LA to Seattle

[lbiron]

Hi!

I was browsing the net and discovered this site. Myself and a friend are planning a trip from LA to Seattle over two weeks, from July 9th - 23rd. We want to concentrate on areas between LA and San Francisco (Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Vegas). But we hear the drive up the coast from San Francisco to Seattle is unmissable.

Could anyone give me some advice about (a) a possible route given our time frame, (b) the cheapest way of hiring a car (we are both under 25). (c) other things we should see on the way.

Also, although i currently live in Boston, we are both used to driving on the left (we're from the UK). Do you think this will pose any problems?!

Thanks,

LB

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Actually, the trip you describe is a combiation of two of the most popular routes discussed on these forums, so let me first point you two a couple of posts that will, in turn, take you to some of the best advice for those two areas. The first deals with the Los Angeles - Las Vegas - San Francisco triangle (including the Grand Canyon), while the second is one of our best threads on the Pacific Northwest. Wtih two weeks, you can see quite a bit. Not everything, but quite a bit. I think, for example, that Monument Valley might be too far to try to include this time.

Being under 25 will cost you both in dollars and restrictions on what kinds of cars you can rent. We have had a couple of people report that they've done better with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in this regards, but be sure to price shop all the companies available to you. You have other aspects of your rental that will also tend to drive the price up. If you intend to pick up the car in Los Angeles and drop it off in Seattle, you can expect to pay several hundred dollars for the priviledge. Also, your dates are Monday to Monday, so you may end up paying slightly higher rates, because people who rent on such timeframes are more usually business travellers. Sorry I can't offer better news, but at least forewarned is forearmed.

I have travelled frequently in the British Isles and have never had a problem adjusting to driving on the other side of the road. Your job will be a bit easier in that you will almost certainly get an automatic transmission car, and thus won't have to learn to shift with the 'wrong' hand as well.

AZBuck

[roadkill]

I would like to add something to what AZBuck started....about driving on the right side of the road. I don't see it as a problem either in that unlike British cars, American cars have the driver's side located on the left side of the vehicle (As opposed to the right side as is the case with UK Cars). Unless you fly your car out from the UK, this shouldn't be a problem! Also, Unlike the UK, The US measures automotive Speed in Mles Per Hour. Again, all US Equipped vehicles will have the MPH prominently displayed on the speedometer (with the Km/H in smaller print)

[monkeyalan]

the UK measures speed in MPH too.

we like to mix it up a bit here

petrol (gas) is sold in litres but most people work out fuel use using MPG and we still use miles as a unit of distance.

we weigh ourselves in pounds (lb) but if someone weighs say 159 lbs we'd say 11 stone 4 lb.

the EU has tried to convert us to metric for most things but we work round it .

ie . we buy milk in 2.273 litre cartons = 4 pints

lol

[Midwest Michael]

petrol (gas) is sold in litres but most people work out fuel use using MPG and we still use miles as a unit of distance.

But I bet when you figure your miles per gallon, you get a totally different number than you'll get in the US.

Because I'm guessing you are using the Imperial Gallon to calculate that mpg, which is about 20% larger than a US gallon.

And getting 4 pints of milk in the US would only equal 1.9 Liters!

Remember all of this when you go to the tavern and order yourself a pint!