Going to California

[97regalGS]

I'm going to California for 10 days with my wife in April.

Landing in LA. Running up Coast Highway, Monterey/Carmel, Napa, flying out of San Francisco.

Also doing a 1day Skip Barber course at Laguna Seca

Was also considering renting an XLR or something, just for a day, but the cost is ludicrous. ($350/day). Now thinking perhaps a Mustang convertible for the week.

Looking for some suggestions/advice:

- anyone been to Skip Barber, any experiences to share

- anyone know where I can rent an XLR/Corvette for a reasonable amount?

- anyone know of anyone renting CTS-V's?

- anyone care to suggest any 'must see' places/things in the LA area?(other than Hollywood/Beverly Hills)

We're working on the itenerary over the weekend so that it is firm, but flexible.

[daves87rs]

Can't help you there-but it sure sounds like fun!

[AAS]

I've been living in So Cal for so long, that I never see it for its tourist attractions...

I have driven up PCH, till Monterey. It's an awesome drive. Monterey is cool, you can see Cannery Row, the aquarium and just drive around the city in a day. Make sure to do the "17-mile drive" through Pebble beach. It takes a while, but it's worth it!

As far as "must see" things in LA... um... Disneyland!?!

[trinacriabob]

Landing in LA. Running up Coast Highway, Monterey/Carmel, Napa, flying out of San Francisco.

- anyone care to suggest any 'must see' places/things in the LA area?(other than Hollywood/Beverly Hills)

We're working on the itenerary over the weekend so that it is firm, but flexible.

Yes, in the immediate city area: Santa Monica, Westwood Village, Century City, the South Bay (Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach), and possibly Malibu

Outside the city area: Santa Barbara, Solvang/Buellton and San Simeon (you will pass through ALL of these on 101 up to SF)

[97regalGS]

tx for the suggestions!

[The O.C.]

I've been living in So Cal for so long, that I never see it for its tourist attractions...

I have driven up PCH, till Monterey. It's an awesome drive. Monterey is cool, you can see Cannery Row, the aquarium and just drive around the city in a day. Make sure to do the "17-mile drive" through Pebble beach. It takes a while, but it's worth it!

As far as "must see" things in LA... um... Disneyland!?!

Disneyland? YUCK...!

I know it's the opposite way from where you are heading, but if you really want to see some wonderful beach cities, head south to Huntington Beach ("Surf City") then down through Newport Beach, Laguna Beach (my FAVORITE), Dana Point, San Clemente.

San Diego is a "must-see" as well......but that will take another day for you to go see.

My best advice is to avoid too many of the "tourist" attractions......and see the "real" southern California. Stay away from too much "inland" stuff.....

Have fun!

[AAS]

Disneyland? YUCK...!

What? You can see "all" of California just by going to California Adventure, so you might as well go to Disneyland too

Anyway, I like Disneyland... Probably cuz I went so many times as a kid.

I know it's the opposite way from where you are heading, but if you really want to see some wonderful beach cities, head south to Huntington Beach ("Surf City") then down through Newport Beach, Laguna Beach (my FAVORITE), Dana Point, San Clemente.

San Diego is a "must-see" as well......but that will take another day for you to go see.

My best advice is to avoid too many of the "tourist" attractions......and see the "real" southern California. Stay away from too much "inland" stuff.....

Have fun!

I also agree that seeing more of the southern beaches is a good idea, as is staying near the coast.

[trinacriabob]

Stay away from too much "inland" stuff.....

You...you...you SNOB. There, I said it.

Funny you mention this since I drove my rental from LV to LA 2 days ago and had to go through Victorville, Fontana, Pomona and others ... somehow, I don't think living there would be a lot of fun...

[tmp]

Specialty convertibles like the XLR are going to be quite dear and only give you about 50 miles free. I'd go for the Mustang for the week.

You can leave late morning form LA and be in Santa Barbara for lunch. Taceria Super Rica is a local hang with really good Mexican food (Julia Child was a regular) and great guacamole. Take the Milpas exit off the 101 and the restaurant is on the right, at Cota. Or you could go further up the coast and have lunch at Pea Soup Andersons. IMHO, the food isn't as good, but it's an institution. You can check out Solvang and some of the wineries in the Sant Ynez valley and still have time to make it to San Luis Obispo and check into the Madonna Inn. Liven up your marriage, ask for the Caveman room! I haven't been north on PCH of there for a while, but Monterey is beautiful. Definately stick to PCH. From SF, take the Golden Gate and take the coast road to Bodega Bay. The drive is wonderful over Mount Tam and it really looks like "The Birds". You can take the road inland from Bodega to Santa Rosa and go to Napa from there.

[bobo]

Budget Rent A Car is known for having a fleet of exotics, though I don't know about pricing.

[tmp]

Budget Rent A Car is known for having a fleet of exotics, though I don't know about pricing.

Budget is the one that I was quoting from. I looked into renting an XLR for my birthday. I think it was $500 per day with 50 miles free per day.

[Justin Bimmer]

If you are a history buff, its nice to cruise Wilshire Blvd near downtown and drive by what used to be the Ambassador Hotel... you know you are by it cause of the constrution to the south and it being the RFK memorial drive.

Also, going to the LaBera tar pits is cool too and the Beverly Center and La Cienega where there are lots of fancy Restaurants.

[Camino LS6]

I enjoyed the Labrea tar pits too- very cool stuff.

While I was there, I rented a '68 Lemans Convertible. My guess is that you could still rent vintage 'verts for a reasonable price.

[trinacriabob]

I enjoyed the Labrea tar pits too- very cool stuff.

Just flew back up from LaLaLand about an hour ago.

Yeah, those damn La Brea tar pits and what's underneath them is a main reason that the Wilshire Blvd. subway can't be extended westward without big problems!

[Oracle of Delphi]

My advice, leave your wife home, you'll have a much better time!

[Robert Hall]

I've rented a Mustang convertible on every fun trip to CA over the last decade except when I got a T-Bird convertible a couple of years ago and 350Z last year (all from Hertz) (work trips to San Jose and Oakland I've gotten stuck with Avis--Cavaliers, Malibus, Grand Ams, etc).

Lots to see and do in the LA area...Hollywood has it's attractions, Beverly Hills is fun for shopping and people-watching, and for scenic drives, I enjoy driving the canyons (Laurel, Coldwater, Mullholland Drive, Topanga, etc) and the PCH through LA County and Orange County.. I like Griffith Park for walks, the Observatory, even a trip to Forest Lawn Cemetery was fun. I like the area around the Petersen Museum downtown.

I esp. like spending time in the beach towns, like Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach... I've seen most of the coastal areas from Malibu to San Diego, and from Monterey to San Francisco via Santa Cruz, but I have yet to see Big Sur, San Simieon, Santa Barbara...next time.

Edited March 24, 2007 by moltar

[The O.C.]

You...you...you SNOB. There, I said it.

Funny you mention this since I drove my rental from LV to LA 2 days ago and had to go through Victorville, Fontana, Pomona and others ... somehow, I don't think living there would be a lot of fun...

LOL......

It's NOT fun. I go out there for work sometimes and it's just gross......

We call Fontana....."Fontana-tucky" (no disrespect to those C&Gers that live in Kentucky....)

On a quick trip through the inland areas like Corona, Riverside, Fontana and such, it might seem nice....because off the freeway, you see tons of new housing developements, attractive glass-building office parks, and such going up. It's still expensive, but it's so way more affordable than LA and Orange counties that alot of businesses are locating out there.....and lots of people are moving out there that can't afford to live by the coast.

What happens, is that the Inland Empire, as locals around here call it, comprised of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has a population on it's own of around 4million people. When people say "LA" has bad congestion and smog, what they are REALLY talking about is those Inland Empire areas that are being overrun with people moving out there (congestion) and all the bad air quality (smog) because of the hot weather conditions and the proximity of these areas to the mountains (the smog is blown inland from the ocean and settles over Riverside, backed up against the San Gabriel mountains.)

You hardly ever get smog in the coastal areas.

PLUS, and I'm trying to remain tactful on how I say this......you get REAL undesirables that move out there.......for obvious reasons (cheaper, etc.) SO, you might buy yourself a new house in an attractive housing development in the Inland Empire.....only to end up with a house full of 15 mexicans next to you. I'm not talking about Americans of Hispanic desent....I'm talking mexicans....illegal aliens....and other assorted types. Crime is abundant in those areas....and the whole area ends up getting a real trashy feel.

Wow....didn't mean to rant.....but when most people spend a short time here, driving through or whatever, and they say something like "LA is ugly" it's usually because they ended up driving through these inland areas and stuff.....

But I digress.....a car fan should definitely see the Peterson Museum on Wilshire Boulevard on the Beverly Hills/Los Angeles city line......and take a trip to AutoBooks in Burbank.

[AAS]

O.C., I think the more acceptable pronunciation is: "Fon-tucky"

Oh, and... the IE tends to smell like cow poo...

[trinacriabob]

buy yourself a new house in an attractive housing development in the Inland Empire.....only to end up with a house full of 15 mexicans next to you. I'm not talking about Americans of Hispanic desent....I'm talking mexicans....illegal aliens....and other assorted types. Crime is abundant in those areas....and the whole area ends up getting a real trashy feel.

but when most people spend a short time here, driving through or whatever, and they say something like "LA is ugly" it's usually because they ended up driving through these inland areas and stuff.....

Wow....didn't mean to rant.....

O.C. speaks! So listen!

Yeah, it's true. Those new subdvisions in Victorville and Moreno Valley look like utter $h! in no time. Why is that? Gee, it's WHO decided to buy in there. Sorry. I can think of nice manicured middle- to upper-middle class subdivisions in ATL that still look great 10 to 15 years after they were finished.

Right. I think about "the APPROACH" to LA. Yeah, if you come in from the east (IE) on 10 or 60 and then see the backside of the downtown high-rises through all the warehouses, it is gross. Even 10 west of downtown is gross, for that matter. On the flip side, drive someone on Sunset from Hollywood to the Ocean, or Sepulveda through Sherman Oaks and into Westwood, or PCH from Playa del Rey down to the South Bay, or Ventura Blvd. from Encino to Calabasas and it's..."wow...this is nice."

You didn't mean to rant? Why not, you're good at it! :AH-HA_wink:

[Sixty8panther]

Sounds like a Led Zeppelin song...