with the insurance included.





    Compare hiring a car to a $3 DAY PASS which will afford unlimited rides on the metro rail and metro buses. (The cost of the DAY PASS will rise to $5, this summer). Are you willing to pay more for the convenience of getting around faster?





    So, tell us what your budget is for everyrthing: hotel, car rental (or public transit), meals, etc and we%26#39;ll be better equipped to direct you.

    Sunrises and Sunsets

    We love beautiful sunrises and sunsets.........where is the best view to be found of both. I am hoping this hotel.











    Sunrises and Sunsets


    Sorry but what hotel?





    If there is one called Sunrises/Sunsets I am not familiar.





    I am sure some others have better suggestions, but I like sunrise from shoreline park on the mesa. The sun rise is sort of over the water.





    Sunsets from the wharf aren%26#39;t too bad. Since you can look over the boats at the harbor.





    In goleta sometimes the sunsets can be interesting when the mountains get a purple hue.



    Sunrises and Sunsets


    We enjoyed the sunsets from Stearn%26#39;s Wharf. It was right across the street from the Harbor View Hotel where we were staying. :)

    hotel in el centro

    Since thier is hardly any chatter on the el centro thread i though id ask here. Does anyone have a hotel choice for the night in el centro? Not looking for fancy or expensive, just decent and safe for late arrival and early departure on way to anaheim. Ive seen vacation inn and wondered if anyone had any info on them. thanks

    hotel in el centro

    Don%26#39;t have any information about El Centro, been there once, but don%26#39;t remember where I stayed. Just wondering what part of Arizona you are driving in from? If you are headed to Anaheim, I would imagine you would enter from I-10 a more direct route, than coming via I-8.

  • philosophy
  • ittwit
  • san francisco architectural tour

    I am visiting San Francisco in September. I would appreciate recommendations for company who does architectural tours.



    san francisco architectural tour


    What type of architectural tour are you interested in?





    If older architecture, San Francisco Architectural Tours is a nice one to take.



    http://www.sfheritage.org/events+tours.html





    There are also walking tours on the UC Berkeley campus:



    www.berkeley.edu/visitors/free_tours.html





    If you%26#39;re interested in a specific area of San Francisco, check out some of the walking tours to see if they are what you are looking for:



    sfcityguides.org/鈥nchor-Come-49575

    Walking tours -- which one? Ghost hunt or Flower Power?

    I%26#39;ve recently had surgery on my foot and therefore need to make a choice between these two walking tours. (Both woudl be too much for me)





    They both intrigue us equally so we aren%26#39;t really leaning one way or the other.





    Thanks for the advice!



    Walking tours -- which one? Ghost hunt or Flower Power?


    I%26#39;m not familiar with them (other than having heard from them). Are you looking at specific website to which you could point us?



    This summer being the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love, I%26#39;d naturally lean toward Flower Power, sight unseen (so to speak), just for the sentimental value.



    Walking tours -- which one? Ghost hunt or Flower Power?


    First off, it looks like the Flower tour is in the daytime, while Ghost is at night. It looks like both will expose you to Victorian architecture (edge to Ghost). Both will have a bit of hills involved (nothing really difficult). One is about the history, while the other is about the lore. I%26#39;m probably partial to the history, since this is the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Perhaps you could do the Ghost, then visit Haight St (relatively flat) as well, armed with a book or two. Here%26#39;s one:



    amazon.com/Summer-Love-Inside-Story-Times/dp鈥?/a>



    Perhaps others may have gone on these specific tours and can help you decide.




    I am hoping to hear from anyone who has actually taken either one of these tours -- it would be really helpful.





    Thanks for your input.




    hi willowcrown





    where did you find out about the flower power tour? that sounds good, is there a website for it please?




    Go here:





    http://www.hippygourmet.com/





    and click on walking tour.





    :)




    Try doing a search. Since you didn%26#39;t provide a url for the sites earlier, I couldn%26#39;t even tell if the tours you were talking about were the tours I%26#39;d heard of. There are many competing tours around here, being such a big tourist town, and often travelers ask about tours without being specific about the company offering it.




    I haven%26#39;t done the tour (but I might this year) but I did get good reviews from some others who did it last year and I have been trying to find it in my notes here and it is the one you already have.



    hippygourmet.com



    If you do it____let us know the results.

    Wine Country, Palm Springs, Yosemite or Lake Tahoe?

    My husband and I are planning a California trip, but we only have 9 days. We are starting in San Diego (for a wedding), but can leave from anywhere. So far, I%26#39;m most interested in wine country (not set on which region), Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. We can%26#39;t do everything in a week...any suggestions? We love wine, laid back, scenic drives, cute towns, etc.



    Wine Country, Palm Springs, Yosemite or Lake Tahoe?


    You would probably enjoy spending time in Sonoma. A very nice place to wine taste, I have several places that we enjoy. Ledson, BR Cohn, Gundlach-Buncschu, Sebastiani and Imagery are a few. Sonoma has a cute little town square with several yummy places to eat.





    We like the Sonoma Mission Inn for lodging in the area, we have also enjoyed a stay at the Sonoma Valley Inn which is a Best Western property and close to the square. Happy travels and have fun with your research! :)



    Wine Country, Palm Springs, Yosemite or Lake Tahoe?


    Culturally speaking , the famous Palm Springs of old , doesn%26#39;t exist anymore (too bad , it was a great place). I%26#39;d go with your other thoughts ---- maybe consider a few days stay in the terrific Yosemite Valley (or Tahoe) and ----- in the Bay Area , maybe stay in beautiful Sausalito and daytrip to San Francisco and the wine country.

    The Orchard Hotel great reviews- not listed any guide books?

    I would like to book a reservation for the orchard hotel based on fabulous recommendations here but am apprehensive because no such hotel is in fodors or frommers or mobil guide books. why is that? thanks, need help soon, traveling next month.



    The Orchard Hotel great reviews- not listed any guide books?


    I dont know about Mobil but Frommers and Fodors certainly do not list ';every'; hotel in a city.



    The Orchard is a reasonably new hotel and I think the guides you mentioned are in serious need of updating their information.



    The Orchard Hotel great reviews- not listed any guide books?


    I%26#39;ve used many travel guides, websites, etc. and I have always found TripAdvisor to have the most accurate and descriptive reviews of them all. Where else can you get the most recent reviews from travelers who are ';everyday tourists';, as opposed to travel writers.




    Rest assured, AAA gives the Orchard three diamonds. I have no idea why the guide books don%26#39;t mention it. Have you loked on this forum for reviews?

    Grand Canyon

    Hi everyone,

    I%26#39;m visiting the US at the beginning on August for 3 weeks, at the end of the trip we are staying in Las Vegas for 3 nights (me and the wife as on our honeymoon).

    We want to do a helicopter ride (will it be too hot in august to do this) and if not do people know any rides which take you to the new bridge which lets you walk over the canyon.

    Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Grand Canyon

    Hi

    You are in the California forum. Better put your question on the Arizona Grand Canyon forum. You are referring to the skywalk which is not in the National Park but at a place called Grand Canyon West. You can visit from Las Vegas. Maybe try www.papillon.com

    Az posters will give you more info although most of them are not very keen on the skywalk-lol- And congrats on your oncoming marriage!

    Grand Canyon

    Thanks,

    I%26#39;ve moved it over to the other board.

  • celebrity hair
  • traffic san diego to anaheim

    Just curious, what would be the busiest time in the morning going from san diego to anaheim on a friday morning? My concern is we would be leaving from either el centro or yuma and trying to get to anaheim by 10 or 11. Thanks





    traffic san diego to anaheim




    west bound traffic through el cajon, la mesa and past SDSU should start to ease around 8:30. you would have to be at the 805 no later than 9 to get there by 11.


  • philosophy
  • Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge

    We biked across the Golden Gate Bridge. You can rent bikes at Fisherman%26#39;s pier, they will give you directions (not always clear) and you bike across the bridge into Sausalito, you can then take a ferry back to SF or bike back. The trip is 8 miles one way. We took our daughters 9 and 7. The 7 yr old had a tag along and the 9 yr old did it herself.





    This was last minute and not my idea. My DD9 wanted to do it so I ran to Ross%26#39;s (great prices) to buy more appropriate biking clothes.





    PROS: Heavenly views, great adventure, Sausalito%26#39;s beautiful and great place to visit. The view riding in was very memorable. We had allot of fun and might do it again The ferry back was a nice ride. The ride along the beach was wonderful.





    CONS: BEWARE of taking the ferry back. We did the weekend and they limited the number of bikes on the ferry so we had to take the next ferry. That may change with an upcoming new ferry. The line was long to return and we had to stand in the hot sun to wait (OK, My hubby stood while my DD%26#39;s and I got ice cream for them and a glass of wine for me at a lovely little place right in the square. If you are facing the ferry it is on the right.)





    Unless you are an excellent biker you will have to walk your bike part of the way. My 9 yr old made the trip but only because she is an excellent athlete, the 7 yr old would never have made it if my hubby didn%26#39;t have her attached. The bike traffic can get busy over the bridge on weekends but the car traffic was supposedly lesser but made me very nervous. There are many inexperienced bikers along the way (myself included) so watch for odd stops, weaving, etc. Also, I%26#39;m in reasonably good shape so I did OK. SF is flat along the wharf/beach but hilly to the bridge and Saulsilito.





    To return the bikes you have to bike from the ferry building to where you rented the bikes which means going past Pier 39. The foot traffic was unbelievable and not only wouldn%26#39;t people let you past, they stepped in front of you and looked surprised when you couldn%26#39;t stop on a dime. Despite me ringing my little bell like a mad woman. We walked the bikes as much as we could but because we couldn%26#39;t get on the ferry we needed to hustle to return the bikes on time. I was so tired at that point I would have loved to ditch the bikes closer to the ferry building.





    Overall, we enjoyed the experience. We proud we made it and would have loved to spend more time in Salsilito.



    Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge


    Great report - I was planning on doing that next time I go. Thanks!

    Ivymedia/gotobus.com tour - San Fran to Western America...

    Hi all,



    I am writing to inquire about a tour offered by Ivymedia.com / Gotobus.com - the San Francisco to Western America 7-day tour ( gotobus.com/bravosanfrancisco/sf__westername鈥?/a> )



    It starts in SF, then to Las Vegas, then Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, back to Las Vegas, then to LA, visit Disneyland, Universal Studio, to Solvang, then back to San Fran.





    I am planning a family vacation for the first week of October 2006 (there will be 6 adults). We are from Toronto, Canada.





    Has anyone gone on this tour that could share some insights on the experience? I heard it%26#39;s a Chinese operated company and the tour guide speak both Mandarin and English.



    The price is quite cheap ($498 per person), so I am a bit hesitant on the quality of the tour. It doesn%26#39;t state what kind of hotels we%26#39;ll be staying in, so my guess would be cheaper 2 star hotels, but I%26#39;m not sure.



    I%26#39;d like to cover San Fran, LA and Las Vegas, for about 7-8 days in total. Are there any other tours / tour companies that we ought to consider?



    Thanks very much for any help you may be able to provide.



    W



    Ivymedia/gotobus.com tour - San Fran to Western America...


    I haven%26#39;t heard of this tour. Obviously, the hotels will have to be of a modest quality if the cost of the tour is so cheap.





    As a comparison, Grayline (a major tour company) offers a 3-day (2-night) tour for $483 which provides only the following:





    Anaheim (Disneyland area) to Las Vegas (1 night in Vegas on the strip)





    Vegas to the Grand Canyon and back to Vegas; 2nd night on the strip





    Vegas back to Anaheim





    So, the tour you are considering is truly inexpensive. Although you are right to concern yourself about the tour%26#39;s quality, I would be more concerned with the itinerary. You are covering an extraordinary amount of distance and attractions in 7 to 8 days. For example, the ride from San Francisco to the Los Angeles area (which you will cover twice -- once, in a southerly direction and once, in a northerly direction -- takes 7-1/2 to 8 hours of driving. That means that 2 of the 8 days will be completely ';used up'; on the interstate. Since you are going to Solvang on the way back, that will add additional time as it is inland. Of course, the bus may stop on the northbound route and afford some vistas of the Pacific Ocean (you don%26#39;t indicate if it does).





    The trip between L.A. and Vegas and the Grand Canyon is another full-day on the road. And, of course, Disneyland is a full-day walking around the park. When do you get to relax?





    I would consider breaking your vacation into 2 pieces. Fly into San Francisco (SFO) or Oakland (OAK) airport, explore SF for 3 days, drive down the coast to L.A. (stopping one night in Camarillo (explore Hearst%26#39;s Castle) or San Luis Obispo) and stay in Hollywood for 2 nights which will give you access to Universal Studios and other attractions. (You can get rid of the car once you reach Hollywood, if you wish).





    Take the Amtrak to Anaheim and spend a day at Disneyland. Fly to Las Vegas from close by (to Hollywood) Bob Hope International Airport -- also known as ';Burbank airport (BUR). Southwest airlines (southwest.com) has flights starting at $59 per person.





    Take a ';day trip'; to the Grand Canyon from Vegas and then fly home from Las Vegas.





    This is a 7-8 day trip will involve only two days ';on the road'; (about 4 hours each). The hotels will cost less than $100 per night (if you are a careful shopper and look up the hotel ratings here on Trip Advisor), the airfare to Vegas will be less than $75 -- most probably -- so the whole vacation will cost you about the same as the tour and you can go at your own pace and stay in better hotels. And, there isn%26#39;t so much rush! rush! rush!





    If you don%26#39;t want to drive, consider taking the Amtrak train (the COAST STARLIGHT) from Oakland Jack London station (San Francisco area) to Los Angeles. Do it in two segments (like the drive). This will cost about $76 each (stopping overnight at San Luis Obispo) which will mean about $100 more than renting a car for the two days.





    Let us know if you have any other questions.





    Good luck!



    Ivymedia/gotobus.com tour - San Fran to Western America...


    Astroboy5,





    I just talked to my coworker about this. He%26#39;s taken a lot of the Chinese tours that go around here(to go to Yosemite, Yellowstone/Mt Rushmore) . Many of the Chinese agencies in Monterey Park(which is a very large Chinese community, the largest in the Unites States) have these tours and they are very popular with the Chinese community here (and with tourists from Asia). Tour guides do talk in both Mandarin and English, but majority of time they speak in Mandarin. He mentioned the hotels are pretty good, sometimes staying at a Holiday Inn Express type of hotel. Some hotels include free continental breakfast. One advantage of these tours, they are very cheap. He showed me a tour visiting Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountains National Park, Devil%26#39;s Tower, the Grand Arches National park , Copper Mines, tour of Denver and Salt Lake City all for $460 including r/t airfare to Salt Lake City from LA, all accomodations, and bus tour visiting the above places. All entrance fees included. And not to mention one agency in Monterey Park is offering buy 2 get 1 free. So, they are cheap and VERY Popular.




    Forgot to mention, In case you were wondering, the plane he took to Utah was Delta Airlines MD-90 nonstop, so it%26#39;s not one of the unknown airlines. And he mentioned the hotels weren%26#39;t bad, they stayed at a suite in one of the states, can%26#39;t remember which one.




    I%26#39;ve taken a gotobus.com/Ivymedia tour years ago when I was still in college with a friend. I went with an Asian friend. It%26#39;s cheap and they cover a lot.


    We went on a 3 night tour to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Laughlin and Lake Havasu. The cost at the the time was $80 which included the bus tour and hotel accomodations. The hotel we stayed in Vegas was the Riviera and then Harrahs in Laughlin. Three star hotels. They were clean and not bad at all with the price we paid.



    The bus was a large charter bus with TV screens and A/C. They do speak English a few times but mostly spoke in Chinese. Hope that helps.




    Did you end up going for this tour? I am planning to book it for May. What was your experience?





    Thanks a lot





    Preeti




    Yes, I ended up going on this tour and had a great time. The hotels weren%26#39;t exactly the best but for that price it wasn%26#39;t too bad. Except for the Super 8 we stayed while in Fresno. That place was a bit of a dump. The tour itself was pretty comprehensive. Our tour guide Hans was fantastic. He spoke both Mandarin and English which was really helpful since I don%26#39;t speak nor understand Mandarin. Really knowledgeable and nice guy. I would recommend this tour. Be prepared to do a lot of travelling on the bus, get off, see a sight, get back on the bus after a few hours, off to another city, etc. Also, be prepared to eat a LOT of Chinese buffet as most of the places the tour took us to eat were these buffets.






    Hello Astroboy.





    when you mention Super 8 in Fresno, how bad was it?



    also what hotel did you stay in Vegas?





    ET




    The room at the Super 8 motel smelled a bit like bird poop and it had a musty smell. While we were there, there was a motorcycle group also staying there occupying several rooms on the main floor. They were blasting music and being quite rowdy until 2am in the morning. After we complained to reception, the noise subsided somewhat, then resumed a half hour later. We had to wake up at 6:30am because our tour bus had to leave quite early in the morning to get to our destination, so we didn%26#39;t get much sleep that night. Don%26#39;t get me wrong, this was the only hotel (well, more like a motel) that we had a bad experience with during our whole trip. The rest of the hotels that we stayed at was fine.





    The hotel that we stayed at in Vegas was the Vegas Club, in downtown Vegas, not located on the actual Vegas strip. It was right on the ';Freemont Street Experience'; which was quite neat, but we mostly spent our time on the strip, visiting the hotels and saw the Celine Dion show (we had tickets booked several months in advance - this was not included in the tour).





    Hope this helps.

    horsebackriding - beach / views

    my husband and I driving from SD to SF (with a detour to Sequoia NP) this summer and are looking for great scenic places to ride along the coast. We%26#39;ve ridden intermittently over the years and we%26#39;re most comfortable in western saddles. Any help would be appreciated!



    horsebackriding - beach / views


    Half Moon Bay close to San Francisco is one place along the beach.



    http://www.horserentals.com/seahorse.html





    Monterey Bay



    caladventures.com/MontereyBayEquestrian.htm



    horsebackriding - beach / views


    In the Big Sur Area:



    http://molerahorsebacktours.com/





    At Pebble Beach (near Monterey)



    www.ridepebblebeach.com/Trails/trailrides.htm

    drive time from lax airport to san diego

    Could someone please tell me how long it would take to drive from Lax airport to San Diego ( hilton la jolly), i cant get a close to accurate answer. I know traffic etc will affect, but perhaps someone does it regularly and knows the answer.

    Thanks

    miss L

    drive time from lax airport to san diego

    2 hours without traffic (midday travel is best)

    drive time from lax airport to san diego

    You should allow at least 2 hrs for the drive. I fyou have more than 1 person in the car there are car pool lanes you can use which sometimes helps speed the journey. I kno wyou ca%26#39;t arrange you r flight to allo wyou to driv eat the best time but in my opinion the BEST time to drive this route is VERY early in the morning, or at night.

  • rodents
  • Having 2nd thoughts about hotel choice -- Please HELP!

    Hello:





    My husband and I got one of those great sale fares on Spirit -- $8 each way -- and so we%26#39;ve planned a long weekend in San Francisco.





    We%26#39;ve got reservations at the Ocean Park Motel but I%26#39;m concerned about it%26#39;s proximity to the city. We%26#39;re on a budget, since this was an ';unplanned'; trip, so we can%26#39;t go more than about $100 per night.





    My concern regarding Ocean Park is strictly limited to ease of use in relation to the city. (We%26#39;ll be using only public transportation)





    Should I change gears and go with Hayes Valley Inn or stick with Ocean Park Motel?





    Also, I am recovering from foot surgery and need to be close to public transportation stops or access.



    Having 2nd thoughts about hotel choice -- Please HELP!


    Many people have had success using Priceline. I know that using Priceline can cause a bit of anxiety since you agree to pay for a hotel room before knowing exactly what hotel you are going to get. However, you really can%26#39;t go wrong when you ONLY bid on 4 STAR properties in the UNION SQUARE EAST/ EMBARCADERO neighborhood. Lots of folks have reported having their bids of $80 per night accepted for hotels like the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, and the Hilton in Union Square. These hotels normally go for $150+ per night, so even if you have to bid $100/night you%26#39;d be getting a deal. If you are coming on a busy weekend or holiday weekend, it might be a bit more difficult to get such a great deal but it wouldn%26#39;t hurt to try.



    Having 2nd thoughts about hotel choice -- Please HELP!


    The Hayes Valley Inn is closer in toward downtown, but if you need to rely on public transit and are interested in some of the popular tourist sites like Union Square, Chinatown, or Wharf, it might not be any more convenient than the Ocean Park.





    The Ocean Park Motel is in a residential area by the zoo, but the L Taraval metro train stops right at the door. On weekends, it runs at about 10-15 minute intervals and will take you direct to Market St. There you can transfer to a cable car, ride all the way to the Ferry Building, easily find a cab, or pick a number of other sightseeing or transit choices. You can also take buses direct from the motel (or transfer from the L Taraval) to different parts of Golden Gate Park.




    Frisco Roadrunner:





    How long will it take us to get into the ';heart'; of the city using the public transportation from Ocean Park?





    I guess I%26#39;d rather not mess around with my reservations if it%26#39;s not necessary -- Ocean Park Motel has great reviews and it%26#39;s proximity to the ocean/sunset appeals to me.





    Also -- what%26#39;s the best way to familiarize myself with the public transportations in regard to schedules and costs?





    Thanks for your help




    The ride from the west end of the L Taraval line to downtown is about half an hour. It runs in the subway for a good distance, which is why it is fairly quick. But if you don%26#39;t like subways or you prefer to sightsee while you ride, you might prefer a bus route, which would take longer.





    Adult cable car fares are $5.00, with no transfer or reboarding. Other transit is $1.50, with transfer or reboarding within about 90 minutes. If you%26#39;re going to ride a lot, a MUNI (Municipal Railway) passport can be a good savings. You buy one for 1, 3, or 7 days and it%26#39;s good for all transit rides. A one-day pass will pay for itself with one cable car round trip and one bus ride.





    Here is the MUNI website.



    http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/fareinfo.htm





    You can get a map of all MUNI routes and schedules at some bookstores (be sure you get the official one, with the City and County of San Francisco seal and the word MUNI on it, otherwise it might not be totally current or correct). They are also available at the Powell %26amp; Market cable car fare booth.




    So, Frisco Roadrunner...





    What *would* you do if you were me? Leave the reservations alone at Ocean Park or try to move in closer to the city at Hayes Valley Inn?





    I appreciate all your advice!




    Good Lord. You%26#39;ve recently had foot surgery, and you%26#39;re staying out in the Ocean Beach area? It%26#39;s a no-brainer: Get yourself lodging in either Union Square (first choice) or the Lombard Street motor lodge corridor (second choice) and get out of the boonies. Otherwise you%26#39;ll spend all your time commuting back and forth from your hotel, and you won%26#39;t have the convenience of being able to stop in at your hotel for a little rest in the middle of the day...




    I was not unaware that Willowcrown had had foot surgery. In fact, Willowcrown, I recall from another thread that you asked about choosing between two City walking tours. So I guess I presumed you were fairly well mended.





    If you still tend to get tired or sore (and having had foot surgery, I know about tired %26amp; sore), a little closer in MIGHT be better. But be aware that Hayes Valley Inn isn%26#39;t precisely in the heart of downtown, but a short walk from Civic Center. It does have the advantage of being close to many of the performing arts venues. But for the Wharf, Chinatown, or Union Square, you%26#39;ll still be some distance away.





    In the end, you%26#39;ll have to make the final decision. No one knows better than you how well recovered you will be by the time you get here.




    ';if I were you'; I would go to Priceline.com and bid around $85 for a 4 star hotel in Union Square East (U.S.E.) and see what you get. All their 4* hotels are good and you%26#39;ll be right in the city. last year we got the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero for $78. The F Line street car was right out our door.



    Go to www.biddingfortravel.com if you are not familiar with how Priceline works and need some advice.




    Allright, I caved! The thought of wasting our precious litte time doing all that commuting wore me down.





    I just Pricelined it and got the Hilton for $84 per night which is way cheaper that what we were going to pay at the motel. Hopefully this will be nice and convenient for us.





    Thanks for everyone%26#39;s input.




    Which Hilton?

    WindanSea Beach

    Where exactly is WindanSea beach located?





    Thanks,



    Steve



    WindanSea Beach


    Here is a link that describes the beach an dgives driving directions. The beach is in between LaJollaCove and PacificBeach off La Jolla Blvd.



    www.a-zsandiegobeaches.com/windansea.htm



    WindanSea Beach




    windansea beach is in la jolla , off la jolla blvd and playa del norte st. the street that runs along the coast there is called neptune place.




    Thanks for the info.


  • philosophy
  • lower or north pines in beginning of october

    I%26#39;m confused to either book lower or north pines the first few days of october: i was told that lower pines catches more sun than north pines. I do however feel that north pines is smaller %26amp; therefore more quiet. Which would be the best campsite for that time of year given that we want to be more or less in a quiet spot %26amp; not freezing?



    lower or north pines in beginning of october


    Book the sunny spot. Both campgrounds will be very quiet in October!

    Help! planning trip from la up coast to sf stopping yosemite

    Hello, end of june my husband and I traveling from la up the coast to san francisco. he would very much like to go to yosemite. how would we get there and then to san francisco? can we do it in 2 days? where to stay? thanks so much!





    Help! planning trip from la up coast to sf stopping yosemite


    If you look at the map, you will see that getting from LA to San Francisco up the coast via Yosemite in two days is nearly impossible, since Yosemite is near the eastern border of the state.



    Help! planning trip from la up coast to sf stopping yosemite


    As Puter implied, you must choose The Coast or Yosemite unless you add a day and plan on driving twice the shortest San Francisco-Los Angles distance.




    thank you, if i drive from la to yosemite and yosemite to sf and not up the coast, is it feasible in 2 days? where do you recommend staying near yosemite and how much time is minimum to spend there? are there any nice things to see from la to yosemite and yosemite tosf? thanks so much, i must finalize plans soon!




    The drive from LA to Yosemite is going to take at least 6-7 hours. You%26#39;ll have to leave really early in the morning to arrive at a decent time. There isn%26#39;t really much to ';see'; along the way. The route takes you through the San Joaquin Valley and the agricultural hub of California. It%26#39;s mostly flat and boring. You might pass a few things you find yourself pointing at, but nothing really worth stopping for.... except food and restroom breaks.





    There%26#39;s a lot to see in Yosemite. You%26#39;ll have to decide which sites are the most important to see, choose 3 or 4 out of your choices and save the other sites for a future visit.





    Yosemite to San Francisco would take you, again, through the SJ Valley and would take around 4-5 hours, depending on traffic. With a major artery out of commission, it may take longer.




    To answer your question about getting to Yosemite from LA.





    Take the 99 freeway north to the 41 freeway in Fresno. The 41 is the route that will get you to Yosemite. The distance is approx. 200 miles from LA to Fresno. Not quite sure on the distance from Fresno to Yosemite. I%26#39;d estimate another 100+ miles.

    What are the dress styles like

    I was wondering what you dress styles are like in SF?

    When I went ot NYC, it seemed to me the color that was in was Black.

    Do you all wear more summery clothing?

    I have asked this before but what do you think your SF persoanlity is like. Yuppies/Corporate/laidback.

    I always imagine that SFer%26#39;s are more into thier festivals and music. Everybody comes out for that. People are friendly and its mostly happy days.

    Mysterio

    What are the dress styles like

    SFers wear whatever feels COMFORTABLE. You can do the same. You will see the whole gamut, not necessarily dictated by fashion gurus.

    What are the dress styles like

    Girasol is right... you will see a wide variety of styles in SF... from high fashion to jeans/t-shirt. San Franciscans tend to be independent thinkers and free spirits for the most part, but you will see every kind of personality. Those who hit the nicer restaurants and clubs tend to dress well. As for ';summery'; clothing - that is only once in a while, when there is no threat of coastal fog creeping in rapidly to cool things off.


    Layers are good. While the actual temperature difference may only be 10 degrees F between the Mission at 2PM and Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf at 4PM, it feels more like 30.


    People in SF are not trendy , glamourous, sexy, or into ';being in style'; at all. They dress from conservative/corporate casual/preppy to boho chic or just pain granola/hippie throwback tacky. There are also your share of 20 something hipsters in the mission and downtown area. I am originally from LA and was shocked at how casual and ';unfashionable'; San Francisco is for the most part.

    Actually a couple of years ago GQ rated SF women the worst dressed cosmopolitan city in the world, which I think is apropos as I have traveled to all the majors (London, Rome, NY, Paris, LA, Miami, Chicago, etc)

    The most fashionable area is probably the Marina (some women actually wear make up and attempt at looking somewhat attractive), but compared to LA or NY standards is very laid back. I%26#39;ll put it this way...a 10 in San Francisco is probably more like a 6 or 7 in LA/NY. It took some getting used to.

    For example, if you go out to a nice, hip restaurant, (think Absinthe, Myth, NOPA) you will see people dressed up and looking good, but you will also see just as many people looking tacky or a bit casual for the establishment.

    It is also freezing here (if you are from a warmer climate like so cal, arizona, florida etc) and need a jacket. It is best to dress in layers as someone mentioned above.

    The good news is that anything goes so if you are glamourous or casual, you will fit in.


    I realize that this thread is only about clothing, and who gives a flip about that, but I think luckygrllllllll, for the most part, nailed it.

    Recently, when I was in San Francisco and vicinity for five nights and six days, my large frame with a baggy wardrobe fit into a carry-on, including many thin layers, a warm jacket, spare underwear and a pair of trousers that I didn%26#39;t need because the other two were appropriate for everything from hiking in the woods to eating in intimate restaurants. (I packed a back-up in case I spilled soup in my lap.) Of course, I shy away from any establishment that does not welcome an urban hiker the way he his dressed, but I still think I could have gone just about anywhere without raising many eyebrows, except maybe some boardrooms, weddings or an operating room.

    As a major cosmopolitan city, San Francisco, bless her, has somehow remained unpretentious, snubbing her nose at the obnoxious superficiality that has consumed her neighbors to the south as well as countless other locales the world over that may be better off without such lofty and dubious aspirations, to the benefit of all who visit or fortunate enough to live there.

    And the women are good-lookin%26#39;, too.


    Hankshanker, you have a breezy, refreshing writing style. Glad you ';blew'; into the forum. You should write a blog. I%26#39;d read it.

    %26lt;except maybe some boardrooms, weddings or an operating room%26gt; That%26#39;s a hoot.


    I do think people here wear more black than folks in the subburbs. When I visit my family just an hour south of here I am always struck my all the colors people wear. That said, wear what you like- like others said this is not New York and we do what we please. ;)

    One thing- a surefire way we know tourists is by their short pants and short sleeves. I do not even own shorts- the number of days it is warm enough for shorts is so few and far between and by early evening its usually cold again. 60 degrees here feels like 50 degrees where you live- I promise. Our cold bites.

    So, never leave your room without a sweatshirt and skip the short pants. No matter how nice it looks do not underestimate the city%26#39;s fickle weather. I have lived here 10 years and never leave the house w/o warm clothes.


    SF is a city of tolerance with a progressive nature. Wear what you feel good and comfy in and if someone doesn%26#39;t like it, that%26#39;s their problem, but chances are, people won%26#39;t judge you by what you are wearing. That pretty much fits the SF philosophy as far as I see it. Our experience was of a friendly welcoming city where people were interested in where we were from and who we were, not what we looked like.

    Enjoy your stay.


    Thanks, envious, for your kind words. I%26#39;m flattered, really, but don%26#39;t hold your breath on the blog. I guess you could say I have one, but, like the person who wrote it, it%26#39;s rather scattered. But that%26#39;s not why I%26#39;m posting.

    I%26#39;m posting because this idea of being comfortable in the clothes you are wearing in San Francisco is, in my opinion, of paramount importance -- so much so that I think its application should be global in nature.

    Just listen to what Liffey and Miss Wendy have to say. It almost needn%26#39;t be said, but out of the mouths of babes.


    luckygrllll said- a 10 in SF is like a 6 or 7 in LA... egads! I%26#39;m about a 5 in SF so I%26#39;m in beeeg trouble!

  • excel
  • Advice needed please re seeing Sequoia NP without a car

    Hello,





    My husband and I are traveling from Australia in July/August and will have 5 days free in early August between leaving Minneapolis and going to LA during which we hope to see some of the wonderful giant sequoia trees.





    My vague plan is to fly to Fresno, and use public transport (?coach) to get to Three Rivers, where we would probably stay for about 3 nights. Buckeye Lodge sounded appealing, as it is close to the river and has some restaurants nearby.





    I believe there is a forest shuttle that goes through Three Rivers that could take us on tours of the National Parks? Hopefully you can get off and explore and hop on again later.





    If anyone has any suggestions or comments about whether this is likely to work, or any better ideas I would be very pleased to hear them.





    BTW we are early 50s and not up to too much hiking, especially if it%26#39;s uphill!





    Many thanks



    Tina



    Advice needed please re seeing Sequoia NP without a car


    The problem with your plan is getting from the Fresno Airport to Three Rivers. I can%26#39;t think of any method to get you from that airport to Three Rivers without a rental car.





    To do Sequoia without a car you%26#39;ll need to look at using a different airport.





    USAir operates flights between Visalia and Las Vegas. The 19 passenger aircraft fly the route several times a day.





    From Downtown Visalia there is a summer park shuttle to Sequoia, you can then use the in the park busses to see the sights. From Visalia Airport to Downtown Visalia will probably require a 4 or 5 mile taxi ride.





    The web site for the Sequoia Shuttle is here, but the schedules are not listed yet.



    http://www.sequoiashuttle.com/





    I don%26#39;t know if the shuttle will stop in Three Rivers, supposedly it will.





    You might consider staying in the downtown Visalia area. I%26#39;d recommend the Visalia Marriott or the Visalia Comfort Suites, both only a couple of blocks from where the park shuttle will depart. That area also has many food and entertainment choices.





    If you are considering a hotel in Three Rivers you might contact them for more info about getting from the Visalia Airport or Fresno Airport to their hotel without a rental car. They may also have more info on the shuttle.





    This link from the park provides more info about getting to Sequoia and Kings Canyon using airlines or trains, including the phone numbers to find out more about the schedules and fees for the new shuttles inside and outside the park.



    nps.gov/seki/…publictransportation.htm



    Advice needed please re seeing Sequoia NP without a car


    Actually, Greyhound Bus has service between Fresno and Visalia (probably downtown to downtown). So you would probably need a taxi or local Fresno FAX bus from Fresno Airport to downtown Fresno, then the Greyhound bus to Visalia. See www.greyhound.com




    The Visalia Marriott and Comfort Suites both provide convenient curbside pick up for the Sequoia Shuttle several times daily, seven days a week.





    For more information, and the most recent schedules, visit us online.




    Thank you all for you assistance.



    We are now going to travel via Amtrak from LA to Hanford then by bus to Visalia and have booked 5 nights at a B%26amp;B.





    I have rung the Sequoia Shuttle and it seems this will meet our need to get to and around the park without a vehicle.





    If anyone has any other tips about things to see/do/places to eat in the area they would be greatly appreciated.





    Tina




    I think your amtrak plan is the best. Amtrak from LA to Hanford is not all by train though. The LA to Bakersfield portion is by Amtrak Bus. Then Bakersfield to Hanford is by train. Then as you know, you will get back on the bus. This will be the easiest and by far the cheapest.

    advice needed

    We are trying to plan a trip west and would like to travel from northern vineyards in Sonoma Valley down the coast...best if to San Diego if possible. However, we will only have 10 days at best and were considering Nov. A...Is Nov. a good or bad time via weather in CA and (B) how far should we plan to travel in order to relax and enjoy the sites? I%26#39;d rather cover less distance and enjoy more. Taking our son on college grad trip and want it to be special vs rat race car trip. Suggestions appreciated. Plan B is Carribean!



    advice needed


    November - SAn Francsico can be nice or rainy. Yosemite can be nice or snowy. Los Angeles can have some light rains but can also have 70 degree weather. Overall, California weather is much much nicer than Maryland%26#39;s so you should have a good time.





    Its unclear what you want to see and what you enjoy doing given this is more for your college grad. What are his interests? That will help to recommend what to see.



    advice needed


    would Oct. be better time? Working around his one yr anniv. on new job so not sure can do that. He is 25...wants to see vineyards and coast, Yosemite or at least Muir Woods, San Fran., other stops along the way. Very flex. and loves to travel. Husband and I saw San Fran and want to do that w/ him. Never done N-S drive and just not sure if putting too much into 10 days or if should opt for CA when more time.




    10 days





    Day 1 and 2





    Fly into San Francisco and stay in Sonoma or Napa for 2 nights.



    Enjoy a full day of wine tasting to relax into the vacation....





    Day 3





    Drive to Muir Woods and see Muir Woods





    Drive to San Francisco and see Fisherman Wharf





    Go to a nice dinner out and stay in San Francisco for one night





    Day 4





    Alcatraz Tour in Morning





    In mid afternoon, drive to Monterey/Carmel and stay 2 nights.





    Day 5





    17 mile drive



    Monterey Aquarium



    Pt. Lobos





    Day 6





    Drive from Carmel/Montery to Cambria starting around 8 a.m.



    This is the Big Sur area (note: hopefully its not foggy - if it is take Highway 101, but most likely it will be nice).





    It takes about 3 to 4 hours to drive the 90 miles due to the scenery, slower road for this stretch, and general sight-seeing. It will be fun.





    See the elephant seals a few miles north of Hearst Castle.





    Book late afternoon tour at Hearst Castle (last one depends upon when you visit, check their web site.





    Stay overnight in Morro Bay.





    Day 7





    Drive from Morro Bay to Santa Barbara and have lunch in Santa Barbara. Sight-see and drive to Hollywood. The total drive time takes about 3 to 4 hours. Stay overnight at Hollywood. Go to the Graumann;s Manns Chinese Theater and see a movie; this is by Walk of Fame to enjoy a little bit of Hollywood.





    Day 8





    Take the morning tour at Warner Brothers Studio.





    Drive to Huntington Beach and stay the night.





    Have dinner in Laguna Beach





    Day 9/10





    Drive to San Diego and spend the last 2 days here.




    sounds like a great itinerary. Do you think weather in Oct. would be better tho?




    November tends to be a little rainy at times (sometimes not!). October, overall is better.





    Another option to keep in mind is driving part of the route and flying the rest of it.





    For example, Southwest Airlines offers $49 flights in October from northern California airports (San Jose and Oakland) to southern California airports (Burbank, L.A., Ontario and Orange County). The flights are between 1 hour and 1 hour and 20 minutes.





    Flying within California gives you two benefits:





    1. After some excursions around San Francisco (Sonoma, Muir Woods, (even Monterey -- with a little backtracking to San Jose), you can speed your way to the L.A. area and have more days to spend there and in San Diego.





    or





    2. Or, if you drive the coast route as planned, flying back to northern California might afford a less expensive return flight to Maryland (since you would be flying round trip in and out of the San Francisco area).

    Yosemite or somewhere else?

    My husband and I are planning a California trip, but we only have 9 days. We are starting in San Diego (for a wedding), but can leave from anywhere. So far, I%26#39;m most interested in wine country (not set on which region), Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. We can%26#39;t do everything in a week...any suggestions? We love wine, laid back, scenic drives, cute towns, etc.



    Yosemite or somewhere else?


    Hi, Off4Run!





    It%26#39;s off-topic for the Yosemite forum, so I%26#39;ll just mention briefly that there are several wineries in San Diego County. If you eliminate the Northern California wine county due to a lack of time, and you also eliminate Palm Springs and Lake Tahoe, you could visit both Yosemite and San Francisco in a week.





    The drive from San Diego to Yosemite is approximately 470 miles. It will take you a minimum of eight hours.



    Yosemite or somewhere else?


    The Sierra Foothills is fast coming of its own in the wine business, with oodles of cute towns and good wines. Our favorite wine town is Murphys, about an hour from Groveland. Good antiques, galleries, cute bed and breakfasts and you can park in downtown and walt to nearly a dozen tasting rooms...some with wonderful wines. This little stop could make up part of a yosemite/SF loop.





    About 15minutes east of Murphys is Calaveras Big Trees State Park, with groves I think rival the heck out of the Yosemite Big trees, with easy access and not so many folks.





    Have a marvelous holiday.




    If you are starting in San Diego you might consider a trip up the coast to hit Cambria and then stop in Paso Robles, a big wine growing area. Then you could head across the valley for Mariposa / Sierra Foothills just outside of Yosemite. FYI, Yosemite is in Mariposa County. Mariposa has a few wineries as well as wineries more north in the Murphys / Jackson area. It is a fun area with quaint towns and scenic drives. I would recommend staying a couple of nights in Cambria, 2 to 3 nights in Mariposa (where you can also visit Yosemite), and then drive up HWY 49 and spend a couple of nights in Murphys.





    FYI, wine is now being grown all over California. White wines (like Chard) can be found along the coast, with reds (Cabs abd Zins) more inland and in the foothills. Santa Barbara is also a great wine growing area - perhaps you saw the movie, ';Sideways';. You could also spend a night there on your way to Cambria.





    As for Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs and SF, if you like a laid-back type of trip, I think you are trying to do too much. You might drive from the Murphys area back to SF, but Tahoe and Palm Springs, IMHO, would be out of the way for just 9 days. It could be done, but I would not recommend it. Tahoe maybe, but not Palm Springs.





    Enjoy your trip!




    A little clarification:





    While it is true that Yosemite Valley and points South, including Glacier Point, Badger Pass, Wawona and the Mariposa Grove are in Mariposa County, more than 50% of the land mass that makes up Yosemite National Park lies in Tuolumne County. This includes Hetch Hetchy, Lakes Elinore and Cherry Tuolumne Meadows and most of the High Country.




    This is indeed true! In fact, Yosemite can be found in 4 counties. Many people cannot comprehend just how large Yosemite really is and that it can take 4 to 5 hours to drive from one area of the Park to another. The elevation change from one area to another is also great. It is a very large Park!




    I was in SD 2 months ago. It%26#39;s a beautiful city. I also went up to Lake rrowhead and Temecula where many nice wineries are located.





    But I just got back from 2 nights in Yosemite and it%26#39;s the greatest.





    I%26#39;ve heard Sequoia NP is beautiful too (it%26#39;s closer to SD) but I%26#39;ve never been. Of course, there%26#39;s also the ride up the coast past Big Sur to SF. Awesome state!


  • philosophy
  • 1 Day in Monterey/Pacific Grove

    Hi,





    Im staying one night in the Green Gables inn in June and was wondering how I should spend the day? Ill be arriving about lunch time and leaving again the next norning - I have no interest in the aquarium as Im terrified of fish! - is there anything (that doesnt involve fishys) that I shouldnt miss with 24 hours in the area?





    I would be interested in maybe a walking tour?





    thanks in advance!



    1 Day in Monterey/Pacific Grove


    If you will havea car and enjoy the outdoors, I recommmend a walk at Point Lobos State reserve, about 7 miles from your motel. There is a ';Path of History'; in Monterey as well that goes by the Adobes.



    www.montereyinfo.org/?p=history_adobe_homes.



    For a nice drive, you could go down Hwy 1 as far as Bixby bridge.



    For boutique shopping you could go to Carmel (less than 5 miles away.) You could rent a bike and take it along the recreation trail - the best area is along the water from Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf to Pacific Grove (about 3 miles one way, and flat.) Hope that gives you some ideas!



    1 Day in Monterey/Pacific Grove


    Those are some lovely suggestions AL thankyou - didnt realise that those places were so close to PG! its hard to get an idea from looking at maps of where it would be possible to visit with just a short period of time!





    Thanks again




    If you have a car, then I%26#39;d suggest that you drive to Point Lobos State Reserve. It%26#39;s about 15 minutes south of Monterey on Highway 1. There are beautiful walking/hiking trails with spectacular ocean views. It%26#39;s peaceful and stunning.





    If you don%26#39;t have a car or prefer to stay in town, then from the Green Gables you can walk on the recreation trail that is opposite the Green Gables. If you walk toward Monterey, you%26#39;ll see Cannery Row and then continuing on, you can walk all the way to the Monterey Wharf. If you walk in the other direction, you%26#39;ll walk along the Pacific Grove Coastline, which is also beautiful.





    Also, the state government offers a Monterey Walking Tour, but it%26#39;s not offered every day. Here is a link: www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=951





    If you%26#39;re looking for a place for lunch in Pacific Grove, I highly suggest the Red House Cafe on the main street, Lighthouse Ave. You can walk there from the Green Gables.





    Have a nice visit.




    Pt. Lobos and Carmel are great suggestions, I would also suggest a visit to the Carmel Mission which is informative and fun. You could have lunch at the Mission Ranch which is a Clint Eastwood venue. Very pretty patio with views of the ocean and green pastures.





    I would have dinner at Robert Kincaid%26#39;s White House in PG, located in the Hart Mansion. They offer a Fixed Price menu which is reasonably priced, the food is excellent here. Enjoy your trip! :)

    Suggestions for top three must visit places in San Diego

    Hi All,

    My husband and I will be in San Diego for a few days at the beginning of July. I%26#39;m trying to make our itinerary for the time and would like some advice. If you had to choose only three MUST SEE places to visit while there, what would you suggest?

    We will be dining in Old Town so don%26#39;t worry about that.

    We will be spending one day driving up to Los Angeles, so don%26#39;t worry about that.

    We will have a car and wouldn%26#39;t mind driving around exploring.

    We are staying at the Omni hotel in San Diego.

    I look forward to hearing your suggestions! I can%26#39;t wait!!!!

    Thanks so much.

    Genia

    Suggestions for top three must visit places in San Diego

    HI and welcome to the forums. We spent some time in San Diego last December and enjoyed:

    1. The Hotel Del Coronado and Coronado

    2. SeaWorld- great fun here, it was a very nice way to spend the day during our visit to the area.

    3. La Jolla- a very scenic, upscale area, don%26#39;t miss the La Jolla Cove.

    Have fun on your travels! :)

    Suggestions for top three must visit places in San Diego

    I partly agree with syrahgirl except for Seaworld. I%26#39;d add BalboaPark to the must do list See:www.balboapark.org

    I dont know if you%26#39;ll be here on the 4th of july but last year we spent it on the USS Midway. They have special evening tix and there%26#39;s music, food and you get to see a t least 3 different fireworks displays out over the bay. BTW my LEAST favorite thing in the world is driving to LA!


    Here%26#39;s my top 3-

    1. Petco park and Gaslamp area

    2. Coronado Island

    3. Wild Animal Park

    FYI- taking one day out of 3 to see LA I would not recommend. Its quite a drive if you don%26#39;t know the area plus there%26#39;s so much to do and see it San Diego its not worth the drive up to LA IMO. Save LA for another trip.


    My family just returned from a fantastic trip to San Diego! We really made the most of our trip by visiting several areas. Here are my suggestions-

    I also have to recommend visiting Balboa Park. If possible try to go on a Sun. The international cottages are open and they have free outdoor organ concerts held in the spectacular Spreckles organ pavilion. Fantastic!!! If Sun is not possible, some of the museums are free on Tuesdays, ( on a rotating schedule) which may be something of interest.

    Coronado Island- beautiful, scenic, and romantic ( especially with a toddler Ha! Ha!)

    I also really enjoyed Old Town. I would try to spend more time there than just having dinner. Full of history and culture!

    A harbor tour is a really nice way to see the city.

    I would also skip Los Angeles. Save it for another time. The traffic between the 2 cities can be VERY challenging.

    Have a great time!!!!

    I


    We just returned from SD for a week and I agree with some of the posters on skipping LA. There is so much to do in San Diego. For us 7 days was not nearly enough for just San Diego because you want to do things at a nice California pace and make sure you can chill out a little in the sun too.

    We loved the Hotel Del and Coronado and just walking around there and hanging on the beach. Great ice cream place and we liked sitting on the big deck overlooking the ocean with a burger (very casual but great setting).

    The Zoo is awesome and in a half day you can see some of most incredible animals in a natural setting. Tip - We got there early and went right to the Panda exhibit (even though they were pushing the bus ride at the gate). It was the best thing we did. For 20 mins we had what seemed to be a private viewing of the Pandas from no more than 10 feet away without cages or fencing. The zoo is great but be prepared for lots of walking and hills. If you are not that good on your feet then you should take the bus tour but we liked walking better. I think some of the posters forget how awesome the SD zoo is because they%26#39;ve seen it so many times. We also went to Wild Animal Park and thought it was just OK - we thought Wild Animal Kingdom in Disney had a much better safari.

    If you like history don%26#39;t miss the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier.

    Go to the Gaslamp for drinks and dinner and walk around one night.

    And La Jolla is wonderful. Check out the seals and walk along the shoreline park - its just beautiful!

    If you have time - very nice views from Point Loma too. There is a lot of fun stuff to do in SD so picking top three is very hard!


    Just returned from first trip to San Diego. My top three choices would be Coronada, La Jolla, and more than just dinner in Old Town. One thing that is really amazing is that it took very little time to get to places. Just avoid rush hours and you are fine.


    Balboa Park - visit the gardens and the conservatory. Watch lawn bowling- it%26#39;s really interesting; have lunch at the Japanese Friendship Gardens or dinner at the Prado. If you like museums, then there are many from which to choose.

    http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/

    Coronado - take the ferry from downtown; visit the Hotel Del and see the mansions on Ocean Avenue; walk on the beach in front of the Hotel Del

    travel.dk.com/san-diego/dk/highlight/coronado

    Cabrillo Monument - drive out past Ft. Rosencrans, which is beautiful and somber. Tour the lighthouse and catch the 360 degree views from the tip of Pt. Loma. Tour the information center, it%26#39;s very interesting even for us locals.

    http://www.nps.gov/cabr/

    Have a great trip


    Jerseydad You got to be kidding when you said the safari tour in Diseyworld was better than in S.D.

    Was to WAP in S.D. in 2003

    Was to Disneyworld in Fla in 2005.

    The Safari tour in Disneyworld was a joke compared to S.D.

    Packed in a truck like a sardine and not much to see.

    Plus the wait....Was the biggest disappointment we were on.

    If ever night and day with this comparison

    WOW i%26#39;d have to ? your REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    I haven%26#39;t been to the WildAnimal Park recently but I do know that they have changed their safari ride. They have been rebuilding for a few months now so perhaps I will have to go back AFTER the summer(TOO HOT-90s) to check it out.


    I went to the Wild Animal Park during the holidays of 2004-5. My family took a %26#39;adventure caravan deluxe%26#39;, and it was easily one of our best memories. Every time we look at the photos of the giraffes nuzzling us and sticking out their foot-long tongues to receive treats, we have to laugh at the that fun memory.

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