Westward Bound...Ga to Santa Monica!!

You can make a little more time for your Calif sights by skipping the Caddilac Ranch...you can see all of it worth seeing by driving right on by it.....

 

There was once a time in LA, that if you went up to Mullholland Drive to race at night, that you might actually race against Steve McQueen or some other crazy actor. He was a regular.
Regarding the smog comment, that's a thing of the past.... If your eyes are burning now, it's because of the hot sauce you put on your fish tacos.

 

I took a trip a few years back and have a photo thread. Check it for ideas and pm me any questions about my trip. I did very little planning and just winged it and had the time of my life. You and your family will make memories for a lifetime. Bon Voyage

 

checked out your photobucket! looks like you had an awesome time! Huh I was worried about doing it in a nice new rental car lol

I want to go to socal speed shop if for nothing but a tshirt! and we plan on checking out petersons and now maybe nhra museum thanks to you guys!!!

when is a good time to go to the grove farmers market??? we get in phoenix at 11 am friday the 27th so i figure we could be to cali by evening maybe catch the pier at sunset!! then out to a hotel somewhere. or we could drive to sandiego and then head north on sat morning?????

 

ttt

 

You need at least a couple days in SanDiego. Probably one of the nicest cities in CA. You have Sea World, SD ZOO, Old Towne, great museums, Balboa Island, LegoLand. You wont want to leave.

 

id say head a little north of la, into ventura/santa barbara aera. not much tourist attractions, but pretty drive and scenery.

on the la/ventura county line, is a great surf spot is used to surf everyday, and is home to the Neptune's net restaurant/bar.if you go there on a weekend, its jammed pack with old cars and a lot of mc.

 

Four Corners LMAO that will take about two min

 

Very cool museum is the:<O</O
Automobile Driving Museum<O</O
610 Lairport Street<O</O
El Segundo, CA. 90245<O</O
(310) 909-0950<O</O
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm<O</O
This is a non-profit facility. Admission is by the generosity of your donation at the door.<O</O
Also,<O</O
The Donut Derilects FREE car show in Huntington Beach, CA, every Saturday morning from 5:30am-8:30am. Located at Adams and Magnolia. Best FREE car show on the West coast.<O</O

 

You've mentioned a few times about enjoying a sunset at the pier. Sunsets aren't usually too spectacular here, at this particular time of year (summer), so don't be disappointed if you don't see a good one. This IS a good time of year to catch a green flash, though. It's a rare occurance, but worth paying attention, and watching for. It's a hit or miss kinda deal....

 

Im up north, so I can tell you the acatraz tour is a good one for kids and grown ups. San francisco also has lots to see and take in. I live in san jose , wich is 55 miles south of frisco. The winchester house is cool to see also. There is a super high end shopping strip Santana Row accros the street that your wife will love. But youve been warned, your wife will love it. When in so cal you have to go to roscos chicken and waffles in hollywood. (there is one in south central too , but stay away from there). It is always my first stop when I hit socal.

 

if you're here on a friday evening, check out the bob's big boy cruise night in toluca lake. always some nice cars, food's ok and every so often jay leno shows up in one of his museum pieces. i'd go around 5pm in the summertime, because from there it's an easy sunset cruise on barham over the cahuenga pass. that'll take you by the hollywood bowl and you'll end up in the middle of the walk of fame, or else you can turn off early and cruise mulholland all the way to the beach if you want to.

eat the mexican food while you're here. i recommend el tepeyac in boyle heights (just be sure to go earlier in the day) or senor fish in either eagle rock or little tokyo (if you're into seafood) for the scallop burrito. in n out, obviously, as several folks have pointed out. look up their "secret menu" in advance for the total experience.

if you're into baseball, i suggest taking in a game at dodger stadium. i've been to about ten major league ball parks, and i still think ours is one of the best. in any case, it's a pretty cheap way to spend an evening and hell of a good spot to see an l.a. sunset. park near union station and use the free dodger shuttle service to get to the stadium--it's cheaper than paying to park and you'll want to have a look around the station anyhow, it's one of our more beautiful old structures.

the view from the getty center can't be beat, and there's no admission, just make reservations if you can. also, great views from the griffith observatory in the hollywood hills. they filmed "rebel without a cause" there, if you care. go on a weekday to avoid parking hassles.

this is a good website if you're looking for local car-related stuff:

http://socalcarculture.com/events.html

 

Check out USS Midway in San Diego if you head that way. Cool as sheeeeit.

 

Artistic license.

 

i would love to make the cruise friday evening! we will be driving in on friday around rush hour any suggestions on east side hotel/motels??? were we can stop unload grab a shower and then head into town to maybe catch the cruise or go ahead and get the pier thing over with?

 

You're gonna be too amped up, and so will your kids, so just drive straight down to the beach. You might sit in a bit of traffic at that time of day, but just crank up some southern California beach-type music on your stereo, and head to the beach. Maybe like this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmbhfI8f_Ek

It's gonna be in the low to mid-seventies for a high temperature all week. Bring along some light sweatshirts for the wife and kids to wear in the evenings...

 

Try not to waste too much time around LOST ANAL-LES - WAY TOO MUCH OTHER STUFF TO SEE IN THE O.C. AND SOUTH TO 'DAGO!!!

Why not just fly into S.D.??? It is a BORING 5+hr. drive from Phx in 110+ heat.

Stay in the suburbs of LA. Take your laptop or i-phone to scout out the best room rates. Use the Metro as much as you can to get around - day pass is $5. MOON EQUIP. is cool for a couple shirts and doo-dads, can ship parts to your house.

In S.D., we have a great cruse night every Friday on Grand Ave. in Escondido, stay the night there. Antique Steam and Engine Museum is close in Vista, worth checking out on the weekends to see the blacksmith and other shops open.

A ton of museums and the S.D. Zoo in Balboa Park. Ruben H.Fleet Space Museum has lots of hands-on stuff for big-n-little kids, IMAX movies. San Diego Mission and Old Town is where Cali began. Drive out to Point Loma, stop off at Fort Roscrants Cemertary on your way to the lighthouse. La Jolla is just steright north of there, through Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. Keep heading N. through Torry Pines and up the coast to Oceanside Pier. Have dinner at the 101 Diner in Oceanside, then return after rush-hour on I-5.

Corvette Diner is great for burgers, trippy auto decor. Rubio's is great for fish tacos. Eat ALL the Mexican you can - it's as good as it gets here, both corner taco shops and sit-down places. IN-AND-OUT is also plentiful down here. Anthony's is great for seafood, Fishouse Varacruz can't be beat!!!

Pop into Schneider Cams for a couple of REAL IRON-CROSS t-shirts. Just off of Morena Blvd. on Cushman St.

Forget T.J. - unless you all have passports to return to the U.S.

Have a GREAT time!!! PACK LIGHT!!! Walmarts are everywere if ya need something, also Target. MAPS ARE YOUR FRIEND!!! Take Care, Tim

 

Cafe Coyote, in Old Towne, used to have great hand made tortillas. Man, now I'm hungry You can cruise down to Anaheim and watch the rubber bullets fly too.

 

x2 on Donut Derilects......often times there are mag cover cars there!

Old Town Orange......lunch at Watson's Drug Store 116 E. Chapman. Good eats.
Then a vist to C.W. Moss and Reid's Hot Rod shop just down the street. Do some of the side streets there for a look at some really nice craftsman houses of the 20's - 40's.

Petersen's and NHRA Museum are a must.

SoCal meet and chat with Pete Chaporis and Jimmy Shine if they are in. Lots of cool rides being built/worked on.

Your two weeks will fly by!

 

Special Ed, did you take that green flash photo? I've been wanting to see one since I was a kid but have not yet.

 

the green flash would be awesome to see im sure especially since i never even heard of one before! imagine how lucky i would be to see it while there!!!

 

On So-Cal Speed Shop
They aren't open on weekends & shop tours are only at 11am & 2 pm.
You need to fly into San Diego. You will waste 2 days of driving across the desert. I suggest narrowing down your trip to San Diego & LA & points between. You don't have enough time to do your list.
1st Wednesday of month (Aug 1st) is Twilight Cruise at NHRA Museum in Pomona. Top of the list IMO. Park next door at the Sheridan & walk over. Cars start arriving about noon- by 4pm, the lot is full. Not unheard of to have 400+ hot rods there.

 

dang man, i will miss it i guess. we are flying into phoenix in the morning. and headed to la

 

Living in LA my whole life your list of places to go is the same list of places I try to stay away from, I always have out of towners asking me to take them site seeing as they all want to see celeb’s but most of the big time stars have gone into hiding and want to be left alone, after all why would anyone want to go out in public and be chased by 652 cameras when all they want to do is have lunch. I’ve even had one go as far as move in next door to me just escape the mayhem as she wants her kids to live in a safe and happy place and be able to trick or treat for Halloween.. , <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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You do need to go to the Peterson’s & Wally Park museum, swing by a couple of bob’s big boy’s, eat at In and Out, have a couple Jack in the Box tacos then cruise up PCH swing by Gladstone’s and keep heading north to Big Sur then on to Frisco… on your way there stop by Jamala state beach and I’ll buy a Jamala Burger and a Beer as I will be camping there while you are stuck in traffic.. look me up I’ll be in group spot “D”, <o></o>

 

can you tent camp there that is beautiful!! may have to camp there and have a beer with ya!!!!

 

well we have been here since friday and have not accomplished as much as we hoped. this city is a mad house!!! we loved every minute of it though! thinking of driving up the coast to san jose today, the kids insist on winchester so we will see! then on up to san francisco i guess.

 

Make sure you cut over to Highway ONE near Morro Bay or you'll miss a great drive and the ocean. Stop in Harmony & Cambria and look around, lots of cool art.

 

Take the kids where they really want to go. You don't want to look back in 20 years and regret any part of raising them. Oh, and post some pics!