Driving in California

[poulgorm]

I am going to California in 2 weeks time. Planning to hire a car. What is driving there like? Any of you done it ?

[Barney]

simple...pay the extra money and get a convertible...put it into drive, and off you go with an automatic...
traffic can be deadly in certain areas of CA though...

[johnmcork]

do the PCH; pacific coast highway (highway 101)

it goes from frisco to LA. takes at least 2 days. it'll be one of the best experiences of your life.

[poulgorm]

Thanks for the advice. Is a sat nav essential?

[Barney]

Originally Posted by poulgorm

Thanks for the advice. Is a sat nav essential?

not essential as the highways are well sign-posted, but handy if you're driving in city areas looking for specific addresses...but you could just drop into a Target/Walmart and pick up a decent one for $200...don't take the option from the car rental company to have one int he car, as that'll be $10/day...at least if you buy one you can use it back in europe once you download the european maps...

[poulgorm]

Queer Hawk wants to know where I have been:

LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Yosemite Park.

LA disappointing: everything else fantastic. Don't drive on your own: have someone to share it: no problem driving, but the distances are vast.
San Francisco: great place - could have easily spent 3 or four days there: Las Vegas: mad, amazing place, but would do your head in if you stayed more than 3 nights. Grand Canyon, Death Valley & Yosemite: exceeded the hype - helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon is something else. Experienced a 7.2 earthquake one day in San Diego!

Best holiday ever.

[joecc]

steer away from LA, 'rush hour' every hour. Horrible experience, though driving from Las Vegas didn't help.....

[SenorCarlsberg]

best way to do it so? San Fran down the coastal highway, bypass LA and down to Laguna, Huntington and Santa Barbara. Spent a summer in San Diego but didn't get further than Six Flags in LA.

Thinking about doing it in late July

[Swoosh]

i'm off to this in a week.

drving from san fran to LA or San Diego and from there to the Grand Canyon. The drive from San Diego to the Grand Cnyon would be vast anyone aware of any nice places to stay along that route?

Going from the grand canyon to Las Vegas then thats the end of my driving!!!

People got any tips or advice on things to do/see on the trip?

[poulgorm]

Originally Posted by Swoosh

i'm off to this in a week.

drving from san fran to LA or San Diego and from there to the Grand Canyon. The drive from San Diego to the Grand Cnyon would be vast anyone aware of any nice places to stay along that route?

Going from the grand canyon to Las Vegas then thats the end of my driving!!!

People got any tips or advice on things to do/see on the trip?

The distances are vast. And the sun is very hot. Make sure that you have 2 drivers. Otherwise, you will be wrecked.

Be sure to leave I40 at some point and drive on Route 66. A special road!