Road Trip

North · 03-29-2005, 11:23 AM

Every April the family and I leave the great white north for our annual vacation. We are heading to California for another look around and am wondering what should I be seeing that maybe we would otherwise miss.

We are flying to LA and then are driving (rental mini-van, no 911) from LA to San Diego than back up to San Francisco.

What's worth seeing for gear headed northerners?

Petersen's auto museum is on the list.

What else?

ckissick · 03-29-2005, 11:43 AM

The Blackhwak car museum in Blackhawk (Danville), an hour east of SF. It's incredible.

In SF, you can swing by Cars Dawydiak at Franklin and Bush, to see a few very nice Porsches for sale.

naparsei · 03-29-2005, 12:28 PM

Fantasy Junction in Emeryville, near Berkeley - Schweet. I second Blackhawk - I dropped by in November, amazing stuff, including a 356 prototype, a Ferrari GTO (the real, V12 kind), and lots of others.

I could offer a lot of dining suggestions, if you wish...

North · 03-29-2005, 01:06 PM

Any and all suggestions are welcome! We've done the tourist thing on past visits and will most likely do more this time (Disney etc.) but we're looking for different things to see and do.

RoninLB · 03-29-2005, 01:19 PM

Giant Redwoods, Hurst Castle, "singles" boat cruise out of Marina Del Rey, and SCUBA out of Channel Islands.

look 171 · 03-29-2005, 01:29 PM

When are you coming and what are yor looking for? One thing, bring shorts. You guys still have snow up there tha last I talked to a relative in Calgary. How far up north are you, Edmonton?

Crystal Cove car show. Starts at around 7:30 to about 9ish. No entry fees, just a bunch of local guys that show up and rev motors. Any given weekend, you will get a bunch of Ferraris, P cars and all kinds of muscle cars and vintage stuff. Starbucks open early there. ( Almost as good as, what's that guys name, Tim Hortin up there?) Check out their web site. Across the street is the Pacific Ocean. 10 min drive out of the parking lot, you can have any type of breakfast of your choice. Big mall near by, shop till you drop then, go down to San Diego. Only 1 hour away.

What do you think you like to see? We have lots more to do down here then Calgary and Edmonton. Kids, Mid Evil Times near Disney is fun.

Jeff

silverc4s · silverc4s's Garage

You probably won't want to drive up HWY 1 in the mini van with family, but some points of interest along the way north are: Santa Barbara / San Ysidro area, go inland to Solvang- tourist area, Vandenburg AFB, missle range, USAF Space Command schools, etc. Blackbirds et al there.
Morro Bay, nother great tourist area, then onward to Cambria and the WR Hearst Castle, can spend a day here, then onward to Monterey!! You can fake it from there...;-)

North · 03-29-2005, 04:30 PM

Awesome.

look 171:
Last 3 weeks of April. Yes, shorts. I still have snow but it is melting. We are way north of Edmonton.

Grady Clay · 03-29-2005, 05:40 PM

I posted this for Pelican “fishcop” last fall.

“John,

Just as a “thought experiment” lets say you arrive at LAX mid-morning Friday, September 10, 2004 for a three-week, 4-weekend stay.

Fri. 9-10
You get a rental and find your way to a Ventura hotel by the beach. Sit on the beach and don’t take a nap, you will be xhours ahead of your time. I’m sure there will be some PCA/POC/Pelicans to meet you for supper.

Sat. 9-11
at German, wife off shopping. Meet at pool in the afternoon. Pelicans for supper.

Sun. 9-12
take wife to German and show off all you saw on Sat. Mid day head for zzzzzzz in LA. Check in hotel. Pelican for supper.

Mon. 9-13
tour boat, Queen Mary, museums, LeBrera tar pits, etc. Squeeze in a shop or two. Symphony and late supper.

Tue. 9-14
more of the same in LA. Pelican for supper.

Wed. 9-15
Get up very early and be on the road before 5:00AM headed East. Drive through Palm Springs. Lunch and tour Joshua Tree NP. Spend night in Williams, Arizona about an hour south of Grand Canyon NP airport.

Thu. 9-16
Up early to airport at Grand Canyon NP. First flight over canyon. Late lunch in the lodge. Tour the South Rim. Relax at lodge and nice supper.

Fri. 9-17
Up early and head West and North over Hoover dam to Las Vegas. Check in to a nice hotel/casino on the Strip, visit Porsche shops (spend $ one way or another.) See a show but don’t stay up too late (very tempting.)

Sat. 9-18
Up early and head west to Death Valley. Turn North up US395 via Sequoia NP to Yosemite NP. Stay in the lodge at the falls.

Sun. 9-19
Take an early supervised all day hike in Yosemite. Drive North to Lake Taho. Stay in a nice resort.

Mon. 9-20
Leisurely breakfast. Continue North to Reno for lunch and on to I-80. West on I-80 to SF. Check in and have a nice late supper with Pelicans.

Tue. 9-21
Up early and go North on US101 across the Golden Gate. Breakfast by the bay in Sausalito. Travel NW to Muir Woods NM. Continue NW to Point Reyes NS for late lunch. Return to hotel in SF and supper with Pelicans.

Wed. 9-22

SF in the City
Marina for lunch, China Town supper.

Thu. 9-23
Up early across GG
Wine country
Spend night in a cool B&B

Fri. 9-24
Sears Point kart rental, wine country, over to PCH and drive south to Half Moon Bay.

Sat. 9-25
Breakfast along coast
Sea Lions
Laguna Seca by afternoon.
Dinner in Monterey

Sun. 9-26
Pebble Beach breakfast
Laguna Seca
Dinner in Monterey
Mon. 9-27
Monterey aquarium and to Big Sur.

Tue. 9-28
Monterey – Hurst castle.

Wed 9-29
PCH

Thu. 9-30
PCH, SLO

Fri. 10-1
PCH San Luis O, Willow Springs

Sat. 10-2
Something in LA
Big Pelican party

Sun. 10-3
Something in LA
Turn in car.
Nice dinner Hotel near LAX

Mon. 10-4
Check out. Have brunch with newfound Yank friends and board plane home.

Some important things:

Have back-up photocopies of all your documents. Contact your consular officials and arrange back-up

Start adjusting your sleep patterns a week or so before your trip to minimize “jet lag.” You will be xx hours different (earlier) and you want to be able to safely drive and enjoy your trip. A lot of where you are going (desert) is best early in the day.

Develop an eating pattern and stick to it. You will find lots of new culinary goodies. Sample it and stick to your basics. Traveling with gastronomic distress is no fun.

Keep the alcohol consumption very moderate. Many will offer you drink. Accept club soda or Ginger Ail. Most restaurants have non-alcohol beer. Your trip won’t be very good if in a stupor and hangover.

Bring minimal stuff. Clothes you can wash in your hotel bathroom and will dry overnight.

Cell phone; you will want a US cell that works, best possible, where you will be.

Prescriptions, medical insurance, etc. all in order.

Know what documentation you need to bring stuff back to Australia. Have the forms. Most stores will ship to you UPS, FedEx, etc. if they have all the right paperwork.

If there is necessary business you must attend to (hopefully none), plan the connections. You are on vacation. You can’t (and shouldn’t) run a business from the Grand Canyon.

Bring a digital camera and laptop with internet service so you can share with all the Pelicans.”

Obviously there some issues here that you won’t have to deal with from Edmonton. Give us more detail and you are welcome to join in many Porsche activities. I’ll be in the Bay Area April 7-19.

Best,
Grady

RoninLB · 03-29-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by North

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Take the bride shopping in Carmel. It's a quick ride south of Monterey.

Tell her she's having an early birthday present. afaik it's still loaded with mucho custom goods. It's also a great place to hold hands, window shop, and have a real nice lunch. Sometimes you gotta keep them relaxed and give them something to tell her friends about.

otherwise, the above is a prejudical rant.