Driving from SF to LA
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- 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
- 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
- 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
- monospaced0
Great idea; done this many times. The weather is great in March. As long as you don't drive through SF/LA during rush hours, you should have relatively smooth sailing. As long as you stay along the ocean you can't get lost and you'll always find places to stop.
The drive can be made in a single day, no problem, so if you extend it you might want to stay either somewhere small on the Central Coast, or grab a hotel in LA when you arrive.
Eat tacos.
- wordsarepictures0
It's beautiful but why not take 3 days and stop off at a couple of places on the way? The Big Sur is possibly the most glorious stretch of road I've ever driven and there are some great log cabins and places to stay. This place is private but opens to the 'public' at midnight (there's no public around there) and you can enjoy a 1am natural spring hot tub built into the cliff face 200ft above the Pacific ocean: http://www.esalen.org
- 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
- monospaced0
Eat tacos at La Super Rica in Santa Barbara.
- Llyod0
take highway 1
- formed0
The drive is far prettier than SF. Just my opinion, but I'd spend most of the time taking in the scenery along the coast vs. SF (just another city).
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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.…
- 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
- 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.
- 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....
- 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
- robotron3k0
- Oh, I like that!Nathan_Adams
- Shelby Cobra 500 GTmonospaced
- 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.