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View Full Version : *need advice* California trip planning



fitch
02-06-2006, 09:58 AM
We are planning a trip to California this summer. Our plan is to start in Sacramento and drive for 1 to 2 hour increments per day until we reach Disneyland. We need help from some local folks. Can anyone give some advice on the areas we pinpointed below and maybe some local insights. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, we need a good stopping point between Monterey and Santa Barbara.

Thanks.

Sunday
Fly from Indianapolis to Sacramento
Sacramento hotel

Monday
Drive from Sacramento to Napa (1 hr)
Spend day in Napa
Napa hotel

Tuesday
Drive from Napa to San Francisco (1hr)
Spend day in San Francisco
San Francisco Hotel

Wednesday
Drive from San Francisco to Monterey (2 hrs)
Spend day in Monterey
Monterey Hotel

Thursday
Drive from Monterey to ??? (2hrs)
Spend day in ???
??? Hotel

Friday
Drive from ??? to Santa Barbara (2hrs)
Spend day in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Hotel

Saturday
Drive from Santa Barbara to Beverly Hills (LA) (1.5 hr)
Spend day in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills hotel

Sunday
Spend day in LA
Drive to DL Hotel

Monday
Spend day in Disneyland
DL Hotel

Tuesday
Spend day in California Adventure
DL Hotel

Wednesday
Spend day in Disneyland
DL Hotel

Thursday
Spend day in California Adventure
DL Hotel

Friday
Drive to LAX airport
Home

eyeorelover
02-06-2006, 10:19 AM
If you really want to limit your drive on that day you could stay in either Cambria (by San Simeon with the famous Hearst Castle) or a really nice place to stay is the Kon Tiki Inn on the beach in Pismo right by San Luis Obispo. However, If I had my choice I would drive the 4 hours to Santa Barbara, move everything up a day and stay an extra day at Disneyland - Again - that's just me .

pisces
02-06-2006, 10:21 AM
Solvang:

Lots of places to stay in Solvang including the Royal Copenhagen Inn---my pick, and/or Pea Soup Andersens (Best Western) Inn.

As for dining, be sure to stop by these Solvang places:

http://www.peasoupandersens.net/

http://www.olsensdanishbakery.com/

I want a tub of those Danish butter cookies! :)

Malcon10t
02-06-2006, 10:21 AM
We are planning a trip to California this summer. Our plan is to start in Sacramento and drive for 1 to 2 hour increments per day until we reach Disneyland. We need help from some local folks. Can anyone give some advice on the areas we pinpointed below and maybe some local insights. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, we need a good stopping point between Monterey and Santa Barbara.San Simeon and go to Hearst Castle?
Morro Bay?
Pismo Beach? May be more than 2 hours.

Phantom2006
02-06-2006, 10:22 AM
You should try to come to San Diego. There are so many fun things to do down here as well. There is sea world, Legoland (good for little ones), and not to mention the world famous San Diego Zoo or the Wild Animal Park.

Malcon10t
02-06-2006, 10:22 AM
If you really want to limit your drive on that day you could stay in either Cambria (by San Simeon with the famous Hearst Castle) or a really nice place to stay is the Kon Tiki Inn on the beach in Pismo right by San Luis Obispo. However, If I had my choice I would drive the 4 hours to Santa Barbara, move everything up a day and stay an extra day at Disneyland - Again - that's just me .Same here!!

3894
02-06-2006, 11:18 AM
Hearst Castle is a must. There are a number of tours to choose from. Budget probably 3 hours.

You can eat out by the water at a number of Morro Bay restaurants. There are some fun California-style surf shops, very inexpensive for cool t-shirts.

Cambria is nice. Check out nearby Moonstone Beach. If you look, yes, you find little moonstones.

Being that you're from Indianapolis, skip Solvang. It's cheesy faux Scandihoovian from one end of town to the other. We have much more real Scandihoovian stuff in the Midwest.

San Luis Obispo is a good place to find cheap but decent eats, as the town is home to a university.

Lani
02-06-2006, 11:33 AM
Solvang:

Lots of places to stay in Solvang including the Royal Copenhagen Inn---my pick, and/or Pea Soup Andersens (Best Western) Inn.Solvang is also the location where they filmed the movie "Sideways" (about the men doing a wine country tour).

ucube
02-06-2006, 09:26 PM
I would skip Sacramento, drive directly to Napa, and start your trip there.

Then go spend TWO nights in San Francisco, which is really a great city to visit, and lots of fun. There is tons to do, it's beautiful, lots of stuff for kids and adults alike, and it's a really unique place.

Then continue as planned, stop at Hearst Castle for the night after Monterey, then Santa Barbara, then Beverly Hills, etc. Solvang is not really worth a whole day's visit, and is actually only 40 mins from Santa Barbara. And as you're already doing wine country in Napa, you're covered for that!

Anyway, more than anything, try to spend more than one night in San Francisco. You'll definitely wish you had more time there, if you only spend one night.

disneyjunkie
02-06-2006, 11:06 PM
Welcome to California the possibilities are endless . Theres so much to see and do . I would recomend 2 nights in San Francisco the city was built on rock and roll , both musical and earthquakes its history is fascinating go to the Wharf, Lombard st , Union square, the Palace of Fine Arts, Haight Ashbury district...Not to mention Santa Cruz its the real Paradise Pier the roller coaster is the best old woodie around! There is also a place called Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy ( the artichoke capitol of the world) it is a wonderful amsement park go to Bonfantegarden.com to check it out, definitley worth the side trip!Monterey , Carmel ( a personal favorite) Solvang , State St in Santa Barbara, Hollywood , Santa Monica , Disneyland ( my happiest spot in the world )... San Diego is beautiful the ocean, Old Town and everthing in between Sac and La is an experience within itself. And we havent even touched on the redwood empire or Yosmite....and all the places in between lol. I love California can you tell ? Its amazing living in a place that I can vacation year after numerous year and never tire of and want to go again!

fitch
02-07-2006, 03:48 AM
Thanks everyone for the replies!! We have never vacationed in California so it's all new to us. We are looking for new adventures. Our last 5 summers have been spent in WDW. Since we can't live without a little Disney, we are going to DLR at the end of our trip.

Cambria looks like a nice break point between Monterey and Santa Barbara.