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5. What are some money traps to avoid at all costs and what are some must-see attractions that you don’t often find in the travel guides? Is it worth taking a day trip to Joshua Tree, for example? What are some places that you would definitely recommend a first-time visitor see/experience? When I visit a new place, I really like to avoid the typical tourist stuff and try to experience the place like those who live there do. For example, when I used to visit NYC a lot, I typically stayed above 96th Street, on the West Side. Before that, I stayed with family in the South Bronx. I’ve been to NYC over a dozen times and never seen the Statue of Liberty only been to Times Square once, never went to the top of them Empire State Building, and so on. I really like exploring neighborhoods - especially historic ones - and visiting the places that locals recommend.
Just remember that "tourist" attractions are attractions for a reason: they are usually worth visiting! You may want to explore (how shall I put it) less touristy neighborhoods, but don't turn your back on the awe-inspiring sights of California out of scorn for the touristy places just because they are famous. The Redwoods outside of San Francisco and the small towns in the Motherlode Country (Highway 49) from the days of the Gold Rush are quintessentially Californian, and worth a visit. Yosemite really is an amazing place, and if you go in the fall or spring season, you might be able to avoid the worst crowds. The Monterey aquarium mentioned above is fantastic, and you can combine that with a trip to Cannery Row (Monterey), but do read Steinbeck's little novel first to get the historical context.
As far as LA museums go, don't miss the Getty, Los Angeles Museum of Art, and the La Brea Tar Pits, one of the most interesting natural history museums in the state. And if you are in any way interested in film history, the Warner Studio Tour is worth it--more so than Universal Studios.
Personally, I'd limit my stay in Los Angeles to 4-5 days, and spend more time traveling along PCH/Highway 1 and over in the Sierra Foothills. As for Joshua Trees, I think I'd drop that in favor of the Redwoods, either outside of San Francisco or in the Sierras--unless you love the desert and want an excuse to have a desert excursion.
My own turf is San Diego, and I'd always recommend spending a few days exploring our pleasant, friendly town with its wonderful beaches, but if you only have two weeks, you may want to save San Diego for your next visit, along with the eastern slope of the Sierras with the Owens Valley and its peculiar rock formations. You can't see it all in 2 weeks!
Wow, great tips and advice here. I will chime in that although we call freeways "the" (partly because we used to refer to the whole name - i.e. take the 5 freeway is now "take the 5"), we do not refer to PCH as "The PCH" even though we do alternatively say, "The Pacific Coast Hwy." As a picky aside, through Laguna Beach it is simply "Coast Hwy," no "Pacific."
Digressing...
I have always said the first two weeks of October are the best time to visit since the tourists have largely gone home, the kiddies are back in school, the weather is still summer warm, and the wildfires (Especially over Camp Pendleton) help create amazingly beautiful sunsets. However, the advice to visit in the Spring might actually be better. They are right, the week of drizzly rain will give the hillsides and even the weeds a nice green color for about 6 weeks. Then it all turns to brown and dead again.
While there is some culture to see in East LA and So Central (murals, Watts Towers, etc.) they are generally run-down, older, less-affluent (and generally less-safe) areas. I can understand why many do not see the attraction of visiting there despite the raw gritty urban feel or vibe they can present.
The desert may be very different from the lusher green ferny areas that NorCal forests shares with some of Canada. I can see why you'd want to visit it. It is, however, sort of like palm trees. The "cool" newness wears off fast. A little time there goes a long way. Many soon perceive it as just miles and miles of flat dry dusty hot with little vegetation. Kinda like palm trees look very cool to newcomers at first, but quickly are just pom-pom weeds, or like Q-tips stuck into the ground. Kinda blah.
Sounds like you are doing a lot of detailed planning, and you are wise to do it, but allow yourself the flexibility to follow up on things that look interesting you come upon as opposed to strictly following a set itinerary. Above all, relax and enjoy the sights and yourself, it sounds like a unique trip of a lifetime, and your youth is the exact time to do it.
Wow, great tips and advice here. I will chime in that although we call freeways "the" (partly because we used to refer to the whole name - i.e. take the 5 freeway is now "take the 5"),
Speak for yourself. I've never heard anyone say "the" = the highway number. It tends to be more of a SoCal thing.
I’m from Toronto and would really love to take a trip to California, spending about 8 days in LA, then driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to spend 3-4 days in San Francisco before returning. It’s just me traveling.
With all that’s going on now between COVID and social unrest, I’m looking at taking it a year from now.
What I’d really like to know is how much $ you think I’ll have to save for this trip, not including airfare.
I’ve done the research and arrived at some estimates, but I’d like to hear from those who live there and can give me a more accurate idea of how much $ I’ll need. Thank-you so much for your help
Here are a few things that might help you reply...
1. I’d like to use Air BNB to stay in a neighborhood that isn’t completely saturated with tourists. Somewhere near Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood, and other interesting neighborhoods, but maybe near those areas or adjacent to them so I don’t have to spend the extra $ BNB would charge if I wanted to stay directly in Santa Monica. I’ve done my research, but what do you Locals think would be a good neighborhood for someone like myself who wants to stay among Angelenos, away from the tourists? What about the Rampart or Venice?
Also, what do you think a reasonable price for a 7-10-day rental for one person might be?
2. I like to take PT or walk when possible, but how feasible is that if I want to see as much of LA as possible? Would you advise renting a car the whole time I’m there or not? To clarify, I want to see as much of LA as possible, but don’t plan to visit OC or Disneyland, the Valley, etc. I only have about 7-8 days in LA and I plan to keep my exploring focused on the most vibrant neighborhoods, including enclaves like East LA, South Central, Santa Monica and the Pacific Coast, the areas adjacent to downtown, Hollywood, and the Hills. How much does it typically cost to rent a budget car in LA? In Toronto, we have LA-like traffic, including the busiest and largest highway in North America (the 401), but I’m curious about driving there. Do you think it’s difficult for someone new to the city the way that Manhattan can be or a city in Mexico, or is it pretty straightforward?
3. I want to rent a car and drive up the PC Highway to San Fran and stay there a few days. What would be a decent, affordable neighborhood to rent an Air BNB in? I’m thinking about the Mission, but any other suggestions would be great. What kinds of prices should I expect for a single guy renting an Air BNB there for 3-4 nights.
4. What should I budget for food if I eat mostly inexpensive stuff - lots of Mexican and Central American, food trucks, and so on with one or two fine dining experiences over the course of two weeks?
5. What are some money traps to avoid at all costs and what are some must-see attractions that you don’t often find in the travel guides? Is it worth taking a day trip to Joshua Tree, for example? What are some places that you would definitely recommend a first-time visitor see/experience? When I visit a new place, I really like to avoid the typical tourist stuff and try to experience the place like those who live there do. For example, when I used to visit NYC a lot, I typically stayed above 96th Street, on the West Side. Before that, I stayed with family in the South Bronx. I’ve been to NYC over a dozen times and never seen the Statue of Liberty only been to Times Square once, never went to the top of them Empire State Building, and so on. I really like exploring neighborhoods - especially historic ones - and visiting the places that locals recommend.
6. Do you think two weeks is enough time to take in LA and SF, while driving up the PCH? What is worth stopping for along the PCH between LA and SF?
7. I only place to stay in SF for 3-4 days, so what attractions do the locals think I shouldn’t miss. I’m a huge Grateful Dead fan, but is Haight Ashbury just a cliche now? I’ll probably go anyways, but what’s it like these days? I’m not gay, but would like to check out the Castro. Is it still the center of gay life that it once was. Here in Toronto, our once-thriving gay Village has kind of disappeared as almost-universal acceptance of the LGBTQ lifestyle in the city allowed its former residents to move all over without worrying about stigma or harassment. Has this happened to the Castro too or is it still a great place to experience the LGBTQ community of SF? Which neighborhoods still have enough of a remnant of their former population that they don’t feel completely wiped off the map due to gentrification?
Anyways, I have more questions but I think I’ve asked enough and written enough
I would really appreciate any answers residents or frequent visitors to California could give me. I really want to make this trip happen, but I need to get a better idea of how much money I’ll need to save for two weeks. I feel that $4000 should be more than enough, but would love to know your opinions.
Thank-you so much and I really hope I make it there in the near future.
Take care, everyone, and thanks again
Honestly, as a lifelong California resident, if I were to advise friends visiting this state for the first time, S.F. and L.A. would be last on my list of places to visit. Whatever connotations you have of these areas prepare to be disappointed. Especially S.F. Haight Ashbury is just another dirty street in S.F. full of tourist garbage and tweaked out homeless people pissing and crapping in the street. Sorry to burst your bubble, but free love and hippies have been replaced by poo map apps and drug needles. Ventura beach is another area I'd skip. Do you have a tetanus shot on record?
If you're intent on visiting LA and SF then do the usual tourist stuff and get out of these crapholes to see the better side of California: Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Pier, Paramount Pictures Studio Tour, the massive plague- riddled homeless encampments in Hollywood, then I'd leave southern California and hit San Simeon on my way up to S.F. There you can visit Alcatraz, Pier 39, Golden Gate Bridge overlook, Lombard Street, Coit Tower, the massive homeless encampments everywhere.
But I'd tell my fiends to spend more time at Muir Woods, go to the top of Mount Tamalpais for unparalleled views of the bay area, go to Stinson Beach, check out Inverness and Marshall for fresh seafood, then go to the lighthouse at Point Reyes National Seashore. Then I'd tell them to go to Napa and visit Oxbow Market and tour wineries if that's their thing, then I'd have them drive to Lake Tahoe and go to the beach at Sand Harbor, tour Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay, go to the Tallac Historic site, and visit the Taylor Creek visitor center. Then I'd tell them to head south and check out Yosemite and then Joshua Tree before heading back to LA and flying home.
Thank-you so much to everyone who has chimed in with advice. You’ve given me some great tips and I really appreciate it.
To those who gave me insights into the ways California residents in different parts of the state refer to highways, cities, and so on, it’s always good to know these things, so thank-you.
You’ve given me a lot to think about as I plan my trip, and coming in the spring sounds like it might be best. Perhaps if COVID starts to wane and the aftermath of the election isn’t a mess, I’ll consider traveling in 2021. Maybe the locals can chime in about how COVID is affecting daily life in California and whether you recommending waiting a while to visit. I personally wouldn’t advise tourists visit Ontario right now as the restrictions and businesses closing mean parts of Toronto are boarded up or closed in many places, many tourist attractions are closed, and some provincial and national parks are shuttered so you would only be able to experience a small slice of what’s normally on offer. Hell, all our festivals were cancelled this summer, so a first-time visitor would have probably thought Toronto was a pretty dull town.
Back to California, I’ve swam in the ocean many times, but never been to the desert, so if I have to choose one over the other, I’ll come when the desert weather is best for visiting. Of course I would love to visit Yosemite, the counties north of the Bay Area with their wineries and beautiful scenery, and other parts of the state, but I don’t have the time or money to see it all. I have to keep my wandering limited to part of the state, and the LA area, Bay Area, and coast in between is the most feasible.
When I wrote that I would spend 8 days in LA, I should have said LA area, including the nearby desert and other sites I could visit on a day-trip or maybe even an overnight stay. From the advice everyone has given, I might shorten that a bit so I can spend more time exploring the coast on my way to SF, as there are so many amazing places to see and linger in. Ideally, I would spend as much time in SF as LA, but my (maybe mistaken) impression is that SF is pricier. Someone mentioned staying near the city, like in Berkeley or Oakland, and that’s definitely something I would consider.
Anyhow, thank you to everyone for their advice. You’re the best! If anyone has other suggestions or information, I’d love to hear it. Some people have asked my why I would visit California and not Europe for the same price, but something about California has always called to me and I don’t know the next time I’ll have the chance to visit. Hell, I got family all over the US, could stay in Miami and PR for free if I wanted, but California is really where I’d like to go. I’m looking forward to the trip, although I am a little annoyed I might have to wait until 2022 to make it happen. Let’s hope things get better, that a safe and effective vaccine for COVID is found, that the November elections don’t degenerate into a Constitutional crisis, etc.
Honestly, as a lifelong California resident, if I were to advise friends visiting this state for the first time, S.F. and L.A. would be last on my list of places to visit. Whatever connotations you have of these areas prepare to be disappointed. Especially S.F. Haight Ashbury is just another dirty street in S.F. full of tourist garbage and tweaked out homeless people pissing and crapping in the street. Sorry to burst your bubble, but free love and hippies have been replaced by poo map apps and drug needles. Ventura beach is another area I'd skip. Do you have a tetanus shot on record?
If you're intent on visiting LA and SF then do the usual tourist stuff and get out of these crapholes to see the better side of California: Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Pier, Paramount Pictures Studio Tour, the massive plague- riddled homeless encampments in Hollywood, then I'd leave southern California and hit San Simeon on my way up to S.F. There you can visit Alcatraz, Pier 39, Golden Gate Bridge overlook, Lombard Street, Coit Tower, the massive homeless encampments everywhere.
But I'd tell my fiends to spend more time at Muir Woods, go to the top of Mount Tamalpais for unparalleled views of the bay area, go to Stinson Beach, check out Inverness and Marshall for fresh seafood, then go to the lighthouse at Point Reyes National Seashore. Then I'd tell them to go to Napa and visit Oxbow Market and tour wineries if that's their thing, then I'd have them drive to Lake Tahoe and go to the beach at Sand Harbor, tour Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay, go to the Tallac Historic site, and visit the Taylor Creek visitor center. Then I'd tell them to head south and check out Yosemite and then Joshua Tree before heading back to LA and flying home.
Good luck, safe travels.
Thanks for your advice.
I’m certainly not expecting to travel back in time to 1965 or anything when I visit SF and LA, and I’m aware of the issues of homelessness and open-air drug use, etc. That doesn’t really bother me, tbh, and I know that SF and LA are more than feces-stained streets, homeless encampments, methheads and black tar heroin.
I do want to see the natural beauty of California, but my budget and time constraints, as well as my own personal interests, force me to choose the areas around the two major cities I mentioned and the coastal area between them. I would love to be able to see it all, but I’ve gotta choose and even if Laurel Canyon is no longer a refuge for artists and musicians, free love is dead, homeless encampments have taken over swaths of downtown LA and SF, and a tetanus shot is a necessary prerequisite for visiting, I’m still most interested in the cities and the coast.
I appreciate your tips and will take them into consideration.
SF is doable without a car, although the decrepitness of the BART subway can be a shocker. It has a violent crime rate four times as high as the DC subway, and at least twice as high of the NYC subway. It's also infamously noisy, dirty, and infrequent, waiting fifteen minutes for a train is typical in many parts of the system. But it is very fast.
The only problem is, once you get to SF proper, there's only one BART corridor through the city proper, and the rest of the city is served by buses or these streetcars that are very slow (kind of like the Toronto Streetcars).
The ocean in California, even during the summer, is chilly, and will be chillier during the fall.
LA does have light rail to Santa Monica, although the light rail connection to the airport is pretty clunky and it takes a very long time to get to the airport by transit. By contrast, taking the BART to the SF airport is very convenient and goes directly to the terminal.
My own turf is San Diego, and I'd always recommend spending a few days exploring our pleasant, friendly town with its wonderful beaches, but if you only have two weeks, you may want to save San Diego for your next visit,
Or, pencil in a day for SD, and take the train from LA to Old Town --kind of a teaser trip for the next time. That would give them plenty of options in the immediate area to Uber around or whatever. I'm admittedly biased, but it seems like a visit to California with only 2 of the 3 major metro areas on the agenda is a waste.
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only been to Times Square once, never went to the top of them Empire State Building, and so on. I really like exploring neighborhoods - especially historic ones - and visiting the places that locals recommend. 
