Driving from San Francisco-Please Help!!

[bcla]

You live in FF? I live in SS!

OP if you decided to drive through FF I recommend staying in Suisun actually, there's a really nice Hampton Inn right off of Highway 12 (which you would consider taking to get to 5 if you went to/through FF/SS), on the small waterfront that we have, it's a new hotel and very nice. There's also the Budweiser and Jelly Belly plants, both have tours available.

Budweiser and Jelly Belly are in Fairfield though.

In the area I rather like American Canyon. I bit off of I-80, but American Canyon Road is a fun little drive.

 

[disneylove69]

The hotels in cordelia is surrounded by fast food and gas stations. A couple exits from jelly belly. The Hampton Inn is nice and next to a beautiful water area.

 

[hilarys]

The other thing you need to keep in mind is that you are doing your driving on work days so you will need to contend with significant traffic on some of your planned drives.

Driving from Fairfield to SF on Tuesday morning you will be travelling with the morning commute. Summertime can be lighter, but just make sure you have factored that into your estimates. Your timeline for Tuesday seems pretty agressive unless you keep your SF touring very brief. You mention going on a trolley tour. I presume you mean a "hop on" type tour rather than riding a cable car. I think those run about 90 minutes - you will get GG bridge included in that though.

Heading to Anaheim on Wednesday you will also probably hit the LA afternoon commute traffic.

I like the prior posters suggestion to go back to 101 via Hwy 68 after visiting Point Lobos. You will get get great Central Coast views and speed up the drive south.

You may want to consider staying in Monterey or Salinas on Tuesday night and then getting up early and powering through the drive to Anaheim - that is very do-able going down 101 if you leave from Monterey early enough and don't stop too much.

Hope you have a great trip!
Hilary

 

[bcla]

I was just thinking about the plan, and it's going to be more interesting if you plan of taking the Golden Gate Bridge in the toll direction. The issue right now is that they no longer accept cash tolls and have gone almost exclusively to electronic toll collection using transponders. You could set up a one-time payment based on your license plate number.

https://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/about/payGGBToll.shtml

The fastest way to get from Fairfield to San Francisco is probably across the Carquinez Bridge and then the Bay Bridge. They do accept cash tolls. You have enough people to qualify for reduced carpool tolls, but I'd hesitate to recommend that for a first timer. It would be really confusing for someone who has never done it. The other thing is that attempting to use the Bay Bridge carpool lanes outside the carpool hours can mean getting a ticket.

Also - the carpool restrictions in California could be a topic to itself.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

A wonderful stop on 1, just south of Monterrey is Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - a perfect example of No. CA coastline with seals, otters and huge waves crashing into cliffs and well marked trails. Might be a perfect place to stretch the legs for the family. Bonus if whales are migrating - last time we were there a pod of 100+ whales went by off the coast.


In fact, once you see Pt. Lobos, you might want to backtrack off the coast to the 68 E and take that to the 101 South. It really doesn't get much better than Pt. Lobos. Plus this takes you into Salinas and if you're a Steinbeck fan, stop by his library.

Thank you Purrkins for this advise! I was starting to wonder if their might be another route yet still getting the the full scope of the scenic California coastline! This looks like it might be quite doable for us! Not a Steinback fan but we would just be stopping for the night anyhow. Thanks again!

 

[Disneylovers2000]

I believe the OP is concerned with the safety of driving at night along the coastal route, or that's the impression I got.

I've mostly driven CA-1 down to Monterey and a little bit beyond. I mentioned US-101. I did that from Santa Barbara all the way up to the Bay Area up to about 3 AM. It is a bit interesting at night and not for everyone. There were some curving sections where I was thinking maybe I should find a place to stop and sleep it off, but I kept on going. Maybe King City would have been the place.

Of course all this wouldn't be an issue taking I-5. That's about as easy a freeway drive as you're going to find in California. But then the only view is of the Harris Ranch feedlot.

A good way to take in the coast without driving would be Amtrak's Coast Starlight. However, it sounds like the OP is driving a personal car and not renting. If renting, it might be possible to drop off in the Bay Area and then rent another car in Southern California.

Thank you for all your help bcla! My concern with driving at night is that we don't want to miss the sights. After all, what would be the point of driving the longer slower way down the coast if all you will see is darkness!
We will be using our personal car for the trip.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

You live in FF? I live in SS!

OP if you decided to drive through FF I recommend staying in Suisun actually, there's a really nice Hampton Inn right off of Highway 12 (which you would consider taking to get to 5 if you went to/through FF/SS), on the small waterfront that we have, it's a new hotel and very nice. There's also the Budweiser and Jelly Belly plants, both have tours available.

Thank you for those suggestions, I will look into prices for them, sounds lovely to stay on the waterfront! I will not be telling my boys about the Jelly Belly plant, that will definitely delay our trip!!

 

[Disneylovers2000]

The hotels in cordelia is surrounded by fast food and gas stations. A couple exits from jelly belly. The Hampton Inn is nice and next to a beautiful water area.

Thank you!

 

[Disneylovers2000]

The other thing you need to keep in mind is that you are doing your driving on work days so you will need to contend with significant traffic on some of your planned drives.

Driving from Fairfield to SF on Tuesday morning you will be travelling with the morning commute. Summertime can be lighter, but just make sure you have factored that into your estimates. Your timeline for Tuesday seems pretty agressive unless you keep your SF touring very brief. You mention going on a trolley tour. I presume you mean a "hop on" type tour rather than riding a cable car. I think those run about 90 minutes - you will get GG bridge included in that though.

Heading to Anaheim on Wednesday you will also probably hit the LA afternoon commute traffic.

I like the prior posters suggestion to go back to 101 via Hwy 68 after visiting Point Lobos. You will get get great Central Coast views and speed up the drive south.

You may want to consider staying in Monterey or Salinas on Tuesday night and then getting up early and powering through the drive to Anaheim - that is very do-able going down 101 if you leave from Monterey early enough and don't stop too much.

Hope you have a great trip!
Hilary

Great information! Thank you! We have considered the traffic but will trudge through it
I think the advice for heading back to the 101 is very sound advice! I just hope that we wouldn't miss much by not going to Big Sur- in your opinion (or others too!) Would Big Sur be worth the drive down to it then back track to the 68 or just miss it all together getting all we need for sights from Monterey/Carmel and Point Lobos?

 

[Disneylovers2000]

I was just thinking about the plan, and it's going to be more interesting if you plan of taking the Golden Gate Bridge in the toll direction. The issue right now is that they no longer accept cash tolls and have gone almost exclusively to electronic toll collection using transponders. You could set up a one-time payment based on your license plate number.

https://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/about/payGGBToll.shtml

The fastest way to get from Fairfield to San Francisco is probably across the Carquinez Bridge and then the Bay Bridge. They do accept cash tolls. You have enough people to qualify for reduced carpool tolls, but I'd hesitate to recommend that for a first timer. It would be really confusing for someone who has never done it. The other thing is that attempting to use the Bay Bridge carpool lanes outside the carpool hours can mean getting a ticket.

Also - the carpool restrictions in California could be a topic to itself.

WOW! You just gave me some really important advice and information!!
I had not thought of toll booths for bridges or roads - we don't have those up here in Alberta! and I NEVER would have guessed that we couldn't pay cash! It sounds a little hairy getting into San Fran over the bridges and I sure don't want to get any tickets!

 

[Disneylovers2000]

Sorry for all of the separate replies! You would think by now that I would know how to use the multi quote for responses but I don't and it seemed like I was really just messing things up! I just wanted to send out a huge thank you for all of your help! You are truly making things so much easier for me!

 

[bcla]

WOW! You just gave me some really important advice and information!!
I had not thought of toll booths for bridges or roads - we don't have those up here in Alberta! and I NEVER would have guessed that we couldn't pay cash! It sounds a little hairy getting into San Fran over the bridges and I sure don't want to get any tickets!

The bridges in the Bay Area only collect tolls in one direction. The Golden Gate Bridge collects tolls going into San Francisco, as does the Bay Bridge. The Carquinez Bridge only collects tolls entering Solano County (northbound). The Golden Gate Bridge is the only one that has eliminated cash tolls. As I noted, if you plan on driving to SF across the bridge, you can set up an account with a one-time payment. Your payment will be attached to your license plate number. The system (FasTrak) they have in place is designed to first check for a transponder. If a transponder isn't registered, the system includes cameras that take several photos of the license plate. The license plate number can be used to send out a fine to the vehicle owner. If a transponder isn't detected and the license plate is registered with an account, the toll is eventually deducted from the account balance (this has happened to me several times, including several times after my transponder stopped working). In the case of a one-time payment, it will detect your license plate number and your payment will be applied to your toll.

This is fun isn't it? Almost as fun as the SunPass system they have in Florida.

The Bay Bridge is also pretty fun. There are the carpool lanes, but it's tricky with the hours. There might be a little bit of grace period, but I've never cut it that close. The tolls for a normal passenger vehicle are variable. It's $6 peak weekday times, $4 all other weekday times, and $5 on weekends. The same tolls apply during holidays. Carpools of are also $2.50 during the rush hour periods, but you'll need a transponder for that or else you might get a nice visit from the CHP. You shouldn't have an issue knowing how much the toll is. There are big electronic signs that display the current toll.

http://bata.mtc.ca.gov/tolls/schedule.htm

• San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
  
  • 2 axle vehicles between 12:01 a.m. and 5 a.m., between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday—$4.00
  • 2 axle vehicles between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday—$6.00
  • 2 axle vehicles between 12:01 a.m. Saturday and midnight Sunday— regular toll: $5.00

The Golden Gate Bridge is more interesting now that they no longer accept cash to pay tolls. Like I said, you could set up an advance payment and register your license plate number, but you'd want to know how much given their variable tolls. I'm not sure if you can request a refund at a later date if you've got unused funds.

 

[GrandBob]

The bridges in the Bay Area only collect tolls in one direction. The Golden Gate Bridge collects tolls going into San Francisco, as does the Bay Bridge.

Thus leading San Francisco's beloved columnist and pundit, Herb Caen (RIP, Herb), to state that San Francisco is the only city with a cover charge.

OP, I've only skimmed the responses, but I see one suggestion for going down to Point Lobos, then backtracking to take CA 68 to Salinas and down US101. That's not a bad route, and you're really not backtracking very far at all. So, if you're concerned with time, it's a good idea. Two caveats -- you'll really want to spend a couple of hours in Point Lobos; you can't take it in with a 10 minute stop. And if you're going on a weekend, beware that it gets very busy. Once they fill their parking spaces (quickly, on a weekend), they hold incoming cars and let through one incoming for each outgoing car. On weekdays you shouldn't have a problem. On weekends, DW and I will put the bicycles on the back of the car, park on Highway 1 just outside the gate, and bicycle in.

OTOH, coastal Highway 1 really is a road trip that shouldn't be missed! One of the most spectacular in the world! I wouldn't let comments about curvy roads or getting behind RVs discourage you. The road is so scenic that you won't want to travel faster than those RVs, or you'd miss the scenery. That, and you'll want to stop at so many pullouts that you won't be following the same vehicles for very long anyway.

If you do take Highway 1, my favorite spot to stop for lunch is Nepenthe's. It's very pricey, but the views from their observation deck are some of the best you'll find anywhere in the world. Alternatively, you can stop for lunch at the Big Sur Inn and sit in the Little Sur River while soaking your feet in the cool water. Or for an even lower-cost alternative, there's a deli right next to Big Sur Inn where you can get sandwiches and soft drinks, and you can have a picnic on the side of the road. Still, if you can afford it, I'd splurge for Nepenthe's.

HTH,
Bob

 

[Disneylovers2000]

Thanks again for the help!
So, I think we have decided to take some of the advice and head to Monterey and Point Lobos and then head back to the 101 and head south that way. You have all made my trip planning so much easier!

Wondering if its worth heading south a little further from Point Lobos and checking out Big Sur as well or if the Monterey area is going to cover the coastline that we would love to see, then we would head back up to the 68 and over to the 101. I think we will end up staying in King City and then head south down the 101 stopping in Slovang, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica (all for pics) and then head out to Anaheim-hopefully getting to Anaheim about supper time! Thanks again!

 

[bcla]

King City?

It's an OK place to stop. However, that's one of the more interesting places I've stayed in my life. I mentioned fellow guests arguing in the parking lot? That was one of those places. I would equate my experience there to watching the American TV show "Cops" where assorted low-class individuals don't seem to mind making a spectacle out of their lives.

I was basically there to visit Pinnacles National Monument.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

King City?

It's an OK place to stop. However, that's one of the more interesting places I've stayed in my life. I mentioned fellow guests arguing in the parking lot? That was one of those places. I would equate my experience there to watching the American TV show "Cops" where assorted low-class individuals don't seem to mind making a spectacle out of their lives.

I was basically there to visit Pinnacles National Monument.

YIKES!! I read that part of one of your posts but I didn't realize that was in King City!!!! I was just looking to make some tracks south! Hmmm, wonder where we shall stay now.... I wanted to go a little further than Salinas...

 

[bcla]

YIKES!! I read that part of one of your posts but I didn't realize that was in King City!!!! I was just looking to make some tracks south! Hmmm, wonder where we shall stay now.... I wanted to go a little further than Salinas...

That was the Motel 6 King City. It is in fact right next to the California Highway Patrol office. There's a small circle there with two motels, a gas station, and the CHP office. I haven't really explored King City except for the time that I went across town to get to Pinnacles.

King City itself isn't really that bad. It's primarily an agricultural town with about an 80% Hispanic population. A former coworker told me of a time where he had lunch there at a really good Mexican restaurant, but where most of the staff and clientele, save the waitress, didn't seem to speak English. It's that kind of town, but it's not an issue if you stick to the chain restaurants and lodging establishments in town.

What I'm getting at is that there is often little that you can do about the behavior of other guests. Short of finding private accommodations like a vacation home, you always stand the chance of coming across people behaving badly within earshot of your location. This can happen anywhere. I've seen someone almost ready to start a fight with a CM at Disneyland. You can always do research about a certain place and its propensity for misbehaving customers. However, they're all just anecdotes. For every motel stay where I can't sleep because some inconsiderate fool is arguing in the parking lot at 3 AM, there are four or five times which go by without incident. You can spend more, which tends to weed out those at the lower end of the economic scale, but that could mean less to spend once you get to Disneyland.

I've learned to lighten up. Whenever something nutty happens, that just means I have a story to tell in the future.

 

[GrandBob]

Wondering if its worth heading south a little further from Point Lobos and checking out Big Sur as well or if the Monterey area is going to cover the coastline that we would love to see, then we would head back up to the 68 and over to the 101. I think we will end up staying in King City and then head south down the 101 stopping in Slovang, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica (all for pics) and then head out to Anaheim-hopefully getting to Anaheim about supper time! Thanks again!

Again, I highly recommend coastal Highway 1 going through Big Sur. So to answer your question, yes I believe it's worthwhile to head down 1 to Big Sur. However, it really doesn't make sense to then backtrack to 68, cross over to Salinas, and go down 101. Really, you'll spend just as much time in your car going the backtrack route through Salinas as you would just heading south from Big Sur on 1. And south on 1 is oh so much more scenic.

Consider the time and distance from Big Sur to San Luis Obispo, which is the spot where the two routes meet. On highway 1, you can do it in two or two and half hours. Call it three for sightseeing. Your alternative route has you going north to Monterey, about 45 minutes. From there, it's almost two and a half hours to SLO, for a total of just over 3 hours. You're much better off spending your time going south on highway 1 and watching the world-class scenery.

Spend the day getting to and checking out Monterey, and then driving down the Big Sur coast. Keep going as far as San Simeon or Cambria, and stop for the night there. Much, much, MUCH more scenic than King City. (And oh, BTW, if you do for some reason take 101 through King City, slow down to the speed limit for 5 miles before and 5 miles after town. Notorious speed trap, and has been for at least 30 years).

HTH,
Bob

 

[Kittylover513]

I think if you left SF at 1 you'd have a tough time getting to pismo beach by dark...it's a slow drive on hwy 1. You could cut across at 41 to101 to get to Santa Barbara faster. There are many places to stay near the cutover in cambria.

Personally if I were leaving SF at 1 I'd plan on staying the night/visiting Monterey/Carmel a bit and then leave in the AM for the drive down 1

 

[Kittylover513]

Sorry, made that response too short....that way you'll have the chance to see all the beauty by daylight (it really is beautiful!). There are many nice places to stay in Monterey and you could get quite a bit farther the next day.