Best Area/Places To Stay In California

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LA is a shit hole. San Diego really is America's finest city and flights there are generally cheaper than elsewhere. San Fransisco is nice with lots to do but it's bloody cold.

If you like wine then there are some tremendous vineyards all over the state. Hire a car and just drive around.
 
I still have nightmares about Stockton,thats California not the north-east,it wasn't all surfer dudes and the American dream,huge amount of homeless,meth-heads,and genuine weirdos.
 
Recently did Las Vegas, San Francisco and LA in 2 weeks.
We really enjoyed it all.

If you go to Las Vegas, try spent a day at the Grand Canyon, it’s truly breathtaking.
3 or 4 days in Las Vegas is enough, a lot of fun amazing hotels and shows but full on.
San Francisco is an amazing city, we really liked there and we were lucky with the weather. We spent 6 days there, based in Fisherman’s Wharf which is really handy for everything.
Los Angeles is fun too, you can easily get to Santa Monica beach from LA if you get too hot. You wouldn’t need more than 4 days or so to see the usual sights.

I never drove when we were out there. In all 3 cities we used a combination of hop on hope tourist buses and Uber cabs, transport costs were reasonable.
 
houst69 said:
Me and the wife are thinking of going next year for my 40th? Any recommendations?
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I did San Fran, Yosemite , Beverly Hills and San Diego a few years ago

All were great, definitely do atleast 1 National Park

The drive from San Fran to Yosemite and also around Carmel and approaching la/ Santa Monica is breathtaking

Would go back in a heart beat
 
Another vote here that LA is a shit hole...horrible city...Loved San Francisco...so much to do and public transport is brilliant...Vegas is an experience,loved the Canyon but also went up into the mountains on my second visit...90degree heat on strip,hours drive and in Winter wonderland
 
Fact Hunt said:
Recently did Las Vegas, San Francisco and LA in 2 weeks.
We really enjoyed it all.

If you go to Las Vegas, try spent a day at the Grand Canyon, it’s truly breathtaking.
3 or 4 days in Las Vegas is enough, a lot of fun amazing hotels and shows but full on.
San Francisco is an amazing city, we really liked there and we were lucky with the weather. We spent 6 days there, based in Fisherman’s Wharf which is really handy for everything.
Los Angeles is fun too, you can easily get to Santa Monica beach from LA if you get too hot. You wouldn’t need more than 4 days or so to see the usual sights.

I never drove when we were out there. In all 3 cities we used a combination of hop on hope tourist buses and Uber cabs, transport costs were reasonable.
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How strange, apart from staying in the Hollywood Hills for the LA part, that’s exactly what me and the missus did in 2017
 
Binternet said:
LA is a shit hole. San Diego really is America's finest city and flights there are generally cheaper than elsewhere. San Fransisco is nice with lots to do but it's bloody cold.

If you like wine then there are some tremendous vineyards all over the state. Hire a car and just drive around.
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Not always, and it depends on the time of year you go. Compared to the other well known places in California in summer it does tend to be a canny bit cooler, but I’ve been in the summer and got lucky with weather a couple of times when it’s been early 20s or so. Also went last September (time of year it supposedly gets its warmest weather) and it was early to mid 20s in the main, got sun burnt cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge.
 
I was in San Fran in July and it was gloriously sunny but never really felt warm, contrast this to driving inland to Yosemite and it’s roadting after about 45 mins drive inland
 
Almost 20 years since I last went to California but I've had friends travel there more recently. San Diego was and still is a great city. San Francisco does have a lot to see and do. Agree LA was horrible, too busy, too big, everything spread out - it's about 12 cities all stuck together and the driving is horrendous.

We stayed in a couple of quieter small places - Pismo Beach was one, like a slice of 1940's USA, Santa Cruz for a Lost Boys fix and a trip to the Mystery Spot. Sure there's loads more places, enjoyed a day in Morro Bay also, Hearst Castle, only drove through Carmel as it was way too expensive for us back then.

It's a great state but I'd suggest at least 3 weeks!
 
Dennis said:
People saying LA is a shithole :oops:

Ignore the half heads OP it's a brilliant city
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Absolutely this!

Even at the very least, It’s a great place to start. At least spend some time in LA, we hired a local guide who was brilliant, do this, you’ll get an overview of the central LA touristy stuff within a day and tick that box. From memory it cost about $150 for the day and that was her using her own car and spending something like 10 hours taking us places and giving us tours. LA is something else in terms of popular culture, whatever you’re in to, there’s so much to see.

There’s also stuff like Universal Studios in LA which is imho better than Florida. We went for my sons 10th birthday and it was a great day out. Then there’s Griffiths Observatory, Beverley Hills, Santa Monica, the pier is a great place to spend an early evening.

Walk it once and see the Shirley Temple/Marilyn Monroe hotel but avoid Hollywood Boulevard and all that shite, stay up near Glendale, there’s a great and not too expensive hotel called The Garland opened in the 60s by a Hollywood actress, cool bar, nice food and a great pool and they show movies on a drop down screen at night. It’s Hollywood and you’re on holiday. What’s not to like? When we were there Spandau Ballet were staying. My wife got chatting to the guitar tech around the pool and we got backstage passes to their gig later in the week in Santa Ynez.

The best thing about LA though is head north, east or south and you’re spoilt for choice. For me, heading south I really like Laguna Beach. To the east, Yosemite, but going via Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes is a great route with tons of interesting stops, particularly Bodie, google it. To the north, Solvang, although a bit odd and in particular San Luis Obispo are beautiful places.
 
Go to Huntington Beach. Fantastic little(?) town. The place we turned up at, the lad working at reception had never even been out of the state. :eek: A truly wonderful part of California.

Thank me later.

Dun Scathach said:
The best thing about LA though is head north, east or south and you’re spoilt for choice. For me, heading south I really like Laguna Beach. To the east, Yosemite, but going via Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes is a great route with tons of interesting stops, particularly Bodie, google it. To the north, Solvang, although a bit odd and in particular San Luis Obispo are beautiful places.
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We stayed overnight in all those places. Fantastic. Probably the best holiday of my life.
 
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Dun Scathach said:
Absolutely this!

Even at the very least, It’s a great place to start. At least spend some time in LA, we hired a local guide who was brilliant, do this, you’ll get an overview of the central LA touristy stuff within a day and tick that box. From memory it cost about $150 for the day and that was her using her own car and spending something like 10 hours taking us places and giving us tours. LA is something else in terms of popular culture, whatever you’re in to, there’s so much to see.

There’s also stuff like Universal Studios in LA which is imho better than Florida. We went for my sons 10th birthday and it was a great day out. Then there’s Griffiths Observatory, Beverley Hills, Santa Monica, the pier is a great place to spend an early evening.

Walk it once and see the Shirley Temple/Marilyn Monroe hotel but avoid Hollywood Boulevard and all that shite, stay up near Glendale, there’s a great and not too expensive hotel called The Garland opened in the 60s by a Hollywood actress, cool bar, nice food and a great pool and they show movies on a drop down screen at night. It’s Hollywood and you’re on holiday. What’s not to like? When we were there Spandau Ballet were staying. My wife got chatting to the guitar tech around the pool and we got backstage passes to their gig later in the week in Santa Ynez.

The best thing about LA though is head north, east or south and you’re spoilt for choice. For me, heading south I really like Laguna Beach. To the east, Yosemite, but going via Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes is a great route with tons of interesting stops, particularly Bodie, google it. To the north, Solvang, although a bit odd and in particular San Luis Obispo are beautiful places.
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LA is class
 
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