Trip Plan: LAX-Hearst-SF-Yosemite-Oxnard, any tips?

[Lisa P.]

Hi! We're planning a CA trip this month and I'm hoping for a few tips to make it a great, trip-of-a-lifetime!
We are really looking forward to this!!!
We probably won't make it out to CA again for many years and we're on a very tight budget. We're a family of 5 without little kids (youngest is 17). Spending up to 6 hours of driving time in the car, plus fun stops to fill the day, is ideal for us on travel days. We're finding lodging options at this late date, within our budget, to be very limiting. But we're a pretty flexible family who are more excited about being able to explore, see and do things on a road trip, than about fancy lodging and restaurants, this time.

• Arrive in LAX, mid-afternoon. Drive 405 to 101 to 1, up to San Simeon, sleep. Where would you stop for an affordable supper?

• Day at Hearst Castle (must do, long story) and 2nd night in San Simeon.

• Spend the day driving from San Simeon up 1 along the coast to San Francisco. Anywhere in particular that's lesser-known or not well-marked but a great place to stop?

• 4 nights in a SF timeshare, sightsee for 3 days. With 3 college kids and 2 40-somethings on a tight budget, besides Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf, any other must-see or must-do activities?

• Drive to Fish Camp or Oakhurst, near Yosemite, sleep. Can't find affordable, available lodging for our family of 5 for our dates in May, in the Valley or in Mariposa. Been on tons of websites looking... Other ideas for cheap, clean last minute lodging for a long weekend near Yosemite this month are most appreciated!!!

• 2 full days exploring Yosemite Nat'l Park and 2 more nights's sleeping in an area town, within 2 hrs drive of the park.

• Drive to Sequioa Nat'l Park, Rte 41 to 180 via Fresno and 198 - Is this the best route between Yosemite and Kings Canyon/Sequioa NPs? 1/2-day visit to the highlights only, at this park - tips welcome.

• Then continue, the same day, on down to Oxnard, taking 198 to 99 to 5 to 126 to 118 to 232.

• Have a timeshare week in Oxnard. Plan to meet up with an aquaintance/friend in Ventura, see Santa Barbara and Malibu, drive to N Hollywood for a TV show taping or two. Any other special places in the Oxnard area? Then we'll fly back home, out of LAX.

Please share your comments on our driving route, special places to stop for great scenery and/or wildlife viewing, moderate hikes/walks (bad knees), exceptional state parks, affordable good food, unusual sights or California classic stuff - any good tips from experienced folks and locals!! Thanks so much, in advance!!! We can't wait!

 

[mamacatnv]

Where would you stop for an affordable supper?

Apple Farm Restaurant in San Luis Obispo is good home cooking - the place is famous

Spend the day driving from San Simeon up along the coast to San Francisco. Anywhere in particular that's lesser-known or not well-marked but a great place to stop?

That is a really long and tedious drive. It is a beautiful drive but really really long. I would pack a cooler with sandwiches and stuff that you can pick up after you land and then you can snack and picnic your way up the coast.
Are you taking Hwy 1 all the way into SFO?

besides Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf, any other must-see or must-do activities?

Take a walking tour of SFO - start out in Union Sq. and head towards China Town. Mosey around China Town, paying extra attention to the streets that are off the main drag. The markets are incredible. There is a wonderful and VERY INEXPENSIVE restaurant called the Washington Street Bakery and Restaurant on Washington St. the food was wonderful, it has been almost 2 years and we all still rave about it. Continue thru China Town and head to Columbus Avenue where you will want to follow to the wharf area. The walk will take you thru Little Italy with beautiful churches and wonderful sidewalk cafes. You will walk by the base of Lombard St. also. We found the map in the AAA guide book. Columbus St. is one of the few streets in SFO that runs diagonally. We did this walk several years ago with DD in a stroller and DS was about 12 - we spent all day and had a wonderful time. We ended with dinner at the wharf where we had sourdough bread bowls full of clam chowder and some cracked crab from the outside vendors.

Get your Alcatraz tickets ahead of time they sell out fast - go for the night tour if possible, well worth the couple of extra bucks.

Learn a little bit about the Muni & Cable Car system - they are great modes of cheap transportation. We bought passes that allowed us unlimited use for a specific number of days

When riding a cable car, don't do like the tourist and wait at the end of the cable car routes, walk a block or 2 up the line and then cram yourselves on just like the locals. Be prepared to get close to your neighbor but the ride is worth it.

Check out the Nordstroms mall on Market (I think) near Union Sq. it is this really tall Bldg. with escalators that curve - we went in just to ride the escalators to the top, it is 6 or 8 stories and kind of different.

Sorry, Native Californian who has never been to Yosemite, can't help you there.

Have fun, sounds like a wonderful road trip

 

[Pakey]

The town of Cambria, just south of San Simeon has some nice places to eat and it's also just a cute little town to walk around, lots of little shops.

Make sure you get your Hearst Castle tickets ahead of time. You can order online and pick up at their will-call window. The tours do sell out and if you don't buy ahead, you may have to wait several hours before a tour will have openings. There are 4 to choose from. There is one recommended for first time visitors but they are all good.

Your route from Fresno to the Sequoias is the best route. 180 is a freeway through Fresno but then dead ends at Clovis Ave. You will have to go south a few blocks on Clovis to pick 180 up again. From that point, it's a 2 lane road. It's about 90 minutes from that point to get to Sequoia. The road gets very curvy. It's not as bad as the road into Yosemite through Mariposa but still pretty curvy.

For lodging near Yosemite, you can also try Coarsegold. It's between Oakhurst and Fresno. I know there is the newer gaming casino, Chuckchansi, there that has rooms. Personally, I would prefer to stay on that side because I can't handle that Mariposa entrance rode. Too steep and curvy for me.

 

[Lisa P.]

Thank you both for your feedback - very helpful info!

 

[Judy from Boise]

has your trip all ready happened ? In Ventura, make sure to go up to the cross,tour the Mission, maybe Putt Putt golf !

When you are driving through Camarillo, keep your eyes peeled for the orange grove from "Soaring"