Driving from LA to San Francisco


My apologies for the lil hiatus......Preoccupied with work, clearing up work before the trip. Now can finally sit down and plan.

Finally booked my tics. Went for the open jaw and scrapped doing the loop drive.

SIN - LAX via tokyo and return SFO - SIN via tokyo (staying over tokyo for 3 nites)

Thus I have a good 2 weeks in Cali state.

My tentative itinerary:
1) Sin-LA (4 nights in LA, usual places: Disney, Universal, city tour etc anywhere else?)
2) LA to SF via Highway 1 (I will have to break my journey somewhere midpoint, eg cambria)
3) SF (staying in oakland area)


My wife wants to see the grand canyon and hoover dam, should I drive to the canyons or will it be cheaper to take a tour from the hotel in LA?

I've heard of major car rental companies like H#rtz and A#is that overbook and instances whereby you show up with a confirmation and they do not have a car and refund you the cash. Any recommendations for a good rental company in the heart of LA?

thanks

Are you going to hit Las Vegas? It is only a stone's throw away from Hoover dam. ;)
 

Gilroy is much better than Barstow now I think. ;)

yes, there's sales tax. depends on the different counties. Last time I was there, it varies between 7.75% (sacremento area) to 8.25% in most of rest of California. Some states are sales tax free (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon)

And you need to tip after settling your bill in sit down restaurants with service. Good restaurants tip around double the tax. If just so so, just tip 10%. If you are pissed. Don't tip. But don't go back there again.

ahh now LA is 9.75, SF is 9.5.. all up by 1%!
10% of the meal is tip? gosh... i think even in europe isnt dat much!

edit: heres the link for taxes i got from the other cs thread.. http://www.boe.ca.gov/cgi-bin/rates.cgi?LETTER=S&LIST=COUNTY
 

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Are you going to hit Las Vegas? It is only a stone's throw away from Hoover dam. ;)

yes i am! how can i not, after watching so much csi :cool:
LV wil be on the way frm SF to LA ma..

catch musicals and check out the tonnes of hotels and casinos..
 

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yes i am! how can i not, after watching so much csi :cool:
LV wil be on the way frm SF to LA ma..

catch musicals and check out the tonnes of hotels and casinos..

Bitez... different route leh...

SF to Vegas we talk a totally different route already... one that passes through the Mojave desert...
 

ahh now LA is 9.75, SF is 9.5.. all up by 1%!
10% of the meal is tip? gosh... i think even in europe isnt dat much!

edit: heres the link for taxes i got from the other cs thread.. http://www.boe.ca.gov/cgi-bin/rates.cgi?LETTER=S&LIST=COUNTY

10% minimum, usual is 15%. This is calculated off the amount before tax, not after hor...

That's why china is heaven. :bsmilie: I forgot, and tried tipping a few times, most of them reject. one time ended up the waitress give me phone number. buahahahha
 

Bitez... different route leh...

SF to Vegas we talk a totally different route already... one that passes through the Mojave desert...

no???? i look at map... SF on top, vegas to the east, then LAX is bottom.. no??? shyats.....
 

no???? i look at map... SF on top, vegas to the east, then LAX is bottom.. no??? shyats.....

it is a triangle... half way on i-5 you need to exit to hwy 58...

Is is better if you go from SF to LA... then LA to vegas.

oh i really miss vegas.
 

it is a triangle... half way on i-5 you need to exit to hwy 58...

Is is better if you go from SF to LA... then LA to vegas.

oh i really miss vegas.

LA to vegas is shorter? but i need to come back to LA cus my flight departs from LA... :confused::confused::confused:
 

LA to vegas is shorter? but i need to come back to LA cus my flight departs from LA... :confused::confused::confused:

well.... the distance you need to travel from the moment you exit i-5 to vegas is the around the same if you drive from LA to vegas.

Don't forget it is a 8-9 hour drive from SF to vegas. SF to LA is around 5.5. LA to vegas is around 3.5. So if you break it up that way, you are better rested and the drive is not as torturous.
 

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well.... the distance you need to travel from the moment you exit i-5 to vegas is the around the same if you drive from LA to vegas.

Don't forget it is a 8-9 hour drive from SF to vegas. SF to LA is around 5.5. LA to vegas is around 3.5. So if you break it up that way, you are better rested and the drive is not as torturous.


Yes, better to do SF>LA>Vegas>LA, I did Monterey to Vegas once.. bad mistake... was seeing double by the time I reach Vegas

Hmmm I have been hearing that Gilroy is better now, last time I went to Barstow was many years ago so this might be true.
 

Yes, better to do SF>LA>Vegas>LA, I did Monterey to Vegas once.. bad mistake... was seeing double by the time I reach Vegas

Hmmm I have been hearing that Gilroy is better now, last time I went to Barstow was many years ago so this might be true.

Gilroy built 2 new sections a few years back. Very big...I used to like Vacaville outlets more (near Sacramento) but with the expansion Gilroy is one of the best now.

If you are spending any time in Silicon Valley for work, might be worth it to check out Great Mall of America at Milpitas. Housed in the former Ford factory, it is totally indoors unlike most outlets in out lying cities/towns. More like a hybrid. And Vans even have a skate park inside the mall.
 

well.... the distance you need to travel from the moment you exit i-5 to vegas is the around the same if you drive from LA to vegas.

Don't forget it is a 8-9 hour drive from SF to vegas. SF to LA is around 5.5. LA to vegas is around 3.5. So if you break it up that way, you are better rested and the drive is not as torturous.

Yes, better to do SF>LA>Vegas>LA, I did Monterey to Vegas once.. bad mistake... was seeing double by the time I reach Vegas

Hmmm I have been hearing that Gilroy is better now, last time I went to Barstow was many years ago so this might be true.

thanks for the timings.. seems a better idea to do dat... 8-9 hour drive.. i think both of us will faint...
 

thanks for the timings.. seems a better idea to do dat... 8-9 hour drive.. i think both of us will faint...

And I do it twice a year at least when I was there... one driver or max 2 drivers. and we start driving after dinner. Reach Vegas hit the casinos till check in time.

It's like a annual pilgrimage... LOL.
 

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And I do it twice a year at least when I was there... one driver or max 2 drivers. and we start driving after dinner. Reach Vegas hit the casinos till check in time.

It's like a annual pilgrimage... LOL.

shucks.. we're catching a lakers game at staples centre 2 days bef leaving USofA.. now gotta shuffle the schedule abit....
anybody caught the game live before?
 

shucks.. we're catching a lakers game at staples centre 2 days bef leaving USofA.. now gotta shuffle the schedule abit....
anybody caught the game live before?

I watched Lakers vs Warriors in Oakland. Tic cost me $28. And it was quite empty so we can move down to better seats. And if warriors score above 100 points, everyone will get a free burrito from Taco bell (voucher). That day both teams went over 110 points... exciting game to the last minute. Warriors won... Kobe and Jamieson both got 60 over points... :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Also we got a free music CD from NBA.

This was when NBA had that huge half season strike.... yea I love the game!
 

I watched Lakers vs Warriors in Oakland. Tic cost me $28. And it was quite empty so we can move down to better seats. And if warriors score above 100 points, everyone will get a free burrito from Taco bell (voucher). That day both teams went over 110 points... exciting game to the last minute. Warriors won... Kobe and Jamieson both got 60 over points... :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Also we got a free music CD from NBA.

This was when NBA had that huge half season strike.... yea I love the game!

wah very cheap eh! i think hubbs checked last week.. $70/tix... faint.
 

wah very cheap eh! i think hubbs checked last week.. $70/tix... faint.

Because you all watching in LA mah...

I watched in Oakland, home of golden state warriors. At that time, they are one of the worsts. Not many go support, so we go lor.
 

What about the drive up to San Francisco via the coastal Highway 1? How are the road conditions in early december and what should I look out for? Any driving or traffic tips?

First time driving Left-hand drive so pretty nervous hehe

In fact got lots of nervous souls, esp my parents who are a bit apprehensive about driving trips especially when it comes to bringing their darling grandchildren. hehe They say why not pay a bit more and fly domestic. But how to go gilroy, see monterey, half moon bay, morro bay, big sur like dat??? :think:

This thread has been very useful, thanks guys!
 

What about the drive up to San Francisco via the coastal Highway 1? How are the road conditions in early december and what should I look out for? Any driving or traffic tips?

First time driving Left-hand drive so pretty nervous hehe

In fact got lots of nervous souls, esp my parents who are a bit apprehensive about driving trips especially when it comes to bringing their darling grandchildren. hehe They say why not pay a bit more and fly domestic. But how to go gilroy, see monterey, half moon bay, morro bay, big sur like dat??? :think:

This thread has been very useful, thanks guys!

In US, it is a car society. You cannot get around if you are not driving. Just tell them that.

One more thing if you are driving up to SF, you will be on the right side of the road, so you will be on the high side of the cliff... not the side that goes down... ;)
 

Because you all watching in LA mah...

I watched in Oakland, home of golden state warriors. At that time, they are one of the worsts. Not many go support, so we go lor.

gd deal u got!

just to check.. wad setup shd i bring? i have a kit 18-105.. 50 f1.8, and probably 35 f1.8 / 11-16 by the time we go.... cant possibly bring all lens... tripod is a must i reckon?
 

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