Driving from SF to LA
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- moldero0
Ive done this drive easily 50+ times in my life
6 hour drive on hwy5
your looking at 3 - 2 hour stretches
• SF to hwy5 east of Gilroy
• the 5 stretch to the grapevine
• grapevine to LAX (DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY)what times your flight out of LA?
if you didn't already book your flight
I would plan according to dealing with a 2 hour drive from the grapevine and entering the LA area, traffic starts around Valencia which is about 1.5 hours from LAX- "dude, you aren't going to make it down the 1 in under 6 hours...unless you are a fcuking madman behind the wheel."monospaced
- yes, I know this isn't the 1monospaced
- hey now! i see what you did there!lvl_13
- hwy5 for efficiency
pch will easily double your drive time, but it is very nicemoldero - Flight out is at 10.30pm, but obviously have to check-in earlier for all the customs malarkey.Nathan_Adams
- to aim at being at LAX at 9:am I would leave SF after at 7:pm the night before avoiding its traffic, you can get a hotel by LAX by 1:30 ammoldero
- 1:30ammoldero
- dealing with these 2 cities and a flight, traffic should be your main concernmoldero
- robotron3k0
You can see ALL of SF in 2 days, it's only 7 miles square. TAKE the Pacific Coast highway drive through Big Sur to LA and you will not regret it and will talk about it long after leaving SF. Stay the night at a small sea side hotel in Cayucos, CA if you can.
- This is good advice.nocomply
- i would say stay in SF for as long as you can. just because it's 7x7 doesn't mean shit. so much to do and see here.lvl_13
- obviously i'm biased :)lvl_13
- seriously it's pretty but boring there: junk shop, coffee shop, head shop, bar, repeat.robotron3k
- you really have to have lived there to know thoughmoldero
- if that's your take on SF, robo, then you aren't doing it right ;) Yes, I lived there for almost a decademonospaced
- Should have been more specific that the "good advice" applied to PCH, Big Sur & sea side hotelsnocomply
- SF in 2 days if you've never been there will be a bit rushed IMO. 3 or 4 day visit would be good.nocomply
- Nathan_Adams0
Thanks guys.
We'd take more time for the drive, but that would start cutting into our time in SF. We arrive in SF from Portland on a Saturday morning, and need to fly out of LAX on the Thursday evening. Don't want to really do any less than 4 days for SF.
Definitely would like to stop one night on the road though, and eat tacos ;)
Given my wife's love of onsen, I'm sure she's love that hot sprint.- It's less than 6 hrs driving without stopping, btw.monospaced
- dude, you aren't going to make it down the 1 in under 6 hours...unless you are a fcuking madman behind the wheel.lvl_13
- There's always the 101monospaced
- Ive done that drive in 6 hours with a trailer.err
- Nathan_Adams0
Thanks all. HWY 1 is definitely the go-er. Is there much benefit of taking HWY straight out of SF past Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, over taking the 101 to Monterey?
What about staying more around Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay area? Just thinking about trying to get at least more than half the drive done on the first day, so that we have a bit more leeway getting into LA (without pushing ourselves getting as far as Santa Barbara). If we get in early, Santa Monica and Venice Beach definitely sound good, and maybe a drive through Hollywood (more to pop into Amoeba though...)
- You could stay up there. It's quiet and quaint. Find something near the ocean. Morro Bay.monospaced
- Not much in Morro Bay (was there last summer), but the area is pretty.arthur
- Pismo Beach is nice too.sea_sea
- kota0
The Pacific Coast Highway is truly amazing. I definitely agree with people saying take the time to do that over SF. As someone who lives here, I can definitely say there's not more than 2 days worth of touristing to do.
That being said, it's going to be a little hairy for you driving though. The highway south of Carmel is all blasted out of the side of the cliffs, windy as hell, and often it's few hundred foot drop to the ocean, with no guardrails. You're gonna want to go slow anyways.
- That does sound a bit hairy indeed? What speed do most do through that section?Nathan_Adams
- 65mphmonospaced
- sounds like some stuff i drove on in Iceland.mg33
- Miguex0
great idea man! do it!
Make santa barbara one of the stops for sure. It's a nice stop to stroll around and check out old people in fancy cars- +1BusterBoy
- Santa Barbaran born and raised here. MUST STOP there. Gorgeous.monospaced
- moldero0
@ mono, ive driven my stock R1 on the 5 from SF to LA hitting peaks of 186mph, and it still took me 6 hours, with all the gas breaks and soar back breaks, haha
- robotron3k0
- Oh, I like that!Nathan_Adams
- Shelby Cobra 500 GTmonospaced
- HAYZ1LLLA0
Really recommend Yosemite if you can make it. Aint too far away!
- It's not between SF and LA thoughmonospaced
- A bit out of our way. Maybe next time.Nathan_Adams
- sea_sea0
okay Nathan, here's what i would do.
leave SF as early as possible the day before.
take the 101 to the 1 toward Monterey Bay.
keep in mind that HWY 1 is mostly one lane with curves (a big part of the way is at least). if you're not comfortable driving, take it slow, but don't go under the speed limit please, people will freak behind you, even then, don't let inpatient california drivers harass you. simply let them pass you on the road, my opinion.the best part of the drive is that it is the most amazing california scenery available. there are places you can pull over on the side of the road to take in the views. Big Sur is one of the most beautiful places in the world, really, it is.
if you make it out early enough, i would stop at Hearst Castle. maybe spend the night in San Simeon or if it's still day time, drive down to Santa Barbara. next day plan on being in LA area around after 9:30am. you do not want to be stuck in morning traffic.
Tacos? depends on what area you're in, so Yelp it.
- BusterBoy0
I did this with my wife (then girlfriend) a few years back...hired a convertible Mustang in SF and took 4 days to do the drive. Spent a couple of days in and around Carmel...being a golfer, it's god's country.
I ended up proposing to my wife on the beach at Carmel.
Would love to do the trip again some day with my kids.
- ghandolf0
I've done this a few times.
You MUST stay here, if you're staying overnight along the way.
Very cool spot...
http://www.deetjens.com/history.…
- moldero0
^
oops, when i said "6 hour drive on hwy5 "
i meant "6 hours using hwy5 over pch"
not 6 hours on 5 itself, its really only 3 1/2 including south of the grapevine.
i drive a V8 truck though at a higher speed, but more gas, more stops, my average is 6 hours when scheduling to avoid traffic.
- monospaced0
@moldero
That's crazy. I've driven it countless times. It's basically 400 miles from SF to LAX, and at 60mph it would only take 6 1/2 hours. Anyway, if Nathan's taking over a day to do this, he can sight see on the way and never have to take the 5 at all. Have fun!- Yeah, 400mi seems easily doable. I've done the 450mi between Adelaide & Melbourne in < 1 day many times.Nathan_Adams
- Llyod0
take highway 1
- arthur0
PCH for sure. Try to stop here for lunch on one of your days: http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/
Also, Hearst Castle if you have the time.
- vaxorcist0
Even in March you may want to rent a convertible, or a car with a big sunroof! Part of that drive along the coast is AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL..... stop randomly and walk around a LOT, I'd add at least 1 extra day....
- cannonball19780
If you take the 5, roll your windows up at Cowschwitz. Stop in at Pea Soup Andersons and get some pea soup. Get a good audio book for the long stretch of the grape vine. If you leave late there aren't many cops on the road. I make the drive a lot and often go in the dark so I can go 115-120 for most of the way (I'm one of the impatient drivers).