Can you offer advice on this trip?

Rick Martin

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2004
Messages
2,162
Location
BRADENTON, FLORIDA & FL10
Aircraft
Everglades Kite Gyro, Tandem Dominator
Total Flight Time
900 hours
Hey guys,

I’m looking for some advice about a trip I’ll be taking in September. I’ll be driving from San Jose, California to San Diego and back. Then also from San Jose up to the Florence, Oregon area. I’m visiting friends and attending a high school reunion.

The advice I’m seeking is about what to see along the way. I want to drive the coast as much as possible, especially from San Jose north. I will not have a lot of time to stop and enjoy attractions. I’m allocating one travel day from San Jose to San Diego and then one day back (I think my buddy in San Jose said it was about 7 hours one way). Then I’ll give myself two or three days to travel from San Jose up the coast to Florence which is due west of Eugene, Oregon.

This is kind of a scouting trip. In two years, when my daughter finishes Pharmacy school, I want to take her back on this coastal trip but at a slower pace. So just tell me some of those awesome little towns where we could stop for a day or two and see the beauty of the coast.

You can post here for all to share or use my email at: [email protected]

Thanks for your help,

- Rick

p.s. The fence is going up at Wauchula. And we’re working through the new lease agreement now. We did get a couple of our guys on the new airport advisory board. Many local officials/politicians have state and federal court dates coming up: everything from stealing public money to using the state law enforcement data base (running license plates, background checks) for personal political purposes. Hopefully some of them will disappear in the near future.
 
Yaw Mon fun trip.

Off the top of my head drive El Camino Real (The Royal Road) down to Solvang a little Dutch village and have an Aebleskiver for breakfast. WARNING... If your married your wife may make you stay a look at all the unique shops. This could take hours. Then at least the next stop should be San Simeon Castle and take the short tour. There must be at lest 20 missions some much more complete than others see the California's Historic Mission link here for more info. http://missiontour.org/wp/

There is so much more but you will see sign alone the way. Have a great trip and if able give me a call and we will meet up with some of the gang and I'll buy you lunch?
 
Then Highway 1 to Big Sur. Carmel, Montery where you want to visit the Montery Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. Then north to Santa Cruse Beach board walk.

Mark
 
I grew up in N'th Cal. so I know, you can't do Hwy1 (coast Hwy) from San Jose-San Diego in 1 day, the coast route would take a couple days at the least. Going North on 1 would be a awesome drive, 3 day's?, all I can say, you'd wished you had at least week just to drive it.
 
Jay,

That's very valuable info for my planning purposes. Thanks so much.

Fortunately, the drive south doesn't need to be on the coast. And I don't think my buddy I'll be making that part of the drive with intended to take the coastal route.

However, if there's anything you would like to call my attention to on that same coastal route from San Jose south, I might be able to take advantage of it when I return.

I really appreciate the information.
 
San Diego

San Diego

While in sd stop by Lolita's for a California burrito, fish taco, & al pastor taco. There's also hodad's if you feel prefer a burger, pizza port or phil's bbq. On the way back up, stop by class 302 for some shaved ice.

Siteseeing:
La Jolla cove
Children's pool - seals
Mission Bay - seaworld

Javier
 
I have to,second the highway 1 route at least between San Simeon's and Carmel. One mile you are on the rocky beaches and next mile 500 feet above. Maybe the most beautiful 80 miles or so in the USA. Plan for a minimum of 3 hours. More if you want to pick up jade at Jade Beach or any of the other very awesome stops along the highway. At San Simions you can spend half a day ar Hearst Castle alone. See how the 1% lived back in the day. Go online and make reservations though. Most likely on your scouting trip south you will end up taking I 5 and just head south. As you are driving south on I 5 you will most likely notice a strong garlic smell at Gilroy. Garlic capital of the world. Even with windows up and ac on and doing 70 down the interstate you will notice the smell.��.
Have a great trip!
 
Oh ya, and if you decide you need some lodging around San Louis Obispo you have to shell out the $270 bucks or so for a,room at the Madonna Inn. Unbelievable rooms. Do some,research and make your reservation early. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_Inn
If nothing else stop there and hit the most impressive men's restroom in the world.
Enjoy
 
Rick, Fastest way south, San Jose south on Hwy101 to Gilroy, Hwy152 east to Hwy I-5 south all the way to San Diego.
Nicest drive back to San Jose, I-5 back to LA, exit 144 to Hwy101, Hwy101 all the way back to San Jose, like John said, Solvang is a place I'd stop and look around. Hwy101 north of LA is a lot more beautiful drive and a lot more things to see and do then the I-5 drive north of LA.
P.S. you could stop and see Vance in Santa Maria, which is on Hwy101.
 
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I was going to mention Madonna Inn but for the life of me I could not remember the name it is near Solvang. Getting old because we stayed there several time though years ago.

At least stop there an use there restroom and you will get a taste of what the room look like no two are alike! Good one Harold!
 
Good deal. This is one of the benefits of asking for the opinion of others. When more than one source mentions the same place it's probably a must see.

Thanks Jay, Javier, John and Harold
 
Rick, going north of San Jose take Hwy101 through San Francisco, all the way to Florence.
You do not want to drive coast Hwy1, incredibly beautiful but it's a drive you'd do if you had nothing but time. Hwy 101 is also a beautiful drive going through Redwood country, just north of Eureka Hwy101 basically runs on the coast all the way to Florence, there's dozens of quaint small towns to explore on the way.
Hwy101 runs through Humboldt Redwood State Park, a side drive in the park is the Avenue of the Giants, it parallels 101 but on the opposite side of the Eel river, a must drive that won't be any longer than staying on 101. Just north of the park is the company town of Scotia (redwood mill) very interesting.
 
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No Kevin. I was born in D.C., lived in LA suburbs, D.C. suburbs, Phoenix suburbs until '67 when I went to the Philippines for 7th through 12 grades. This was while my dad worked for USIS and VOA in Saigon. Then I came straight back to Bradenton Florida and have been here ever since.
 
drive plan

drive plan

Excuse me, by reading the initial post, I thought that you meant seeking advise for establishing a cross country flight plan. Now I see that you meant by ground travel! Look's like they got it covered for you. Have fun!
 
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