Family Vaca - Need Suggestions

My husband and I, along with our 14 and 11 year old sons, will be visiting California for the first time and would greatly appreciate any suggestions on what to do, places to stay and restaurants to visit while there.

We will be in San Diego Dec. 26-30 and LA Dec. 30-Jan. 3. The early part of our trip is mostly planned b/c we are there for my son%26#39;s high school band which is playing in the Holiday Bowl. A tour and Sea World are planned for SD and Universal Studios in LA. The band flies home on the 31st and we are staying in LA until the 3rd.

A few things we would like help with:

1) We are staying at Pacific Palms Resort on the 30th; but we are open to other hotel suggestions for the duration of our stay.

2) We will have a rental car, so we are open to suggestions outside of LA for short road trips during the day.

3) I find that some of the best food is served at your ';out of the way';, ';off the beaten path'; or ';hole in the wall'; type restaurants. Any places like this would be welcome.

Thank you for your help!

Family Vaca - Need Suggestions

4 days is really just enough to see LA, especially if you%26#39;re spending a day of it at a theme park. You should start by reading the FAQs sticky post on this forum with recommendations for things to do. LA is huge and spread out, so there is lots to do to occupy your time.

Some places that you should not miss are

- The Getty

- Drive down Sunset Blvd from Beverly Hills to the beach

- Meal at a restaurant by the beach in Malibu

- Walkind around Santa Monica and Venice

- Walking around Hollywood Blvd

- The Grove/Farmer%26#39;s Market (great for lunch)

- Rodeo Drive and walking around Beverly Hills

- Griffith Park and Observatory

- Olvera Street Downtown

Your hotel is in the City of Industry, so not really convenient to any must-see places in LA (at least a 30-45 minute drive to most). It would be more convenient for your stay to move somewhere more central. Not sure what your budget is, but Santa Monica would be great if you want somewhere you can walk around with your kids. Check out Loew%26#39;s or the Fairmont hotels if your budget is around $250 per night. Beverly Hills is a good central area to stay, but quiet at night (Beverly Hilton). West Hollywood is convenient to shopping and many great restaurants (Chamberlain and LeParc have great suite type of accomodations, Elan Modern and Sofitel are good too). Hollywood is ok too, but it%26#39;s a pretty congested area in terms of traffic in my opinion and its farthest from the beach neighborhoods of Santa Monica etc compared to the other above options.

If you do have a day for a side trip, you can consider Santa Barbara 1.5 hrs north. Disneyland is also 1 hour away.

In terms of restaurants, there are hundreds of great places here. It would be best if you plan out your tentative itinerary first so we can recommend spots in the parts of town where you will be. LA is very spread out, so you probably wouldn%26#39;t want to drive an hour just to eat somewhere. It%26#39;s best to plan it around your itinerary. It would also help to know your budget for food and what type you like.

Family Vaca - Need Suggestions

A few suggestions for food are:

1) Since you are in City of Industry, recommend going to Guadalajara Grill for Mexican food and a great mariachi band show.

http://209.68.29.101/

This is a great place for Mexican food and a show. I like it a lot more than Olvera Street in downtown LA for a fun experience. Locals (including large hispanic familes) love going here for celebrations.

2) Knotts Berry Farm - Your age will like this theme park for a few hours and Knotts Chicken Restaurant is a good one to go to.

www.knotts.com/camplace/dine_restaurant.shtml

3) Since you%26#39;re coming from San Diego, suggest seeing Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach. Rubys at the end of the pier in Huntington Beach is a good one to go to.

http://www.stockteam.com/rubys.html

4) Farmers Market as mentioned is a good one to go to.

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/

5) Paradise Cove in Malibu is a fun ocean restaurant to go to in Malibu

paradisecovemalibu.com/beachcafe/index.htm

6) Queen Mary - not a hole in the wall, but fun to go to for brunch or lunch

http://www.queenmary.com/

7) There are lots of places for Chinese and Asian food including dum sum (and good prices as well.).

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Dim+Sum%26amp;find_loc=San+Gabriel%2C+CA%26amp;cflt=chinese

8) Northwoods Inn

www.clearmansrestaurants.com/northwoods.html

9) in Hollywood - there are a lot of inexpensive eats in the Hollywood and Highland Shopping area. We like to get crepes and do people watching from the out door tables; There are others like Claifornia Pizza Kitchen.

ps - typo: I meant dim sum.

Any chance you can change your hotel? City of Industry is really not a tourist destination. While safe, you still would spent most of your vacationtime in a car. There is really nothing close to visit in the area.

Another great family restaurant(and L.A.icon) is El Cayote on Beverly Blvd, perhaps not the best Mexican food in town, but good and the restaurant is a great place for families to visit

Can you change your hotel? You say you are open to road trips outside of LA, but you%26#39;re staying outside of LA, it will be a road trip to get to LA. You really need to change your hotel, if you can.

LA is filled with ethnic food, the best you%26#39;ll find anywhere. This means there are many, many, many, hole in the wall places with fantastic food. Go to chowhound.com to get suggestions, research threads on this subject, there are many.

Check out the family travel section for LA at tripadvisor.com/Travel-g32655-s401/Los-Angel鈥?/a> .

We visit LA annually to see family and I too recommend that you change your hotel -- you%26#39;re way out of the way.

For food -- I%26#39;m with you -- local places, no chains. I second the recommendation of El Coyote, which my kids (now 12 and 10) adore (see http://www.frommers.com/destinations/losangeles/D51723.html). I also recommend almost any taqueria you happen to cross the path of -- they will often have a sign advertising themselves as such (';Taqueria';).

The Farmers Market is an absolute gem for good food %26amp; people watching tripadvisor.com/Travel-g32655-d219483/Los-An鈥?/a>

best ski in ski out in tahoe

Anyone have a good suggestion for a great ski in ski out accommodation in Tahoe for 4-5 nights during Christmas/New Years break? Open to condo, cabin, or ';village'; rooms. Have 3 teenage kids-all good skiers/snowboarders. Heard Northstar has some good options. We usually do Bear Valley, but looking for something new.

Was almost going to go for Squaw Village till I read the horrible reviews. Would love any help...

best ski in ski out in tahoe

Squaw Valley is a good place for skiing/boarding so I don%26#39;t know who would give it a bad review.

Northstar is good. You can rent a condo or home and they have shuttles to the resort itself. It%26#39;s not completely built out so it may be slow after the day boarders leave.

South lake Tahoe of course is the busiest with the most to do. Christmas/New Years is pretty busy so you should make arrangements soon. Ski in and out is probabaly still available at the Marriott Timber Lodge right next to the gondola in the village area. The Marriott Grand seems fully booked for that period.

best ski in ski out in tahoe

The Marriott Timber Lodge is very nice, we stayed there for 3 nights this past May and enjoyed our stay. The have nice villas available here. Have fun! :)

If you don%26#39;t mind being away from all the activity of Tahoe proper, Kirkwood has some incredible ski-in / ski-out accommodations. Not to mention terrain that will keep your kids very happy.

Okay , Kirkwood is not Tahoe.

suzie-travels described the 3 ski in - ski out. But remember Squaw and Northstar are not on the lake. They both have ice skating, shops, pools and lots for teens.

Also consider the Hyatt Lake Tahoe. It is in Incline but you are 5 mins from slopes and the shuttle runs continuously. It is far nicer accomodation and there are restaurants within walking distance (Austins, Bisto Francaise, Black Bear Deli (Sri Lanken), La Fondue etc) Not a lot of shopping, but Incline Village does have shops. The Hyat also has nightly music, a family scene, and is RIGHT ON THE LAKE.

The reviews on Squaw - a lot of people like squaw. I found the rooms small and kind of tired, plus the noise from people in the village we found irritating. This would be similar at Northstar if you are in the village and definately in South lake tahoe. A lot of people close together.

Another option for accomodations if you don%26#39;t want to spend too much but be near the Heavenly Gondola is a Travelodge that was remodeled a few years back - to fit in with the ski chalet theme, that is across the street from Heavenly Village.

4011 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

roadsideamerica.com/hotels_motels/…30958.html

My husband and I have stayed there quite a bit and have had no complaints. Decent place to lay your head, since we spent most of the time on the slopes or in the casinos. And it%26#39;s right across the street from Heavenly Village and the Raley%26#39;s supermarket. Walking distance to the casinos.

If you%26#39;re there for a number of days, I suggest checking out Kirkwood. I like it better than Heavenly but its about an hour south of S. Lake Tahoe.

Marriott Timber Lodge is nice (we stayed on a timeshare invite) but on a normal basis, I%26#39;d stay at the Travelodge and spend my $ at the casinos.

Just my 2 cents.

But book early - New Year%26#39;s will be very tight for accomodations!

Both Squaw Valley and Northstar have a wide variety of ski in/ski out condos. Some are old, tired, and small. Many are quite new, large, and beautifully decorated. Your kids would no doubt enjoy either place- both have shops, restaurants and ice skating on site.

I%26#39;m surprised that Squaw has horrible reviews. I know many people who own condos or second homes there. They love it! My children loved Squaw when they were teenagers and there%26#39;s much more to do now.

I think that Heavenly, Squaw, or Northstar would be good choices. The teenagers in our family get bored at the Hyatt during the winter. It%26#39;s a great hotel, but it%26#39;s not ski in/ski out. The teenagers didn%26#39;t think there was much to do on site. They may just have been comparing it unfavorably with their summer visit, who knows?

dwight howard advice

Bowl Skiing

We will be visiting the Tahoe area in late March of 2008. Our past skiing experience consist of the eastern USA slopes and Colorado. What exactly is bowl skiing and how is it different from trail skiing? Pictures on the internet look the same. Thanks

Bowl Skiing

Here is my take on it.

Bowl skiing is akin to skiing in a huge downhill field, with few if any trees. You pick your own entry point and make your own path. It is more likely to appeal to expert or advanced skiers. More likely to be on the upper regions of the mountain.

Trail skiing is akin to skiing down a roadway. Closed in on both sides by obstacles or trees. The difficulty level ranges across the entire spectrum. The run can be much longer than for a bowl. You would chose a particular trail according to your comfort level.

Which is better? That is a personal decision.

Let%26#39;s hear definitions from other skiers.

Bowl Skiing

Thanks for the definition on bowl skiing.

StateRef defines it well.

Bowls are wide open spaces, they literally look like a shallow bowl on its side. They go from steep to almost level, with the center wide open, treeless, sometimes un-groomed terrain (moguls).

Trails are groomed, and are like wide streets. They are rated according to difficulty or ease.

coloradoskihistory.com/images/vail_large_1_0…

This is one of Vail%26#39;s bowls and as there slogan says ';there%26#39;s no comparison'; for those of us who have skiied Vails back bowls its right on the money.

Lake Tahoe clothing advice

We (5 off us) are travelling to Lake Tahoe in June next year (2008).

Any advice regarding expected weather conditions, suitable clothing etc., would be appreciated.

We are driving up from Las Vegas on Hwy 95, so any advice on road conditions would also be helpful.

Thank you.

Lake Tahoe clothing advice

It will be warm during the day and cool at night. You don%26#39;t need a coat only a sweater in June.

By June you won%26#39;t have to worry about snow in the mountain passes.

Lake Tahoe clothing advice

Tahoe weather is unpredictable. It will probably be warm during the day and cold at night, but no guarantees.

The roads should be just fine. You will go through some less than lovely parts of Nevada. Have you considered flying into Reno?

Local restaurants are casual. Jeans or khakis and a nice shirt or sweater are fine for men. By June, I am usually very happy to wear a dress, but pants are fine for women. You will be fine if you pack a few layering pieces. It will be too cold to swim in Tahoe, but it may be warm enough to sit on the beach or by the pool. I would bring a bathing suit.

June is a great time to visit! It%26#39;s not as crowded as it will be later in the summer.

June is a good month. The days should be nice and warm, and cool nights. All you should need is a light coat or sweater. Snow will not be an issue.

You are driving up hwy 95?......boring.

Just an idea. Take 95 to Beatty Nevada, through Death Valley, over to hwy 395 north along the east crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and then over to Lake Tahoe. It is longer, but a more scenic drive for sure.

Tahoe with Teens

Any suggestions as to which part of the lake a group of teenage (16 year old) boys would have the most fun snowboarding and hanging out? We are going to rent a house, but I was wondering in which area I should focus my search. And is anyone taking a group of cute girls March 15-22, 2008? Ha ha!

Tahoe with Teens

I had a group of 17 year old girls here twice last year. They were pretty exhausted each night after skiing all day and a bit of sledding (they seemd to really enjoy the sledding up near Mt. Rose) They enjoyed restaurants. But they mainly enjoyed having a big room, DVD%26#39;s snack foods etc. We were in a house in Incline at the time, and the girls could take the shuttle back when they felt like it or I could run up and pick them up (5 mins). They went to the moview one night and out to dinner twice.

However, I would take teens to Tahoe City. There is alot going on around town and they can%26#39;t get into too much trouble. Otherwise, either Northstar or Squaw, Finding a house to rent near (walking distance) to Tahoe City, or the villages at Northstar or Squaw might be tougher. A lot of houses there will require you drive.

I would reallly avoid the south shore. The high school there has metal detectors, gang violance and is kind of not the community to introduce a group of 16 year old boys that you presumably don%26#39;t want to escort every minute. Tahoe City is much more family friendly and yet has night life and a lot of fun stuff going on. People take their kids to South Lake Tahoe and never realize just how bad the gang violence at the high school is and the potential dangers.

Tahoe with Teens

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such great advice. I really do appreciate it!

north face book bags

Romantic overnight stay

My out of town boyfriend will be visiting me in L.A. next week, I%26#39;d like to take a road trip up to central coast wine country next weekend, so I%26#39;m looking for a romantic beach front hotel/motel for overnigt stay. Ideally, a quiet, off the beaten track, unpretentious inn or motel with spectacular ocean views. Also, we%26#39;re trying not to pay a fortune (but will bite the bullet if we have to). I%26#39;ve looked thru the hotel reviews but can%26#39;t seem to determine which is best based on reviews. We%26#39;re in our mid 40s. Would appreciate insight from anyone who has visited and in particular any locals who know the area well. Thank you for your help!!

Romantic overnight stay

The Blue Whale Inn in Cambria is very nice, it is right across the street from Moonstone Beach, they have nice rooms with canopy beds, fireplaces, etc. The breakfast is very good, and there is also a wine and cheese hour in the afternoon here.

On this same drive is the Pelican Cove Inn, a larger complex with a swimming pool and a nice dessert buffet in the evening as well as complimentary breakfast and wine and cheese reception upon arrival.

Have fun and let me know if you would recs for dining and things to do/see in the area. :)

Romantic overnight stay

syrahgirl

Hello...you seem to really know and love this area. My son and his fiance will be in this area next early June (as part of a trip driving from LA to SF--their first time). they want to visit Hearst Castle, so I have been researching a bit for them and Cambria seems like a lovely town to spend the night. We are thinking of giving them, as a Christmas gift, the night at a nice inn along with dinner. I read your suggestion fo the Blue Whale. Do you have a suggestion for a nice dinner, too? Thank you in advance for any help.

Yes, I would go with either the Black Cat Bistro or the Sow%26#39;s Ear Cafe. We have dined at the Sow%26#39;s Ear many times and the Black Cat Bistro once. Both places have excellent food and ambiance.

The Sow%26#39;s Ear dining room is much more spacious with two fireplaces and kind of an old-school charm to it, their specialties are the Chicken Fried Steak and the Salmon in Parchment paper. Salads are included with your meal at the Sow%26#39;s Ear Cafe. Service is excellent here, also.

Black Cat Bistro has a small, upscale charm to it. The menu here is more innovative and service is also very good here. These would be my top 2 choices for the area. :)

Thanks SyrahGirl, the hotel looks lovely but unfortunately the rates are a bit out of our price range :( do you happen to have any other suggestions? We%26#39;re looking to spend $150 or less, possibly more for an ocean view room. We just want to drive up the coast and spend the night someplace for a change of pace w/o breaking the bank (or kids%26#39; college fund). We%26#39;re rich in love but not in finances, so though it%26#39;s a lot to ask hoping you might have another recommendation. Many thanks for your help!

Btw, I would love your restaurant recommendations, as well as thoughts for places to go/things to see in the area.

Thank you Sryahgirl...I have put your suggestions in a trip folder...and I will contact the restaurants directly for a gift certificate.

I wish I was going on this trip!

Aside from the two places I have prevously mentioned, the Moonstone Bar %26amp; Grill is very good for lunch and breakfast, you will have oceanviews here. I love their fish tacos here, yummy dessets, also.

A few doors down is the Sea Chest on Moonstone Drive, a great place for seafood with views of the ocean, try to get a window table for the sunset. No reservations or credit cards here, tho.

Robin%26#39;s is very nice place, also with an eclectic feel to the place. The Tea Cozy is nice for tea and sandwiches, the Easy as Pie Cafe is a great place for a meal, also. We love the Linn%26#39;s Chicken Pot Pies, there is a store right next door to puchase Linn%26#39;s goodies.

Downtown Cambria is fun to stroll through, there is Fermentations for wine tasting and the Seekers Glass Art store is really nice, also. Moonstone Beach is gorgeous, there is a boardwalk for walking there that runs along the ocean.

You may want to take a drive to Piedras Blancas and check out the elephant seals that dot the coastline in this area. Enjoy! :)

Weekend stays are always going to be at full rate on the coast. Better to come mid-week when rates are half what they normally go for.

Here are some options to consider:

Pismo Beach%26#39;s Kon Tiki Inn, The Tides Motel %26amp; Cottages, Sea Gypsy or Mission Inn (Mission Inn isn%26#39;t beach front, but it is a newly opened hotel in February of this year and offers distant ocean views).

Cambria%26#39;s Olallieberry Inn, Squibb House or Cambria Pines Lodge, none of which are on the ocean, but offer exceptional value with romantic ambiance. The ocean is a short drive away. For ocean front, try Sand Pebbles Inn, Castle Inn, Moonstone Inn. These may be less expensive than their neighboring counterparts.

Hi Yogin-

The San Simeon Pines resort (in Cambria) is right across from the ocean, but does not have ocean views. The grounds are beautiful and the prices much lower than other Moonstone Beach properties. The last time I stayed there they had wood buring fire places. It is far from luxurious, but a less expensive option. I think the ocean front rooms of Moonstone Landing have the best views and you get the wonderful ocean sounds- but they are a little pricey. If you can only get a rear room, I would try another hotel...The Sea Chest is my favorite pick for restaurants- the King Crab will change your life! Have a great time.

We always liked the oceanfront rooms at the Cavalier Inn in San Simeon. A friend stayed at the Ragged Point Inn recently (also in San Simeon I think) and loved it. I think both of these are in the $200/night range.

Thanks everyone for your kind replies. I wish I could tell you that I%26#39;ve made a selection but I haven%26#39;t. I%26#39;m probably more lost now than before. I%26#39;ve decided that privacy, cleanliness, ambiance/romance are most important. The prices seem to range between $190-$250 and for just one night%26#39;s stay price doesn%26#39;t seem like a deal breaker anymore one way or the other.

So, my question now is what is the nicest, most romantic (w/o trying too hard) inn/motel would you recommend????

I am probably leaning more toward the Sand Pebbles or possibly Fogcatcher or Moonstone Landing (though I hear this is a much larger inn so maybe not the best for peace and quiet??)

In any event, PLEASE help me decide. I%26#39;d love to hear your input again.

Thanks everyone.

Travel & weather

We (5 adults) are travelling to Lake Tahoe, next June(2008)

Any advice on weather conditions at that time of year %26amp; suitable clothing would be appreciated.

We are driving from Las Vegas on Hwy 95, so any advice on road conditions would also be helpful.

Thank you.

Travel %26amp; weather

June - roads are clear, weather is nice. We can%26#39;t predict weather, best to check weather.com when you pack. Expect cool nights and warm days.

Travel %26amp; weather

We are always there the last week of June to July 4th. Weather is usually nice and sunny the later you arrive in the month. We wear shorts/crop pants and flip flops during the day, and a sweater at night. If you are going horseback riding, bring jeans and tennis shoes (trainers).

Last year our adult kids had to drive home to LA, through Vegas on the 95 from Bishop because of major fires they were having blocking the road on 395. They said the 95 is a long, boring drive with few stopping places. Can you fly from Vegas to Reno and rent a car from there?

We fly into Reno and it%26#39;s an easy drive to Tahoe.

get time from datetime

traffic question.....

We are heading to your fair city in a couple of weeks and will be staying near Fishermans Wharf. We%26#39;ll be staying there for the weekend and then plan to drive to Lake Tahoe for a few days. We%26#39;d like to leave for Tahoe on a sunday. What kind of traffic can we expect on a sunday morning........thanks early........Tolter

traffic question.....

Sunday mornings are generally pretty quiet. You might consider exiting town via the Golden Gate Bridge to Hwy 37, thence east to Hwy 80. Traffic is often a bit heavy as you go through Sacramento, but should thin out as you go into the mountains. On a Sunday, most folks will be headed back to the Valley and Bay Area. Sunday is a good day to head to Tahoe.

traffic question.....

Where in Tahoe are you heading? If you are heading to South Lake Tahoe, here is an alternative and what I consider a more scenic route...

Head across the Bay Bridge to I-580 towards Stockton. From Stockton, take highway 88. This will take you up the back way through Jackson, Pine Grove, and Kirkwood. This will connect you onto highway 89 and into S. Lake Tahoe. Quicker, no, but definitely more scenic, IMO.

Of course, in a few weeks you may need to be conscious of the weather. They just had their first light snow on Friday, so weather may be changeable towards the end of the month. Always check for road conditions in case of early snow.

Yes, we are headed to South Lake Tahoe. Thanks for all the suggestions and I will keep track of the weather. I%26#39;m keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn%26#39;t snow. We see plenty of it back in the northeast and would prefer a few more months on not having to drive in it, especially on your mountain roads.

I advise against the Golden Gate Bridge route. I think it%26#39;s somewhat longer and the traffic difference is minimal.

Take the San Francisco Bay Bridge and follow the signs to Sacramento. In West Sacramento is a split, one way to Reno, that you don%26#39;t want, the other to Placerville and/or Tahoe, that you do. It%26#39;s a bit fewer than two hundred miles.

The other route suggested is lovely but longer in distance and time.

sunday morning no traffic. I%26#39;d look into a four wheel drive rental for your trip as if it even sprinkles in the bay area, it might have a dusting of the white stuff where you want to go.

I suggested the GG bridge because you are staying near Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf. Rather than drive across town to the freeway entrance for Hwy80, you could go west on Bay St, to Marina Blvd, then onto Doyle Drive and the bridge. It%26#39;s pretty quick, and a scenic way to exit the city. It%26#39;s a few more miles, but so much prettier than a trip through the East Bay. You also avoid $4 in toll on the Carquinez Bridge. Either way, traffic should be pretty light.

That makes sense as we are staying very close to the Golden Gate bridge. I would vote for the scenic route, but my husband who%26#39;ll be doing most of the driving will vote for the shortest and the fastest. I%26#39;ve heard so many different opinions on possible snow on the way to Tahoe, I don%26#39;t know what to think. I hate to pay for a four wheel if I don%26#39;t have too.........at least twice the money!!!

Personally, I find that route relaxing and not appreciably longer, but understand the desire for expediency. As to snow, remember that you have to cross Echo Summit to get into the Tahoe Basin. The elevation is over 7700%26#39;, so if there is precip in the forecast, you might want to upgrade to a 4 wheel drive. Rain often turns to snow in the high country. It%26#39;s always recommended that you carry chains in the mountains, if no 4 wheel. Conditions can change rapidly. That said, you%26#39;re going to love Tahoe.

I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about snow, nor would I be so quick to upgrade to 4WD. Just watch the weather and road conditions. Chances are slim of a snowstorm this early that would warrant 4WD. The difference between US50 and CA88 is not that much different in time, but very much different in scenery.

[The following also appears under the Subject: The Road: November 1-6, MMVII]

swirlinabc... suggested 芦heading to South Lake Tahoe, here is an alternative and what I consider a more scenic route...

芦From Stockton, take highway 88. This will take you up the back way through Jackson, Pine Grove, and Kirkwood. This will connect you onto highway 89 and into S. Lake Tahoe. Quicker, no, but definitely more scenic, IMO.禄

Came home that way this spectacularly clear and, in The Valley, warm (78掳F) day. Yes, the first part was a beautiful trip but it took me 6.9 hours to cover the 230 miles. Yes, I stopt a lot to look at dis %26#39;n%26#39; dat but those stops were brief, perhaps half an hour making the driving time about 6.4. Although there was traffic all the way, more oten than not we were moving faster than the posted limit.

Last year%26#39;s round trip was 404.8 miles, going on Highway 40 and returning on Highway 50, 197.1 miles in 4.4 hours to come home. This year, returning by the Alpine Highway, it was thrity-three miles and 1.9 hours longer.

I said that the first part was beautiful and, indeed, it was. But rollilng down the foothills was a descent into Ugly. Only the vineyards and orchards weren%26#39;t, all bathed in ugly air. I welcomed the setting of our Sun, in Stockton, thus obscuring the rest of the ugly.

Was the Alpine Highway (88) worth the additional distance and time? No, I don%26#39;t think so. However, it would be were one to leave it in Jackson to travel on Highway 49. I would certainly not go up that way. It%26#39;s quite a climb.

San Francisco to Las vegas and grand Canyon

A friend and I have three weeks next July to see the above. We think we will fly to san francisco from london and then three weeks later fly back from las vegas. Will three weeks be sufficient to do this? We would like to hire a car in san francisco and drive to LV and drop the car there. Is it possible?

Thanks in advance...

San Francisco to Las vegas and grand Canyon

1. 3 Wks is plenty of time

2. get a car with air conditioning plus you should have a cellphone that works in U.S. or buy a pre-paid phone at any Rite Aid or Walgreens store, just in case you need any roadside assistance during your drive

3. all major rental companies allow you to pick-up and drop-off in separate cities

4. Start your search for a deal with a local travel agent whom has car rental discounts for US car rental companies; you are looking at $1000 incl. coverage for the whole trip and you can request a GPS navigation add-on in most cases (Alamo and Dollar rental companies are the cheapest, not always the best models available unless you don%26#39;t mind FORD models).

San Francisco to Las vegas and grand Canyon

This is more than enough time. I would recommend to fit some time along the scenic coast too. I would actually fly in and out of SF as I would do a loop in 3 weeks. SF (4 days) -Costal cities on the way to LA (4 days) - LA (4 days) - Vegas (3 days) - Grand Canyon (2 days) - Death Valley (2 days) - Yosemite (2 days)- SF.

If you%26#39;re doing a one-way rental, make sure to find a company that won%26#39;t charge a one-way fee. Many won%26#39;t. You won%26#39;t need a car in SF itself, so don%26#39;t get one until the day you leave SF.

I%26#39;d go with Smartcookie%26#39;s suggestion. We did just that in late September but only had thirteen days in which to do it. It was hard work but we made it! The extra week that you have will give you an opportunity to spend longer at each of the locations dependent upon what your interests are. It will also mean you can do shorter drives - for example we did Las Vegas to Grand Canyon and back in a long day and it was better than not doing it at all but would have been even better had we had time for an overnight near GC.

Good luck with the trip.

Hi

We are doing something very similar for 15 nights end April/beginning May and I%26#39;d say 3 weeks will be enough to do what you want to do (that said I think even if you had 6 weeks you would still find plenty to see!). We are flying into SF and out of Vegas and our itinery is:

3 nights SF

2 nights Yosemite

1 night en route to Vegas (Tioga pass in Yosemite is closed so we have to take the longer route via Bakersfield)

2 night Las Vegas

3 nights Grand Canyon

1 night Monument Valley

1 night Bryce Canyon

1 night Zion national park

1 night Las Vegas

Yes it certainly will be a whistlestop tour but I think you just have to make the most of the time you do have, no matter how short. We had to take a rain check on Death Valley which I%26#39;m sad about but should see plenty of other things to make up for it. LA/The coast was the lowest on our priorities so not too bothered that we miss out.

We have yet to book hire car as we%26#39;re struggling to find something big enough for 5 adults plus luggage but we know its definately possible to do a one way drop off.

1pinkLady, may I suggest that you at least do a drive-through of Death Valley between Yosemite and Las Vegas.

It%26#39;s definitely worth it...just take CA SR 178 east from US 99 in Bakersfield. Turn right a CA SR 190 (past Trona) and drop in from the North, exiting at Shoshone.

You%26#39;ll have to leave fairly early from Yosemite to make it, but it is doable.

Pink lady. I%26#39;ve booked a minivan in the past through Alamo I believe for only $50-60 per day (Google for discount codes). They gave us a Nissan Quest, which was perfect for 5 with luggage.

Thank you to everyone you have been a huge help! Another thing...everyone in Uk is telling me it is ridiculous to go to grand canyon and the parks in july as it will be too hot.....I went to Israel last august...how hot are we talking?!

July is one of the worst times to go in my opinion. The desert is pretty hot - a different type of hot..haha. It%26#39;s around 105 on average, but it can feel like 120-125. So pretty bad. You will definitely want to stay somewhere where there is an air conditioner on most of the time. This doesn%26#39;t mean that you shouldn%26#39;t go, but make sure air conditioner is working great in your car and at your hotel. I have to go to a conference in Vegas every year in July and I absolutely despise it.

Hi Skyejo,

My family and I have just completed a similar trip from 1st Oct - 16th Oct. We hired a car ( 7 seater )in San Fran from Hertz and dropped it off in Vegas.

Day1. Booked San Francisco City %26amp; Alcatraz Tour

Day2. Sight Seeing, Pier39, Fishermans Wharf, China Town, Lombard Street,hop on hop off cable car etc etc

Day3. Travel South on the 101 or 1. stopping at Monterey, Carmel ,17 Mile Drive, Big Sur, San Simeon and Staying over night in Pismo Beach.

Day4. Always heading south, stopping into Solvang, Santa Barbara, Malibu and then on to Anaheim, staying on Harbour Blvd.

Day%26#39;s 5-9. Disney, Universal Horror Nights,Knotts Farm %26amp; Scary Farm, Hollywood, Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive,Westfiel Shopping Mall, Fullerton Town.

Day10. Heading East to Vegas, stopping at Calico Ghost, Peggy Su%26#39;s 60%26#39;s dinner for lunch and then on to Vegas.

Day%26#39;s11-14. Staying in Excaliber, day trip to Hover Dam, Gran Canyon, Boulder City, chocloate factory, all the strip hotels, some shopping and a few days at the pool.

On the advice of some friends who had prieviously completed a simalar trip, we did not collect the car until we where leaving San Fran and then left it back when we arrived at Vegas. Both town%26#39;s have excellent public transport.

Hope this help%26#39;s we had a fantistic time.

Cheers Joe

Ballyclare Co Antrim N,Ireland.

your trip sounds great. just too bad the LA part involved a lot of theme parks and missed the Getty and the beach neighborhoods. I hope you come back and explore those on another visit to LA!

early entry days

Does anyone know when the early entry days are in the week at DL?

early entry days

Currently it is offered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. One Hour prior to official park opening, and that selected attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open.

In 2008, the program will be renamed ';Magic Mornings'; and the rumored days will be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Disney wants to make sure that there is not more than 1 day off, so that is why it is offered on 4 out of the 7 days of the week.

Hilton vs Sofitel? please give your opinion?

Am going to stay in LA for 1 night with my 15 month old. Softel seems to have smaller rooms for same price.

Has anyone stayed in them both, recently? and can give an opinion?

can%26#39;t decide based on the reviews. they both get overall 4 stars.

thanks!

Hilton vs Sofitel? please give your opinion?

Which Hilton? The Beverly Hilton? If so, I would chose the Sofitel for the location alone.

Hilton vs Sofitel? please give your opinion?

What will you do while here? These hotels are in different neighborhoods, with different surroundings.

Beverly Hilton is in Beverly Hills, it%26#39;s a great hotel, and great for tourists. Centrally located between Hollywood and the beach. Sofitel is in West Hollywood, across from the Beverly Center, filled with shops. Both are good hotels, both well-situated near restaurants, cafes, bars, shops.

mainly, I love hotels and location is not an issue. I know where they are both located and we will have a rental car.

so, which has a better room experience? bathroom, decor, etc

thanks so much!! I hate making decisions and am looking to you all to help.

The Hilton is the better choice. Since the renovation, the Sofitel looks, well, strange -- kind of a cross between French Regency and Post Modern. Besides, the rooms at the Hilton are larger.

The Softiel, btw, is not in the city of West Hollywood. It, like its neighbor, the Beverly Center, is in the ';Beverly Grove'; section of the city of L.A.

Fuzzy on the border of the new Beverly Grove area - thought it was La Cienega?

I agree on Beverly Hilton for room size and comfort - and more light. Sofitel is sort of dark.

I have stayed at the Beverly Hilton recently and it was just awesome - perfect location and beautiful/stylish rooms!

north face book bags

Breakfast and Dinner in Gaslamp Quarter

We are staying at the Marriott in the Gaslamp Quarter for one night in January. Since we have so little time in the area we would like to know the most ';San Diego'; place to have dinner - we are looking for atmosphere and local cuisine. Also, I have read on this site that the breakfast at the Marriott where we are staying is pricey and not very good... any suggestions for a great breakfast would also be greatly appreciated. BTW- we will have a rental car but really love to walk a city if at all possible.

TIA

Breakfast and Dinner in Gaslamp Quarter

Great breakfasts can be had at Cafe 222 : http://www.cafe222.com/

It%26#39;s a small place so go early or be prepared for a bit of a wait.

Breakfast and Dinner in Gaslamp Quarter

If you like seafood, try The Fish Market at 750 North Harbor Drive. They would offer great local seafood for dinner, as would Anthony%26#39;s 1360 North Harbor Drive, which is a true local institution. Both are on the water. I like the setting at either one. There%26#39;s The Dakota Grill at 901 5th Ave., also very popular downtown, with a variety of dishes. For breakfast, we now have a Richard Walker%26#39;s at 520 Front St., same people of Chicago fame, and I definitely agree with jlls about Cafe 222. You%26#39;ll probably be too full, but there%26#39;s a Ghirardelli Ice Cream Parlor at 643 Fifth Ave. or Extraordinary Desserts on Union St. in the Little Italy neighborhood. Little Italy also has a number of very good Italian restaurants. Have a great visit.

BREAKFAST

-- add Brians%26#39; American Eatery on 6th between E and F.

-- in East Village I like The Mission

-- just outside of downtown, Hob Nob Hill is an instituion, 1st near Juniper

DINNER (OH MY)

-- Thai: Rama in Gaslamp or Lotus Thai on Market

-- Seafood: The Oceanaire or Blue Pointe Calfiornia Cuisine

-- Oriental: Red Pearl

-- Cafe Chloe, informal French

-- Buon Appetito, Indigo Grill in Little Italy

-- Flemings if you want a really nice steakhouse

Thank You Very Much! Now I really really wish we had more time on this trip!

no clue how to use it

squeeze in burgers

if you want to love your life to higher levels of ecstasy than any drug or anything youve ever put in your body, THIS IS IT. big ol burgers for cheap and its worth driving the ninety minutes i drive every time! yummy! get a squeeze with cheese~\

squeeze in burgers

We saw this place on the Travel Channel a few months ago, looks like a cool place for a burger with a friendly staff, too! :)

Portola vs. Monterey Bay Inn?

My family is booking a two night stay in a couple weeks, and have narrowed the hotel choice down to Portola Plaza vs. Monterey Bay Inn ... Portola has a great rate, but cautions that construction in underway. We would not be booking the highest cost options at either place, but it seems at MBI there%26#39;s a much better chance of a view even in the mid-cost options.

Can anyone shed light on the choice? It%26#39;s a bit of a splurge for us (for my birthday!), and I%26#39;d really appreciate any help.

thank you!

Portola vs. Monterey Bay Inn?

Both are nice and easy walking distance to many areas in Monterey. Monterey Bay Inn is closer to the water and as such is easier to get views of the water (even if your room does not the public areas will.).

I think you%26#39;ll have a good time at either place. If budget and views are both a factor you might take a quick compare with Best Western Beach Monterey Beach Resort - its the closest to directly walking out on the beach area and you can hear the ocean from your room at night. You do need to take a 5 minute drive in the car to get to some of the tourist attractions. Of the 2 you mention both are nicer - but I did want to mention as a good alternative given $ to also consider.

Have a good trip and Happy Birthday (in advance).

Portola vs. Monterey Bay Inn?

We have stayed many times at the property mini mentioned, the Best Western Beach Resort, it is very nice with a great swimming pool and jacuzzi there, being right on the beach is great. :)

My favorite property is the Monterey Plaza Hotel, a full scale resort located right on Monterey Bay, two great restaurants on-site, Valet service, an amazing Penthouse spa (you can use the jacuzzis and weight room for a small additional fee) and first-class service. This would be a real splurge place! Enjoy your trip! :)

If I were looking to book a hotel here, I%26#39;d choose Monterey Bay Inn over Portola Plaza. Portola is a nice hotel, but it used to be a Doubletree and has that big hotel feel. Monterey Bay Inn is a little more intimate and special, I think. I also like the location at the end of Cannery Row--away from all the activity, but close enough to walk to it. I agree with Syrah that the restaurants at Monterey Plaza Hotel are very good, and it%26#39;s just next door to Monterey Bay Inn, so you could stroll over for a meal there.

Thank you all so much for your input, and for the incredibly fast response!

Restaurants/bars-places to go!

2 of us will be there this Friday-Monday...we are thinking of hitting a good Happy Hour on Friday night, either in Old Town or Gaslamp, Sunday we%26#39;re on the Hornblower brunch crusie...no plans for Saturday or Monday...any suggestions for things to do, restaurants to hit, etc... We%26#39;re debating on SeaWorld or the Zoo-or just shopping! :) ANy help you can give us would be great!

Restaurants/bars-places to go!

Wander up to La Jolla during your stay....

Brunch at Brockton Villa

http://www.brocktonvilla.com/

ask for a table outside (great view of the ocean).

Ocean Terrace is also nicehttp://www.georgesatthecove.com/ocean-terrace/

Restaurants/bars-places to go!

If the day is really nice, head over to C Level on Shelter Island for lunch, late lunch, snacks on the deck.

Go to SeaWorld, its%26#39; great fun, we were there on a Mon. in December and the park was crowd-free. There are entertaining shows, great exhibits, good food and fun rides, the Journey to Atlantis was really fun, get a locker for your stuff, you will get WET on this ride! :)

Also, don%26#39;t miss La Jolla and the shopping on Prospect Street, have a meal at George%26#39;s California Modern or the Crab Catcher, go down to the cove and take in the beautiful scenery, there is also a nice walking path that runs along the ocean here.

A drive over to Coronado would be nice, tour the historic and lovely Hotel Del Coronado, amazing resort where we enjoyed a 3 night stay, I didn%26#39;t want to leave here! There is also an interesting little historical museum in Coronado that is free of charge with some great history of the area. Enjoy, San Diego is a gorgeous area to spend time in and please report back after your trip. :)

best route to Monterey from Yosemite

What鈥檚 the best route to Monterey from Yosemite? I called the Lodge at the Falls to make a two day reservation. I mentioned that I wanted to travel south and stay at Wawona to hike through Mariposa Grove and see the trees. Then leave from there to head to Monterey. The man at the reservation desk discouraged that and said it would be better to stay with them for three days and just drive down to Mariposa Grove. He said the best way to Monterey was via route 140. Is this correct, couldn鈥檛 I travel from Mariposa to Monterey via route 41?

Plus the reviews for the Lodge at the Falls are pretty bad so I really didn鈥檛 want to stay there for three days.

best route to Monterey from Yosemite

Have a look at the website www.mapquest.com. Highway 41 will take you further South thru Fresno. If you wanted to do the Highway #1 Coastal Route then you could use #41/#46 to go to San Luis Obispo then catch #1. HOwever, if you just want to get to Monterey with the shortest route then you use #140 then go thru Los Banos to Pacheco Pass then Monterey.

best route to Monterey from Yosemite

IMO its a draw on distance. Going back to the Lodge from Mariposa Grove will take time. Its an hour from the grove to the Valley. From Wawona to Monterey is a 4 hour drive. Either way takes you through Los Banos. Once you hit the San Joaquin Valley floor, its a 2.5 hour drive from Merced to Monterey. so it sounds like maybe at best you save 1/2 hour on your total drive. When are you traveling? The trams at Mariposa grove stop for the winter. They only operate April through Oct. (check website for exact dates).

I agree that the shortest route from Yosemite to Monterey is HWY 140 through Los Banos. I have driven that route many times. If you still choose to visit the Mariposa Grove before leaving the Park, I would still head back through the Park and exit via HWY 140. However, if you wanted to drive up the coast, then I would leave via the HWY 41 exit, head for Cambria and drive up HWY 1 to Monterey, which is a beautiful drive.

Enjoy your trip!

PS...If you go to Cambria, there is great place to stay just to the north called the Ragged Point Inn - a wonderful place to stay and not too expensive for what you get.

Enjoy!

Hollywood to Disneyland...

Myself and 2 friends will be in LA in January next next year. So far we are planning on staying in the Hollywood area, but were wondering how far that is away from Anaheim (where Disneyland is?)

Are there shuttles or bus services that take people there and back daily?

Any info would be appreciated!

Hollywood to Disneyland...

It is about 34-45 miles, give or take. can be quite the drive in traffic and take over an hour. If you need a shuttle, the concierge at your hotel could help you with that.

Hollywood to Disneyland...

If you stay near the center of Hollywood (Hollywood Bl %26amp; Highland Ave), you can take a STARLINE coach tour to DL. Their office and pickup point is at the Chinese Theater (office is in the courtyar; pickup point is in front of the theater). A list of all of their tours are here:

www.starlinetours.com/los-angeles-tours.asp

They will pick you up free at your hotel but all tours start at the Chinese Theater.

You can also use public transportation to get there. Go to our FAQs section (click on the STICKY link at the top of the TOPIC LIST and then click on AMUSEMENT PARKS. Here%26#39;s a quick link to that area:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g32655-i61-k119980鈥?/a>

You will find driving directions to all the amusement parks here as well as public transit options.

Have fun!

popping blackheads

get your ex girlfriend back2

trip report

Arrived in LA on sat 27th Oct and stayed at the grafton hotel on sunset.

Sun 28th - got a taxi to century city shopping mall. We then went to the Grove and had dinner at farmers market. We lastly finished our day of shopping at the beverly centre. In the evening we ate at cafe med, on sunset which was really nice.

Mon 29th - had breakfast at mels diner, then went for a walk. In the afternoon we went back to the beverly centre for a little more shopping. We had dinner that night at the saddle ranch, the portions are huge therefore we were to full to ride the bull!.

tue 30th - went to hollywood blvd and did the tour of the kodak theatre, it only lasted 30 mins but was worth a look and the $15. We then went to paramount for the studio tour, this tour lasted around 2 hours and was $35, we really enjoyed this tour. At night we went to hyde lounge and boa which was located in our hotel.

wed 31st - went to universal studios, which we would reccommend. That night we walked to the halloween parade on santa monica blvd, it was really busy and there was every costume that you could ever imagine!. We ate at the chin chin grill on sunset.

thur 1st - we went to rodeo drive to do our last bits of shopping!. Got the bus back to our hotel and didnt get lost, which is a first!. we met some really nice people at the bus stop. That night we ate at cafe med again then went to saddle ranch, boa and sky bar for drinks, Had too much wine and felt ill on the flight home!!.

overall we had a excellent trip to LA.

trip report

Glad you enjoyed your stay. What a treat that you were able to enjoy the West Hollywood Halloween Carneval during your stay. I was there aswell, we should have met for a drink or so. Well, maybe next time.

Nice that you met some cool people on the bus, as apparently some people on this forum still think that only homelesspeople and drugaddicts take a bus in L.A. So it is always good to hear from visitors to give us some feedback while taking the bus or navigating around L.A.

I like Cafe Med aswell, from there patio you can do some excellend people(and car) watching, that%26#39;s for sure

trip report

Your trip sounds great. Glad you had a chance to experience Halloween on Santa Monica Blvd.

It seems that you didn%26#39;t see about half of LA though since you didn%26#39;t visit the Getty or any of the beach areas and Beverly Hills around Sunset Blvd etc. Was that on purpose or you decided to skip it because you didn%26#39;t want to spend an hour or more on the bus to go there?

Alex always takes things out of context to promote his personal agenda here. No one ever said there is anything wrong with taking the bus for short distances from Hollywood to Beverly Hills, and noone has ever said about homeless people taking the bus. What others constantly tell him on the forum is that it%26#39;s not convenient to see other farther parts of LA by bus and that%26#39;s why those who can afford a car, use it to commute for longer distances. In fact, it seems that this poster only saw half of LA and had to miss some of the best parts because they didn%26#39;t have a car and the commute was too long and inconvenient by bus.

This is a tripreport, nothing to do with any persons personal agenda(did not know i had one) And for future refrences, it would be nice (and helpfull) to not get into personal attacks on this board. Especially mentioning my name and going after me in the matter you just did

As always you do a disservice to this bard by doing so.

The poster had a great trip, saw what they wanted to see. They took the bus to Beverly Hills, if they wanted to, they could have taken the bus for another 20 minutes to see the beach. How come you assume now that they did not had a trip that YOU wanted them to have

Maybe they have seen the beach before, maybe they are living by a beach, maybe it%26#39;s not of there interest. October/november are not really beach months. L.A.is not really a beach town either

Again, just assumptions on your part, would be nice to stop it. I am glad the poster had a nice trip, even - god forbids-taking the bus while on vacation

You should not be using trip reports on this forum to promote your personal agenda as you did here, i.e. ';as apparently some people on this forum still think that only homelesspeople and drugaddicts take a bus in L.A. ';

Guys, please don%26#39;t spoil another great trip report thread. Just ignore each other, pretend the other doesn%26#39;t exist. Better yet, let each to his own; everyone has their own advice and their own feelings about visiting this great city.

Nic - sounds like a great trip. The great thing about that neighborhood (and hotel), is that you get a sense of what it%26#39;s like to live here, when you stay within a certain neighborhood. Sounds like you went to all the great people watching places!

Thanks yogachick. I%26#39;ve already mentioned several times that everyone has their own opinion and this is a free forum to post it. Posters asking questions can decide on their own based on various opinions what they prefer to do. That%26#39;s the whole point of these forums and there is no need to argue to try to prove that your opinion is correct. That is why it is an ';opinion'; and everyone is allowed to post theirs freely.

Nice to hear about your your trip Nic, sounds like you guys had a lot of fun =)

alexie %26amp; smartie: I am new here, but I noticed you guys are constantly fighting over what the right thing to do is, sadly both of you taking shots against each other. Who cares who started it, it is very unnecessary to keep acting like that, just think about how that represents this otherwise wonderful site.

Keep giving your valuable advise, but please be nice to each other!

Thanks, a future LA visitor =)

Hey NicSheffield, glad to hear you had a great time. If you only have time to see the tiny sliver of LA that you visited, you did quite well.

I%26#39;ll hope you come back with a bit more time to see the rest of our incredible metropolis--from Malibu to the newly revitalized downtown to the many fascinating neighborhoods (Venice, Silverlake, Little Toyko and others). It will take a car to get the wildly varied flavor of Los Angeles, but you will love it.

Thanks for visiting!

Driving SF to Tahoe in April, advice?

Hi,

I%26#39;m planning a trip to California part of which will include driving a hire car from the wine country (Sonoma) to South Lake Tahoe right at the beginning of April. Can anyone give me some advice on how well cleared the roads are at that time of year. Are there any routes that I can choose to minimise driving on snow and ice and what would people recommend for updates on the road conditions?

Thanks,

H

Driving SF to Tahoe in April, advice?

It can and does snow in early April, but the likelihood and intensity is not as great as earlier in the winter. Usually the roads are clear in April. Storms that produce snow typically come off the Pacific Ocean so you usually know a few days in advance the weather forecast. All the roads are fine when it isn%26#39;t snowing as they clear them fairly quickly

The most direct and really your only route to South Lake is Highway 50 from Sacramento. This is a great drive, but gets windy and only two lanes as it reaches higher elevation. It can be tricky with road clearance in heavy snow.

Highway 80 is an altenative, but a long way out of your way to get to South Lake. 80 is a major highway, but still can get affected by snow. Once off 80, you would still have to travel on 2 lane roads that don%26#39;t get cleared as well.

You will probably be fine with the roads. There is a phone number to check on road conditions in California. It is 1-800-427-7623 (ROAD). It is voice activated so you just say the highway number and it gives you a very updated status.

Driving SF to Tahoe in April, advice?

It will most likely be pretty cold certainly under 50 degrees. There is a decent chance of light snow. Both 50 and 80 are the main roads to Tahoe and are well tended during the snowy weather. It would have to be really snowy to close either of them which is not usual for April but it%26#39;s the mountains and really anything can happen. They always advise you carry chains.

Suzie I want to go thru the mountains in Feb. Do I need chains for 4x4%26#39;s is that required, or should I save rental money and just get a car assuming I will have to buy chains when I get there and then have chain monkeys put em on. Can I buy the chains in Truckee or am I already to far into mountains and will get a ticket without chains? Any help please respond to stegnerdaniel@yahoo.com. Thanks!

If you have a 4x4 you will not need chains. It would be seriously bad weather if Caltrans required any 4 wheel drive to put on chains. You would not want to drive in that weather.

Most rental companies have a ';no chains'; policy. If chains are required, you will need them before Truckee. A 4-wheel or all-wheel drive car is the best choice.

Places outside of San Fran for visitors..Beaches..red woods

Would love to rent a car and go to places with in a couple of ours??

Places outside of San Fran for visitors..Beaches..red woods

You can go north or south, depending upon how much time you want to spend getting there.

Driving north of SF, you can cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head out to Highway 1, visit the redwoods in Muir Woods, then continue on to Stinson Beach and even farther to Point Reyes National Seashore. It%26#39;s a beautiful area and located amazingly close to SF yet very rural. However, what you experience at the coast will vary greatly depending upon the time of year you visit, from fog to cold and wind to warm weather. These aren%26#39;t your sunny southern California beaches.

Driving south, you can also drive along the coast on Hwy 1 and head to Half Moon Bay and eventually to Santa Cruz (you could also take the faster route to Santa Cruz and take 280 S to 17 to get to Santa Cruz) Just north of Santa Cruz is Big Basin Redwoods Park, as well as Henry Cowell Redwood park. You could continue further south to Monterey Bay and spend the night down there.

My personal preference would be the northern route, as that keeps you closer to SF while still giving you an excellent variety of scenery.

Places outside of San Fran for visitors..Beaches..red woods

Ditto with Macjack. . . and if you do take the northern route, you might also check out the Sonoma wine country just north of the city (about an hour%26#39;s drive). . . the town of Sonoma, the village of Glen Ellen, Benziger Winery tour, Jack London State Park are doable and fun. . . .

Enjoy!

Thank you Mack Jack

5 days in Napa next week best wineries to visit?

will be in Napa for 5 days next week.

Looking for best wineries to visit in Napa %26amp; Sonoma for Tours %26amp; Tastings

5 days in Napa next week best wineries to visit?

zinnie8-

At last count, there were just shy of 500 registered wineries in Napa, and hundreds more in Sonoma.

Lots of choices-- so not knowing more about your likes/dislikes/priorities, it%26#39;s hard to make a recommendation without omitting some very good places.

Have you had a chance to look at the Napa FAQs?

Lots of great info, incl. how to figure out which wineries will be best for you (hint: ';trip report'; ;)

Here%26#39;s the link to the FAQs:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g32766-i258-k13704…

Hoping this helps-- please let us know if you need a hand using the search function. :)

Have a great time in Napa %26amp; Sonoma!

-The Innkeepers

Napa Old World Inn

5 days in Napa next week best wineries to visit?

Just got back. We like high quality wineries and somewhat off the beaten path so here they are:

NAPA

Miner -tasting I liked their wine best. I joined their club

Robert Sinksy- tasting. Included snacks and very nice cab franc.

Jarvis - tour is worth it. Unique caves and very nice tastings with snacks.

Frank- free tasting and entertaining. I love their chardonnay but the reds are good as well.

Hope and Grace- tasting room in Yountville. Malbec and Cabs very nice. Friendly.

Jessup- tasting room in Yountville. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly server. We sat at a little table and even though they were busy had personal service. It was the end of the day, and their free pours of really good wine were generous.

Darioush- $20 tasting fee does not apply to purchases, although they finally gave in. Wine good though.

Vinecliff- AVOID. Fairly steep tasting /tour fee and it was near the end of the day and the server gave us a quick tourr/tasting

Frazier- set up by limo service. Avoid. Beautiful place in a bucolic setting. But tour was short and I really felt the sales pitch. As a result, no purchases from me.

Peju- entertaining tasting room but wines are not too good.

Vintners Collective tasting Room- downtown napa. The best as many small wineries represented. But a place to go if you are interested in purchasing wine, not as an entire experience. But their wines are really great.

Sonoma County

DuttonEstates- tasting. I like their chardoonays.

Martinelli- nice tasting room and wines.

Dutton-Goldfield- tasting. Pinots overated. Avoid.

Freeman- off the beatenn track and small. Had a little tour and persnal tasting. Great Pinots Really great

Lynmar-small, beautiful. Great wines. Arrange a tour and food/wine pairing in advance. We wish we had. Pretty place and views.

Moshin- locals touted as good pinots. small place and had 3 pinots but found them to be too acidic for out liking.

Ferrari- Carini- ornate gardens and tasting facilities. Fun.

Regrets:

Had appointment but could not keep at Barnett up Spring Mountain. If you have 6 days take a couple tours there.

Del Dotto at end of day supposed to a party atmosphere and tour highly thought of.

Beringer- bigger winery but I think their wine master is very good.

Mahoney- great wine in carneros.

Etude- in caneros. Supposed to have very nice persoal tour and pinots excellent.

Artesa--pretty place.

We stayed 5 days recently and had a wonderful time. We like to visit fewer wineries per day but get a more in depth experience from the ones we do go to.

Jarvis was our favorite tour. It%26#39;s a little out of the way and tricky to find (you have to be watching carefully for entrance) and is $30 per person BUT is totally worth every penny. By far the nicest tasting I have ever exerienced and one of the most in-depth tours. Very impressive, unique and the wine was fantastic. High quality, with high-end pricing. The whole operation is underground in a very extensive cave system dug out using the kind of machine they used to make the Chunnel. Not claustrophobic at all though. Very roomy.

You must make reservations and they only give a couple of tous a day.

For sparkling wine we loved Domaine Chandon. Beautiful grounds, nice informative tour and we did the upgraded tasting which gave us a very intimate tasting of only 6 people with our tour guide as the wine instructor. Enjoyed the extra info and ability to ask questions with this tasting.

Cakebread has amazing wines and their tour is excellent and very generous tastings. We actually met Mrs. Cakebread the first time we went. We joined their wine club two years ago and never regretted it. We always look forward to getting these high-end wines that are so yummy. Located along Hwy 29 with many other wineries.

Beringer and Inglenook are both suppose to be impressive wineries for their old buildings and beautiful grounds/architecture.

Have not visited these wineries yet but they are on our list for next visit.

We started our trip by spending half a day at Copia in downtown Napa. I would highly recommend this as it gives you a nice base of knowledge to then proceed with the rest of your trip and you feel like you actually know a little about wine. Even for seasoned pros, you would enjoy spending at least half a day if not a full day here. You need to sign up for a couple of their hands on classes before you arrive so you can experience the educational part first hand. We signed up for two in-depth wine tastings (one was a food pairing...very educational and fun!), the other compared in depth different Sauv. Blancs. Then we also attended a free food demostration cooking class in their demo kitchen. Along with lunch, and the other exhibits (don%26#39;t miss the outdoor gardens) this was a fabulous stop and we were so glad we did at the beginning of our trip. They have a photographic exhibit until end of year (?) that is very cool. A photographer took about 20 pictures (they blew up to very large size) that are a representation of what the average family would eat in a month from countries all over the world. VERY fascinating and we looked at these pics for quite a while.

I hope you have a fabulous trip! Feel free to ask any Q%26#39;s about certain wineries or if you want a great picnic spot

Janna

Visit the website beauwinetours.com for a complete list of wineries and their addresses and phone numbers. Many require reservations for tours and tastings. Also, mapeasy.com makes an excellent map of Napa and Sonoma Valleys to plan your visit.

You definitely should visit Healdsburg, in the north part of Sonoma County. We had a great time last March for barrel tasting. Stop into Huntington Wine Cellars and say hi to one of the owners, Ken Schilling, our friend! He is an artist and the cellar is also a gallery of his beautiful art. It is right near the Square in the downtown area. Also go to Zin restaurant for dinner- fabulous food! If you go tell him his friends in Peoria,AZ said hi!

Here are my favorite wineries to taste at in Napa.

Baldacci - first off my favorite one - it is a small vineyard located off the Silverado Trail - appointments are required but they have the best wine, especially their Cabernets - i joined their wine club

Peju - excellent wine and atmosphere

St Suprey

Chimney Rock - amazing reds

Best for tours:

Beringer %26amp; Robert Mondavi

Wineries to avoid as I thought both the wine tasting experience and their wines are overrated:

Markham

Pine Ridge

Plump Jack

Silverado

A Disclaimer From AAA

Seeing the full-page ad in Via for Timber Cove Inn in Jenner, my husband suggested we book a visit. I came to TripAdvisor and read him the reviews, which consistently mention a lack of cleanliness. Surprised, I wrote AAA asking why they endorse such a place. Here is their response to my e-mail:

';Any accommodation that wishes to enter into an advertisement agreement with CSAA%26#39;s VIA magazine may advertise in our bi-monthly publication. Not all lodging advertisements that are viewed on CSAA.com or in our VIA magazine are affiliated with AAA. Only those that advertise our AAA orbit logo are AAA approved and/or carry a AAA discount.';

So, just because you see it in Via or on CSAA.com doesn%26#39;t mean it has the AAA stamp of approval. If you%26#39;re counting on that imprimatur, be advised and check it out accordingly.

It%26#39;s sure a good thing we have TripAdvisor.

A Disclaimer From AAA

Up until 2 or 3 yrs ago, we used to stay at Timber Cove regularly and altho%26#39; rooms were dated and furnishings somewhat worn, there were no prob%26#39;s with cleanliness in the rooms we stayed in (well, maybe a stray cobweb or 2, but that%26#39;s all). However, despite it%26#39;s funky charm and fantastic location I felt that the price/value ratio wasn%26#39;t very good. We then stayed at Sea Ranch Lodge (www.searanchlodge.com) located south of Gualala and north of Timber Cove--and have gone there ever since. Very nicely appointed rooms (some have hot tubs and fireplaces), gorgeous views and a very good restaurant on-site. Rates are in the $200 range and I always feel like it%26#39;s a great value even when we stay on a wkend. Timber Cove has been on the market for some time (I believe it still is) and sadly, I think that has negatively impacted the owners%26#39; williness to spend more time/$ on maintenance and upgrades. I would still stay there if it made more sense to be further south along the Sonoma Coast--but given the choice bet. Sea Ranch and Timber Cove, I always choose Sea Ranch.

A Disclaimer From AAA

That%26#39;s a wonderful reference, Forestvillian. Thanks! I%26#39;m going to check it out, since we do regular getaways and are always looking for something worthy. Sure appreciate your post.

What type of quilt do you like

Budget Hotel/Inn/B&B for Christmas Vacation

I%26#39;m having the hardest time figuring out where to stay for a Christmas vacation in San Diego. Me and my boyfriend are coming down to SD from Vancouver (via LA) on December 26.

We will have a rental car, but would like to stay somewhere where there are lots of restaurant options within walking distance. It would be nice if the neighborhood had a bit of character too. We%26#39;d like to pay $100-140/night. We don%26#39;t really care if it is a hotel/inn or B%26amp;B 鈥?as long as it is clean and somewhat comfortable.

We are 25+ and will be looking to do some shopping (street wear/vintage) see SeaWorld, the Zoo and maybe take a day trip to Mexico. We think Hillcrest sounds lovely, but are having trouble finding a good place to stay there. We have looked at Balboa Park Inn (too far from restaurants), Sommerset Suites (said to have cockroaches in the reviews) Keating House B%26amp;B (N/A for our dates), Hillcrest B%26amp;B @ Kasa Korbett (one really bad review).

Any other places in Hillcrest we%26#39;ve missed? Any other areas you think we would like staying in?

For reference, if anyone knows LA: We love Santa Monica and Venice Beach and really liked staying at the Venice Beach Suites %26amp; Hotel the last time we went.

Many thanks in advance,

脜sa

Budget Hotel/Inn/B%26amp;B for Christmas Vacation

If you hurry they may still have rooms at the SALE price for the Omni downtown--$109+tax an dpkng. Go to www.travelzoo.com an dclick on California for the discount code.

Otherwise,I%26#39;d try La Pensione in Little Italy or Porto Vista in Little Italy, OR you could try the La Quinta -Old Town. BTW the Balboa Park Inn may be a bit far to walk BUT restaurants would be a 5 min drive and there are tons of them of all kinds!

Budget Hotel/Inn/B%26amp;B for Christmas Vacation

La Pensione is in LIttle Italy is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, shops and walking distance to the bay, downtown, Gaslamp. Very good access to public transportation from there, too. They average $90 / night.

http://www.lapensionehotel.com/

I meant to include these posts but forgot - Little Italy info

http://www.littleitalysd.com/Dining.asp

http://www.littleitalyhotel.com/

http://www.portovistasandiego.com/

The Keating House B%26amp;B is now the Britt Scripps Inn - and the Keating (Hotel) is actually in the Gaslamp District. Did you try the Britt Scripps Inn? I personally don%26#39;t think that the Balboa Park Inn is too far from restaurants - it%26#39;s about a mile, but a really easy, safe walking area, and the location is really great - but that%26#39;s a personal preference.

You might take a look at the Park Manor Suites - close to Hillcrest - in Bankers Hill - just across the street from Balboa Park. I%26#39;d also look at the Lafayette Suites - in University Heights about a mile from Hillcrest - but a good location and pretty reasonable. However, the Balboa Park Inn is actually closer.

Little Italy as previously mentioned is also a great choice - and actually walking distance - about three miles - or a quick drive to Hillcrest, literally surrounded by restaurants.

You can also bid on Priceline for something in Gaslamp. If you choose a 4 star hotel in that area, you should be able to get a very nice place for $100-120. You can read www.biddingfortravel.com to learn more on how to get a great deal. You can get a $200-250 hotel for $120.

Thank you so much for all the help!

We can still get a room on sale in the Omni, and we are very tempted to stay at such a luxiourius place 鈥?but we are concerned about parking. Some of the reviews are complaining about the parking situation. Apparently the hotel only has valet parking ($25 a night) and at the pay parking lot close to the hotel you can only pay for full days. What do you think about this? Is there any street parking around the Omni?

La Pensione sounds and looks great too. And what a bargain!

I%26#39;ll definately check out priceline.com too before we decide.

Thanks once again,

脜sa

if you%26#39;re getting a great rate at the hotel, i would just pay for parking and count it as part of the cost. there are lots all over gaslamp, so you may be able to find another one, just farther away. not sure if it%26#39;s worth the effort though if you%26#39;re getting a great rate and saving a lot that way.

I do not know what you mean about ';the pay lot near the hotel you can only pay for a full day';? There is a lot across the street that you can use IF there is no baseball and you do not have to pay for a whole day.

My daughter stayed there with her boyfriend last year and found parking on the street as well. There is no comparison with La Pensione which is a basic budget hotel although in the nice little Italy area. We will be there for New Years Eve and believe me my husband will NOT let anyone valet park his car so we will find other parking.

Thanks for your speedy replies!

My boyfriend got the information on the pay parking lot from the Omni reviews 鈥?but maybe they%26#39;re outdated. Good to know that there are some options!

We have now booked the Omni for our 5 nights in San Diego and are really looking forward to stay at such an upscale hotel. Thanks a bunch for that tip 鈥?and thanks for all your suggestions. I don%26#39;t know what I would do without TripAdvisor!

So looking forward to getting away from all the rain up here...

脜sa

popping blackheads

new year's in south tahoe

My family and I will be spending the holidays in Lake Tahoe and we are wondering about our options for New Year%26#39;s Eve. We would like to get some recommendations for a nice restaurant (keep in mind we have two daughters ages 10 and 7) at a convenient location in town. Thanks!

new year's in south tahoe

South Lake Tahoe/Stateline has a NYE celebration that is well-known to be outrageous. People pour into the street from the casinos. I don%26#39;t know where you will be located in SLT so can%26#39;t say what%26#39;s convenient to you. SLT stretches pretty far from the casinos to the Y so can you provide more info? Like what kind of food? Budget? Location?

new year's in south tahoe

New Years Eve is proabably the busiest night of the year at South Lake Tahoe. The party people come in from all over the area. If I had two young girls, I would stay away from the casino area.....at least that night.

Other areas of Lake Tahoe will probably be better, but the nice restaurants will all be busy and booked.

Thanks for the replies. We will be staying on the lake about 5 minutes away from Heavenly (on US50, one block from ski run blvd.). As far as type of food we are open, and since it%26#39;s new year%26#39;s and we want to have a nice dinner we are budgeting for an upscale restaurant. Thanks.

On Ski Run is Nepheles:

http://www.nepheles.com/

Christmas at The Grove

Just wondering if anyone knows when the Christmas Tree goes up at The Grove? Also, does the fountain light show go off during the day or only in the evening?

I%26#39;m already in ';holiday mode';, so any info would be great! Thanks!

Christmas at The Grove

The tree goes up Sunday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Don%26#39;t know if you were there last year, but about at hour or so before the event, the Grove was so packed that they weren%26#39;t letting anyone in by 7, so get there early.

Christmas at The Grove

From the Grove%26#39;s website:

November 18th, 7 PM

Location: The Fountain Stage

Duration: 1.5 hours 30 minutes

Join us as we light the 100 foot Christmas tree with the help of Santa, snow, and fireworks!

Special guests include:

•JOHNNY MATHIS

•MANHEIM STEAMROLLER

•EMMY ROSSUM

•LAUREN CONRAD

Transportation to Laguna Beach from LA??

Could someone be kind enough to advise, if there is any other form of transportation to get to Laguna Beach or Malibu from LA... unfortunately I do not drive..

I will be in Bev Hill for three nights and am torn about my next move for the next 5 nights. I am thinking of staying in Cali - either off to Santa Monica or Laguna Beach to get some sun or whether I should be off to Hononlulu??

Just wondering what the weather will be like? Also, is there much to do in the beach cities for 5 nights? What nice but affordable hotels could u recommend.. Any help will be apreciated since I%26#39;m leaving for LA next weekend and as you can see I am sooo torn!! :(

Thanks in advance!!

Elle x

Transportation to Laguna Beach from LA??

Hi,

From the airport, you can use one of the shuttle companies such as Super Shuttle to take you to either Laguna Beach or Malibu. The cost to Laguna Beach should be around $50 one way. If you should choose Santa Monica then the price is quite reasonable since it is near the airport. From Beverly Hills, you can use the same service to get to Laguna Beach or you can use the public transportation which is a little complicated and a longer ride but doable and would be cheaper.

Since, Iam in CAlifornia this week, I can say that the weather has been changing all the time; two days of gloroius sun then some very cold rain yesterday. I would check the extended weather forecast to see how the weather might look in 10 days. Honolulu, of course, would be quite warm. Also, it is quite warm in Palm Springs which is located 2 hours from Los Angeles in the desert.

The water at the beach is too cold for swimming unless you have a wetsuit. However, if you get a sunny day then the beach is nice for tanning.

There is alot to do in Santa Monica and Laguna Beach to keep you busy for 5 days. There would be less to do in Malibu, but is close to LA to party in the evenings.

For hotels, I would check expedia,com to get an idea of the prices since they run all prices. Malibu will have a smaller selection of places to stay.

Hope that this helps.

Enjoy!!

Transportation to Laguna Beach from LA??

Travel between Beverly Hills and Laguna Beach is not easy due to the distance between them. You may want to consider Santa Monica, particularly if you do not have a car. Santa Monica is very close to Beverly Hills and has many activities and a comprehensive bus system. Laguna Beach is served by two bus routes, plus the town%26#39;s own shuttle system. Do you want to stay in Los Angeles for 8 days? If so, spend some time in Santa Monica. If not, then consider either Santa Barbara or San Diego.

If you do decide to spend time in Laguna Beach, public transit requires several transfers. The ';easiest'; way is:

Take Metro Rapid route 720 to the Wilshire/Vermont station (eastbound). Transfer to the Metro Red Line headed to Union Station (eastbound). Transfer to an Amtrak (Pacific Surfliner) or Metrolink (Orange County Line) train headed to Santa Ana (southbound). At the Santa Ana station, catch OCTA route 205 headed to Laguna Hills (southbound). At the transit center, transfer to OCTA route 89 headed to Laguna Hills (southbound). The route terminates at the bus depot near the center of town.

More information:

http://www.metro.net

http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com

http://www.metrolinktrains.com

http://www.octa.net

Without a car, Malibu is almost impossible. Laguna Beach is about 90 minutes away by car, it would be close to $100 or more, to get there by shuttle (not $50 - it%26#39;s $50 from LAX to Hollywood!).

Santa Monica is easy to get to from Beverly Hills - an inexpensive and quick cab ride - but the hotels are pricey, so tell us your budget. SM is filled with cafes, bars, shops, restaurants -- lots to do without a car. Also, lots to do with 5 days.

Honolulu is doable, but you%26#39;d only have about 3 days, in the end, because of the time difference and time it takes to travel (6 hours each way).

www.supershuttle.com

LAX to Laguna Beach=$57.00

Elle:

Forget Laguna. If you used public transit, It would take over 3 hours (on 3 buses, a metro rail and a train) -- only one of which guarantees you a seat or provide a place to stow your luggage (the train).

Super Shuttle is licensed to transport passengers to or from an airport or seaport. You cannot take Super Shuttle between 2 hotels without paying for a ';custom trip'; which will cost over $100.

You don%26#39;t indicate how much luggage you will have with you but if your luggage is minimal, you can take the #720 metro bus on Wilshire Bl in Beverly Hills for the 30 minute ride into Santa Monica ($1.25) or take a taxi ($25 or $30).

Honolulu (or Maui) would be a warmer beach experience.

I know its a bit too late, but thank you so much for all your advice! I absolutely loved LA! So much so Im coming back again This xmas :)

Did not manage to see much the first time round..

Thanks again!! :)

shared web hosting

Romantic weekend getaway in SD - suggestions?

My girlfriend and I are taking our first trip together - a long weekend from Dec 1 - 4 to San Diego. Any suggestions for cozy hotels and romantic restaraunts? We are driving in from LAX on Saturday the the 1st and will have a rental car for the weekend, so we have wheels.

I also am interested in chartering a sailboat with a crew for a 1/2 day sailing trip - any suggestions on that?

I%26#39;m poring over the FAQ%26#39;s and general info areas for other ideas for outdoor activities, but suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance for your help!

- Rythmmaker

Romantic weekend getaway in SD - suggestions?

I don%26#39;t know where you are from but today is a bad day to get advice as there are fires burning all over San Diego county and hundreds of thousands of people are evacuating.

Romantic weekend getaway in SD - suggestions?

I%26#39;m from Atlanta - and am holding out hope that your local firefighters will get things under control long before we get there. Good luck to all of you who are fearing for life and property!

I am sorry if I sounded snippy. I am just a bit anxious about everything as the evacuation area is 15min from my house. You are coming to town over my birthday weekend/time so I think you will find many romantic places to visit. I cannot help with the sailboat charter .

Our hotels tend to run to large ones but the Bankers Hill manor is a charming B%26amp;B that would be lovely for your stay IF they have space. At La Jolla cove there is La Valencia which is a charming Spanish flavored hotel overlooking the ocean but it is also an older hotel so if you want VERY modern it will not suit. Our other hotels tend to run to large and corporate. Perhaps the Glorietta Bay Inn in one of the mansion rooms but I really don%26#39;t know your price range so I have been trying to make suggestions without knowing enough info.

Romantic restaurants will not be hard to find. Let%26#39;s talk more about the type and price of hotel you might like..

We%26#39;ve chartered a sailboat for a sunset cruise from Coronado, and will be spending one night at the Del Coronado, also. So - we have two more nights to spend in the area. We aren%26#39;t particularly fussy about modern, and are pretty open to price, when it comes with value - but I won%26#39;t spend big $$$ just to stay somewhere trendy or just because it is modern. We tend to appreciate things that are either difinitive experiences (Del Coronado) or unique and delightful. Either way, we expect to get a good value for the price, and we%26#39;d like to be comfortable and to find a place where we can enjoy the setting as we enjoy the companionship.

The news reports concerning the fires there are frightening. At the time of my original post, I was unaware of the severity of the situation. Best wishes for a quick resolution, though it looks like it may take some time.

Thanks for your kind wishes.

Hmmm since you are only going to be here for a short time ,why not just stay the whole time at the Del? I would ordinarily not change hotels for a 3night trip.

On your way down from LA do stop at La Jolla cove. You might consider staying at the Lodge at Torrey Pines which is a 5*****hotel built in the California craftsman style ,on a bluff overlooking the ocean. an d next to the Torrey Pines State preserve. Now this hotel is not right at La Jolla cove but is only a 10min drive on local streets and is known for its great service. Within a 10-15min drive you will find the Marine room ,George%26#39;s at the cove, restaurants which have lovely menus and amazing views.

In our downtown area Bertrand at Mr A%26#39;s is THE special occasion restaurant with views over the city and fine dining. O f course you know that along with your sailing cruise you could order a romantic picnic

We recently returned from San Diego. We stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado. I think it%26#39;s a very romantic place to go. It%26#39;s pricey no doubt, but very nice.

If you don%26#39;t want to spend the money on more nights at the Del, the Glorietta Bay Inn across the street from the Del is nice, historic, and convenient. I agree you might not want to change hotels for a short trip, but if you went there it wouldn%26#39;t be much of a hassle. For a couple more (pricey!) romantic dinner ideas around Coronado, my husband and I have enjoyed the Boathouse in Coronado, and Azzura Point - now called Mistral - at Lowe%26#39;s Coronado Bay resort. There is some sort of gondola ride they do down there, but never done it myself. www.sandiego-romantics.com/gondola-ride.html

For outdoors, hiking around Torrey Pines State Park is absolutely beautiful. It%26#39;s also fun to watch the paragliders around the cliffs there.

God bless the firefighters!

OK -so, here%26#39;s what we have planned... We are staying 2 nights at the Tower23 hotel in PB (opted for the ';Surf Pad'; room with a view), and we have chartered a 27ft. sailboat for an afternoon/sunset cruise from Coronado. We are planning to enjoy a Sunday Brunch in La Jolla at La Valencia in the Mediterranean Room, and will be spending one night at the Del Coronado in an ocean view room. We plan to spend one long afternoon at the Zoo, and one evening enjoying the Gaslamp Quarter. We are both active and enjoy the outdoors, so I%26#39;m thinking of trying to work in a hike at Torrey Pines. Any suggestions or comments? we have 3.5 days - a long weekend - to explore and enjoy San Diego and vicinity. Thanks for all your suggestions! Glad to hear that the fires are under control - it was so great to hear that so many people pulled together to help those who lost homes and property. God bless.

Sounds like a great plan so far. Torrey Pines is a great place to walk the trails and take in some great views of the ocean. I might suggest kayaking in La Jolla also if you are looking for some outdoor adventure. The water will probably be a little cold in Dec, but it%26#39;s a lot of fun.

www.oeexpress.com/kayak-tours-rentals.html

As for as romantic restaurants go, try Geoge%26#39;s at the Cove and go up to the Ocean Terrace. My wife and me did lunch there in March %26#39;05 and it was very nice. The food was delicious and service was prompt, courteous and professional. The view will take your breath away. I can%26#39;t wait till we go back.