Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with California and roadtrip

music for a west coast road trip?

idlethink — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:13:51 -0800

I'm driving from LA to SFO with a dear friend of mine. We're going to take two nights in LA, two nights in Big Sur and one night around SF. Please recommend music for our trip! Details after the jump. I will have Spotify Premium, and would love music recommendations in the following badly/unconventionally-defined genres:

(A) music which bursts with happiness and makes you want to throw your head out of the window into the Californian sunshine.
(B) music for languorous evenings and nights under the stars - slow beats, a sense of wide openness, calm and soulful melodies.
(C) funky intricate music which requires some amount of active listening - great lyrics, rocky tunes, to occupy boring stretches of road. in general: good driving songs.

Things I like (but really, I have very eclectic tastes, so don't let these guide you necessarily): Apples in Stereo, Owl City, Album Leaf, Olafur Arnalds, Fleet Foxes, Broken Social Scene, the Shins, Wilco, Mountain Goats, Seedy Seeds, Okkervil River, Death Cab for Cutie, etc...

If you could indicate which category your recommendation falls under, that would be great! Thanks so much in advance!

Interesting destinations between LA and San Fran??

andreapandrea — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 06:33:15 -0800

What exciting things should we do/eat/see/visit on our road trip from San Francisco to LA in early january? We're a couple in their late 20s - early 30s and we're taking about a week to drive from san fran to LA, in a meandering fashion. We like good food for cheap, good music, and weird tourist attractions, such as the Integratron.

We don't have to drive in a straight line; we want to see things but we don't know much of what's around. There are a ton of suggestions on here for LA things-to-see, but we want to extend the drive rather than getting to the city early.

Besides ideas inspired by this post, do you have any suggestions for a delightful and meandering trip?

Also, if you know of any interesting and cheap places to stay (should we camp in January??) please lay it on us.

Thank you kindly!

How to see America in July?

BusyBusyBusy — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:45:23 -0800

My friend who has never been to the US has four weeks for an epic road trip/vacation. The catch: it's in July. What are the must see sights that won't induce heatstroke? Mefites! Inspired by Stephen Fry in America on BBC, my good friend and I want to take the great American road trip. She can take a week off in July 2013. She's never been to the US before and wants "to see it all." I'm from the Midwest, but there's so much to see I don't know where we should begin.

Things she definitely wants to see: NYC, Las Vegas.

She's also very interested in things like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, but heat is a concern. She's from India, so it's not like she can't stand high temperatures, but we also don't want to be miserable (for instance, I think New Orleans is amazing but would be insufferable in July. If you think otherwise, let me know).

Some ideas we have tossed around are the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, the great smoky mountains, Florida Keys, and Washington DC. Are there other gems (hidden or otherwise) that we haven't thought of?

Assume we have an unlimited budget. Any routes or online resources are appreciated. Thanks!

Planning a road trip from Reno to Vegas in June. Will Death Valley be too hot to check out?

(lambda (x) x) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:04:39 -0800

Planning a road trip from Reno to Vegas in June. Will Death Valley be too hot to check out? Also, your favorite places along the way? My girlfriend and I are planning to take a seven to ten day long road trip through the Sierra Nevada region in late June. We're flying into Reno and out of Vegas, but don't intend to spend much time in either of those two cities.

The plan so far focuses mostly on things on either side of Route 395, and includes:

- Virginia City
- Bodie and Mono Lake
- A day or two in Yosemite. I have not yet detailed our plans there.
- Horseback riding and Devils Postpile in Mammoth Lakes
- Bishop (primarily for Erick Schat's Bakery)
- Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
- Stopping at hot springs along the way: Travertine, Buckeye, etc

Then, we figured we'd cut across Death Valley, making a stop in Rhyolite on the way to Vegas. This is as far as I've gotten in planning and where my question comes in. We decided on late June because from what I read, many things in the mountains do not clear up until that point.

So, my question is: Once we get out of the mountains, will we be able to spend time in Death Valley, or will it be unbearably hot by that point?

Additionally, I would be thrilled to hear any other points of interest around these parts that you've enjoyed. I've already gone through many AskMe questions and answers to come up with what I have so far. Details: We're from PA, late 20s, we like photographing natural (and unnatural) beauty, ghost towns, going on moderate day hikes, and finding good food and coffee.

Thanks much!

Roadtrip advice needed: Portland and other areas!

drjimmy11 — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:35:17 -0800

Roadtrip advice needed: Portland and other areas! So I'm taking a roadtrip that basically goes a bit like this:

L.A. -> SLC -> Glacier Nat'l Park -> Portland -> SF -> L.A.

map

I'll be camping/hiking for three days in Glacier (thanks to a comment by notsnot in a previous Ask), but other than that I'll be driving most of the time.

I do have a day off in Portland, and I've never been there before. I'm wondering where I should stay (neighborhood or specific hotel) and what I should see? To make it easy let's say I like "hipster" stuff (bands, art, books, anything offbeat), musuem-y stuff, and nature stuff.

I'm also wondering about how easy it will be to find hotels on much of my route. In the past I've driven up and down the West coast on the 5, and you can pretty much drive til you're tired, exit the freeway and find a motel.

Will finding a motel outside a city be a problem in say, Idaho? I'm planning to visit the Craters of the Moon monument and then head towards Idaho Falls, but I'd like to know if I could find a roadside motel if I couldn't make it that far... and just get a general feel for motel availability in these more isolated areas.

Also, anything else cool or unique along this route, feel free to throw it at me- thanks!!

Northern California and Oregon Coast road trip questions

sinical — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 07:41:14 -0800

Northern California and Oregon Coast road trip questions: specifically a place to stay on the coast within 2 hours North of San Francisco, advice on Sonoma and where to camp on South and Central Oregon Coast! I'm doing another Northern California road trip during the first week of September. A friend and I (we are 30ish, girl and a guy) will be camping a few nights in the Redwoods and the Lost Coast, spending a night in San Francisco, a night in Sonoma, and then up the Oregon Coast, a night in Portland and then back home.

Looking for assistance with a few things:

- place to stay on the coast, North of San Francisco. Ideally this would be within about 2 hours of SF, with ocean view. Seems like something in the Bodega Bay area might make sense? Willing to pay in the $250/night range. Don't mind a hotel but wouldn't mind a vacation rental, but it's only for one (weekday) night.
- advice on Sonoma. We're looking at Sonoma as an alternative to Napa which seems like wine Disneyland. Specific wineries to visit? Low key tours without a massive coach bus and 60 other people? Neither of us is particularly knowledgeable about wine, and are looking more to enjoy the general experience.Also a place to stay, again in the up to $250/night (but hopefully lower) range? Mid to high end interesting place for dinner?
- Camping on the Oregon Coast? This will be my third trip to the Coast and while I've camped before I've never been awed by the campgrounds. Likely planning one night in the vicinity of Brookings and another around Lincoln City/Tillamook. Would like to be close to or on the water but would sacrifice that for an alternate neat location.

Bonus tips on San Francisco or Portland also welcome.

Help me plan my short Grand Canyon Roadtrip

yasaman — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:18:32 -0800

Metafilter, I need a road trip reality check and suggestions. I'm going on a short road trip to the Grand Canyon from June 28-June 30, departing from Riverside County in Southern California. I think I'm set on my plan for my trip to the Grand Canyon, but I'm looking for suggestions for the trip back. I was thinking of taking the long scenic route back from the Grand Canyon and making a quick stop in Sedona. If we leave early-ish Saturday morning, is this doable while still getting back to Riverside County at a reasonable hour, say 9 PM at the latest? Is it even worth it to just spend a couple of hours in Sedona? Also, how difficult/twisty is the drive to Sedona from the Grand Canyon? Any alternative suggestions for a return trip itinerary are welcome. I'm traveling with two other people, and our only limitations are the aforementioned time limit of getting back Saturday night (sadly non-negotiable as one of my road trip buddies has to work Sunday morning), and nothing too expensive. Also, much as I'd like to go, I'm pretty sure visiting Jerome too would take too much time, and it looks to be a rather more difficult drive than I'm willing to attempt.

And in case anyone has any suggestions for our trip there, my current plan is to leave Riverside at about 7 AM Thursday morning, take the 15 to I-40, then take Route 66 when it splits off from I-40 at Kingman, and then continue on I-40 until it gets to AZ-64 to the Grand Canyon to arrive at our hotel in Tusayan in the early evening. We plan to stop at whatever sights catch our fancy on the way, but if anyone has any specific suggestions for anything weird and worth it on that route, I'd love to hear them. This is the first road trip I'm taking where I'm at the wheel, and the last time I went to the Grand Canyon was when I was 7 years old, so I want a reality check to make sure I'm not vastly underestimating actual travel times or setting unreasonable expectations. Thanks!

Mythical and mysterious places of the Bay Area (and CA)?

-harlequin- — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:33:19 -0800

San Francisco Bay Area (and CA) - can you think of any mysterious, or interesting or secret places? Legends/myths? Strange rewards for a bit of driving, or walking, or an Expedition^TM of Discovery, etc? Difficulty: not looking for woo, or establishments of commerce, no-matter how good hole-in-the-wall-food may be :) Examples inside... Along similar lines to this question - James Cameron's Abyss abandoned in an unfinished nuclear reactor in SC, The unsolved mystery of the missing $200K - and D.B. Cooper - in WA / OR, the NM parking lot where Atari buried the ET cartridges, the caves (and underground lake?) that intersect the tunnels of Boston, Mesa Verde in CO, the ongoing burning town in PA that inspired Silent Hill, giant meteor craters, or hidden waterfalls&swimming holes, or ruins of old atomic-age secret constructions, or... hell, even rumours of buried treasure. Actually, definitely any rumours of buried treasure! :)

What does CA have (or might have... or some people say CA might have) that's out of the ordinary? Even if not safe or legal, but quite interesting, that's something.

I'm aware that in the last few years the Abyss thing was removed and the unsolved mystery solved, etc, but these still make great examples :-)

Should I take California or Utah to get to Texas?

mokin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 04:11:56 -0800

Oregon to Texas Roadtrip: which is the better route, down through California/AZ/NM or through Utah/NM? My wife and I are moving from Portand, OR to Central Texas. We're planning on driving down the second week of April.

Google Maps suggests going through Utah and New Mexico. This route is a little faster and shorter, but more complicated.

AAA TripTik suggests going through California. This route is a little bit longer, but it seems to be easier. Instead of taking many smaller highways with lots of exchanges and exits, you basically take I-5 S and I-10 E for much of the trip.

Other factors:
* The Utah/NM route goes through Roswell, which appeals to me.

* AAA TripTik says there's a road advisory for the entire state of Arizona because "traffic laws are being enforced to an unusually strict degree by local and/or state law enforcement." This advisory is dated from "Feb 2009 to 'until further notice,'" so I don't know how accurate that information is.

* My wife and I are taking this trip with our 4 year old son and three cats in a Honda Fit loaded with luggage and possessions. We're not planning on doing a lot of sightseeing.

Does anyone have any experience driving either of these routes, or something similar to them? Is it worth the extra time/distance to drive through California?

Things to see in California?

StephenF — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:58:45 -0800

Places not to miss roughly between San Francisco and Vegas? I'm going on a road trip with my girlfriend for 10 days from San Francisco to Las Vegas, picking a rental car up in the former and dropping it in the latter. Our rough plan is that on the way we will see the big trees at Big Basin, visit Yosemite, then on to Vegas, spend a day or two there and then visit some friends in St George, UT.

But the itinerary is flexible - are there any hidden gems or even big attractions we should try and see on that route? We are pretty easy on the wine tour suggestion but if one was amazing, we would fit it in. Mostly we're into cultural/historical things and the great outdoors rather than bangin' nightlife, and I assume we'll get enough of the last in Vegas regardless.

Other AskMes on CA roadtrip seem to cover north rather than east, btu forgive me if I've missed one. Thanks MeFites!

What should I see on my roadtrip?

efalk — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:43:07 -0800

What should I stop and see while traveling between Ashland and Las Vegas via I-5, Hwy 89, Hwy 44, Susanville, CA and Reno, NV? Starting a road trip today! First stop is Ashland, OR, leaving there probably Wednesday and continuing on to Phoenix, AZ. The route once I get off I-5 at Mt. Shasta is a new one to me. I have never been east of I-5 in northern California, nor to Reno, where I will most likely stay for a night or two.

Traveling on through Las Vegas, I have driven the portion from Vegas to Phoenix many times before, so mainly I'm asking for cool diversions, roadside attractions, things to take pics of I might otherwise miss, bars/restaurants, anything and everything.

Time I have plenty of, budget not so much, so price is unfortunately a factor.

Thanks in advance, I need to finish packing!

Finding Web Nerds in Northern California and Oregon?

polexa — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:00:46 -0800

I'd like to explore the local web/tech nerd and geek scene in small cities and towns between San Francisco and Portland. How and where do I find the right folks? We're embarking on a roadtrip of sorts, driving north on I-5 from San Francisco to Portland. Along the way, we're stopping in a bunch of small cities and towns, trying to get a sense for what kinds of geek communities spring up in smaller cities and towns.

California
Roseville
Woodland
Chico
Redding

Oregon
Medford
Eugene
Corvallis
Salem
Portland

In a big city, I'd usually hunt around for coffee shops, coworking spaces, internet cafes, specialty bookstores, and various nerd-adjacent events.

Outside of Portland, Meetup.com doesn't seem to have a ton of activity. Suggestions on other sites to look? Insider tips? Your favorite wifi cafe in Chico?

Help us fill in the blanks on our road trip from Seattle to San Francisco

desjardins — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:28:13 -0800

West Coast Road Trip! Mr. desjardins and I are flying into Seattle in early September, renting a car and driving to San Francisco. What do we do in between? We want places to stay and things to do. Amazing scenery is a priority. We want to car camp most of the way and do some light hiking. We'd like to see the ocean AND the mountains and take lots of pictures. Recommendation for a kayak rental place would be great, too. mr. desjardins is very outdoorsy and can handle the backwoods. It's just me and him, no kids or pets.

I'd like to get a sense of Seattle and Portland, but we're not terribly interested in spending lots of time in cities; I've seen SF a bunch of times and done all the touristy things. I have never been to Washington or Oregon and the mr. has only been to Yakima. We've driven up Hwy 1 from SF to Fort Ross so we know what we're getting into as far as driving on the coast. What's the weather like that time of year? Bugs?

Here's our very loose itinerary. The only thing we've already booked is the airfare, so we're flexible on everything else:

Friday, September 2 - fly into SeaTac late at night, stay at hotel near airport
Saturday - pick up rental car, then spend the day in Seattle (doing what?). Camp somewhere in the general area?
Sunday - Might visit friends in Bremerton, drive to ??, camp
Monday (Labor Day) - camp somewhere??, drive to Portland?
Tuesday - Spend day in Portland (doing what?)
Wednesday - Leave Portland, drive to ??, camp
Thursday - camp ??
Friday - ??, drive to SF, stay in or near San Francisco
Saturday, September 10 - drop off rental car, fly back from San Francisco (SFO)

Help me make the most of my Northern California trip.

breakin' the law — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:24:18 -0800

What to do on my Northern California road trip? I will be in San Francisco for work in the middle of July, and thereafter will be setting off, alone, for a relaxing four-day trip through Northern California. I've read a number of threads on this, and inspired by this one, have decided on this itinerary:

Leaving SF early-afternoon on a Friday (that's when I'll pick up my rental car) drive up 101 to 128 to 1, checking out some of the Anderson Valley vineyards and the brewery. Saturday, take 1 and 101 to Eureka, taking in Avenue of the Giants and maybe stopping somewhere for a hike. Sunday, hang out in Eureka/Arcata, check out the towns and the surrounding coast. Monday, cut across to Redding on 299, stopping somewhere along the way. Tuesday. take I-5 and I-80 back to the Bay Area, also with some stops. Stay at a motel near SFO Tuesday night, fly home Wednesday.

I've gotten some solid ideas from other threads, like Anderson Valley and Lost Coast (if I can get there, it sounds awesome!), but I do have some questions that are specific to my situation:

1) I'm on something of a budget, and I'm not too picky with accommodation, so I'm planning to mostly stay in Motel 6s and the like (I realize this isn't possible in Fort Bragg, but I'll deal). However, if there are any cooler places to stay that are comparable in price, I'd be open to that.

2) Nature! I want to spend some time in nature. Can you suggest any cool hikes, nature walks, scenic drives, or just places to stop and gawk for awhile? I've done some hiking, but I'm not ready to climb mountains or anything.

3) Other cool stuff: I'm particularly interested in local food and/or drink, and cool architecture. But I'd also be happy to check out local events, or bits of roadside kitsch, or whatever you got.

4) I like traveling alone and I'm comfortable being by myself for extended periods. However, as it may be nice to engage with people at some point, are there any good places to meet people along this route? Bear in mind, I am sociable, but very much not the walk-up-to-a-stranger-in-a-bar type.

5) Practical advice. Will I hit crazy traffic leaving SF at, say, 1 or 2 in the afternoon on a summer Friday? Will Hwy 1 be shrouded in fog the whole day? Anything else you think I need to know would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Weather along the west coast in March?

sharding — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:50:41 -0800

In late March, I'm going to drive from Seattle to Los Angeles via 101 and 1 (hugging the coast as closely as I can while staying on highways). Are there any spots along that route which have the potential for bad weather? I'm talking about freak snowstorms and the like, not just rain. I've looked at the terrain maps on Google maps, but it's pretty hard to get a sense of what the actual altitudes are through the entire route, and altitude isn't the only factor anyway.

I've driven various parts of the route over the years, but not the whole way (I've always used I-5).

How long does it take to drive from Monterey to Hearst Castle, along Highway 1?

CancerMan — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:30:02 -0800

My family and I will be taking a road trip along California's Highway 1 from Monterey to Solvang in mid-September. We want to stop for a tour of Hearst Castle along the way. What time should we leave Monterey, and by extension, which tour timeslot should we schedule? Part of our California experience is the drive along the coast, so we cannot deviate from the planned route. We're advised to reserve our Hearst Castle tour in advance, so I need to know which of the timeslots to purchase, and what time we ought to leave Monterey in order to make that tour.

Our drive will take place on a Tuesday in mid-September. Routing via Google maps indicates that the trip will take 2 hours and 10 minutes from Monterey to Hearst Castle, but that's if I drive at 50 mph non-stop. Does anyone know what the speed limit is along CA-1, or the traffic conditions along that stretch of road?

One thing I also haven't considered is if there are scenic "must see" stops along the route, which would undoubtedly cut into the commute. If anybody knows of particular areas that could delay us, I would greatly appreciate the heads-up!

Central CA Adventure

ijoyner — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:17:10 -0800

What are some awesome stops along the way from LA to SF for a weekend road trip? I'm going to be in California in less than a week and am looking for cool places to stop between LA & SF. In particular I'm looking for big Redwood trees and awesome natural views to photograph. I'm also interested in the urban exploration/abandoned rural decay side of things too.

I'm leaning towards Big Sur, and I found a few interesting places, but it looks like mudslides and wild fires have caused some problems with the places being open to the public. Does anyone have insight into sure things?

Bonus: I'm also looking for a place to stay overnight around that area for less than $75-100.

Cheap driving trip from LA?

ValkoSipuliSuola — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:03:00 -0800

Where can I go in SoCal for a 3 day weekend? My husband has next Monday off and we would like to take a driving trip somewhere. We live in LA and would like to see some nature - at least what hasn't caught fire yet. A 3-4 hour drive would be ideal, maybe longer.

We don't have any camping equipment, but could conceivably purchase some. The biggest problem is we have a Miata, which has a very small trunk. I'm not sure we could fit a tent and cooler in there even if we wanted to. On the plus side, the car is a hoot and a half to drive, hence the desire to drive somewhere. We also need to do it on the cheap. Any suggestions?

We've looked at Big Sur and Yosemite, but everything's booked.

Road trip through Western US

donajo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:22:01 -0800

What is there to see on I-80 in the Western US? In a few weeks, I will be on a road trip from San Francisco to Kansas City, helping my sister move her worldly belongings in a minivan to her new home city. There will be three of us going, and we figure that it's about a three day trip along I-80. This isn't a vacation, but none of us has been to this part of the country before and we'd like to find interesting things to stop at along the way to break up the monotony of the highway.

Our route takes us through Sacramento, Reno, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, WY, and Lincoln, NE. What are some cool/interesting/historical sites to see along the way?

Looking at the map, I see that if we get off of I-80 in Sacramento and take US-50 to Carson City and then connect back up to I-80 in Reno, we'll pass Lake Tahoe and add one more state capital to the trip (we'll be passing through the capital of every state we hit, except Missouri). Are there any other detours that will might add interest but won't add more than an hour or two to the entire trip?

LA to SF not on the PCH

kmtiszen — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:50:02 -0800

Los Angeles to San Francisco: Help me find an alternate route! This coming August, I'm going to be driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I've done the trip before via the PCH and absolutely loved it, but I'm wondering if there are any amazing alternate routes. Maybe a dessert adventure? I should have at least a few days, so time really isn't a concern.

Any bizarre/interesting/beautiful sites along the way get you bonus points!

Thanks!

Winter Long Weekend Getaway Ideas

cucumberfresh — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:18:46 -0800

MLK long weekend trip ideas leaving from San Francisco? My boyfriend and I have Jan. 16-20 off and we are having a difficult time deciding where to go. We are in the SF Bay Area and since we have four days off, we'd like to go somewhere that would be difficult to visit during a normal weekend. We are in our mid-20s and are looking to spend no more than $1000. Tahoe and Vegas are both out because we've been recently. Some ideas we have tossed about include a road trip along Hwy 1, a road trip to Disneyland, and Yosemite. Is Disneyland particularly crowded during MLK weekend? Would weather be an issue regarding Hwy 1 or Yosemite? What might be some nice places to check out this time of year? Thanks in advance!

Help California (or western Nevada/Arizona) entertain us!

guruguy9 — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:42:03 -0800

Please provide some suggestions for an entertaining 1 day road trip based out of Los Angeles. We've already traveled to Death Valley, Salton Sea... A friend and I have been taking 1 day road trips every few months to explore, take photos and experience some of the more ridiculous attractions within striking distance of Los Angeles. Previous trips include: Death Valley, Barker Ranch, The Salton Sea (East and West sides in separate trips including Salvation Mtn, Slab City etc), Mexico boarder towns, Calico Ghost Town, Cave Tours, Ship Wreck in Long Beach, and the Dinosaurs from the Wizard (CALIFORNIA!!!).

We’re out of ideas.

What other fun, odd or otherwise drive worthy destinations can be experienced in one full day from LA (our longest trip was just under 20 hours there and back largely because we were lost on the back roads of Death Valley – but we saved stranded Russian immigrants!). Have to say, LA county attractions are out unless they are amazing as we’re looking to hit the highways or dirt roads. Any other suggestions appreciated!

California dreamin'

fcoury — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:22:49 -0800

I will be doing a very anticipated trip to California for the first time. Please advice with good tips! Hi,

I am going to the US on September, and I would like all advice I can get on planning my trip.

It will have two "parts":

On the first part, I will be visiting the IBM team I work with on Boulder, Colorado. I'd like tips for what should be seen on the whereabouts of Boulder and Denver. I will stay there for about 5 to 6 days only and will work 8h a day for 5 days.

After that period, I will be catching a flight to California. Here I have two questions: what would be the cheaper way to fly from Colorado to California? On what city should I start?

My idea for the second part is to have a roadtrip, stopping in must-see cities, staying for the night, then leaving in the morning. I want to drive all the way from California to Las Vegas. I will have 15 to 20 days on that part of the trip. Is that feasible?

I am really into getting to know the American way of life, like small cities, eating at BBQ, Hamburger and Dinner places on the roadside, besides maybe stopping on a amusement or theme park along the way. I am thinking about Six Flags or something like that. Any tips on that?

Also, please consider I am 29 years old and I am on a budget. I'd like to spend some time on budget hotels and motels but I would also spend some nights on good hotels that are worth the money.

Any tips or at least pointers to places on the internet where I can find further advice would be awesome.

What should we see and do from 4/24 to 5/2 between Sacramento and Los Angeles?

Mr. Gunn — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:59:28 -0800

What should we see and do from 4/24 to 5/2 between Sacramento and Los Angeles? We'll be in Sacramento on the 24th, and we don't have to be in LA until May 2nd. What should we spend our time doing? I've seen this thread and this one, and would like to solicit recommendations for seasonal events occurring during our time frame. We particularly like food related attractions, and we are already going to be visiting the wine country around Sacramento, but please feel free to suggest anything at all.

I roam around and round and round and round and round.

miss lynnster — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:45:24 -0800

Possible girl & her dog roadtrip retreat over the holidays. Nothing too expensive. Suggestions? Over the past five years, my Christmas holidays have always been spent either working grueling overtime hours, taking care of my mom or hiding out in the company of other people's (more functional) families. I'm in the process of officially turning over a new leaf and am in a mood to really enjoy my holidays and do something special for MYSELF this year. Just today I was wandering through an Asian supermarket and I started to daydream about travel... so I know I'm craving a getaway. It's too late for me to book the kind of trip I'd really love to take, but I'm considering that maybe I just need to clear my head in unfamiliar surroundings, relax and be free of all stress and pressure.

I was thinking of just hopping in the car and heading out on an aimless wandering adventure with my puppy in tow... but since it'll be the holidays I don't want to end up finding myself sleeping in the car when I can't find a hotel room or something. So even though it's against my nature a bit, I guess I should probably make some kind of a basic game plan at the very least.

I am in San Francisco and I used to take constant road trips from LA but I've only done a few from here. I've gone to wine country, gone through Tahoe through to Virginia City and up to Reno. I have never headed North up towards Portland or anything, but everything South of here I've seen A LOT of... so I don't want to head South. I don't know how the snow will be, but I even thought of taking myself snowboarding (which I used to love and haven't done in years). I drive a Miata and it's not good for driving anyplace that's too rugged though. My dog's never been in the snow so that might be fun for her. We've been hiking around Bay area trails on a regular basis lately and she just LOVES it. (Good exercise for me too.) I love discovering local treasures in cool little hidden towns, but I also love cities. I just like exploring!

So tell me... If I DO decide to go a holiday roadtrip with my pup, where should I wander? Any ideas? Keep in mind that I'm not necessarily looking for fancy, pricey pampering stuff... this is mostly about the getaway, the clearing of my brain and the recharging of my drained batteries.