Sf-gc-lv Trip

[spicesea1]

Yes Yosemite is out...we decided we didn't really want to zig five hours out of the way and zag five back, since driving down the PCH was a big must do for us. My issue is that I have about two extra days to play with and wondering what to do with them. We just want to maximize the time we have, and without extending ourselves too much, see the most we can. I think I have a feeling that we will not have enough time to properly do San Diego given the driving time. Vegas will be fun, but that weekend I can't seem to find much that is decent and close or on the strip for less than $200/night. So far we are averaging about $130 and I'd like to stay that way (close) so we have more $ for stuff we can do. Also husband is not inclined to spend more than two nights in Vegas anyway. So, any advice on the above would be appreciated! Thanks, you guys rock!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Vegas will be fun, but that weekend I can't seem to find much that is decent and close or on the strip for less than $200/night. So far we are averaging about $130 and I'd like to stay that way (close) so we have more $ for stuff we can do.

The rooms at the South Coast are some of the nicest in town and while prices do fluctuate here -- I think the going rate is still $65 per night.

If you were to make LV a base, you could go to the "birthplace of the earth" and a few other places....

Mark

[W. Larrison]

The currents in the winter are warmer than in the summer. The normal shoreline temperature of California surf rarely breaks 65 degrees. Refreshing but.... brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Mark

I do have to comment on this... I was just out snorkling at San Clemente Island (about a 3-4 hours boat ride out) this weekend and the water was a balmy 75 degrees. Amazingly warm... record temperatures. And a very nice snorkling trip -- like snorkling in an aquarium.

[W. Larrison]

If you have a couple of days to spare -- a couple of options (without going into LA) could be

- Santa Barbara/ Solvang area. Depending where you were planning to end your PCH run, you can extend it a bit farther south. There are some nice places along the coast through Shell Beach -- Sycamore Mineral Springs has been turned into a very upscale resort (I went there when it was hot tubs on a hillside). Madronna Inn near San Louis Obispo is always a kick.

- A bit farther south is the wine country around Solvang/ San Ynez. This was the background in the recent movie "Sideways", and has a number of very good wineries and several very good restaurants, such as the Hitching Post. Solvang, as a replica Danish area has wonderful pastries as well. Jalama Beach over west of Solvang area is probably one of the most isolated and unique beaches south of the redwoods. No motels to stay there, but a very interesting beach to walk.

- Then there is Santa Barbara -- the Mission there is supposed to be one of the most beautiful in California, and wandering the little stores and boutiques in the Presidio area is always fun. Depending upon the day, you watch them play polo at the polo field in Montecito. Or you can come a bit farther south to Ventura, and go inland to Ojai which is a very funky artists community in the local mountains.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I do have to comment on this... I was just out snorkling at San Clemente Island (about a 3-4 hours boat ride out) this weekend and the water was a balmy 75 degrees. Amazingly warm... record temperatures. And a very nice snorkling trip -- like snorkling in an aquarium.

Aw come on -- really???? That must have been really something!

Mark

[W. Larrison]

Check out the NOAA sea temp sites... as of 7 pm tonight, Oceanside was at 74 F, and Newport Beach was 72. Amazing! Warmest I've ever felt the water in SoCal. (Of course, other spots are the usual 68...) When you swam you could feel warm and cold spots or currents in the ocean.

But a very nice trip -- 3 species of whales and 2 species of dolphins seen on the way over and back. And it was really like swimming in an aquarium --

(I attached a couple of pics as my snorkling buddy was playing with a new digital camera -- I'll delete them in a couple of days to save space, and since this is off topic for this thread.)

[Mark Sedenquist]

(I attached a couple of pics as my snorkling buddy was playing with a new digital camera -- I'll delete them in a couple of days to save space, and since this is off topic for this thread.)

You can leave them -- not a problem -- nice shot of the garibaldi!

Mark

[spicesea1]

Thank you! All very excellent info. Cool pics, the water looks very clear! Didn't see any sharks, did you?

[spicesea1]

Hello, and thanks for all the great info everyone has provided. Have been reading forums for a few weeks in prepartion for a whirlwind western tour beginning in San Francisco, and ultimately ending in Las Vegas. Everything fairly well planned out except for one thing. We are planning on touring Hearst Castle midway through our trip. This will probably take place early in the morning on the day we plan to make the drive to Arizona. Our destination is the Hualapai Reservation in Peach Springs, AZ. We are trying to figure out how much driving we want to fit in. It would be too far to go all the way, so trying to figure out where to stop. We might also follow US 1 down further to Santa Barbara and cut over there, wherever might be quickest. Considered stopping for the night in Barstow (last resort) or Kingman, AZ. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

[AZBuck]

My suggestion would be to bite the bullet and stop in your town of 'last resort' for the night. CA-1 and US-101 south of Morro Bay tend to run inland, so you would lose the great coastal views in any event if you continued down to Santa Barbara. Besides, that's the long way around, plus it forces you to then continue through the L.A. Basin - not a way to save time or miles. I think you'll be much better off to just enjoy the time at Hearst and then cut cross country from either Cambria or Morro Bay through Bakersfield and on to Barstow and beyond. The other problem you'll have is that east of Barstow you've got nearly 200 miles of the Mojave Desert to cross before you get to the next sizeable towns, Needles or Kingman. So if you really don't want to make a long day of it, Barstow is your choice.

AZBuck