Mumsnet Talk

Found you all again!
Will read thread to catch up,
In 4 weeks we will be mid-flight

Aw I miss that part out as an going from MF to Yosemite then back to monterey. Sweetest cup Have you booked any trips yet?

Sweetest Here's a link to it. It's a bit new-agey and woo, but it's such a fun place to go! The gravity is all wonky there somehow, it's all visual effects I'm sure, but still very fun

Planning on having lunch in Santa Cruz on our drive from SF to Monterey, whats the Mystery Spot?

Im the OP rednats have name changed, but not yet - 10 weeks and 3 days till ours!!! Im hyper already

Go to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz!!!

Has anyone here done their trip yet?
I'm 7 weeks to go and just sorting out an itinerary o
For each place and booking excursions.
Booked our flight seats and starting to get excited :-)

I had tons of washing, went with 3 males for 3 weeks. Used the launderettes at campsites of national parks we stayed at, although we were in the hotels the campsites were close by, and i'd just take my book and have some peace and quiet! That was in Death Valley and Grand Canyon North Rim, then in Monterey, I just looked up the local one, and it was a short 5min walk away. We took 7 days worth of clothing, and added the occasional pack of cheap socks, pants or tshirts from walmart, MEGA cheap!

Take one of the flat pack zip laundry bags with you and lug that around, and then when you see laundry facilities you can just take it straight in.

Thanks sassy - I think we only have 2 nights in a Best Western, that'll serve me right for spending days searching for small individual hotels

I have 3 hulking teens so lots of big things to wash.

Itchyandscratchy - we're there same time as you!

I'd have longer in SF - there's loads to do. We want 3 days there. You can always cross the Golden Gate bridge into wine county too - we haven't done that before but I really fancy the idea, supposed to be stunning.

Ruby - most of the motel chains like best western etc have laundry rooms. I've used them in the past - bung in a load, sit by pool (in San Diego!)for an hour, transfer to dryer, sit back by pool, done

boring alert

Those of you going for 3 weeks with family.
What are you going to do about washing?

Hi there, DP and I are planning to visit San Francisco in October to co-incident with Samhain( our Pagan path!) and wondered if any of you wise ones could give us some advice?

We'd like to stay in an apartment and have access to cooking facilities. We can't afford anywhere too flashy but don't want to be terrified to walk through the neighbourhood.

Is there anywhere we should definitely avoid? Any places to stay you can recommend?

We have read through and will be watching this thread with great interest; please update and tell us how it all went.

Thanks

Jamaica bay inn, in marina del ray

We stayed there last year after a friend had recommended it. Out of the main madness but walking distance of venice beach etc, good restauarant, Lovely marina, bit of beach.

Have a great holiday!!

Ok- so dithered about ordering new sun glasses and found the old ones in the sofa!

Looking to stay somewhere in la... Any hotel recommendations? ( or ones not to go to)

... Holiday starts tomorrow but going north first.

3days san fran, there is so much to see and do

I'd do two in Big sur and three in SF but it depends on what things you all like doing the best.

Great thread. We're there in August, doing the Vegas, San Diego, LA, up the coast to San Fran then Yosemite route.

Quick question: we've got some spare days in our middle week and we ave a choice:
3 days in Cambria/Big Sur, 1 day Monterey then 2 days San Fran
Or
2 days Big Sur,1 Monterey, 3 days SF?

Our dcs are 11 & 7.
Thanks

We order ours really cheap online and they take several weeks to come so that isn't very helpful. I have friends who order theirs from Costco and like their service.

Hi
Boring question: Working in California for a month and lost my prescription sunglasses - and I wondered what's the best way of getting a new pair, and typical cost? (I've got my prescription with me)

We are off to the deserts later so will be needing them!
Thanks
Kath.

When my boys were that age we barely saw any of San Fran except the exploratorium and the Berkeley adventure playground.

I lub lub lub Big Sur. Pfeiffer beach at sunset, giant seals, cambria beach a tumbling stream in the middle of giant redwoods prime for damming at Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park, standing at the edge of Bixby bridge with the wind blowing your ears off.

Yeah, California is huge, it takes forever to drive it.

I pad typos. Combined
with insomnia..lread between them please,......

Parking is tough in sf...ditch the car for sure.
New pup your list sounds great.
Don't miss the Griffith lark observatory at night time.it is free and stunning views of LA.
I also love the Getty ...also free, but You pay to park great lunch on the terrace and amazing views...I never even look at the art just walking round is so inspiring.
Zumba beach is where bay watch was filmed and my all time fave beaches dune point...both 30 mins up coast from Santa Monica in a car. We saw a whale the last may, just sitting eating our sandwiches...maybe 10 metes away.
You will live it.
Universal is a,lot of fun...be there when it opens and straight on the tour to avoid the lines.

Hello. Just found this thread. We are going to California in July, 4 nights in San Fran then fly to LA, pick up a car, 5 nights in LA and drive to San Diego, 5 nights in San Diego. So excited! I went to California 20 years but DH goes every year for work. Lots of great tips on here. My DDs are (or will be by then) 14 and 11. Thinks we know we want to do:

Alcatraz
Muir woods
Obviously treking around Pier 39, Lombard street, China town etc
In LA
Disney
Universal
Knottsberry Farm
Hollywood
In San Diego
Seaworld
Beach
Aquatica

I would love any tips or advice, thanks!

I've just found this thread and it has made me v excited, but also a bit panicky. We're off to California in 4 weeks and I've not booked anything yet other than our flights.

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread but I have a couple of questions I'd like to throw in.

Must book Alcatraz today. In fact, I better work out our itinerary today and book our hotels too! Has anybody found any family friendly hotels in San Fran? And any suggestions for hotels on route between San Fran and LA would be appreciated. We don't need to worry about LA accommodation as we're staying with family.

Will be arriving in San Fran from Sequoia and are wondering if we should hold onto our hire car whilst staying in San Fran for just over two days. What is parking like there? Will that be expensive? Has anybody done any research into this? I was in San Fran a couple of years ago and I found the public transport system to be excellent, so I don't think we will need the car whilst there.