We are off to California!!

[shesariver]

After many hours research and lots of help from fellow Mumsnetters on my previous thread now cant quite believe that we are all booked up (through Trailfinders) so thanks again!

Final Itinerary worked out - we fly out from Glasgow next August 31st and spend 2 nights in New York, and then fly onto California.

4 nights San Francisco, then pick up a car - 1 night Monterey - 1 night in Santa Barbara (at a lovely hotel right across from the beach) - 4 nights Los Angeles - and last but not least 4 nights in an ocean front room in a hotel on Laguna Beach!

Now we can start planning all we want to do!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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!!

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

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

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.

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.

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 :-)

Go to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz!!!

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

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

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

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?

Rubyrubyruby been back through the thread but couldn't see your itinerary whereabouts have you planned?
Are you the next to go then how exciting! Is everything sorted?

Have you all planned every day or leaving things til you get there and just have a list of ideas. I'm planning each day at the moment but with other ideas in case they don't work out

Of all the museums I love the Exploratorium. It's definitely worth a visit. I first went there at 9 and I still remember that trip.

I'm assuming that you won't be able to ditch the kids but if you can I'd recommend a drink in the bar at the top of the Bank of America building, particularly if you can get there at sunset. The views over the city are amazing.

Food wise The House of Nanking always used to be worth a visit (though it's 2 years since I was last there). The queues would be round the block when I lived in SF. Also I'd recommend finding time for Dim Sum one lunch time.

Off to SF 5 weeks yesterday! Booked Alcatraz only so far, need to do some planning soon!! Have been recommended Yosemite Valley Floor tour but cant book ahead online it seems.

There are loads of laundrettes about in USA, and they call a service wash 'fluff and fold' :)

Utter luxury handing over your bag of sweaty gear then getting it back later, fluffy and indeed folded. Cost about ten bucks when I was there but that was a good few years ago, and it's nice to tip too.