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going to cali to visit girlfriend...need some driving advice


Sparky

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well,

 

My GF just moved to monterray. But, I have already made plans to visit her in august. Shes only seen LA and southern cali, so I figured while I was there I would show her around north/central cali. we plan on seeing yosemite, San fran, and tahoe. leaving from monterray around the 15th and heading back around the 19th/20th.

 

I really have no Idea how long its going to take us, or even if we will see it all. But what I need, is some info from the locals as to where the best driving roads are, as well as some general "cheap" hotels/or B&Bs are.

 

the only place I really want a cool/cheap place to stay is in downtown frisco. all the other places we can manage best westerns and such.

 

im looking over my atlas right now.....

 

anyhelp or info would be sweet! thanks!

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Guest greimann

Highway 1 between Cambria and Monterey is recognized as one of the most scenic routes in the U.S.

 

Be sure to include Sequoia National Park. If you can't do both Yosemite and Sequoia, pick Sequoia. 40 ft diameter trees must be seen to be believed. :shock:

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I thought about adding Sequoia National Park to the to-do list. Ive been all over cali. from top to bottom,but she hasnt. Its just a matter of finding what I think we might enjoy the most together, as well as being able to mash it into my tight budget.

 

grrr....the gov'ment should pay for my vacation. its not like I take them all the time.

 

from what i can tell. It looks as though i can count on 1000 miles at the most for a round trip. Thats really not to bad. considering it takes 600 something just to get out of texas and into new mexico.

 

five days at 200 miles a day doesnt really make for a relaxing vacation.

 

argh.....what to cut out.

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Don't rule out KOA camping cabins they are clean, quiet, cheap. Just bring sheets and blankets. When I travel to SF from Watsonville I would make it a day trip. If you need to overnite it I would reccomend stay in surrounding area; cheaper as compaired to Downtown SF.

Traveling up Hwy 1 if she hasen't seen Hearst castle its worth it. Although sounds like you will be taking off from Monterey (don't backtrack). Remember Hwy 1 is winding and after about 90 miles (San Simeon to Carmel) she may be real tired or carsick like my wife when I take her. Take it from experience don't try to see everything! Heck North or Monterey (Santa Cruz, Eureka Canyon rd. into the mountains, Half Moon Bay, etc.).

Yea I know TX traveling. Since I live in OK just remember choose your times entering and exiting places like SF don't travel 7am-9am or 3:30 to 7Pm (weekends preferrable). Or you will experience another Houston or Dallas/Ft. Worth at rush hour!!!

Len

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Monterey Historics are awesome (right around 19-20th of august). Last year I camped on turn 6, could see the track from the picnic table.

 

Theres also a really impressive aquarium there, considered to be one of the better ones in the world.

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If you manage to stay outside of Frisco, you may want to check out my town, Pleasant Hill. We have two brand new hotels right off the freeway, and we are less than 30 miles east of S.F. If you get a chance, I've heard Fish Ranch Road at night (use this road instead of the Caldecott tunnel into Oakland) is extremely beautiful. Anyways, just a thought.

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I moved to the Bay Area from San Antonio and have never looked back. There are alot of nice places to visit when you come, but I would goto Yosemite. The water falls in Yosemite are flowing alot of water right now. Monterray is a very nice place to stay and visit sites close by.

 

Good luck

 

Mike

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Monterey Historics are awesome (right around 19-20th of august). Last year I camped on turn 6, could see the track from the picnic table

 

WHAAAA :shock:

 

the historics just happen to be right when im visiting?...NAAAAAAA..

 

boy I hope this girl really loves me like she says she does.

 

mas28O:

 

Yeah, If I could afford it I would really conisdering making the bay area my home. I used to visit for a couple weeks every year. But even if i could move there, here in san antonio, we get away with alot more stuff than you californians do 8) but, at a cost of many 100+ degree days.

in the end though, Im sick of TX, and calis a nice place to VISIT. but im making my way to Canada (girlfriends canadian) only problem is that she wants to move to hong kong!

 

bah, anywho,

 

Ive been searching for rooms and actually found one for 79$ a night at the grant hotel, built in 1920's, and at the gateway to chinatown...blocks from union square, north beach etc. doenst sound so bad does it? Ive got to consider that we wont be spending to much time in the hotel room, ive got alot of stuff to show her in SF. thanks for the advice guys,

 

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Oh yah, if you get a chance I'd take a trip by the new ball park in Frisco. Maybe, if you time it right, you'll see a game. There's an area that you can watch the game from outside the park. You probably know all this stuff, but just thought I'd make sure.

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i would take a cable car ride, from start to the end of the line, and just enjoy the view. if you can get into a game at 3com that would be cool, but the only cheap seats are in the nosebleeds, and thats where all the people who snuck in all the weed and hard liquor hangout. if you end up shopping on powel street and the union square area, you should try TADs steakhouse, great 10 dollar steak plate.

there isnt a lot of cheap places in sf, period. hotels do have more rooms available than not. there is cheaper places, but the neighborhood might have you kinda freaked out.

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  • 3 weeks later...

LEN:

"if you can get into a game at 3com that would be cool, but the only cheap seats are in the nosebleeds, and thats where all the people who snuck in all the weed and hard liquor hangout."

 

Heh, always thinking about the finer things in life, neh?

 

I grew up here in the SF bay area... this is where the money is at... it's too bad you need to be making A LOT of money to even afford to live here.

 

And there are way too many people...

Northern cali is much nicer IMO.

 

I bet i will like california much more once i move to Wyoming. :roll:

 

Have fun man,

Joe

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woo-woo!

 

just 39 more days and I will be in monterey.

 

Looks like we are going to the historics on sunday, the leaving monterey tuesday morning and heading for frisco. probably hang around there until thurdsday..then drive down to the yosemite area.

 

cant wait for this trip! work is killing me and totally stressing me out...its time for a vacation! its just too bad i cant be driving my Z around cali..o-well...maybe I will end up moving there anyway.

 

thanks for all the advice everyone!

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Well if you happen to be in Monterrey on Sept. 12-14 you're in for a pleasant surprise. The Cherries Jubilee ( hot rod and custom ) Car Show is going on that weekend. It's a pretty sweet event unlike anyother I've ever been to. My gf and I stumbled upon it last year on a weekend get-away to Monterrey.

 

It wasn't like your typical Good Guy's event or Honduh hang out. Just rows and rows of sweet rods ( i even saw a few Zs there :shock: ) lined up from Monterrey to Pacific Grove. Everybody was really cool and they have a Big Fat ( mature crowd ) cruise around town. If you or anyone on this site is in the area that weekend I highly recommend checking it out!

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