USA roadtrip - a few final questions

[Bill_McBride]

Scott,

If you really want to impress the little lady...bag the extra day in LA and head north, spend the night in San Luis Obispo or Pismo Beach...she'll love it.  LA sucks, you'll realize that as soon as you get there.

Santa Barbara is a lot nicer, spring for the Biltmore!

[Matt MacIver]

Scott - i haven't read this whole thread, but FWIW I echo those that plugged Pinehurst, Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans, as well as Charlottesville, VA, Phily/Atlantic City (for a day).  Staying at either the Greenbrier or Homestead if you travel thru middle VA / WVA would be a fun stop, albeit $$.  Also consider Key West if you get to Miami, though both are well out-of-the-way, and $.

[Scott Warren]

You guys know how to make a guy second-guess his itinerary

As it happens, The Boss found out today that a Harry Potter theme park is opening in Orlando before we will be there. Her love of Harry Potter is prossibly even greater than my golf addiction, so all my careful checking on flight times and stuff is out the window!

Just when I thought I had it finalised!

Turns out she's not that fussed after all!

[Bill_McBride]

You guys know how to make a guy second-guess his itinerary

As it happens, The Boss found out today that a Harry Potter theme park is opening in Orlando before we will be there. Her love of Harry Potter is prossibly even greater than my golf addiction, so all my careful checking on flight times and stuff is out the window!

Just when I thought I had it finalised!

We will be discussing this over copious single malts next week!

[Scott Warren]

I have three four final questions that I think will help me nail this puppy down. Lots of back and forth trying to settle on a plan, but it feels like we're close!

1. If we were to fly into NYC from London, then after seeing NYC head north by car for a night in CT on the coast somewhere, then go west and spend a night in the Hudson River valley before driving south to Philadelphia via Princeton, are we likely to see a good representation of North East countryside and towns, or do you really need to get up as far as Vermont and Maine for that?

2. Re: the above drive, is it better to head north along Long Island, then get the ferry back onto the mainland, or head up the coast past Bridgeport CT etc?

3. Am I being optimistic to think I can fly from DC to Phoenix, play golf at We-Ko-Pa and then make some sort of dent in the drive towards Sedona in one day?

4. Where is the best place to spend a night on California Highway 1 between Los Angeles and Monterey?

[Greg Chambers]

4. Where is the best place to spend a night on California Highway 1 between Los Angeles and Monterey?

I would recommend Cambria.  Very nice little town on the coast, and then you'll be fresh for one of the most spectacular drives in the world.

[Gareth Williams]

I have three four final questions that I think will help me nail this puppy down. Lots of back and forth trying to settle on a plan, but it feels like we're close!

1. If we were to fly into NYC from London, then after seeing NYC head north by car for a night in CT on the coast somewhere, then go west and spend a night in the Hudson River valley before driving south to Philadelphia via Princeton, are we likely to see a good representation of North East countryside and towns, or do you really need to get up as far as Vermont and Maine for that?

2. Re: the above drive, is it better to head north along Long Island, then get the ferry back onto the mainland, or head up the coast past Bridgeport CT etc?

3. Am I being optimistic to think I can fly from DC to Phoenix, play golf at We-Ko-Pa and then make some sort of dent in the drive towards Sedona in one day?

4. Where is the best place to spend a night on California Highway 1 between Los Angeles and Monterey?

[/b]



Scott

We've stayed here and it is right on Highway 1;

http://www.deetjens.com/home.htm

Very nice, very homely and brilliant food in the bar/restaurant. Highly recommended if you want a good location and good value.

Cheers,
Gareth

p.s. watch out for the fog  

[Kalen Braley]

3. Am I being optimistic to think I can fly from DC to Phoenix, play golf at We-Ko-Pa and then make some sort of dent in the drive towards Sedona in one day?

4. Where is the best place to spend a night on California Highway 1 between Los Angeles and Monterey?

Scott,

For question 3, this is very doable.  You could catch a 8 AM flight from DC, fly for 5 hours and land in Phoniex at 10 AM because you will be flying west and "gaining" 3 hrs.  You could then be on the course by noon, and on the road to Sedona by 5 or 6.  To boot Sedona is only about 2 hrs away from We-Ko-Pa so you could easily be in Sedona by 8 PM that night.

For question 4....the better question would be where isn't a good place to stay.  Once you get north of Oxnard, its an epic drive for the most part all the way to Monterey.  As has been suggested Cambria would be an excellent place to stop. And if you have time, check out the Hearst Castle...it won't disappoint!  http://www.hearstcastle.org/

[Scott Warren]

Thanks Greg Gareth and Kalen,

Greg and Gareth: Thanks for the recommendations. Both involve a slightly longer 1st leg than I wanted, but that would man we can take our time more on the drive through Big Sur and up to Monterey.

Kalen: Glad to hear your answer to Q3! Hearst Castle is most certainly on the radar. I'm hoping it might earn just enough brownie points that I am able to play in LA, Monterey and San Fran in the space of eight days and not fly home a single man!

[Kalen Braley]

Thanks Greg Gareth and Kalen,

Greg and Gareth: Thanks for the recommendations. Both involve a slightly longer 1st leg than I wanted, but that would man we can take our time more on the drive through Big Sur and up to Monterey.

Kalen: Glad to hear your answer to Q3! Hearst Castle is most certainly on the radar. I'm hoping it might earn just enough brownie points that I am able to play in LA, Monterey and San Fran in the space of eight days and not fly home a single man!

It's a half-day detour but yes you should win some good points by doing this....its very neat!   

[Greg Chambers]

Scott,

Although Big Sur is a great place to stay, you will find that drive too long.  LA to Cambria is very doable (about 4.5hrs) and Cambria is right at the beginning of the spectacular coast.  There's not much between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, and SB is only a little way north of LA, and SLO is just a little south of Cambria, that's why I thought Cambria would be a good stopping point.  Plus the place is very quaint, full of B&B's and really good restaurants.

[Scott Warren]

That's a pretty good idea, then we can do Hearst Castle first thing in the morning and spend the afternoon motoring towards Monterey. Thanks!

[Bob_Huntley]

Scott,

I would suggest that you cut short your time in LA and motor up to Montecito and stay at the San Ysidro Ranch. Mightily expensive but your wife will love it. One of the best dining spots in California.

Driving from LA to the Big Sur is a bit of a haul and the Cambria suggestions make the most sense. Deetjens is rustic.

Bob

[Scott Warren]

Thanks Bob, I'll look into that.

[Scott Warren]

Thanks again guys, those last suggestions were really helpful. Taking Bob's idea of heading up to the Santa Barbara area for the first night means we have a few more options for the following day - either taking it more slowly and staying in Cambria or hauling arse a bit more and hitting Big Sur, buying us time for the drive into and around Monterey the following day.

Once again, every post in this thread has been immensely appreciated. Even many of the places that were mentioned that we can't make it to this time, we are now really excited to see one day, and I thank you all for the time you took to share your thoughts and ideas.

We have just settled on the below itinerary, just five days shy of a year until we set off!

New York - 4 nights
Newport, RI - 1 night
Hudson River Valley - 1 night
Philadelphia - 2 nights
Washington DC - 2 nights
Sedona - 1 night
Grand Canyon - 2 nights
Las Vegas - 1 night
LA - 3 nights
Santa Barbara - 1 night
Cambria/Big Sur - 1 night
Monterey - 2 nights
San Francisco - 3 nights

[James Bennett]

Scott

if you can see Bryce Canyon as well as Grand Canyon, do so!  Cary L is right.  Wife and I did a multi-day trip 1999 with scenic air involving Bryce/Grand (twice) and Monument Valley.  I will always remember it.  We also did a bus trip to the south face (?) incl Hoover Dam in 2002, and a helicopter trip to the west face in 2007 (with ma-in-law).

Spend the money on a fixed wing plane that tkes in Grand and Bryce if you can.  Otherwise, spend more for a (brief) helicopter trip as long as it goes to Bryce as well.  Don't know if this exists.

James B

[Gareth Williams]

Looks a great trip Scott....can I come too? 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Scott,
Just looking at your final itinerary. I see your wife straightened you out. 

[Peter Pallotta]

Scott - that's great. Just my two cents late in the game. I drove across the US years back, crossing into the US at Detroit, going south through Arkansas and then turning west at Amarillo, Texas, heading towards Los Angeles. Anyway, it was a great trip, but the only thing I remember now after all these years is New Mexico. For this city boy, it was a magical place. I'm only glad (or sad) that I wasn't on any mind-altering substances when i got there, or I may have never left.

Peter

[Greg Chambers]

After Arkansas and Amarillo, wouldn't anyplace seem magical?

[Rob Rigg]

Where is the part where you drop off the rental car and fly to Portland so you can make the drive down the Oregon Coast (past Bandon!!!!) to SF?

Probably the most spectacular drive in the country.

This was probably mentioned already - I did not read through the five pages.

Should be a great trip for you and the girl!

[Jim Nugent]

Where is the part where you drop off the rental car and fly to Portland so you can make the drive down the Oregon Coast (past Bandon!!!!) to SF?

Probably the most spectacular drive in the country.

Rob, more so than Big Sur? 

[Adam Lowes]

Scott, my 2 cents....

Monterey to Santa Barbara is very doable drive. I don't think a stay on Big Sur is necessary. It is a fairly slow and winding drive, but not that long. Big Sur area is nice, but for me, if you have done some coastal driving in Europe or even NSW, it will not blow you away as much as some people say it will. We stayed in Carmel when in Monterey area and it was a very handy spot. We gave Hearst Castle a miss. Don't know if that is your thing. We did some research and it did not sound like it would be for us.

What are your plans for NYC? Would be happy to offer tips from a similar aged Aussie to help you have a good time. You could spend a week in NYC doing things that everyone says you "must see" but in truth there is so much more fun to be had.

No need to bog down this thread, if I can help you in any way, you know where to find me......

[Steve Lang]

  nothing against the ocean coast drives but time spent seeing the same thing.. or nearly same thing around each bend.. gets old

.. we enjoyed a quite inexpensive night and breakfast in Morro Bay, just beyond SLO.. just before Cambria

.. we thoroughly enjoyed the Hearst Castle.. a glimpse of american royalty, 20th century style

.. since you're basicly  flying over most of the usa, you should at least drive up across the coastal mountains and hop on 101 to Grapes of Wrath country and Monterey, i don't think there's anything worse than getting stuck behind a line of RV's on Rt. 1, making headway at 40-50 mph

the Oregon coast is nice,  we've enjoyed brief stop at Cannon Beach and the Haystacks.. but how much of the sea-side tourist thing can you take?   From Portland, I think the Columbia River Gorge is much more interesting or heading north a bit further and taking a helicopter ride into what used to be Mt. St. Helens!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHChHrl4qZE

keep options open

[Scott Warren]

The Eagle has finally landed.

With many, many thanks to John Mayhugh, Mike Whitaker and Bart Bradley who through their pile of PMs and phone chats have helped me nail down the last leg of the trip - the itinerary is now set. About to start booking it all.

Funny how much life can change in a year (since we started thinking about this trip): it will now be our honeymoon!

Here's the plan:

Fly into NYC - 4 nights
Train to Philly - 2 nights
Train to DC - 2 nights
Drive from DC to Knoxville via Smokeys and Asheville - 3 nights
Fly to Vegas (inc. Grand Canyon day trip) - 3 nights
Drive to LA - 3 nights
Drive to Santa Barbara - 2 nights
Drive to Monterey - 2 nights
Drive to San Francisco - 2 nights

That gives us four distinct landscapes/environments: North Eastern cities, Southern mountains/countryside, Desert and Pacific coast.

Thanks again to all who have thrown in their 2c worth and been so generous with lengthy PMs, emails, discussions at Buda, phonecalls etc.

Can't wait to see all these amazing places, catch up with some old friends, meet a few more of you on our way around  and play some golf!