Roadtrip in California and nevada

[ehnhuus]

Hey me and my parents are going to Los angeles from denmark june the 28 to july the 16! We are going to rent a car and we want to go road tripping around to see as much as we can! We want to stay a few days in Los angeles and then go to Palm springs, las vegas, Grand canyon, San fransisco and then back to Los Angeles. It would be great if you guys could give some suggestions to stuff we can see on the way!

[Mark Sedenquist]

We are going to rent a car and we want to go road tripping around to see as much as we can!

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum and Welcome to America!

We want to stay a few days in Los angeles and then go to Palm springs, las vegas, Grand canyon, San fransisco and then back to Los Angeles. It would be great if you guys could give some suggestions to stuff we can see on the way!

I just took a spin around the search engine (for this forum) and found 3500 different posts about road trips that roughly fit your parameters, so there is alot of information here. For some illustrative examples of the wonders to be seen on the Big Sur coastline, for example, I suggest you look at this post. Spend some time on the board, "kick our tires" alittle and then come back with specific questions and you will find us very helpful.

Happy Planning!

Mark

[Quebec Gen]

God morgen Ehnhuus & vilkommen to the RoadTrip America Forum!:-)

Hey me and my parents are going to Los angeles from denmark june the 28 to july the 16! We are going to rent a car and we want to go road tripping around to see as much as we can! We want to stay a few days in Los angeles and then go to Palm springs, las vegas, Grand canyon, San fransisco and then back to Los Angeles. It would be great if you guys could give some suggestions to stuff we can see on the way!

Stuff to see in L.A. :

-Boutiques on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills;
-For nightlife : Sunset Strip, Hollywood;
-Sunset at Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica;
-Muscle Beach;
-Pier at Santa Monica;
-Roller-skating at Venice Beach's Ocean Front Walk;
-Beverly Wilshire Hotel featured in the movie Pretty Woman;
-Queen Mary vessel (a.k.a. the Grey Ghost) turned into a hotel, Long Beach;
-Hollywood Walk of Fame;
-Boutiques and cafés, Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
-Hollywood Sign;
-Universal Studios;
-Tour television studios (Paramount, NBC, Warner Bros) and attend popular shows like the Jay Leno's Tonight Show or the immortal The Price is Right;
-Grauman's Chinese (formerly Mann's) and Kodak (house of the Academy Awards) Theatres;
-Mexican culture and ambiance on Olvera Street;
-Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana;
-Autry Museum of Western Heritage;
-Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific;

You might want to check out our Editor's suggestions of Hot Springs Resorts in Palm Springs. On your way to Las Vegas, for a little scenic detour, cut accross Death Valley National Park and stop by the Furnace Creek Inn for a "perfect 10". If you're a fan of the movie Badgad Café, you might also enjoy visiting its filming location in Newberry Springs, about 15 miles east of Barstow. For current Las Vegas information, check out this website and the Road to Vegas section of this forum.

On your way to the Grand Canyon, you could drive a stretch of Ol' route 66 between Oatman and Williams and stop for a cold old fashioned beverage at the Twister Soda Fountain in Williams.

For the GC-San Francisco stretch, you could use US93, drive over the Hoover Dam take the Extraterrestrial Highway (375) from Crystal Springs, NV. Then, either :

A) use US6, stop by Yosemite National Park get on US395 visit Lake Tahoe and use I-80 to SF.

OR

B) take route 376 to Austin, stop by Spencer Wild Hot Springs, have a burger at the International Café in Austin, and take US50 (The loneliest road in America) all the way to I-80. Don't forget to have your picture taken beside the Middlegate shoe tree!

San Francisco must sees include :
-Twin Peaks;
-Union Square and SoMa;
-Transamerica Pyramid;
-North Beach : Citylights Bookstore and the Vesuvio Café on the corner of Jack Kerouac Alley and Colombus Ave, Coit Tower, Washington Sq.;
-Golden Gate Park (feed the penguins at the Steinhart Aquarium, Japanese Tea Garden);
-Castro (Theatre and walking tours);
-Alcatraz;
-Diego Riviera Gallery at the SF Art Institute;
-Lombard Street;
-Fisherman's Wharf (have a crab meat baguette sandwich and stop by Ghirardelli Square for goodies);
-Chinatown (food markets, Tien Hou Temple, Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company);
-Coast Hike at Lincoln Park (USS San Francisco Memorial, Land's End);
-Golden Gate Bridge;
-Cable cars;

To get from SF to LA, use the Pacific Coast Highway (a.k.a. Highway 1), one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the US. Along the way :

-17 Mile Drive (interactive map);
-Historic Missions near Monterey;
-Sunset on Ocean Bvld in Monterey;
-Monterey Bay Aquarium;
-Carmel River State Beach;
-Pfeiffer Beach and other Big Sur beaches;
-McWay Falls Trail, Pfeiffer Beach and Pfeiffer Falls Trail, Big Sur;
-Poetry slam at the Henry Miller Library, Big Sur;
-Point Lobos State Reserve;
-Hearst Castle, San Simeon;
-Apple Farm Mill House, San Luis Obispo;
-Dinner at the Oasis in San Luis Obispo;
-Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Solvang;
-Santa Barbara Zoo;

Happy planning!
Gen

[roadie]

Gen, that's a nice list of places to visit.

In Los Angeles, I'd add the Getty Museum. It's located on a hill next to the 405 freeway and it's
an refuge from the fast lane. Admission is free, but parking costs $7.
Closed on Mondays and open to 6pm Tues-Thur, open until 9pm Fri and
Sat.

Also the Getty Villa in Mailibu could be worth a visit.

If you're on Melrose Ave, you might want to get tickets to the
Groundlings. The Groundlings are known for their sketch and improv comedy routines.

Gen mentioned Universal Studios. Next to Universal Studios is
Universal City Walk. It's a retail shopping, dining and entertainment complex.

Don't forget Disneyland. They are continuing to celebrate their 50th year and have special stuff going on.

Old Town Pasadena is also a place to shop and dine.

Also in Pasadena or thereabouts:
Norton Simon Museum
Gamble House which is an example of Arts and Crafts architecture.
Huntington Library and Gardens
Descanso Gardens

A few more places in the LA area to consider visting.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Also the Getty Villa in Mailibu could be worth a visit.

It is. It is. I just went there last month. It was closed to the pubilc for a couple of years and has been re-done. Gorgeous place -- nice food at the Cafe -- I think I like it better than the main Getty musuem.

Mark

[ehnhuus]

Thanks everyone! It helped alot with all the stuff you guys posted!