First OS Trip - Roadtrip Wet Coast US

[Falcon_Crazy]

G'Day Folks

After well over 500,000km travelling around Australia, Ive bit the bullet, cashed in a swag of FF points for a biz class return trip on Virgin to LA next March.

Ive hired a car for 39 days (think im getting a Focus - the mustang was too much and couldn't find an F Series) and plan is to head along coast, stoping at National Parks. Not gunna pend time in LA, but will in San Fran, looking forward to Big Sur and stack of National Parks.

Gotta kinda stick to West of Denver although may fly over for a few days in Nashville.

Im looking for any travel tips or places to worth seeing. I tend to stick away from the bigger places where I can - i might pend one night in Las Vegas just to see it, but it aint my scene really.

Travelling on my own at this stage although who knows what may happen. I often find travel partners whilst on the road.

Beer, sports and natrure are my thing, but open to anything on this trip - thinking an Amtrak trip Seattle to Chicago for something different.

Anyway - thoughts?

[DBourne]

I did the drive from LA to San Fran a couple of months back, sticking to the coast. Firstly Cali drivers are fast drivers!

Second, I highly recommend Santa Barbra if you want some unreal pancakes (shop is called crush cakes).

Pismo beach was a nice coastal town, same as any aussie place really.

[silver_xe]

Would highly recommend traveling to Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite National Park. The drive along the coast from San Fran to L.A is nice but it does take a full day as it is very slow and windy.

[Pedro]

Have a look here ... http://email.visitcalifornia.com/ctt...nDc%3D&c=UTF-8

[Falcon_Crazy]

Thanks guys - yeah looking forward to Yosemite

[5tumpy]

Probably should have done some research before booking flights, mate, I was in San Francisco in March this year, and most of the interesting parts of the National Parks in that part of Cali were closed due to snow etc... Definitely wouldn't be driving a Focus in that kind of weather...

We got a train from Chicago to San Francisco, and it snowed the entire trip until we got to Cali, and even then there was snow on the ground until we got about 30 mins outside of SFO...

Driving in the USA is awesome, such a better experience than here... People are actually capable of driving properly over there, not like the idiots you have to deal with here... The Freeways are usually 12 lanes or more, and 110km/h and higher 90% of the time... In CA, there is a law that if you're keeping up with traffic you cannot be fined for speeding, so most people do ~10mph above the speed limit in good driving conditions...

Parking in SFO will be an issue, it's one of those cities that's designed to not have cars in it, so consequently it can be a real PITA to park in, and where you can park is relatively pricey... In LA, San Diego and Sac, the opposite is true, everyone drives everywhere and parking is generally plentiful...

As I alluded to above, my wife, daughter and I caught the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville in March this year, it was an amazing trip! If I was you, I would not head all the way up to Seattle, at that time of year it will be all snowed in still, and it's a massive drive, something like 18 hours IIRC from San Francisco to Seattle... I would drive from LA to Vegas, Vegas to Santa Monica, and then work your way up the coast to SFO... Most of Yosemite will likely be closed due to the weather, but if it's not, you can drive from Vegas to SFO via the National Parks, it's a spectacular drive!

FYI, parts of Yosemite were closed until March 25 this year, and most rental car companies actually have clauses that prohibit you from taking their cars into them in winter because your require snow chains.

Check out the NPS website for more info:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/winter.htm

It will be snowing in most places in the north, and also any mountainous places you visit, so pretty much anywhere from Northern NV east... It's spectacular, but scary as hell to drive in if you've never driven on snowy, icey roads before... They salt and plow main roads, but if a sudden cold snap hits, they may not get out in time... We drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon NP, and in northern AZ we witnessed 2 petrol tankers jacknife and 4 cars spin out at 60mph coming up a mountain... Never been so scared in my life! Was an amazing experience, and the stories are well worth it... But be careful, and I'd be renting an AWD SUV at a minimum!

[Express]

If Yosemite is closed due to snow and you want to see the giant Redwoods, try Muir Woods National Monument not far from Sausalito. It may be open and its setup just for viewing the trees and about an hour’s drive from San Francisco heading north.

There are plenty of shuttles and tours from SF as well if you don't wish to drive. The tours will take you over the Golden Gate Bridge and stop for some photo opportunities.



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[Moby Vic]

I'd love to offer advice, but Aussies know more about the west coast than I do!