San Fran to LA via Big Sur

Great site. So happy to have signed up.

I'm planning the road trip from San Fran to LA and I'm completely new to this. I would appreciate your experiences and advice. Here are questions:

It's going to be a rental car one way. From my quick check it seems like the rental companies sting you for one way drop off. Is that something you just have to deal with or has anybody found a good place that is reasonable priced.

How many stop overs would you suggest? I'm flying to San Fran, will stay over night in San Fran ... So excluding that .... I was thinking breaking up the journey into 2 nights.

With that in mind where would you say to stop over?

Finally- what are the MUST do & sees en route?


Thank you so much for reading & I can't wait to hear your experiences.

Kenny

Happy that you have signed up ! Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Whereas a 'One way' drop fee is the normal on car rentals you might find that some companies waive them between SF and LA as it's a popular trip between the two areas. It's a case of searching for deals and comparing costs for the period you travel with the type of vehicle you want. It's a competitive market so last weeks best deal might not be the best next week.

With two nights down the coast and with only one scheduled in SF, I would consider spending some of the following morning in SF and then stop in Monterey/Carmel and then the Cambria/Cayacus areas for your two nights. 'Must Sees' are different for everyone and as such we don't really do them here. although there are a number of State Parks [like the popular Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park] and towns to stop at along the way. Hearst Castle is a popular attraction and if it were something you might be interested in, you should consider booking a tour in advance. An Alcatraz visit is well worth taking the time for while in SF, and that too would be better booked in advance.

Have a good trip !