California/Nevada Trip!

dont forget to go to in n out burger


lexus of newport beach is my back yard kind of sort of. the owner takes his car to my hubbys work.

if you are staying in a hotel like mandalay bay or probably would work anywhere in vegas it worked for us


we checked in late and told them we would not be there until 11pm, we got to the hotel and well they gave our room away and then i started hyper ventilating thinking we just drove from orange county to las vegas in 3 hours and would have to turn around and go home, the guy told us we were getting bumped up to a suite! i dont suggest ever doing it at the venetian because the players rooms suck compared to the reg rooms. i will find this site i had to getting good rooms cheap in vegas i just have to find it.


I dont know what to tell you to see in orange county california though besides the normal disneyland touristy places. ride the balboa ferry. i love the ferry. there are so many things to do in california that you cant possibly do them all in one trip. i will think of stuff here for ya if no one posts it before i come up with it

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 16 2007, 04:24 PM) [snapback]526591[/snapback]</div>

I later read where you said "student budget" - so, if you and your friend are willing to pay extra, AND can get reservations, get a room. My complaint about the tent cabins is the noise you hear from everyone walking by and talking, and cars and buses, etc. The tent cabins, which may end up being your only choice because of availability do have real beds. They are the metal frame types, but they do have a real mattress.

My favorite easy hike in Yosemite . . . . TAFT POINT!


http://best.me.berkeley.edu/~jhey03/img/ph...yosemite_05.htm

As long as Glacier Point road is open, a drive to Glacier Point is a must. You may as well stop half way and do the Taft Point hike.
The trailhead is off of Glacier Point road. You will see a small parking lot to the left about 13 miles after you turn onto Glacier Point road.
http://www.thecaliforniahikingpage.com/yos...ures-index.html
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/glacier-point.../taft-point.htm

When done returning from Taft Point, if you are feeing up to it, continue on to Sentinel Dome.
http://www.yosemitefun.com/yosemite_short_hikes.htm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 17 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]527034[/snapback]</div>

Sorry about that, I just cut and pasted off an earlier PriusChat post I did recommending the Taft Point hike.

The Taft Point and Sentinel Dome hikes are both very easy hikes from the parking lot on Glacier Point road.

Taft Point is a 2.6 mile round trip and an elevation gain of only 420 feet.
Sentinel Dome is 2.4 miles and 402 feet.
Total, that is only five miles if you do both hikes. (That's a walk in the park) My grandmother could have done those hikes at the age of 90 . . . although, if on a two day trip, I recommended doing the hike on the second day to help acclimate to higher altitude with a night's sleep in the valley.

http://www.thecaliforniahikingpage.com/yos...ures-index.html
http://www.thecaliforniahikingpage.com/yos...dome-index.html

P.S. That's neither me nor my picture, but I have stood on that same spot . . . after crawling out to the edge. :blink: :huh:

 

Do you really want to drive a Prius to Yosemite this time of year? A friend that lives in Fresno said he can already see snow off the Yosemite mountains already. And he is already talking about planning for skiing soon.

CA is having a great rainy October season this year, that means a lot of snow up the mountains in the Sierras already..... its all this crazy global warming weather happening...... hehehehe.

 

Most of the suggestions have been pretty standard look-see places (no offence to anyone's favourites intended). I think I've been to each of them and they are pretty good. But, if you're after experiences as well as sites: in SF go to the warf buy a bunch of crabs, shrimp, fish or whatever whets your appetite, get a loaf of sourdough & a bottle of bubbly and go sit in the park and eat (you will meet the greatest/strangest people). Go down to SanJose & try to find the Rosacrucian museum -- I think it's located in some sort of space-time eddy and it is kind of hard to get to, but oddly satisfying when you do. Hearst Castle if you must, the boardwalk in SantaCruz if you dare. KateBell was right about the Balboa ferry, its another strange space/time warp... I have some very interesting memories of things and people I experienced on it as a kid. You're not going further south unfortunately or I would have suggested Balboa Park which is another of those places that draws strange occurences like a magnet. Have fun.

PS -- La Brea Tar Pits. 'nuff said.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Oct 18 2007, 02:56 AM) [snapback]527241[/snapback]</div>

I don't know were you getting your information from but, from a person that lives in Fresno, you can't see the yosemite mountains from here! And it's about 45 min. drive to Yosemite from Fresno. As fas as the rain - not that much. Next week the weather is said to be in the 80's. nice!

 

I would also recommend Monterrey Bay Aquarium.

You might also substitute some time in Carmel over Napa.

If you come as far south as San Diego, we have some nice places. The San Diego Zoo can be an entire day in itself. I'd take the bus round around just to orient yourself and get an overview. The overhead ride is nice too. Things I wouldn't miss are the children's zoo and the aviary. (And the meerkats.) Balboa Park is right next door. There is a car museum there if you're interested. The Botanical Gardens, Old Globe Theater, and museums. (I like the model train museum.) If you're there on a Sunday there are organ concerts around 2 pm. Largest portable outdoor organ: Spreckles Organ Pavilion. The Japanese gardens are next door. If you're having dinner, eat at Anthony's downtown on the pier. Time it so that you get the sunset. They don't take reservations and the wait time is usually 20-45 min.

If you don't want to come as far south as San Diego there is the Wild Animal Park in Poway.

If you do come down to San Diego, there is also Sea World. There is the maritime museum and Star of India downtown.

There is also a car museum in L.A. you might want to visit. The La Brea tar pits are a nice hour in the museum and a picnic for lunch if you've brown bagged it. The L.A.County Museum is just around the corner.

If the weather is OK in S.F. I'd do Alcatraz. I understand they're restoring the gardens.

Isn't Old Faithful in Yellowstone?

Hearst Castle is a day in itself and you must make reservations in advance.

Combine Las Vegas and Yosemite in a loop. You can come back from either and go south and stop in Palm Springs and take the tram up to the top of the mountain. (And you can take 30 min. and go inside the Dinosaur "restaurant" museum. There is also a large casino and a lot of outlet stores in the Palm Springs area now.

Then head south to L.A. then San Diego or San Diego and then L.A.

Heading north from L.A. you can hit Salinas, Carmel, Monterrey, Hearst Castle and back to S. F.

BTW my favorite Indian restaurant is in S. F. The Tandoori. I don't know where it is or even if it is still there. It was attached to a hotel, possibly a Holiday Inn, last time I was there. Fabulous shrimp curry and an awesome rice pudding.

Other sites in S. F. are Giardelli Square, Fisherman's Wharf (totally touristy, do Monterrey instead) and the Exploratorium. If I could only do one thing I'd do the Exploratorium and picnic in the park. If I could do two things, I do the Exploratorium and Alcatraz.

 

Me personally, I would opt for this and give up the central coast . . . after all, you will see some of it in the San Francisco area.

Personally, I think you shouldn't come to California without visiting my neighborhood. (We've been to yours...) After Yostmite, follow Hwy 49 all the way to Grass Valley and Nevada City. Yes, *do* the Gold Country. Forget the South State. You can see city anywhere. do a goggle image search of Grass Valley - then Nevada City, CA. *This* is where all the SF hippies fled to after Flower power in San Francisco. Mountains, rural living, victorians, artist community... Great Bed and Breakfast places - you can leave your key in your car. Home of the most over-educated waiters you've ever met.

I am dead serious. Also, don't forget the Redwoods. I've been down South and I still don't get it. Then again, I'm sooo not star struck. You couldn't pay me enough.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Oct 22 2007, 09:00 PM) [snapback]529151[/snapback]</div>

Excellent suggestions.

Let me add that the Petersen Automotive Museum is virtually across the street from the Page Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits and just a few blocks south of the Farmers Market.

If the weather is clear, as it is today when the winds are blowing, there are spectacular views of the city from the Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center. There are wonderful hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, from where you can see whales swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Mulholland Drive has great city and valley views.

In San Francisco, 155 years old Tadich Grill is the quintessential Gold Rush restaurant.

 

I couldn't imagine not driving the central coast, it's a real driving course with lots of scenery and bends in the road, also San Simeon's Hearst Castle is worth a stop. I drove from San Francisco to Carmel and stayed with relatives in Pebble Beach, and then drove south down the coast to stay one night aboard the Queen Mary. Highly recommended if you're a ship enthusiast as I am. Then from there to Fresno to stay with friends for a night, and then on to Yosemite for a night at Camp Curry in a canvas tent, and the next day back to SFO for one night and the next day home to Seattle! A wonderful one week trip, and 1996 Dodge Neon wasn't bad either (this trip was in 1996 so the Neon was brand new)

-Dave in Seattle

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Oct 23 2007, 05:00 PM) [snapback]529151[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, but don't forget to take hotdogs & marshmallows.


Hope everything is OK where you are Godiva. Just heard from my brother that
he's been given an evacuation warning -- just installed all those new solar panels too


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(debrasnell @ Oct 23 2007, 05:13 PM) [snapback]529157[/snapback]</div>

:lol: Not all of them B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Oct 18 2007, 12:56 AM) [snapback]527241[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 18 2007, 08:11 AM) [snapback]527312[/snapback]</div>

Don't back out on the overnight if you can help it. Seriously, but yes, reservations are needed.

Don't listen to someone who is absolutely clueless about the weather/snowpack conditions in Yosemite.

Yes, Taft Point equates out to 2,286 meters . . . BUT . . . Tioga Pass equates out to 3,031 meters . . .
and as you can see from the web cam image,
http://www.yosemite.org/vryos/
there is no snow on the ground even at an elevation which is almost 1/3 times higher than Taft Point.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samiam @ Oct 23 2007, 03:50 PM) [snapback]529415[/snapback]</div>

Your brother must be in Solana Beach or Del Mar?( north) Or maybe Eastlake or Chula Vista? (south)

The county may be toasted but the city is fine.

My sister is in San Marcos in a little pocket that seems a sea of calm (and clear) in the midst of everything. She is surrounded by evacuation centers so she figures she's pretty safe. She's north county.

I'm in the city. The city if fine. The city is safe. The city is the most expensive area to live, but I did manage to buy an overpriced home in a lousy neighborhood and improve it and watch my property values rise (from $80,000 in 1987 to $550,000 in 2007) while improving my neighborhood. I'll never be Mission Hills or La Jolla but I'm still 5 min. from four major freeways and 10 min. from anywhere you'd want to be. I can visit the snow in the Winter (about 20 min. away.)

I'll be using my days off to kill grass, kill weeds, kill ants and hang an awning on my dining room window. Maybe even reglaze a few windows.

All I have to do is get an SDG&E lock for my alley gate and pass the SDG&E inspection and I can finally turn my PV system on. (Never, ever hire Borrego Solar. You've been warned.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ 2007 10 22 21:00) [snapback]529151[/snapback]</div>

Do you mean the one in Balboa Park? I could spend days there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LoreePrius @ Oct 18 2007, 04:35 PM) [snapback]527471[/snapback]</div>

I drove from Fresno to Yosemite and it took me much more than 45 minutes to get to Yosemite Valley. I remember it being 2 hours or more, so I guess there is a difference how you define "getting to Yosemite". I call it when you emerge through the tunnel and can stop at the viewpoint and see Half Dome in the distance.

I would totally drive to Yosemite this time of year, the roads should be totally clear. They are at Mt.Ranier and that is a lot higher than Yosemite.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 23 2007, 10:59 PM) [snapback]529556[/snapback]</div>

There are a lot of Andersen's in CA, I remember passing signs for them. I took 'Tour 1' of Hearst's Castle and highly recommend it. Bring a super wide angle lens for the best photos of the pool and the dining room. Amazing.

Carmel is fantastic. Check out the Carmel Mission if you can. Also, it's worth it to pay the $7 or whatever they charge now to drive through 17 Mile Drive. My aunt and uncle lived there in 1996 so I didn't have to pay to get in, but having driven all around Del Monte Forest quite a few times on different visits I can tell you it's well worth the entrance fee.

The Ansel Adams Gallery at Yosemite is super, and there is one at the north entrance to 17 Mile Drive if you miss the one at Yosemite.

Also Carmel has a great white sand beach!

Enjoy your trip!

-Dave in Seattle