Post: #1

I'll be taking this one month roadtrip across the US with my old man starting in San Fran and ending in Miami, from around the 20th of Jan to the 20th of Feb.

As there are plenty of Americans here, I thought it would be nice to ask for some tips and help.

It will be winter, and that is a special concern of mine, as I am not used to the cold. As such, I intend to take a route closer to the south, where I guess will be less cold.

A rough plan would be: (California) San Fran -> L.A. -> (Arizona) Flagstaff (with some detours to the Grand Canyon) -> (New Mexico) Albuquerque -> Roswell (my dad wants to check the aliens...) -> (Texas) Dallas -> Houston -> (Louisiana) New Orleans -> (Florida, not sure which places to go) -> Miami

Not sure if I'll be doing it by Greyhound bus or renting a car. I am not sure also if it will be too cold and what are some good places to visit on the way.

Are there any places that I absolutely must see? Any places to avoid? Will the weather be harsh? Any cautions?

Thanks in advance

Post: #2

I have a long list for you but for now lets start with NO BUS.....The dregs of the planet ride those things and it takes forever. A couple train rides would not be so bad if you're renting a car but you should really think about buying a van and selling it when you're done.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentSer...1245650939

Something to think about just hop off and rent cars for a couple days per stop?

For sure drive from SF to LA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1
Make sure you stop in Santa Cruz
http://www.magicalurbanism.com/archives/133
Big Basin Redwood park Santa Cruz Mountain area
http://www.bigbasin.org/
This place is right south of santa cruz. I like hanging out there give it a look
http://www.capitolavillage.com/
Monterey too
http://www.monterey.org/
Carmel right next door..Drive the valley and hit the beach at sunset..Prime fine Cali tail
http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/
Pebble Beach same area..Give it a look 17 mile drive stop and have a couple beers
http://www.pebblebeach.com/
Then down to big sur..Stop at the river inn
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/
Near the end of Big sur you will run into this place
http://www.hearstcastle.org/
Pismo beach..You can rent a couple quads and ride the dunes...
http://www.pismobeach.org/
I could go into great detail about this area just take a look for now and let the Socal guys jump in.

Post: #3

El Mechanico is right. You would have more fun hammering nails into your feet than taking a bus across country in the US lol. Rent a car for sure. US cities are not setup for public transportation so once you got to a new city you would basically be stuck at the bus stop, which will probably be in a shit neighborhood and you will have no fun.

Post: #4

I would suggest buying a used van. If it's just you and your dad, pull out the middle seats so that you will be able to set up a mattress for sleep on long rides. I suggest buying the van because you will probably save more money when you sell it back than if you were just renting.

Also, bring a lot of money.

Post: #5

just make sure you hit LA, Vegas, New Orleans, Orlando, and Miami

Post: #6

(12-14-2011 06:53 PM)Amour Fou Wrote:  I'll be taking this one month roadtrip across the US with my old man starting in San Fran and ending in Miami, from around the 20th of Jan to the 20th of Feb.

As there are plenty of Americans here, I thought it would be nice to ask for some tips and help.

It will be winter, and that is a special concern of mine, as I am not used to the cold. As such, I intend to take a route closer to the south, where I guess will be less cold.

A rough plan would be: (California) San Fran -> L.A. -> (Arizona) Flagstaff (with some detours to the Grand Canyon) -> (New Mexico) Albuquerque -> Roswell (my dad wants to check the aliens...) -> (Texas) Dallas -> Houston -> (Louisiana) New Orleans -> (Florida, not sure which places to go) -> Miami

Not sure if I'll be doing it by Greyhound bus or renting a car. I am not sure also if it will be too cold and what are some good places to visit on the way.

Are there any places that I absolutely must see? Any places to avoid? Will the weather be harsh? Any cautions?

Thanks in advance

You probably won't want a car when staying within SF city limits, unless you plan on venturing out to other places in the Bay Area. All of the major sites in that city are in dense areas where parking space is limited. Garages charge NYC prices. There's also decent public transit within the city limits (Muni buses and trains, street cable cars, and BART). Definitely check out the Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Chinatown, Union Square, Golden Gate Bridge, Presidio, Marina District, Mission District, Twin Peaks, and the Financial District (Transamerica Pyramid building).

Riding a bicycle is also a great way to get around the central areas of the city.

Check out SFStation.com to find out what events are going down the week you'll be there. It's a good source of nightlife intel. If you're there on a Wednesday, go to Vessel in Union Square (vesselsf.net).

Matrix Lounge in the Marina is also a great look (especially on Sundays).

Definitely get a car for the drive to LA afterwards and for the rest of the trip. When you drive to LA, I highly recommend taking Rt. 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) along the coast. It's hands down the most beautiful drive I've ever taken. The scenery is hella epic and it gets very dramatic as you approach Big Sur, near the city of Carmel. That stretch of the drive is considered the most beautiful in the United States, if not the world.

If you have some time, stop by Hearst Castle, which is in Carmel. Now, that's what's you'll call living large. Santa Barbara is also worth a quick stop. You'll be just 90 miles from LA by then.

Once in LA, stick mainly with the westside of town (Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles). You may also want to check out Malibu (Zuma State Beach is sick). Hollywood is worth a visit during the day, and especially for nightlife. Griffith Park in the Los Feliz area of the city is a great place to get an epic view of the city and the Hollywood sign.

LA is big and you'll definitely need a car to get around. Be careful because traffic is super congested.

For Miami, South Beach is where it's at. Main nightlife is on the following streets: Washington, Collins, and Ocean.

There's also a great Brazilian bar called Boteco. Usually some nice Latin chicks over there.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Post: #7

Whatever you do, do not take greyhound!! I would for sure rent a car, it will be expensive, but the entire U.S. is set up for people to drive, buses and trains suck for the most part.

I would definitely start the trip in S.F., and I second El Mech's advice in checking out Santa Cruz, there are also a bunch of cool spots around Santa Cruz as he mentioned, I can give you a bunch of info. if you want, PM me, or I'll post on this thread when I have more time.

I'd also maybe spend a day checking out Santa Barbara, it's probably the most beautiful town in the U.S., has one of the highest concentrations of hot women, and is only 1.5 hours north of L.A.

Flagstaff is supposed to be a cool town, but I hear it's in the foothills of the mountains and gets a shit town of snow and is cold as fuck in winter.

I don't know how far out of the way it is, but I'd definitely recommend you skip Dallas and Houston and go to Austin instead, Austin is definitely one of the coolest cities in the U.S.

Post: #8

Amour in the states they charge more if you pick a rental car up and don't bring it back to the same place per day but if it's from one airport city to another different agencies may be more tolerant cash wise. Lets say you need a car here local in Florida for the day or three you can shop it out at almost 30 bucks a day but when I got stranded in Lauderdale airport it cost me 180 dollars to drive it from there to Tampa(3 hours) so there will be some shopping involved that's why I threw the train deal into the mix. You can get off rent then drop and hit the next spot. Plus some train routes see a better side of the country than highways.

OG...Share your SC spots I would like to hear and add mine as well. I agree with skipping Dallas and Houston for sure but we have members here that know that terrain well.

HC.. Hearst is not in Carmel it's about 2 hours south on PCH

Post: #9

(12-14-2011 09:16 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  HC.. Hearst is not in Carmel it's about 2 hours south on PCH

That's right. It's in San Simeon. I was always mistaken that city for Carmel for some damn reason. Thanks for the correction.

Post: #10

(12-14-2011 09:18 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(12-14-2011 09:16 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  HC.. Hearst is not in Carmel it's about 2 hours south on PCH

That's right. It's in San Simeon. I was always mistaken that city for Carmel for some damn reason. Thanks for the correction.

Two hours of don't drop shit in the car and try and reach for it or else! I will look around for some pics to uncover some secrets there.

HC What did you think of Carmel?

Edit: About 20 miles or so south of Carmel Highlands there will be a couple roads on the left going south if interested I can pipoint but here's a pic of what the homes look like....
[attachment=3865]
And
[attachment=3866]
Here more info...
http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/2011...105010366/

Post: #11

Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo are good stops between L.A and S.F. Both college towns with tons of hot girls. If you stop in SLO go downtown to Firestones and get a ABC burger. Went to school in SLO for a while, cool town.

Post: #12

I took a similar trip recently. Do not take a bus. Buy a cheap car and sell it in Miami or something. You cant get around in the US on a bus comfortably and you will need a car just to get around most cities. Come up w/a rough outline but just kind of wing it. Start in SF, head down the coast at your own pace, go to San Diego, then hit Vegas, Grand Canyon, etc. White Sands New Mexico was really cool to see. Dallas is worth check out, Austin is pretty cool. Hit New Orleans for a few days.

Post: #13

I would spend 3-4 days in S.F., get up early and drive down the hwy 1 spend a full day/night in Santa Cruz, then head inland take the 101, stop off and spend a few hours exploring pinnacles national monument (short detour off hwy, near Salinas) http://www.nps.gov/pinn/index.htm.

After spending a few hours exploring the park, I'd get back on the road for the 3 hour drive to Santa Barbara, chill spend the night in S.B. Then spend the whole next day checking out Santa Barbara, beaches, town, mountains, etc., hit the town in S.B. for another night. From there to L.A., which I think also deserves at least 3-4 days like S.F.

Vegas is supposed to only be 3 hours from L.A., so that should def be on the radar...

Hope this helps

Post: #14

You guys are priceless! I am very very thankful.

I'll read and re-read calmly all the posts and eventually drop some further questions.

There is just on thing that I'm still a bit concerned: won't the weather be a problem that time of the year, not only in SoCal, but also if I cross the desert towards the Grand Canyon?

I think I'll be switching between car and train for this trip. I'll be looking some info on the net on the trains... its been a while since I ride a train.

It looks like it will be a great trip!

Post: #15

the weather in SoCal is never a problem. its like paradise. if you take the southern route and stick to Nevada, AZ, Texas, and along the Cali coast you shouldnt have any trouble. If you venture north into Colorado and the Rocky Mountain area you may run into some snow issues.

Having just taken a similar trip I cant imagine how difficult it would be w/o a car. If there is a way for you to get your hands on some kind of a cheap clunker that runs well i think it would be money well spent.

Post: #16

another thing - if you go SF to Miami you will probably want to spend the majority of your time in either California, Texas, or Florida - outside of a few stops in places like Vegas, Grand Canyon, etc. You really dont understand how little there is in some sections of the US until you drive thru it for hours upon hours.

Post: #17

Amour Fou - I wouldn't go to Austin. I love that city but its so overrated and full of hipsters and out of staters. Its a shame how much its changed since I was a young buck. I wouldn't come to Houston either unless u plan on being here for at least a week. Its to spread out to get a taste of it in a day or 2. If you take i-10 from San Antonio, you'll drive right through Houston and I can tell you some cool things to do and check out if you want to though.

If you want to experience the real Texas, i'd go to San Antonio and do all the tourist shit there and have the best Tex Mex you'll ever eat. Corpus Christi is cool little beach town but it might not be good if its chilly. Maybe do some cool little towns. There's so much nature shit so let me know if y'all are into that. Id have to ask around to recommend some spots for that.

Post: #18

Here's another route if you drive from LA...Just cut south in Texas
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http...CCQQ9QEwAg

Amour what's your Dad like? Skirt chaser? Are you going to chase women on this trip as well?

Post: #19

(12-15-2011 01:23 AM)houston Wrote:  Amour Fou - I wouldn't go to Austin. I love that city but its so overrated and full of hipsters and out of staters.

Hey, I'm the latter...what's wrong with that? Does it Fuck up your chances of getting laid?

I kept hearing so much hype about Austin, and now I read this?

I just went to Dallas, and I stayed mostly in the uptown section and found girls VERY friendly and DTF.

Mixx

Post: #20

I think El Mechanico covered California pretty well. As Hencredible mentioned, Santa Barbara is worth a stop, though not for too long so add time for that. From LA, go to Vegas, then check out Hoover Dam which is a short drive away, then swing south to the Grand Canyon. As you make your way east there are other national parks like Monument Valley, Zion and Bryce Canyon worth seeing in the general area. There is White Sands in New Mexico which I hear is awesome. Then there's Santa Fe in New Mexico which is supposed to be a cool little town in the mountains. Going east from there, I'm not sure what to recommend other than New Orleans which is a must on that route. Lots of good food in Texas I know, maybe some of the boys here can recommend some spots.

If you want to grab a beer sometime while in L.A., hit me up.

Post: #21

(12-14-2011 09:30 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Two hours of don't drop shit in the car and try and reach for it or else! I will look around for some pics to uncover some secrets there.

HC What did you think of Carmel?

Edit: About 20 miles or so south of Carmel Highlands there will be a couple roads on the left going south if interested I can pipoint but here's a pic of what the homes look like....

Just seeing this post. Man, I thought it was beautiful dude. Laid-back as all hell like many other places on the CA coast. There's just so much to do in Cali it's ridiculous. Your list was long, yet that's not even half of what's available. There's hella nature to explore, and then urban life as well. Nothing beats the West.

Lol @ the danger along that stretch of rt. 1. Hella narrow winding roads with two-way traffic. It's suspenseful but totally worth it.

Post: #22

Mixx - its good for getting some ass but I wouldn't recommend it for someone traveling with their dad lol. You'll like it if you want to pull some blondies.

Post: #23

I disagree on Austin - its a cool town to check out for a couple days, just to see. its different then anywhere i've ever been. some outdoorsy things to do there as well - kayak or stand up paddleboard on LBJ lake, walk the trail, check out Lake Travis, etc, and its only 2 hours from Dallas. I didnt think it was the best place to game, but I was there during the week when school was in session.

Post: #24

(12-15-2011 12:00 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  Here's another route if you drive from LA...Just cut south in Texas
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http...CCQQ9QEwAg

Amour what's your Dad like? Skirt chaser? Are you going to chase women on this trip as well?

My dad is not a skirt chaser, he's more laidback. I intend to at least stop at some bar or club to check the crowd on the bigger cities, have a feel of the american girls you guys talk so much first hand, but pussy hunting is not a top priority on this trip. The last time I was on mainland U.S. I was a kid, want to see it again with more grown up eyes...

Post: #25

(12-15-2011 01:18 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  If you want to grab a beer sometime while in L.A., hit me up.

Hey, I just might! Let's see how it goes.

So many replies, I'm reading it slowly while searching through things as well. Logistics, logistics! hehe