California Here We Come

[kapitan]

Planning a trip with family - short 7 days, itinerary as follow:

Day 1 Arrive LAX, pick up car, drive to San Diego 1 night
Day 2 Day tour San Diego, late afternoon drive to Santa Clarita
Day 3 Six Flag Amusement Park
Day 4 Morning Check out, drive towards Monteray, via Ventura
Day 5 Morning drive towards San Jose, outlet mall
Day 6 Morning towards San Francisco, city tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Forest another Mall in evening, stay another night San Jose
Day 7 Drive towards LA via inland highway
Day 8 Free day in LA, check out outlet mall, evening drive to airport and check in - 0125 flight takes off for BKK

Experts of the area, is this workable?

Advice and tips welcome, thank you.

[SQflyergirl]

Workable.. just don't forget to install the Yen 290,000 device ya?

[kapitan]

Workable.. just don't forget to install the Yen 290,000 device ya?

And what device is that dear SQFG...

[SQflyergirl]

And what device is that dear SQFG...

The TOTO device from Japan With HD screen and multi function

[kapitan]

The TOTO device from Japan With HD screen and multi function

Oh yes..... ok, next week when I am in Kobe and Yokohama, I will get one....

[9V-JKL]

To me that's too much driving in a week. I would fly lax-sfo after arrival and just drive south. Up/down too much.

[9V-SIA]

Traffic from LAX to SAN can be bad if you hit the evening rush hour.

After long flight, can be challenging

[kapitan]

To me that's too much driving in a week. I would fly lax-sfo after arrival and just drive south. Up/down too much.

Love driving, should not be a problem.....

[kapitan]

Traffic from LAX to SAN can be bad if you hit the evening rush hour.

After long flight, can be challenging

Yes, I was thinking of that, but have no choice as meeting the daughter in SAN... I am flying into LAX in the front cabin and intend to sleep as much as I possibly could .....

[yflyer]

Planning a trip with family - short 7 days, itinerary as follow:

Day 1 Arrive LAX, pick up car, drive to San Diego 1 night
Day 2 Day tour San Diego, late afternoon drive to Santa Clarita
Day 3 Six Flag Amusement Park
Day 4 Morning Check out, drive towards Monteray, via Ventura
Day 5 Morning drive towards San Jose, outlet mall
Day 6 Morning towards San Francisco, city tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Forest another Mall in evening, stay another night San Jose
Day 7 Drive towards LA via inland highway
Day 8 Free day in LA, check out outlet mall, evening drive to airport and check in - 0125 flight takes off for BKK

Experts of the area, is this workable?

Advice and tips welcome, thank you.

Sounds like a great trip!

A lot of driving on Day 7. LA to SF is 615km, compared to Singapore-KL 354km and Singapore-Penang 708km.

Why not return your rental car on the evening of Day 6 at SJC and catch a flight to LAX in the late evening, overnighting in LA instead of San Jose?

Southwest has several evening flights (Short flight, 1 hr 15 min duration), as low as USD73 one way. This gives you a full extra day in LA on Day 7.

Also, if you or your family have not been to Monterey aquarium, do visit. It is very impressive, even if you are not into fish.

[milehighj]

After Muir Woods, stay in Marin County (north of Golden Gate) or SF area. Don't waste time driving to San Jose.

I would also prefer to fly SFO/SJC-LAX, rather than drive back to LA.

[SQGamespeed]

I agree that flying from SFO/SJC to LAX is a much more preferable option than driving. The drive is not only long, but depending on the route you take, may also be boring and monotonous for long stretches.

Also, if you or your family have not been to Monterey aquarium, do visit. It is very impressive, even if you are not into fish.

Two other attractions in the Monterey area that are worth seeing are the 17 Mile Drive and (if you have a bit of time) Big Sur.

[kapitan]

Sounds like a great trip!

A lot of driving on Day 7. LA to SF is 615km, compared to Singapore-KL 354km and Singapore-Penang 708km.

Why not return your rental car on the evening of Day 6 at SJC and catch a flight to LAX in the late evening, overnighting in LA instead of San Jose?

Southwest has several evening flights (Short flight, 1 hr 15 min duration), as low as USD73 one way. This gives you a full extra day in LA on Day 7.

Also, if you or your family have not been to Monterey aquarium, do visit. It is very impressive, even if you are not into fish.

I have checked and could not find cheaper fares from SJC to LAX. Even when I return to LAX I would need to pick up another car as without a car in LA, you will be crippled.

Yes, it will be plenty of driving on Day 7, done that before with LA to Vegas, SIN to Penang (in a Day), Brisbane to Melbourne... ...

Still have three weeks to plan.

[kapitan]

After Muir Woods, stay in Marin County (north of Golden Gate) or SF area. Don't waste time driving to San Jose.

I would also prefer to fly SFO/SJC-LAX, rather than drive back to LA.

I agree that flying from SFO/SJC to LAX is a much more preferable option than driving. The drive is not only long, but depending on the route you take, may also be boring and monotonous for long stretches.



Two other attractions in the Monterey area that are worth seeing are the 17 Mile Drive and (if you have a bit of time) Big Sur.

I may not go to Muir Woods as I will be taking the Big Sur route, which I believe would pass through some Redwood forest....



The route that I planned from Six Flag to Montery will be above. Of course I may not do that in a day, may just stop and stay in a hotel along the way, then continue to Monterey and then to San Jose. Making my base in San Jose, to visit San Francisco city (its only a city) and to do the outlet malls.

[Guitarsingapore]

That is a lot of driving, maybe too much driving, in such a short time.

Have you factored in jet lag?

Don't push yourself too hard.