Don't miss stops on the way driving from San Diego to Los Angeles?
May 28, 2024 10:36 AM Subscribe
I will be driving from San Diego to Los Angeles in mid-August and am wondering where I should stop along the way? Sites not to miss? Leaving San Diego at 8am and arriving Los Angeles maybe around 6 - so I have time (figure that gives me about 5 hours of 'stops'). Have never spent any time in the space North of San Diego and South of Laguna, so mostly interested in that area.
Starting from where in SD (the city proper?) and ending where in Los Angeles (Pasadena? Santa Monica)? That drive can take anywhere from 1.5 hours to 4-5 hours, depending on time of day/traffic.
Personally I think Encinitas is a great North County San Diego town to stop in for a coffee/walk along Swami’s Beach.
posted by samthemander at 11:06 AM on May 28 [3 favorites]
Personally I think Encinitas is a great North County San Diego town to stop in for a coffee/walk along Swami’s Beach.
posted by samthemander at 11:06 AM on May 28 [3 favorites]
Trestles is cool for a beach in a natural setting and a super famous surf spot. I've seen Kelly Slater walking the long path there like every other shmoe.
Oh, go to the Rainbow Sandals factory store in San Clemente!
I also like Crystal Cove State Park.
posted by vunder at 11:20 AM on May 28
Oh, go to the Rainbow Sandals factory store in San Clemente!
I also like Crystal Cove State Park.
posted by vunder at 11:20 AM on May 28
I'm not sure there's anything that rises to the level of "don't miss" in there. The 20 miles between San Clemente and Oceanside is a Marine base where you can't do anything anyway (although there's a state beach at the north end).
Closer to San Diego, there's Torrey Pines State Park, which has some nice hiking and views and can be a short stop or fairly long depending on how much you want to hike around.
If you're an architecture nerd, the Salk Center is a little south of that.
Otherwise in San Diego County it's mostly beach towns, probably not too different from stuff in Orange County, varying levels of "well off". Commercial districts of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside might be interesting to poke around in, but they're not too extensive. Solana Beach has the "Cedros Design District" a block east of the main coast highway that might be a little more interesting than typical tourist areas.
posted by LionIndex at 11:28 AM on May 28 [1 favorite]
Closer to San Diego, there's Torrey Pines State Park, which has some nice hiking and views and can be a short stop or fairly long depending on how much you want to hike around.
If you're an architecture nerd, the Salk Center is a little south of that.
Otherwise in San Diego County it's mostly beach towns, probably not too different from stuff in Orange County, varying levels of "well off". Commercial districts of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside might be interesting to poke around in, but they're not too extensive. Solana Beach has the "Cedros Design District" a block east of the main coast highway that might be a little more interesting than typical tourist areas.
posted by LionIndex at 11:28 AM on May 28 [1 favorite]
Weekday or weekend? If it's a weekday, tbh, if I were you, I would time my drive so that I was leaving San Diego (or Riverside County, if you make a stop there) at about 11 a.m., in the hopes of arriving in LA around 1 p.m., otherwise you're dooming yourself to some truly miserable rush hour traffic. Like Samthemander says, it's a drive that can take as long as 4-5 hours if you get unlucky with traffic, but depending on where in LA you're going and where you're starting from, can be as short as 1.5-2 hours. I feel like 11-1 is threading the needle of avoiding the worst of morning/afternoon rush hours. I'd probably try for this timing on a weekend too, though I think the drive will take about the same amount of time whatever time you leave on a weekend.
That said, I second the suggestion of Torrey Pines. It's a nice morning hike.
posted by yasaman at 11:51 AM on May 28
That said, I second the suggestion of Torrey Pines. It's a nice morning hike.
posted by yasaman at 11:51 AM on May 28
If you're not in a hurry, take the PCH up and take it slow. There are lots of different areas, each with a different 'feel' between LA and San Diego vs taking the interior highway, which has no feel and is the same as any interior highway anywhere with the same stuff next to it. I personally like Dana Point in there, which has slowly eroding rocky cliffs and a bunch of rocky coves which bring sea life to the shore instead of just sand like the majority of the coastline. There are plenty of unique places to stop, eat and sightsee along the way too.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:05 PM on May 28
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:05 PM on May 28
For North County San Diego:
In La Jolla, there's Birch Aquarium and La Jolla Cove. Depends on your interests. The Cove is a bit crazy but fascinating.
Torrey Pines State Park as others have pointed out.
The San Elijo Reserve in Encinitas. If you're a birder its a great spot. They've also added a lot of walking trails recently.
Just up the road from the reserve in Cardiff is VG Donuts, the best donuts in San Diego. Also in Cardiff is the temple Yogananda built on the cliffs. The public is allowed in the cliffside gardens and its a beautiful, peaceful place to watch the surfers on the well-known Swami's beach.
posted by vacapinta at 12:08 PM on May 28 [2 favorites]
In La Jolla, there's Birch Aquarium and La Jolla Cove. Depends on your interests. The Cove is a bit crazy but fascinating.
Torrey Pines State Park as others have pointed out.
The San Elijo Reserve in Encinitas. If you're a birder its a great spot. They've also added a lot of walking trails recently.
Just up the road from the reserve in Cardiff is VG Donuts, the best donuts in San Diego. Also in Cardiff is the temple Yogananda built on the cliffs. The public is allowed in the cliffside gardens and its a beautiful, peaceful place to watch the surfers on the well-known Swami's beach.
posted by vacapinta at 12:08 PM on May 28 [2 favorites]
I would personally stop in Santa Ana for lunch. Just whatever tacqueria is popping off on Yelp or whatever.
posted by kensington314 at 1:02 PM on May 28
posted by kensington314 at 1:02 PM on May 28
Regarding Torrey Pines, here are the trails. I personally enjoy the Broken Hill trail, then hiking down the Beach Trail, ending with a saunter along the beach.
posted by SPrintF at 1:38 PM on May 28 [1 favorite]
posted by SPrintF at 1:38 PM on May 28 [1 favorite]
Harbor Fish & Chips in Oceanside has some of the best I've ever had, plus a nice view of the marina (and some very well-fed seagulls).
posted by wanderingmind at 3:39 PM on May 28
posted by wanderingmind at 3:39 PM on May 28
Maybe it’s because I live here, but this sounds like asking for “can’t miss” places between my house and the closest post office.
I guess you really just have to make your trip take hours longer than it needs to you could stop at Crystal Cove State Park right before you get to Newport, assuming you are taking the coast.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 3:39 PM on May 28 [3 favorites]
I guess you really just have to make your trip take hours longer than it needs to you could stop at Crystal Cove State Park right before you get to Newport, assuming you are taking the coast.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 3:39 PM on May 28 [3 favorites]
"Sites not to miss?" may have been covered (but don't stop! I'm learning myself!). Lots of good options mentioned. Definitely want to check out VG Donuts vacapinta.
Feedback on the recommendations would be great to help zero in on what we missed.
When I was doing this drive regularly I'd often stop to see a movie at the Irvine Spectrum to wait out traffic. They have a Ferris wheel, too. Is it "not to miss?"--maybe maybe not. There are also some small museums along the route that are worthwhile - surfing museum in San Clemente maybe. San Juan Capistrano also deserves a mention too.
posted by artlung at 4:32 PM on May 28 [2 favorites]
Feedback on the recommendations would be great to help zero in on what we missed.
When I was doing this drive regularly I'd often stop to see a movie at the Irvine Spectrum to wait out traffic. They have a Ferris wheel, too. Is it "not to miss?"--maybe maybe not. There are also some small museums along the route that are worthwhile - surfing museum in San Clemente maybe. San Juan Capistrano also deserves a mention too.
posted by artlung at 4:32 PM on May 28 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: For those wondering - leaving 8 or 9am on a Friday morning from Downtown San Diego and driving to the Studio City area of LA....
posted by UMDirector at 6:28 AM on May 29
posted by UMDirector at 6:28 AM on May 29
UCSD campus is beautiful. I enjoyed just riding a bike around campus and checking out the architecture. The Salk Center is nearby and amazing, but you have to book a tour.
posted by mullacc at 10:31 AM on May 29
posted by mullacc at 10:31 AM on May 29
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Any part of the map along the Pacific is going to be a great view and a pleasant walk-around. I'd be looking at San Clemente Pier, or Huntington Beach pier, though in August those will have lots of people at them, requiring some time and money to park.
Further inland, I like Anaheim Packing District which is a terrific eclectic food court and a chill spot.
In the other direction, Signal Hill's actual hill is a great view.
If you have more specific kinds of things just holler. I have done that drive innumerable times; including: one time it took me 6 hours to do the southbound trip because of a horrendous accident on the south 405.
posted by artlung at 11:01 AM on May 28