Your Must Dos - Thanks in Advance

[Otter49]

It's been a while but I've been to California many times, but almost always on brief business trips.

Now I'm planning a sort of bucket list, go where the road takes me kind of trip. The only planning thus far is that I know I'll travel from Cent Florida to San Diego and then up to Vancouver. Everything in between and after is up for grabs.

I do know that I'll be setting aside at least two days for DL and DCA. Beyond that, I could spend as much as a week or 10 days in the LA area - if there's enough to hold my interest.

So, for you Californians (or others with opinions) if you'd like to help out, what should I not miss? And I'm open to most everything. I know I won't bother going to see handprints and hoofprints frozen in cement, but I'm game for most anything else. Not too interested in shopping but throw some ideas at me if the people watching is good, one of my favorite sports.

Let me hear about beaches, or towns, or daytrips, or boat trips, or parks, or most anything.

Thanks a bunch......

 

[bcla]

Yosemite Valley, even if just a few hours and even if the water levels are low. I may be crazy crowded, but I can't think of a better place to be on earth.

On the way to Vancouver, perhaps Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa. If you're OK with beer, that place has some of the highest regarded suds in country. In the San Francisco Bay Area, a great short drive is Conzelman Road in the Marin Headlands. It's got spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and then morphs into a narrow-one way road with spectacular views of the Pacific and San Francisco.

 

[ncc1701]

Santa Rosa is a neat town. We stayed there a few years ago for part of a trip to San Francisco. There are a lot of wineries in the area. We visited Coppola , Korbel and Kendall Jackson. There are a lot more in that area and Healdsburg which is near by is a great town with restaurants and tasting rooms.
If you are interested in history the Nixon Library is about 30 minutes or so from DL (to the south) and Reagan's is 90 minutes or so north.
.

 

[bcla]

Santa Rosa is a neat town. We stayed there a few years ago for part of a trip to San Francisco.

Mostly I've been going there for the beer, but 4th street in downtown does have the quaint feel of the main drag in a farm town. There are other places like that in Northern California, like Woodland. They have the Charles Schultz Museum and Snoopy's Home Ice, although I've yet to visit. My family has been to the children's museum right next door.

Seriously though, Russian River Brewing is a great place for beer, beer, and more beer. I would recommend the sampler "board", which is a rack of 20 different beers in 2 oz glasses for maybe $15. For anyone considering it, watch out for the sour beer. And there's plenty to stuff to explore around there while sobering up.

 

[Plasticletters]

I'm a San Diegan whose been up the coast multiple times -
Here's some of my "must sees" for the west coast (some are touristy, some are off the beaten path a bit)

In San Diego-
San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park
Hotel Del Coronado
La Jolla Cove
Surfing at Tourmaline Beach (or La Jolla Shores)
Sunset over Sunset Cliffs
A stroll through Old Town
A delicious meal at Ranchos Cocina in North Park

In Orange County-
Disneyland (of course!)

In LA -
La Brea Tarpits and LACMA (they're right next to each other)
Museum of Tolerance
Tour of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (hopefully followed by a performance of the LA Philharmonic when Gustavo Dudamel is in town to conduct!)
Hike up to the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park
Griffith Observatory
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
Paramount Ranch
Stroll through Venice Beach and Santa Monica

Central Coast-
Hearst Castle and Elephant Seals in San Simeon
Madonna Inn
Monterey Bay Aquarium

San Francisco Bay Area-
Alcatraz Tour
Academy of Sciences Museum
Golden Gate Park (Bison, Gardens, etc)
Urban Ore in Berkeley
Muir Woods (redwoods)
Exploratorium and the Embarcadero
Cinnaholic in Berkeley (amazing cinnamon rolls!)

Portland Oregon-
Stay in a Mcmenamins historic hotel (all of them are really interesting and great to stay in)
http://www.mcmenamins.com/
Hike up near Mt Hood
National Rose Test Garden and Arboretum
Last Thursdays in the Alberta Arts District
http://www.lastthursdayonalberta.com/

Seattle Washington -
Experience Music Project
Seattle Underground Tour
Boeing Factory Tour
Pike Place Market

San Juan Islands-
Orca Watching

Victoria BC -
Victoria Gardens

 

[Otter49]

Thanks to all of you for your postings. Looks like I'll have a pretty full plate when out West.

I had planned on wine country for sure, but I didn't know that I need to plan on beer country as well.

This whole thing may require more than one trip to see what I want to see.

 

[Disney Kidd]

I'm a native San Diegan so I might be a little biased, but I would spend more time in San Diego than LA. There is so much to do and see here!

San Diego Must Do's:

San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park (known as one of the best, if not, best zoos in the world!) At the Safari Park you can purchase a caravan safari that goes through large field exhibits while feeding giraffes and, hopefully, rhinos (a once in a lifetime experience!)

Hotel Del Coronado (they filmed Some Like it Hot starring Marilyn Monroe here)

Old Town - Eat at one of the many Mexican restaurants

La Jolla Cove -- Make sure to take a look at the Sea Lions! Eat lunch at George's!

Embarcadero - Tour the Midway and look at the ships at the maritime museum. One of the ships was used in the movie Master and Commander!

Seaport Village

Balboa Park - Have a picnic and visit some of the many museums.

Torrey Pines State Park - Probably my favorite place in San Diego! Hike up the mountain and then down the trail to the beach. Incredible views!

Wineries - Orfila winery and Cordiano (great pizza). Both are in Escondido. Can be done before/after Safari Park.

If you're going in July/August, don't miss the Del Mar races. There are usually free concerts after the races on Saturday nights. I've seen Weezer and Neon Trees there.

 

[Disney Kidd]

San Diego is also known as the Craft Beer Capital of the World. We are home to many breweries, including Stone. Stone has two locations, but I would recommend the one in Escondido, close to the Safari park and wineries. It's a gorgeous restaurant/brewery.

 

[Otter49]

I'm a native San Diegan so I might be a little biased, but I would spend more time in San Diego than LA. There is so much to do and see here!

San Diego Must Do's:

San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park (known as one of the best, if not, best zoos in the world!) At the Safari Park you can purchase a caravan safari that goes through large field exhibits while feeding giraffes and, hopefully, rhinos (a once in a lifetime experience!)

Hotel Del Coronado (they filmed Some Like it Hot starring Marilyn Monroe here)

Old Town - Eat at one of the many Mexican restaurants

La Jolla Cove -- Make sure to take a look at the Sea Lions! Eat lunch at George's!

Embarcadero - Tour the Midway and look at the ships at the maritime museum. One of the ships was used in the movie Master and Commander!

Seaport Village

Balboa Park - Have a picnic and visit some of the many museums.

Torrey Pines State Park - Probably my favorite place in San Diego! Hike up the mountain and then down the trail to the beach. Incredible views!

Wineries - Orfila winery and Cordiano (great pizza). Both are in Escondido. Can be done before/after Safari Park.

If you're going in July/August, don't miss the Del Mar races. There are usually free concerts after the races on Saturday nights. I've seen Weezer and Neon Trees there.

Thanks for this.

San Diego and the Zoo and the Safari Park were already on my list for several days but now you've given me a lot more to consider.

Advice from locals is always very very valuable.

 

[sheetz]

Plasticletters has a good list. A few others places I can recommend around LA are:

Getty Center
Huntington Library
Hollywood Bowl for a summer concert
El Capitan Theatre (owned by Disney, so shows Disney films exclusively)
Farmers Market on Fairfax for lunch
Reagan Presidential library in Simi Valley (They have the original Air Force One airplane on display)
California Science Center (They have the Space Shuttle Endeavor)

 

[Otter49]

Plasticletters has a good list. A few others places I can recommend around LA are:

Getty Center
Huntington Library
Hollywood Bowl for a summer concert
El Capital Theatre (owned by Disney, so shows Disney films exclusively)
Farmers Market on Fairfax for lunch
Reagan Presidential library in Simi Valley (They have the original Air Force One airplane on display)
California Science Center (They have the Space Shuttle Endeavor)

Some of these I'd thought about - most I hadn't.

Thank you.

Starting to look like I may be on the road for the rest of the year.

 

[ImDMous]

San Diego is also known as the Craft Beer Capital of the World. We are home to many breweries, including Stone. Stone has two locations, but I would recommend the one in Escondido, close to the Safari park and wineries. It's a gorgeous restaurant/brewery.

So many breweries, so little time..

I live in Escondido, there are literally 20 good breweries within 10 minutes. If you go to within an hour, there are probably 100. Some you might have heard of: Stone, Ballast Point, Lost Abbey/Port, Green Flash, many more you haven't heard of but are really delicious. Something for everyone's taste.

Half an hour north is Temecula valley which has a few breweries also but many great wineries.