Best Area/Places To Stay In California

San fran is probably the best city in the US for me. Carmel and montorey both gorgeous too. LA is an awesome city the mistake people make is going to the likes of Hollywood boulevard as it attracts all the beggers etc as tourists are easy targets. I'm a big fan of hermosa beach and seal beach as quiter spots. Further south in orange County and the likes of Huntington beach are probably the area I'd stay if I went again.
 


If you go to LA be prepared to drive to nearest bar. I was working in Anaheim & asked for recommendations. All 30 min taxi ride at least.

San Diego lovely. If you into military history its a must see. USS Midway aircraft carrier open & got all old aircraft on deck. Proper Top Gun.

Just up coast San Clemente is gorgeous.
 
People saying LA is a shithole :oops:

Ignore the half heads OP it's a brilliant city
Glad you said this. I had 3 days there and thought it was great. Had a few days in Vegas loved it. Ditto San Francisco for a few days. San Diego is where I want to go next time I'm on the West Coast.
 
Used to have family in Redondo Beach. Me and me mate went out there when we were early 20’s and one of the days cycled up the coastal path to Venice Beach. Cracking day out but fairly burnt by the time I got back.
 
Used to have family in Redondo Beach. Me and me mate went out there when we were early 20’s and one of the days cycled up the coastal path to Venice Beach. Cracking day out but fairly burnt by the time I got back.
Same but family in hermosa beach. Was quicker to cycle to Venice than get public transport. Spent 2 months in LA love the city.
 
I've got a mate who lives in LA and I stayed there for a month. Couldn't get away with it. There are loads of places in the States that I'd go to before LA.
 
I wouldn't rush back to LA.
Obviously there are nice bits but for me it was hideous to get around, it was dirty, the amount of homelessness is staggering when contrasted to the obvious wealth in parts of the city.

Did meet Ron Jeremy though.

LA isn’t alone in its homeless problem. SF is worse given the small scale of the city.

Carmel was outstanding. Would also very much like to love around tahoe

Napa Valley for me. Calistoga and St Helena. Absolute heaven on earth.
 
Last edited:
Went to Vegas, San Fran and LA with the Mrs and was superb. Would agree with others that SF is a great city, we were fortunate that we were there when they were enjoying record temperatures for the time of year, which made it better.

In hindsight I'd have only had a couple of days in LA and spent much more time stopping off at several points between SF and LA, Santa Cruz, Carmel, Monterey etc.
 
LA isn’t alone in its homeless problem. SF is worse given the small scale of the city.



Napa Valley for me. Calistoga and St Helena. Absolute heaven on earth.
One of the worst things I've ever witnessed in public was in SF.

Walking behind a homeless man and presumably some kind of drug addict. He was wearing nothing but a pair of trousers with string for a belt. Stopped about 10ft in front of me, pulled down his trousers and did some horrific liquid shit in the middle of the path on Market Street. Pulled up his trousers and stumbled off. Was left stunned staring at his pool of liquid shit. Absolutely grim.
 
One of the worst things I've ever witnessed in public was in SF.

Walking behind a homeless man and presumably some kind of drug addict. He was wearing nothing but a pair of trousers with string for a belt. Stopped about 10ft in front of me, pulled down his trousers and did some horrific liquid shit in the middle of the path on Market Street. Pulled up his trousers and stumbled off. Was left stunned staring at his pool of liquid shit. Absolutely grim.

Market Street is dodgy as fuck like, and the streets just around it. Stayed in the Holiday Inn Civic Centre years ago with the family and we cut short our stay because the walk from there to Union Square and the other more touristy areas wasn’t pleasant, especially at night when it got dark and you were having to walk right past huge groups of homeless people. They didn’t bother us at all like, but it’s not what you want on holiday. Last went to San Fran in September just gone with my lass and I’d read up plenty beforehand this time and by all accounts it hadn’t changed so we made sure we didn’t venture down from our hotel near Union Square that way.

Love San Francisco apart from that though. We hired bikes and cycled from Fisherman’s Wharf along the bay front and over the Golden Gate Bridge, up the Marin Headlands to take in the views then back over towards the golden gate park. First time I’d seen it round there and it’s stunning, couldn’t help but think the people that lived on those streets between the Golden Gate Bridge and golden gate park were lucky as fuck. We then ditched the bikes near the golden gate park and had a walk round in the park then headed to Haight-Ashbury for a drink. Class day that and would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
Last edited:
Market Street is dodgy as fuck like, and the streets just around it. Stayed in the Holiday Inn Civic Centre years ago with the family and we cut short our stay because the walk from there to Union Square and the other more touristy areas wasn’t pleasant, especially at night when it got dark and you were having to walk right past huge groups of homeless people. They didn’t bother us at all like, but it’s not what you want on holiday. Last went to San Fran in September just gone with my lass and I’d read up plenty beforehand this time and by all accounts it hadn’t changed so we made sure we didn’t venture down from our hotel near Union Square that way.

Love San Francisco apart from that though. We hired bikes and cycled from Fisherman’s Wharf along the bay front and over the Golden Gate Bridge, up the Marin Headlands to take in the views then back over towards the golden gate park. First time I’d seen it round there and it’s stunning, couldn’t help but think the people that lived on those streets between the Golden Gate Bridge and golden gate park were lucky as fuck. We then ditched the bikes near the golden gate park and had a walk round in the park then headed to Haight-Ashbury for a drink. Class day that and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Aye market Street and South over from memory isn't the best. Been three times and different experiences every time. First time with parents aged about 15 doing normal touristy stuff. Second time on my own aged 20 staying in a hostel in China Town getting fucked up and skateboarding. Third time on my honeymoon 7 years ago to the day pretty much doing touristy stuff and getting fucked up. :lol:

When I was on my own was when I seen the guy do a shit. Same holiday got lost walking around sf at 3 in the morning so flagged a taxi down. Proceeded to get involved in a road rage incident between the taxi driver and some random lads in a mini van. Ended up with the taxi flying through the city running red lights while they chased us. I just hid in the footwell mortal drunk :lol:
 
Santa Monica is a lovely area to stay and easy transport to hollywood etc. More european than other parts of LA i would sat. Short walk to Venice Beach.

We drove up the coast and stayed at Pismo Beach (nothing to write home about but was our relaxation few days) and Monterrey, which is really nice but pricey as hell (as is the rest of California come to think of it). SF is nice. Fishermans Wharf is a hole, but head towards Golden Gate and cycle over it to the town on the other side.
 
San Diego and southern CA in general is horrifically racist towards Mexicans and Latinos. Watch out for the racially profiling road blocks on the interstates.
 

Back
Top