What can I expect driving LA to SF?

January 30, 2006 5:48 PM

What can I expect on a mini road-trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco/Palo Alto on a Sunday night? Very detailed insides..

I'm from the UK but have been to LA several times. I've been lured to visit San Francisco (and Palo Alto), however, during my 10 days in LA this mid-March. This makes things extremely tight, but I figure I can drive to SF on a Sunday night (March 19), stay all Monday in SF to do my thing, then come back to LA on Monday night (or Tuesday morning).

I've never left LA any time I've been there, so.. what can I expect? Is a drive up the 5 going to reasonably trouble free on a Sunday evening? Should I book someplace to stay in SF or will it be easy to find a basic, reasonable motel somewhere in the Bay area late on a Sunday night? Basically, I'm a total virgin to this sort of trip in the US, so please.. give me some tips :)

Also, is I-5, 152, then 101 the best way to go? Any route tips also appreciated.. I want the trip to be pretty quick (so no scenic Route 1 possible) but am happy to add an hour on to avoid traffic or see something particularly interesting in either direction. (I also assume you can buy gas on the route in the middle of the night..? Is it dangerous to stop.. etc? - yes, I know I sound like a total European now)

posted by wackybrit to travel & transportation (48 comments total)

I drove from Santa Cruz to LA and back a few times, trying different variations on the route and found 101 -> 46 -> 5 to be best (or vice versa in your case). The 5 gets intolerably boring to the point where you either start dozing off or wind up going way faster than you intended. It also sort of smells (lots of beef farming down towards the Grapevine and the smell stays on the air). The 152 is okay but it's windy and slow while the 46 is pretty flat and straight -- they're both single-lane each way but you have plenty of visibility on the 46 to overtake slower vehicles regularly.

Plus there's a tree on the 46 which has a marker showing where James Dean died and, believe it or not, a sheep farm near the I-5 end -- it was kind of a novelty for me being a NZer over there. The sheep are the same colour as the dirt, though, so they're hard to spot.

The fastest I ever did the trip from LA to Santa Cruz was in about 5 hours, from 9pm till 2am. I averaged 85mph and was pretty much the only one on the road from Bakersfield up. A quick stop in Paso Robles for a mega-large coffee and all good.

The 5 can get busy. It's two lanes each way and there are buttloads of trucks. Mostly they stay in the slow lane but every now and then they'll pull into the fast lane to overtake other trucks and this can cause annoying bottlenecks. By night you can avoid all that. Leave LA with a full tank, fill up again in Paso Robles. There's plenty of gas stations once you get up towards Soledad/Salinas area but there's a lot of open road between LA and PR and again between PR and Salinas.
posted by tracicle at 6:04 PM on January 30, 2006

Leaving LA at 5 is dicey; it depends on where in LA you're coming from. If it's north of the valley, you ought to be fine, otherwise you'd likely be better off waiting until 7 or so, schedule permitting, when the traffic dies down.

The 5/152/101 is your best bet, and should get you to San Francisco in six hours or a bit longer, if you drive 80. There aren't a lot of police officers on the 5, in my experience, but YMMV with regards to speeding. Except for the 152, the 5 and the 101 will have 24 hour gas at least every 10 miles, past the grapevine.

It's not dangerous to stop on the main thoroughfares at night, as there are a lot of truckers driving at night. I've slept in my car on the side of an offramp before, you shouldn't have any trouble.

Room availability depends on the date, other events in the area, and when you get there. In the city, prices might be inflated, but with a bit of research and planning you ought to be able to find something that fits you.
posted by duende at 6:08 PM on January 30, 2006

From some parts of LA, taking 101 directly is a good choice, and it's a much prettier drive than the 5, which is all cows. It might take a bit longer, depending on traffic.

If you do take 5-152-101, be very careful on the 152. It is a speed trap (or was several years ago).
posted by JMOZ at 6:11 PM on January 30, 2006

Well if it makes any difference, I'll be starting from North Hollywood, which is quick onto the 101 or the 5. Thanks for the tips so far..!
posted by wackybrit at 6:27 PM on January 30, 2006

What's the actual speed limit on the 5, by the way? I know it'll be posted at the time, but I'm interested anyway.
posted by wackybrit at 6:27 PM on January 30, 2006

Last time I did the trip (one year ago) traffic was horrible on the 5. People seem to like to go slow in the passing lane. Becareful, like others have stated it's a boring ride and you will easily start speeding.

I want to say the speed limit is 70 mph, but I honestly can't say it is fact.
posted by 6:1 at 6:34 PM on January 30, 2006

Have you considered flying instead? It might be worth researching just to compare costs, especially if you can fly from Burbank to San Jose. If SouthWest flies that route the cost of flight might be comparable to gas + car rental.
posted by Joh at 6:39 PM on January 30, 2006

Oh yeah, don't get discouraged going through Santa Clarita. It's always a bottle neck. Once you are past it you are fine. Speed traps around Gorman and Lebec--under no circumstances should you speed. During this part you are on what is know as "The Grape Vine". Pay attention to signs posted RE: highway grade and when to turn off your a/c to help prevent your car from overheating. Sometimes this pass (you are going through the mountains) closes for various reasons (aka--high winds, wild fires, bad snow storms). I personally find the drive through the Grape Vine fun. You come out of it into the San Joaquin Valley which is extremely flat and dusty. Sometimes, especially this time of year, there are dust storms. Just keep driving. Like someone else said, lots of beef in the area, and cashews and almonds.
posted by 6:1 at 6:44 PM on January 30, 2006

I've done the Santa Cruz to Los Angeles and back trip at night many times. If you want fast, you should take the 5 once you get out of the Los Angeles area. 101 -> 46 -> 5 is probably the easiest drive from Santa Cruz to L.A. but the route is designed to overcome the fact it's a drive to get from Santa Cruz to the 5. You don't have that problem with San Francisco since the 5 connects to the 580 which will bring you into the bay area.

There are rest stops along the highway where you can grab a short nap.

The cheapest gas I remember on the route is between the Grapevine and the 46 junction.

You can run into traffic Sunday nights if you leave L.A. early enough to get in the end of weekend traffic. I don't think it's likely that you will encounter traffic once you're out of Los Angeles but it's possible.

Trucks on 5 are generally good citizens. They go the speed limit and keep to the right if they're not passing. If you find yourself in a knot of traffic, then you should either speed up or slow down to get out of it.
posted by rdr at 6:50 PM on January 30, 2006

Joh: We did consider it initially, but I've got the car rental for LA already, and the SF trip is in the middle so I've got the car (with unlimited mileage) ready to roll. I worked out about $100 in gas. Flights would be about $120 for both us, but then we'd have to rent another car (with under 25 fees) at SF. Having flown 12 hours from the UK, more planes are not too appealing.. :)
posted by wackybrit at 6:51 PM on January 30, 2006

I've made this trip many times, and yes, the 5 is much faster and much more boring than the 101. The 5 will save you at least an hour, probably two. I usually make it from Hollywood to Oakland in about 5 hours. I think the speed limit on 5 is 65 mph most places, but I never go below 85, and I'm not alone.

Do try to avoid the 152 if you can. The only speeding ticket I've had in the last 10 years was on the 152, and I think I was only going maybe 60 mph. And driving through San Jose on the 101 is awful at just about any time of day. I would actually recommend going all the way to 580, 880S, 84 just to avoid those other roads, but I haven't personally tried to get to Palo Alto to know what the time difference might be. It looks pretty direct, and those highways are fast.
posted by team lowkey at 6:52 PM on January 30, 2006

Oh, if you're going to SF first, definitely take 5 up to 580.
posted by team lowkey at 6:54 PM on January 30, 2006

Pretty good advice here from everyone. I'd take I-5 to 152 to 101, based on the time you'll be driving. 152 may indeed be s speed trap, but it's also something of a death trap. Daytime headlight safety section, and whatnot. But it's nice, right as you get close to 101 you pull in through Gilroy, garlic capital of the world. Don't bother stopping, just smell and savor. When you leave SF on Monday to drive south, be very careful about what time you leave the city or you could be in for hours of commuter traffic before you even leave the Bay Area. I'd leave by 3:00 or after 7:30. Also, when traveling between Palo Alto and SF consider using 280 as an alternate route. It can be incredibly pretty, and the traffic is much lighter especially during commute hours (though still not a breeze). Gas is plentiful along I-5, complete with handy signs to the effect of "Last gas for 40 miles." Not hard to plan a half-hour ahead. I'm a fan of the rest stops too as places to stop and chill. The automat coffee sucks -- but I still love it, have a soft spot in my heart.

One last thing: As a European, you will no doubt be driven BATSHITINSANE by people's tendency to drive slowly in the left lane. This is a failing U.S.-wide, but it seems worse on I-5. Have fun!
posted by donpedro at 6:59 PM on January 30, 2006

Oh, if you're going to SF first, definitely take 5 up to 580.

Not bad advice. Depends a lot on the time of day, and personal preference. If you're going to Palo Alto first, my recommendation would be not to take this route.
posted by donpedro at 7:01 PM on January 30, 2006

Oh, if you're going to SF first, definitely take 5 up to 580.

Very useful tip I'm guessing. I think we'll be doing SF first, so this may pay off! We can then do the trip back at a more leisurely pace, even possibly down the 101 during the Tuesday morning..

I'd leave by 3:00 or after 7:30.

Would you suggest we perhaps stay somewhere near San Jose on Monday night then leave for LA, say, 7am? I'm thinking we could then do the 101 the whole way and get a scenic drive where we can actually see stuff. March still seems to be a pretty dark evenings month even in CA.
posted by wackybrit at 7:05 PM on January 30, 2006

Please note that at the LA end of your trip, "the 5" and "the 101" are common usage. Up here at the San Francisco end of things, it's simply "5" and "101".

Anyway, what everyone else has said: 5 to 152 to 101 is probably your best bet. Enjoy your visit to San Francisco!
posted by trip and a half at 7:07 PM on January 30, 2006

Judging from all these comments, it seems like, perhaps, we should consider where we stay on the night we drive up.

We want to do SF in the morning, so perhaps I should ditch my plans to get a cheap motel out of town and 'drive in' in the morning and instead drive RIGHT into SF at the night and find a very central place to stay so we can start quick in the morning? (I'm guessing crossing the Bay Bridge on a Monday morning is no fun, right?)
posted by wackybrit at 7:07 PM on January 30, 2006

Oh, sorry -- that's for Palo Alto first. If you're coming to SF first, take 5 all the way to 580.
posted by trip and a half at 7:10 PM on January 30, 2006

New potential itinerary.. leave North Hollywood at about 3pm Sunday.. hoping to check in somewhere near downtown SF at 10.30pmish, taking the 5 and 580?

Do SF all Monday morning.. go to Palo Alto for late lunch.. cruise around Silicon Valley a bit.. stay somewhere near the 101 just outside of the commuter zone Monday night.. Get up early Tuesday and drive the 101 the whole way back for kicks?
posted by wackybrit at 7:11 PM on January 30, 2006

crossing the Bay Bridge on a Monday morning is no fun, right?

That's fer damn sure.

If you're driving out of the city Monday night, maybe go even as far as Santa Cruz or Monterrey & grab a motel there. Preeettttty.
posted by donpedro at 7:12 PM on January 30, 2006

I do this roadtrip very often since I live in san francisco and my parents live just south of los angeles. (san diego, actually) The last time I did this was a few weeks ago, and in fact was from Hollywood to SF.

So....

1. I always take 5/580. Its fast and boring. Once you get past the curvy grapevine its just straight two-lane driving. I usually drive about 80-90 mph. You'll see that thats about what everyon else is driving too.

2. Total trip time from Hollywood to SF should be about 6 hours. Tons of places to stop for gas along the way. Like one every 30 min or so. Don't worry. Its safe. Tons of other road-trippers and trucks making the trip with you.

3. You can probably find a place to stay when you get here. Try Lombard St. in San Francisco - its packed with motels and its a great, fun part of town.
posted by vacapinta at 7:13 PM on January 30, 2006

Oops. Your itinerary sounds basically doable depending on how fast you drive up there and how often you stop. It'll be a whirlwind, you realize.
posted by donpedro at 7:14 PM on January 30, 2006

I wish you had a bit more time, in which case I'd recommend taking the breathtaking Coast Highway (1) back, and finding a nice inn to stay at overnight.

Also, speaking strictly as a City boy (who rarely drives, so what am I even doing on this thread?), you might find PA/Silicon Valley a bit of a let-down after San Francisco. (Just sayin'. Not trying to attract the hate from peninsula-dwellers.)
posted by trip and a half at 7:17 PM on January 30, 2006

101 is a nice drive because there are some curvy cliff side roads over the ocean. Not so good for a night drive. Your new itinerary sounds right, but there will be terrible traffic monday morning. The further south you can stay, the better. Santa Cruz ain't a bad idea. You can have a fun night there.
posted by team lowkey at 7:22 PM on January 30, 2006

...but there will be terrible traffic monday morning.

Oops. I meant Tuesday.
posted by team lowkey at 7:24 PM on January 30, 2006

In case you decide to stay overnight in SF - When I was there over the holidays, I booked a room I found through kayak.com at Nob Hill Motor Inn (near Pacific and Van Ness) for just under $50. I didn't have my car w/me but I would try to stay there if I ever drove up and got a similar rate - free parking space, clean, and a few steps from major bus lines, walking distance to some interesting spots in SF, etc.
posted by PY at 7:58 PM on January 30, 2006

I have done this trip a few times, most recently about 3 weeks ago. Your itinerary's not realistic. If you leave N Hollywood at 3 PM, you're going to get stuck in rush hour traffic before you get clear of LA. Even if you didn't, I don't think 7 hrs 30 minutes is a reasonable estimate for N. Hollywood to Bay Bridge (which is where the 5->580 route takes you). I think if there were no other cars on the road, you did 85 the whole way and didn't stop for gas, to pee, or for any other reason, it'd be about right. But in practice you can't drive 400 miles without stopping to pee/stretch your legs/gas up at least once.

I also don't like driving on the Central Valley 5 in the dusk/early evening/early night time. The traffic is nonzero, it is DARK - there is NO light other than your headlights and the moon - and a lot of the other people on the road are drunks, rednecks, or both. I find that the best traffic time is between 2 AM and noon; morning people are intrinisically better drivers.

Don't try to take the coast road through Big Sur at night or when you are in a hurry. The road is dangerous and has long stretches where 25 mph is not only posted, but a reasonable speed limit. The first error can lead to a 1000 foot drop onto rocks, which will probably end your trip.

Be safe, allot a bit more time (9 hours seems right, you won't be able to get a meal in but you'll be able to stop to pee twice) and try to get out of L.A. at 2 PM instead of 3.
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:22 PM on January 30, 2006

Also, I think in general this is a bad idea. Your itinerary doesn't allow you enough sleeping time to ensure a safe return trip. I would suggest popping for a pair of plane tickets on Southwest; it won't cost very much more than the car rental plus gas.
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:24 PM on January 30, 2006

Sorry for the serial posts. I would point out that a pair of plane tickets buys you nearly 16 hours of awake, productive time that you are NOT using to drive a car from point A to point B. You'll enjoy your vacation more.

Also, I don't think 80-90 mph is safe or indeed really possible on 5. Although there are yo-yos who set their cruise control on 85, they are driving past people who may be intoxicated, elderly, or do not have roadworthy vehicles. Also, 5 is 2 lanes. I have never been able to do 90 mph on it for more than 1 minute at a time. There's always someone squatting in the left lane, riding tandem with someone in the right, blocking passage until an elaborate protocol of left turn signaling, brights-flashing, and finally honking is negotiated. On my last trip, my M3's trip computer found that 67 mph was the most I could average, no matter how hard I laid on the gas. I was able to do 29 miles per gallon or 18, but I could not do better than average 67 mph.
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:31 PM on January 30, 2006

I've done this drive both directions dozens of times. It's boring as hell, but if you take 5-152-101 you'll make it in around 5 hours if you don't hit traffic. The problem is, Sunday night is prime weekender traffic, especially getting out of LA. It will take you a long-ass time to make it out of the grapevine to the long, straight part of the 5. As many people are saying, you should either leave early in the afternoon or late (after dinnertime) on Sunday to minimize traffic. Traffic getting into the Bay Area should be quite light anytime. Gas is readily available but the rest stops are spread out by 25 miles or so at some points, so don't cut it too close.

Traffic should be minimal on both ends on the way back.

There are plenty of motels off the 101 on the SF peninsula, just keep your eyes peeled.

Also, stop for a burger at the In-n-Out in Kettleman City.
posted by TunnelArmr at 8:31 PM on January 30, 2006

Everyone always tells me to see Hearst Castle on that trip, but they also tell me to set aside the whole day because there's so much to see. Not much use to you but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 8:35 PM on January 30, 2006

You could also take the train; it's about 9-1/2 hours from downtown LA to the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and it's $54.00.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:47 PM on January 30, 2006

If you want to make good time to the Bay Area, take I-5. Should be clear during the night, just make sure you don't fall asleep because it is an absolutely boring drive. Depending on time, you can stop in Tejon, Buttonwillow, and Harris Ranch for gas and stuff.

I recommend you stop somewhere in the Tri-Valley (off 580) for lodging. I live there, and there's plenty of small motels for cheap either in Livermore, Pleasanton, or Dublin. The drive into the city is only another 40 minutes or so, or you can take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Dublin straight into downtown SF for about $5. BART beats sitting in Bay Area traffic too.
posted by beammeup4 at 8:55 PM on January 30, 2006

Maybe you didn't see his updated itinerary, ikkyu2, but he's leaving plenty of sleeping time. He's staying monday night. You also may not have seen that he's under 25. Trips like this are not only possible at that age, but stories to brag about back home.

Yes, there are a lot of slow downs on the 5 for traffic negotiations, but his time table is not unreasonable. I've made this trip maybe 15 times, often down and back in the same weekend. I stop once for gas and peeing, and it takes me about 5 hours. I probably average 75-80 miles an hour. There will be some traffic on both ends, but the middle stretch is pretty smooth sailing. 3 PM isn't too bad time to head out.

I gave up on flying down after realizing it meant I had to plan for an hour to get to the airport, you're supposed to be there 2 hours before the flight, the flight itself is an hour, then you have to get your bags, and probably take another hour car trip on the other end. That's 4-5 hours of travel time, without including managing rental cars or having friends pick you up. Not worth it to me. But I like driving.
posted by team lowkey at 8:55 PM on January 30, 2006

If you're taking your time on the 101 at any stage, and it's around lunchtime, stop by the Madonna Inn on the outskirts of San Lui Obispo. They have a tasty lunch menu and the hotel is amazing.

I drove down to LA for a two-day weekend more than once. Your butt is aching at the end of it, but with company it's a fun trip. Sorry I didn't consider that the 46 would spit you out on the 101 too far south. You would be best with the 580 for SF like most others said.
posted by tracicle at 9:13 PM on January 30, 2006

The train is a great idea but you can't depend on it to arrive at any particular place at any particular time which rules it out for a trip with such a tight schedule.
posted by rdr at 9:13 PM on January 30, 2006

Also, have you thought about going to Catalina?
posted by rdr at 9:18 PM on January 30, 2006

Be safe, allot a bit more time (9 hours seems right, you won't be able to get a meal in but you'll be able to stop to pee twice)...Also, I don't think 80-90 mph is safe or indeed really possible on 5.

Sorry, but I couldnt disagree more on this estimate (and I seem to be inline with most of the other posters in this thread)

I've done this trip every few months and am a reasonably safe driver, and in my crotchety 30's. I always time myself (heck, there's not much else to do) and usually do 7.5 hours from san francisco to my parents house in san diego (an hour to hour and a half south of LA) and yes I do not only stop to pee but also grab a quick meal at one of the fast food places.
posted by vacapinta at 9:26 PM on January 30, 2006

I think the itinerary is fine and I've made this trip about 100 times. N Hollywood to SF will take you 5-6 hours on a Sunday if you go the 5/580/680 route. Easy. And you should absolutely stay in the city- it is a ton of fun even on a Sunday. Go to Haight and visit the Mad Dog in the Fog, or go to North Beach, lots of cheap hotels although you will get a better price if you book ahead. The Flying Tortoise Hostel in North Beach is a fine option if you are alone and one only available to those from out of state or abroad.

The tricky part is the next day SF to Palo Alto is an hour and there is the question of why go to Silicon Valley at all? It is pretty dull. Once rush hour is past you can make it to Monterey easily and I recommend that for your second night. You will be amazed at how quick you get out of SF going south on the 101. Going back to LA on the 101 is a good 7-8 hours, probably 6 from Palo Alto.

Only caveat- if it's raining make sure there aren't any slides on 101 before heading south. It is no fun getting stuck in San Mateo!
posted by fshgrl at 9:37 PM on January 30, 2006

I agree with everyone else about 5/580 coming up, but if you're coming down through San Jose you might as well take 101/152 back out to 5.

Among other things, there is the already mentioned scent of Gilroy to experience, and 152 also hosts one of the great tourist traps of Northern California, the Casa De Fruta (known locally as the Casa de Capitalism). My British friends seem to get an extra kick out of it -- I suspect it's an "only in America" kind of thing -- and you might as well.

What do you have planned in the Silicon Valley? As a resident I have to say: It's a nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit here.
posted by tkolar at 10:48 PM on January 30, 2006

I second stopping to look around at the Madonna Inn. We stopped, my boyfriend made sure the mens room was clear and had me come in to see it!
posted by 6:1 at 2:56 AM on January 31, 2006

can't resist chiming in on this...

5 north to 580 is the way to go. like vacapinta, i live in SF and often drive to san diego to see family and friends. oh, and i'm a travel agent, for whatever that's worth. so that makes this professional advice, heh.

sunday nights can get busy on the 5. i'd recommend leaving earlier - before 2pm. i always managed 75-90mph per hour (driving a bit aggressively). check the driving conditions before setting out - there can be delays and shut-downs on the grapevine and really dense, heavy fogs near bakersfield.

you really only need to make 2 or 3 short stops, 5 ain't for sight-seeing. make sure you have a good tank of fuel before passing kettleman city because it's a hella long, bleak stretch of road before the next gas station, especially if you are driving at night.

team lowkey is right about flying - check-in, delays, baggage, transport can all add up to a lot longer time than it's worth. stick with driving since you already have the car.

i do not recommend the train. i have taken the train... and it was brutal. getting 1st class, comfortable cabins costs more than flying. the cheap seats are like being on a crowded plane - except instead of being trapped in cramped quarters with people you don't know for an hour, it's 9 hours - if you are lucky. it can take up to 14 hrs, since you have to bus from oakland to SF.

on my trip, the train was 2 hours late and then we had to wait an hour for the buses to return on reschedule. also, during the train trip, they ran out of food and toilet paper. not pretty.

vacapinta is also right about hotels on lombard. they will be cheap and offer best chances for vacancy. i recommend the marina motel , on lombard at divisadero. you can even walk to the golden gate bridge from there (along chrissy field).

or, if you'd like a rock'n'roll experience, try the phoenix, even though it's on the border of the tenderloin, the area is not really dangerous. it's very central, on major buslines, near the civic center. also, very close to a great old steam-table restaurant, tommy's joynt. it looks touristy but it's actually a fabulous, authentic, unpretentious, cheap and hearty eatery.

for your return drive, fshgrl is totally right on about taking 101 south. we're heading into the rainy time of year so there is the possibility of mudslide, but if the road is clear, give yourself a little extra time and enjoy the drive. there's a lot of cool places to stop along the way.

tkolar's casa de frutta suggestion is good (esp.cool are the odd dinosaur sculptures) and tracicle's madonna inn recommendation is even better. fantastically baroque funkiness.

i wish you safe and happy travel!
posted by lapolla at 3:34 AM on January 31, 2006

Thanks for all of these great answers. I'd usually mark best answers, but there are too many.

After a night's sleep, I am again reconsidering it all. I'm not sure breaking down in the middle of the desert is going to be my idea of fun, and there's always that risk. I'm put off flying due to that whole pile of hours spent milling around, and then the hassle of sorting out another car, but it's still a possibility I guess if I can find flights at the right times..
posted by wackybrit at 9:50 AM on January 31, 2006

Just a note: The Madonna Inn is baroque with a lower-case b. Please don't expect Baroque if you go!
posted by occhiblu at 9:52 AM on January 31, 2006

The part that keeps sticking with me is how long you are driving to do what essentially becomes a morning in SF. You are going to get up have breakfast and head to Palo Alto then back to LA. Seems more trouble that its worth.

Enjoy LA and the time you'll have there - plan a separate trip to SF some other time. Encourage your friend in Palo Alto to head down to LA and see you guys there. Other than friends you may have there - Palo Alto is just not worth 13-14 hours or driving. There is nothing to see on your time line in Silicon Valley other than suburban sprawl and some office towers.

That said - if you do decide to proceed - I second Vacapinta. Any of the "motor lodges" on Lombard will be more than adequate for a nights stay. Eat breakfast on Chestnut or Union streets, walk down to Crissy Field and at least see the Golden Gate bridge and if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare - check out the outside of the palace of fine arts.
posted by Wolfie at 10:15 AM on January 31, 2006

The reason I'm going to SF is because I'm involved in the whole "Web 2.0" thing and I need to see if a) my girlfriend thinks she could pick up sticks and move there (or to Silicon Valley), and b) to meet some people in the industry. That's the reason why I need to go to what seems a boring place on the surface ;-)

We are now considering flying as a serious option. Only seems to be an hour, and I found some good car rental options. Supposedly we can do Long Beach to Oakland, flying early morning, fly back late at night.. it'll be a long day, but works out as cheap as driving and staying two nights.. (our accommodations in LA are effectively free)
posted by wackybrit at 11:09 AM on January 31, 2006

Erm... if you do choose to fly, just remember that that "only an hour" flight is at least 4 hours, all things considered. And, I don't know about you, but flying is exhausting for me. I don't think I would enjoy my few hours in the bay area if I started the day getting up early and getting on a plane. That might color your girlfriend's opinion of the place if you're trying to convince her to move. The one full day and two nights was already pushing it. Up and back in the same day really isn't worth it. If you fly, at least fly in the night before and get a fresh start on the day. You can find a cheap motel.
posted by team lowkey at 11:32 AM on January 31, 2006

You may want to consider flying out of Burbank and into Oakland (SW Airlines www.iflyswa.com ) since you say you'll be in the Northern part of LA.
posted by 6:1 at 5:31 PM on January 31, 2006