Day and a Half before Cruise: Best use of time?

We%26#39;re going to be in Santa Monica Feb 1 and 2 before leaving on a cruise late afternoon. I lived in LA 50 years ago but my husband has never been. Would a tour be a good use of time? I want him to see Beverly Hiils, Westwood, Brentwood, etc. We%26#39;re staying at the Holiday Inn at the Beach.

Day and a Half before Cruise: Best use of time?

Depends on you!

The tours are certainly the easiest. You get a little peek at lots of things. BTW, how are you getting to the harbor? Most travelers don%26#39;t realize that it is actually cheaper to rent a car and drive yourself compared to taking a taxi (around $100) or using a shared van service. If you ARE going to rent a car, then, of course, you%26#39;ll have it to take yourself around L.A. on your own. (You might not want to do this, of course).

Tell us what you%26#39;d REALLY like to see in our city -- be as specific or vague as you wish, e,g. ';An interesting Museum';. Perhaps, we can be help you.

Day and a Half before Cruise: Best use of time?

We%26#39;ve decided to rent a car from the hotel in Santa Monica. It can be returned there as well...$34.00 which isn%26#39;t bad. Forty years ago (not fifty as I mentioned) there used to be maps of the areas that you could get to sight-see. Are they still available and...are they any good?

I%26#39;m afraid that renting a car at the LAX might be a nightmare

The advantage to renting a car at LAX is that you will save the cost of the taxi or shuttle van between LAX and your hotel. I haven%26#39;t heard of any specific complaints about renting cars from LAX although (since I live here) i%26#39;ve never done it.

Most hotels have maps that show tourist sites. You can always buy a tour book (Fodors, Frommers, Let%26#39;s Go, Lonely Planet, etc) before you leave on your trip and study it. These tend to have detailed maps of the different neighborhoods.

BTW, if you%26#39;d rather not buy the book, most libraries carry a wide variety of them and allow you to borrow them for as much as 3 weeks at a time. (In Los Angeles, you can borrow a book for 3 weeks and then renew it over the phone -- via an automated system -- twice so that you can borrow it a total of 9 weeks).

make up

Re: Transportation from LaJolla to SanDiego

My husband and I will be visiting San Diego in about 3 weeks, staying at the Torrey Pines Lodge for the duration. We have not been in this area before and want to visit the popular tourist sites; zoo, Coronado Beach, etc. We will not have a rental car. What are our options for getting to and from the hotel? Costs? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Transportation from LaJolla to SanDiego

The Torrey Pines Lodge is a lovely hotel however it would be much more pleasant for you to get around WITH a rental car. La Jolla is a neighborhood of the city of SanDiego but it is served only by busses not our small lightrail trolley(electric train) system. I believe your hotel offers a car/limo service within a certain mileage radius but I don%26#39;t think it will go very far.

Here is a link to our public transportation system. You can use its ';trip planner'; feature to get and idea of how and how much time it will take to get around.

www.sdcommute.com

From the airport you can take a taxi or a shared ride van. I do not think the car service from the hotel does airport pickups but you should ask.

I would think that the hotel is about 15 miles so taxi would cost about

$35and shared ride I amnot sure.

I believe that it would be more time /cost efficient to rent a car.

Re: Transportation from LaJolla to SanDiego

Thanks, Riffsmom, I%26#39;m glad to have that info before we arrive there. You are correct, the hotel does provide transportation within a 5 or 6 mile area. If we do rent a car, what will the traffic be like driving back and forth from Torry Pines to downtown S.D.? What are better times to make the trek to avoid the worst of the traffic? We are from quite a small town, not used to big city traffic, and when we travel we%26#39;ve usually had good luck with public transport or cabs, but we may have to break down and rent this trip, much as we both dislike driving! Any additional input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I live quite close to your hotel. One of the reasons we ended up here is because we could ';outwit'; the traffic(work around it). I fyou go out sightseeing in the morning let%26#39;s say after 9AM(when the students at the local univ are inclass and folks have reached work at the nearby bio-tech firms)you will not have any traffic going south to the tourist areas you wish to see. We like to tell people that we live ';20min from everywhere';.

There is free parking inBalboa Park and a t OldTown.

Downtown if you park at the Horton Plaza Mall or the SEaport Village mall you get 2hrs.free with any small purchase.

Anyother mall will have free parking all day.

Coronado you can find street parking.

I fyou wish to minimize driving you COULD get the free car from your hotel to the Univ Town Center Mall where many busses there will take you to the Oldtown Transit center where you can access our lightrail trolley system. also at the Oldtown StatePark youwill find the hop on hop off tour which can then take you around to many sites. Some of the hotels can arrange a pick up for this tour so you should ask about that as well. See:www.trolleytours.com I donot usually go on tours but this one allows you to stay as long as you like in each place and is a very good way to get around .

Valuable information, Riffsmom, again my thanks. The public transportation would be a great way to see the city, but from reading other posts, as you said before, it may eat up some valuable time. If we drive into S.D. after 9:00 am as you suggest (which is probably what our routine would be) what would be a good return time in the late afternoon/evening to avoid commuters? You%26#39;ve been extremely helpful and I truly appreciate your input.

Strangely enough,it is the local streets that get more congested in this area than the actual freeway. There are many students going to and from the university and people going to and from work on Torrey Pines Road.

I have come home from work driving north(when I was working-retired now)at 4 or 5 in the afternoon with no prob on the freeway(I-5)

I drove downtown to meet people for dinner before the theater onFri at about 5:30 and was parked in my usual 20min.

My husband really did a lot of research on traffic before we moved here and so we deal with much less than in other areas of town. Of course what is ';no traffic'; to us might seem traficky to you .

Bishop to Las Vegas

Hi from UK

We will be driving from Bishop to Las Vegas via routes 168/266/95, so as to avoid driving through Death Valley during August.

Could you please tell me if there are any rest stops along these routes before getting to Beatty.

Many thanks for your help.

Bishop to Las Vegas

Not really. It is a very quiet road and not heavily traveled. It is well maintained but there really is not much between Big Pine and Beatty. I find it beautiful and I like the drive better than going North from Bishop up 6 to Tonopah and then down 95. If you car is well maintained and you travel smart (take some food and water) then you will not have any problems. It is a nice drive but some people do get car sick on it because some of it is winds around.

Bishop to Las Vegas

This is a very beautiful route, but you will be mostly on your own for over 200km. I presume you%26#39;ll go down 395 from Bishop to Big Pine and turn onto 168. Bishop is the last town of any size until Beatty, so stock up on whatever you need; Big Pine is a little town where you can get basic necessities.

If you want to break up the long trip, here are some suggestions.

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is on a narrow, steep, but good paved road north from 168. The bristlecones are among the oldest known living things, thriving in conditions that can kill just about everything else. They are scrubby little trees, but beautiful in their own way. They look nothing like the familiar pines of more temperate areas, because they have to survive extremely harsh conditions at around 3000 km elevation.

Info on Bristlecone Pines and the forest:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/about/

Bristlecone pictures:

goldengatephoto.com/WestUS/bristlecone.html

Farther along on 168 is Deep Springs College, a very unusual school. It is a non-traditional 2-year college for men, founded on the philosophy of combining scholastics, work, and self-governance. The student body is limited to 24, the faculty all live on site, and everyone has a job to do, from planting and harvesting crops or herding and butchering cattle to scrubbing floors or dishes. I do not know if people can visit without prior arrangement, but when you see the place out there in the middle of nowhere, you%26#39;ll appreciate the kind of educational and life opportunity it is for the students. Many graduates have distinguished themselves in public service, education, science, and a variety of other fields.

http://www.deepsprings.edu/index.html

Finally, a short drive off Hwy 266 is a ghost town called Gold Point that you might enjoy seeing. You can even rent an old cabin there if you want to spend a night. The website shows some gasoline dispensers, but those are historic and I don%26#39;t think they sell gas.

http://www.goldpointghosttown.com/

If you take all the little side trips, the trip from Bishop to Beatty will be close to 300 km.

Thank you both very much for all the info. we, as a family have done quite a few road trips in the USA bu8t this year we are taking my daughters friend with us and I suppose I%26#39;m just worrying about things like restrooms etc. along the way.

Ooops, excuse the spelling!!!!

Hi Frisco Roadrunner - I have checked out the Bristlecone Pine Forest and Gold Point and I think they are both something we would enjoy to break up our journey. Do you know how long the sidetrip to Goldpoint would be and if you could get something to eat there?

Thanks to you both for your help, really appreciate it.

Mummabear, the side trip off Hwy 266 and back will be about 30-35 km. You don%26#39;t have to go back the same way, but take Hwy 774 east out of Gold Point, which will put you farther east on 266.

On the website, you%26#39;ll see that there are meals for guests staying in town. You might e-mail and ask if they will serve day visitors as well. If so, it might be wise to call en route to confirm you are on the way, because I have a feeling they are not very busy and may not staff the kitchen around the clock.

It has been a few years since I was in Gold Point, but it%26#39;s a unique, out-of-the-way place. I think you%26#39;ll enjoy it, and it may remind kids (or adults) of Western movies. Also, if you have time when you reach Beatty (or if you decide to stop over), see Rhyolite. That%26#39;s also a ghost town, built on gold at the turn of the 20th century. Many stone and concrete ruins are standing and show what a prosperous town Rhyolite was.

Thanks Frisco Roadrunner for the tips and suggestions. Sounds all good fun.

easy hair and makeup ideas

I'm going nuts! Quiet place on the brim of San Diego?

I%26#39;ve been to SD, but I know very little about the surrounding towns and beaches. Does anyone have a tucked-away gem that they%26#39;d recommend? Something comfortable, clean, with a B%26amp;B or ';romantic resort'; feel that isn%26#39;t a gazillion bucks a night?

I%26#39;d like to book a quiet place outside of the city where my parents and I can just relax and have a view, at least not one looking onto a parking lot or crowded beach. Hopefully within an hour drive of downtown SD, and under $250/night/room.

I%26#39;ve checked out all the usual suspects: Inn @ La Jolla, The Catamaran, Humphrey%26#39;s, and dozens of others, but the ones that aren%26#39;t booked are out of our price range. Otherwise I%26#39;m finding a lot of places that seem to be overrun with big families and small children (No offense! We%26#39;d just like quiet).

We just happened to pick Valentine%26#39;s Day weekend, which is why everything is so booked. I%26#39;m going crazy staring at my computer screen and flipping endlessly through my Fodor%26#39;s. ANY help appreciated, anything at all! A bone, a nugget... something. :)

Thanks in advance!

I'm going nuts! Quiet place on the brim of San Diego?

One idea is the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. They have availability. It is a ver wealthy area just inland form DelMar which is th efirst suburb north of the city ofSD.

http://www.theinnatrsf.com/

Then there%26#39;s the Rancho Bernardo Inn. For some reason my computer couldn%26#39;t get into their reservation system.

www.ranchobernardoinn.com

Rancho Bernardo is another suburb further inland off of the I-15 freeway.

Then there is also the Pala Casino Resort which is a 4****AAA rated resort. We have stayed there. They have a lovely pool area with cabanas and 2 temp jacuzzi,a spa with massage etc. an dseveral restaurants. I fyou gamble they have a great non-smoking gambling area as well.

Let me know if any of these work out and maybe I can think of other ideas.

I'm going nuts! Quiet place on the brim of San Diego?

Riffsmom gave you a couple great ideas. There are a few bed %26amp; breakfast inns in North San Diego County in the areas of Cardiff and Encinitas. I%26#39;ve heard good things about the Cardiff by the Sea Lodge - and love the location in Cardiff, which is actually part of Encinitas.

http://www.cardifflodge.com/

Another suggestion - but this one is right in San Diego. Located in the wonderful older, residential of Banker%26#39;s Hill on a very quiet street is the Banker%26#39;s Hill Manor. I love walking around the neighborhood, and find it wonderfully quiet, with great views.

http://www.bankershillmanor.com/

If none of Riffsmom, or these appeal to you, you might want to look at L%26#39;Auberge right in Del Mar. It has a french country feel to it, and Del Mar is lovely area to stay.

L%26#39;Auberge is very nice, my parents stayed there some years ago and liked it. However, as I advise anyone who is considering Del Mar, is that Del Mar has a grade railroad crossing. Personally I like the train sounds and I am not sure if you can hear them from L%26#39;Auberge, although it is not far from the tracks. But my basic point is that Del Mar might not be the most quiet place in the San Diego area.

Cardiff and Encinitas may be quite a bit too far north, but if you can hit the Charthouse restaurant in Cardiff - one of my favorite meals of all time- big windows on the beachsand- get there at opening and enjoy the sunset. Wow its been too long...

You don%26#39;t have to worry about looking out at ';a crowded beach'; the 2nd week of February. This is not Florida! And I can%26#39;t imagine it being too ';Full of kids'; anywhere, either. In fact, you%26#39;ll probably have rain or at least quite chilly weather.

Del Mar is said to be situated so that it gets less rain than anywhere else.

I%26#39;ll second the recommendation for the Rancho Bernardo Inn. It%26#39;s in a quiet, suburban neighborhood and has a country club, resort-like feel. There%26#39;s an excellent restaurant on the property (El Bizcocho), and the property is virtually surrounded by a golf course so you%26#39;ll likely have that as a view. As long as you don%26#39;t go during rush hour, driving to downtown SD should take approx. 40 minutes.

If you don%26#39;t mind a trip of about an hour, I would suggest the mountain area of Julian - It%26#39;s a quaint little town with a few B%26amp;B%26#39;s that shouldn%26#39;t cost a fortune.

If you are a fan of the Balboa Park area, you might like the Balboa Park Inn.

http://www.balboaparkinn.com/

I booked a junior suite there last year when my mother-in-law %26amp; her boyfriend came to visit us last year. They loved the place and commented on how quiet it was. Very homey and comfortable.

The Mexican Museum

Hi, does anyone know when the new Mexican Museum ( http://www.mexicanmuseum.org/ ) will be opening in the Yerba Buena arts district? I can%26#39;t find any info about the opening date on the on the web, I am visiting San Francisco in March and hope to visit it then.

The Mexican Museum

I would email the website info@mexicanmuseum.org or call once you get here.

The Mexican Museum

If you looked at the website you provided you would have known that it is still in the planning stages at Yerba Buena.

You can still visit it%26#39;s current facility at Fort Mason

I know they have had funding problems. I%26#39;ve seen a couple of references to opening in 2008, so I%26#39;m afraid it won%26#39;t be ready for this trip.

The website states ';The Mexican Museum is poised to fulfill its long-held dream of building a new permanent facility';, I interpreted this as meaning that it was about to finish building, but I guess it means that it is about to start. The old location has removed its permanent exhibition, I thought this meant that it had been installed in the new building. Looks like I was wrong.

By the way sean420, please don%26#39;t be so terse in your replies. I had looked at the website, checked tripadvisor forums %26amp; SF Gate before I posted, nowhere seemed to give me the answer I wanted. I%26#39;m not an idiot!

SwingCha, I%26#39;m betting the odds are good this one will be added to your deleted posts tally.

Trip Report

We stayed in the Oakhurst Days Inn on Wednesday night and was at the Yosemite%26#39;s south gate by 9:00 am on Thursday. We went to Maripsosa Grove and took the audio tram tour. We really enjoyed the tour. It was a great way to see everything without walking (bad knees). We then went up to Wawona for lunch. We had a great lunch ( a steak sandwich, a hot fudge brownie with ice cream, and good coffee) The service and atmosphere were wonderful. I only wish we could have had lunch out on the porch (they had closed this area for the season). We then went to Glacier Point and had a look around. Beautiful views. We then went down to the valley and was able to check into our room at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls around 3:00 pm (see review) We took the last Valley tram tour and really enjoyed this. Saw lots of deer. We had dinner at the food court for dinner and breakfast and the food was just okay cafeteria style food. We enjoyed drinks in the Mountain Room bar. We attended the talk given by the ranger at the amphitheater at Yosemite Lodge and this was okay... a little boring. The next day we watched some mountain climbers for a while (this was fascinating), and enjoyed the Indian village and museum. We then headed over 120 towards Tioga Pass. Awesome views. The roads were a little scarry here. Not much choices in dining for lunch (many things closed for the season the first weekend in Sept.) and ended up getting a burger. We stayed at Tioga Pass Resort that night in one of thier rooms - not to impressed (see review). We ate dinner in Lee Vining at Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobile station and it was really good. We had a short wonderful stay in Yosemite and it was everything I imagined it would be and more.

Trip Report

Wow that%26#39;s a tidy trip report. You covered all the bases and it seems like the perfect fall Yosemite trip!

Trip Report

Sounds like a nice time! Oakhurst is a great place for an overnighter before visiting Yosemite and they offer everything from the Days Inn to the 5 Star Chateau du Sureau. Glacier Point is amazing, my daughter-in-law%26#39;s family took their Christmas card picture there last year, it was gorgeous! Thanks for the report! :)

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.