USA Trip Los Angeles to Amarillo

Nelly 21

We've decided that our trip this year to the US will consist of us driving from Los Angeles to Amarillo and back to LA. We want to take in as much of route 66 as we can. Our reason for cutting it off in Amarillo is that we have only 3 weeks and we want to take in as much of the west side of it as we can.

We had originally planned to drive to Dallas but after getting some advice here against it we decided not to drive to Dallas. So the flights are booked into LA in June and I'm hoping to book everything and set up an itinerary. I know it works out cheaper that way, plus there are things that I was to see and do so I want to plan around those things. (Eg grand canyon, san diego, coastal drive up to San Francisco.......).

I've been looking through some pages here taking notes but there's nothing like first hand advise (I always get good advise on boards!!!!) so if anyone one has any recommendations for feel free to advise!!!!

Paul_Hacket

I think I might have chimed in on one of the other trips you mentioned. I did large chunks of Route 66 about 10 years back and would agree with the opinions of the posters on the forum thread which I've posted below. It's well worth a look if you're seriously considering it. Route 66 itself does not have very interesting scenery and many of the mid century small towns that once peppered it have either entirely disappeared or been swallowed up by modern urban agglomerations.

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/23-village/28803-tell-aussie-route-66-hype-worth-trip.html

If you put the starting and end points of your trip into the google maps directions tool it will give you a number of possible routes. One of which goes north via Vegas, Southern Utah and Colorado before looping back down through New Mexico to Texas. This route only takes 20 hours of driving and takes in a breathtaking variety of desert, mountain and high planes scenery as well as Vegas itself. Just an idea.

InTheTrees

It looks like an interesting route with a lot of stuff to do.

Its going to come down to editing the side trips to fit in to 3 weeks.

biddywiddy

We drove part of Route 66 a couple of years ago. We started in New Mexico and drove east to Chicago. Not the most interesting part of R66 (lots of wide open spaces and run down towns) but we needed to get to Chicago, so driving west wasn't going to work. We'll hopefully do a trip like yours in the next few years.

In Amarillo, we ate and stayed at the Big Texan. A pretty cheesy spot, and if you eat a 72oz steak within an hour, it's free! We saw one guy fail to do this when we were there. Nothing like a massive clock and the gaping public to put you under pressure! The motel was a bit more expensive than other places we stayed in along R66, but was also nicer and better kept. I'd recommend it as an option if you get a good deal.

I think I've seen it mentioned somewhere on boards before, but this is the set of maps we used. They were really good, and mostly easy to follow.

Nelly 21

Paul_Hacket wrote: »

I think I might have chimed in on one of the other trips you mentioned. I did large chunks of Route 66 about 10 years back and would agree with the opinions of the posters on the forum thread which I've posted below. It's well worth a look if you're seriously considering it. Route 66 itself does not have very interesting scenery and many of the mid century small towns that once peppered it have either entirely disappeared or been swallowed up by modern urban agglomerations.

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/23-village/28803-tell-aussie-route-66-hype-worth-trip.html

If you put the starting and end points of your trip into the google maps directions tool it will give you a number of possible routes. One of which goes north via Vegas, Southern Utah and Colorado before looping back down through New Mexico to Texas. This route only takes 20 hours of driving and takes in a breathtaking variety of desert, mountain and high planes scenery as well as Vegas itself. Just an idea.

I think you did too Paul!! Originally we hoped to go to Dallas bit a few advised against it. Part of what we would like to do is drive through taking the 66 route and then take a different route back and have thought about going through colorado and utah (mindful of time) So i really want to sit and work things out! For me I very much want to experience the desert and mountainous regions. We were in Vegas a few years back so going again isn't a priority but we've no problem stopping a night or driving through.

I had a quick read through your link, will have a better look later. Its good to see those views and get some ideas!!

Nelly 21

InTheTrees wrote: »

It looks like an interesting route with a lot of stuff to do.

Its going to come down to editing the side trips to fit in to 3 weeks.

Yeah thats why I really need to organise things. I think I'm gonna do up some lists and then add or take away stuff. We don't mind the driving, we've done a bit of driving through the states in our last couple of holidays. I just don't want to miss things by avoiding towns and maybe driving too much but at the same time we want to fit in as much as we can

Nelly 21

biddywiddy wrote: »

We drove part of Route 66 a couple of years ago. We started in New Mexico and drove east to Chicago. Not the most interesting part of R66 (lots of wide open spaces and run down towns) but we needed to get to Chicago, so driving west wasn't going to work. We'll hopefully do a trip like yours in the next few years.

In Amarillo, we ate and stayed at the Big Texan. A pretty cheesy spot, and if you eat a 72oz steak within an hour, it's free! We saw one guy fail to do this when we were there. Nothing like a massive clock and the gaping public to put you under pressure! The motel was a bit more expensive than other places we stayed in along R66, but was also nicer and better kept. I'd recommend it as an option if you get a good deal.

I think I've seen it mentioned somewhere on boards before, but this is the set of maps we used. They were really good, and mostly easy to follow.

I've heard that the western side is better, more scenic and friendly. I've heard about the big texan! Looks interesting, imagine trying to drive after eating a 72oz steak!!!!!

Thanks for the map link!!

InTheTrees

Nelly 21 wrote: »

Yeah thats why I really need to organise things. I think I'm gonna do up some lists and then add or take away stuff. We don't mind the driving, we've done a bit of driving through the states in our last couple of holidays. I just don't want to miss things by avoiding towns and maybe driving too much but at the same time we want to fit in as much as we can

And sometimes the best side trips are local and the least advertised.

www.tripadvisor.com - Is a really good site for user reviews of almost everywhere, where to stay, where to eat, what to do etc. Its very unbiased and free of too much hype.

Nelly 21

So I've been going through google maps and trip advisor and other pages here and the itinerary I came up with is:
1. Arrive in LA, drive to San Diego
2. San Diego
3. (Possibly) Drive back to LA to start on 66 route and drive to Flagstaff
4. Flagstaff (Grand Canyon)
5. Albuquerque
6. Albuquerque
7. Amarillo
8. Amarillo
9. Denver
10. Denver
11. Vegas (was here already so don't need to stay longer)
12. San Francisco
13. San Francisco
14. San Francisco
15. LA
16. LA
17. LA
18. LA
19. LA
20. LA
21. LA
Home!!!!

I know there are one or 2 big drives here but we don't mind. Depending on circumstances we might decide to change a place here and there but all going well I'll have everything booked and payed for before we go!!!

Any advise on above would be appreciated!!!!

InTheTrees

I assume some of those are actually nights in between cities right?

SO you'd have a night in between Amarillo and Denver and a night between Denver and Vegas?

And also 15 (and 16?) spent in between SF and LA?

I'd worry a little about booking (and especially paying) in advance, it kind of ties you down doesn't it?

Looks like fun anyway!

Patrickheg

Nelly 21 wrote: »

So I've been going through google maps and trip advisor and other pages here and the itinerary I came up with is:
1. Arrive in LA, drive to San Diego
2. San Diego
3. (Possibly) Drive back to LA to start on 66 route and drive to Flagstaff
4. Flagstaff (Grand Canyon)
5. Albuquerque
6. Albuquerque
7. Amarillo
8. Amarillo
9. Denver
10. Denver
11. Vegas (was here already so don't need to stay longer)
12. San Francisco
13. San Francisco
14. San Francisco
15. LA
16. LA
17. LA
18. LA
19. LA
20. LA
21. LA
Home!!!!

I know there are one or 2 big drives here but we don't mind. Depending on circumstances we might decide to change a place here and there but all going well I'll have everything booked and payed for before we go!!!

Any advise on above would be appreciated!!!!

If you have free time search through this guys threads, rdmcg. He has the most amazing threads with stories and photos of his many Route 66 stories.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1078645

Did the section around Amarillo a few years ago. Loads of Route 66 around there. There is something really fascinating about the old run down /abandoned towns with very interesting Route 66 memorabilia in various states if disrepair and loads of charming people. Some stops around there which I fondly remember;
- Cadillac ranch,
- Midpoint cafe,
- shamrock town,
- glen rio abandoned town on the New Mexico border,
- Palo Duro Canyon,
- nice car museum right at the New Mexico Texas border,
- Billie the kids grave isn't too far from tucumcari(motel town from the film cars)

Nelly 21

InTheTrees wrote: »

I assume some of those are actually nights in between cities right?

SO you'd have a night in between Amarillo and Denver and a night between Denver and Vegas?

And also 15 (and 16?) spent in between SF and LA?

I'd worry a little about booking (and especially paying) in advance, it kind of ties you down doesn't it?

Looks like fun anyway!

No we had planned on driving straight from one to the other...... Do you think that's too much. I know there's a lot of driving involved.

Normally I would always book in advance. Do you think booking day to day would be better?

Nelly 21

Patrickheg wrote: »

If you have free time search through this guys threads, rdmcg. He has the most amazing threads with stories and photos of his many Route 66 stories.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1078645

Did the section around Amarillo a few years ago. Loads of Route 66 around there. There is something really fascinating about the old run down /abandoned towns with very interesting Route 66 memorabilia in various states if disrepair and loads of charming people. Some stops around there which I fondly remember;
- Cadillac ranch,
- Midpoint cafe,
- shamrock town,
- glen rio abandoned town on the New Mexico border,
- Palo Duro Canyon,
- nice car museum right at the New Mexico Texas border,
- Billie the kids grave isn't too far from tucumcari(motel town from the film cars)

Thanks for that...... Will do!!! Some things you mentioned I saw online but some I've never heard of. Would get a kick out of seeing Billy the kids grave! Plus the husband might like the car museum!!!!!!

tricky D

Take your time between SF and LA on the stunning Pacific Coastal Highway (HWY1), spending a night along the way in somewhere like Big Sur or San Simeon (beside Hearst Castle).

Consider swapping a day or two from LA to SF. LA isn't quite so good imho.

dave2pvd

I've driven a lot of what you propose. On one of the many roadtrips, several years ago, My brother and I did a cross country and back. One of my biggest regrets: all the stuff we missed because we spent so much time in the car. My second regret: we used cities as milestones - in many cases we should have used small towns. So many of the cities in America are just sprawling and generic.

Here's an idea. You've targeted Flagstaff. A good choice. The downtown area is a really nice spot to hang out. Next, choose Santa Fe instead of Albuquerque. Stay the night - or more than a night. From there, get off the highway. Head up 84 and 160 to Durango. You'll pass Los Alamos on the way. Stay the night in Durango. From Durango, go North on 550. This is a fantastic way to get to Denver - one of the best drives in all of North America (unlike Route 66, sorry). You'll pass thru Silverton, Ouray and Leadville. All are worth checking out - I'd love to spend the night in any of them. They can also be a great base for day hikes, mountain biking rentals, etc. Seriously - you ought to get out of the car for a day or two. Especially when you have all that buffer time in LA at the end of the trip - you don't need that.

Also, this bit: "(Possibly) Drive back to LA to start on 66 route and drive to Flagstaff". I wouldn't do that. Don't stick so religiously to the Route 66 requirement. Go see the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree NF. Then Route 66 is just North of you.

Regarding Grand Canyon. Figure out how to stay overnight - NPS have cabin rentals. Or you could overnight in GC Village. The 1 day in and out is not enough time to experience the Canyon. It's a pretty amazing spot.

InTheTrees

Nelly 21 wrote: »

No we had planned on driving straight from one to the other...... Do you think that's too much. I know there's a lot of driving involved.

I dont have any experience of these routes but ... Amarillo to Denver looks like a long day. And Denver to Vegas looks really far, through the rockies and the entire state of Utah in 1 day? How many miles is it? Vegas to SF is a long drive too, thats a complicated route. Basically you're drive all the way from Denver to SF in two days with a stop in vegas to rest. To me that would be exhausting and I love driving.

I do know SF to LA down highway One and doing it one day is a Long day. The scenic stretch (100miles?) is a small road along cliffs and can be very slow. Adding a night in there would give you time to spend around Monterey/Pebble beach too.

Just a thought. I think you're happier about being in the car then I am!

InTheTrees

Nelly 21 wrote: »

Normally I would always book in advance. Do you think booking day to day would be better?

Its a tough call.

For some of your longer sections (Den to LV) I'd worry that you'd get tied in to some serious driving just because you've got a hotel room that you've paid for 100's of miles away.

But for the big cities, SF, LA and LV, I think yuo're right to book in advance. You can get good online deals, check on parking availability/price, etc.

Nelly 21

InTheTrees wrote: »

I dont have any experience of these routes but ... Amarillo to Denver looks like a long day. And Denver to Vegas looks really far, through the rockies and the entire state of Utah in 1 day? How many miles is it? Vegas to SF is a long drive too, thats a complicated route. Basically you're drive all the way from Denver to SF in two days with a stop in vegas to rest. To me that would be exhausting and I love driving.




I do know SF to LA down highway One and doing it one day is a Long day. The scenic stretch (100miles?) is a small road along cliffs and can be very slow. Adding a night in there would give you time to spend around Monterey/Pebble beach too.


Just a thought. I think you're happier about being in the car then I am!

Advice from someone who knows and has been there is brilliant!

On the Amarillo to Denverr one we figured we'd leave early (ish) but looking at the denver to vegas one again it does look a bit much. Maybe we'll stop in the middle somewhere. I'm looking at google maps and it looks like quite a nice area to drive through. I'm easy shaving a day off somewhere else

With regard to the SF to LA route..... you think doing half and stopping over night and then doing the other half the next day. I've heard its a fantastic drive so I don't want to miss anything so I've no problem taking a day from our time in LA to do that.

biddywiddy

InTheTrees wrote: »

I dont have any experience of these routes but ... Amarillo to Denver looks like a long day.

Yes, it is!

We drove from Fort Collins (about an hour north of Denver) to Taos, New Mexico in one (long) day, with a stop off in Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, and then drove from Taos to Amarillo the next day.

We actually ended up driving through a snow storm in northern New Mexico, even though we had just left behind warm, t-shirt weather in Colorado!

Don't underestimate how tiring and boring it can be in the car. Parts of Texas were really boring to drive through (Amarillo to Oklahoma).

Nelly 21

tricky D wrote: »

Take your time between SF and LA on the stunning Pacific Coastal Highway (HWY1), spending a night along the way in somewhere like Big Sur or San Simeon (beside Hearst Castle).

Consider swapping a day or two from LA to SF. LA isn't quite so good imho.

A few people have mentioned this. I've heard its such a beautiful route I want to take in as much as I can so I'm happy to take a day from our stay in LA to do that, maybe stop half way and book in somewhere.

Big Sur or San Simeon............ gonna look them up!!

With regard to SF... we were there before but never in LA, that's why we wanted extra time in LA

Nelly 21

dave2pvd wrote: »

I've driven a lot of what you propose. On one of the many roadtrips, several years ago, My brother and I did a cross country and back. One of my biggest regrets: all the stuff we missed because we spent so much time in the car. My second regret: we used cities as milestones - in many cases we should have used small towns. So many of the cities in America are just sprawling and generic.

Here's an idea. You've targeted Flagstaff. A good choice. The downtown area is a really nice spot to hang out. Next, choose Santa Fe instead of Albuquerque. Stay the night - or more than a night. From there, get off the highway. Head up 84 and 160 to Durango. You'll pass Los Alamos on the way. Stay the night in Durango. From Durango, go North on 550. This is a fantastic way to get to Denver - one of the best drives in all of North America (unlike Route 66, sorry). You'll pass thru Silverton, Ouray and Leadville. All are worth checking out - I'd love to spend the night in any of them. They can also be a great base for day hikes, mountain biking rentals, etc. Seriously - you ought to get out of the car for a day or two. Especially when you have all that buffer time in LA at the end of the trip - you don't need that.

Also, this bit: "(Possibly) Drive back to LA to start on 66 route and drive to Flagstaff". I wouldn't do that. Don't stick so religiously to the Route 66 requirement. Go see the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree NF. Then Route 66 is just North of you.

Regarding Grand Canyon. Figure out how to stay overnight - NPS have cabin rentals. Or you could overnight in GC Village. The 1 day in and out is not enough time to experience the Canyon. It's a pretty amazing spot.

I like the idea of towns rather than cities myself. I've heard Sante Fe Is excellent. I don't even need to stay in Denver, happy to stay in in another place.

Salton Sea and Joshua tree..... have heard of the 2nd not the 1st.... gonna google!!!!!

So you think 2 trips to the Canyon? From any place I've mentioned, seeing the grand canyon comes first. We've been years talking about going there so Its a must for both of us so we want to take in as much of it as we can!!!!

Nelly 21

biddywiddy wrote: »

Yes, it is!

We drove from Fort Collins (about an hour north of Denver) to Taos, New Mexico in one (long) day, with a stop off in Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, and then drove from Taos to Amarillo the next day.

We actually ended up driving through a snow storm in northern New Mexico, even though we had just left behind warm, t-shirt weather in Colorado!

Don't underestimate how tiring and boring it can be in the car. Parts of Texas were really boring to drive through (Amarillo to Oklahoma).

For me I've always wanted to do the western side of the route. Thats why we decided to stop in Amarillo and drive somewhere else. I'm not stuck on going directly to denver, I'm happy to change that part of our trip. We could drive north and stop somewhere (open to suggestions!!!)

Thats mad going from heat to snow (Like irish weather!!!!)

Nelly 21

Advice here is priceless and like I said plans aren't set in stone and I appreciate ye all taking time out to help and advise me!!!!

Thanks soooooo much!!!

InTheTrees

Nelly 21 wrote: »

With regard to the SF to LA route..... you think doing half and stopping over night and then doing the other half the next day. I've heard its a fantastic drive so I don't want to miss anything so I've no problem taking a day from our time in LA to do that.

You're leaving from SF so you can get as far south as San Simeon or San Louis Obispo in one day, then on to LA the next day.

Monterey is worth seeing, There's an amazing aquarium there, plus a historic waterfront area. There's also the town of carmel which is really cute and pretty. Also the town of Pebble Beach and "17 mile drive" which is a scenic ocean front drive past incredibly expensive houses.

Remember there's not a lot of places to stop after Monterey on the drive down the big sur/scenic part of highway one. Its a narrow(ish) cliff road for about 70 miles until you get to San simeon. (I think there's a gas station at the "town" of Big Sur, not much else). You'd want to make sure you have 3-4 hours of daylight before you head down that section after Monterey too, or you'd really be missing out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1

Stop here for a break if you have time:

http://www.nepenthebigsur.com/

InTheTrees

Nelly 21 wrote: »

With regard to SF... we were there before but never in LA, that's why we wanted extra time in LA

I Love LA.

I think it gets a bad rap because people really are not ready for the fact that its a "car city", designed in the 30's to 50's when the automobile was god in the United States. And european tourists get thrown off assuming a car is an extravagance and expecting to get around by bus and then have a hellish time. Its completely different from Sf. Far larger and in addition to the film industry its also the major west coast business centre, banking, aerospace, manufacturing, etc. And without the geographic constraints of SF its grown into a massive urban sprawl.

But you guys sounds happy driving so I think you'll enjoy LA. Appreciate it anyway I'm sure. Its somewhere to be experienced anyway, its the USA's second city and I think you could easily fill 3-4 days. The driving really isnt bad, there's a lot of it but they still drive reasonably like most americans. You probably will have to pay for parking at your hotel, you'll also find a lot of valet parking at restaurants, etc. (They really do drive everywhere).

Paul_Hacket

Just wanted to check if you understand that Route 66 doesn't actually exist anymore in any meaningful sense? I've driven on large chunks of what people call Route 66 these days and it wasn't as rewarding as I hoped it would be. The best bit is a 60 mile stretch near Kingman, Arizona, the scenery there isn't amazing but it's pretty much the original two lane road. In nearly all other places the original two lane road has been replaced by four lane state highways which are pretty charmless. When they built the new highways they bulldozed most of the old diners and hotels that used to line the route.

And to be honest, the reason Route 66 is so well known is because of the song and because a vast number of people used it to move out west. It wasn't chosen as a route to be picturesque or anything, in fact the route avoided the more dramatic scenery in the West in an effort to created a smoother road.

Before deciding for sure on a route take a look at a couple of these links where people discuss driving on what is called "66" and being disappointed:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2291407

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28924-i139-k6406051-Route_66-Arizona.html

http://travelingdad.com/66-getting-kicked-by-route-66/

Santa Fe is definitely a much nicer place than Albuquerque, a city that is basically just a big sprawl of cheap housing. You should also know that the Texas panhandle where Amarillo is located is incredibly boring visually, as is Amarillo. There's pretty much nothing of interest in Amarillo apart from the Cadillac graveyard. The desert scenery in northern Arizona and Southern Utah (my personal favorite) is way better. As are the mountain scenery and old mining towns in Colorado.

I wouldn't plan your trip around cities so much as the cities in the South West are very blah. Denver is okay - my girlfriend comes from there so I've been several times - but the state itself and its small towns is much more interesting. The best part of the South West and California in my opinion are basically the National Parks (Yosemite, Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Zion, Arches, Bryce, etc) and the more interesting small towns. You can bring a tent and camp in the "back country" sections of the parks and have an entire valley to yourself with incredible views.

Finally, I wouldn't spend a week in L.A., it has its attractions but it takes forever to get around, and can be pretty confusing to drive. It can take as long to cross L.A. as it takes to drive from Dublin to Belfast, longer even. Venice Beach is nice, and its somewhat fun to take a tour of Hollywood and Malibu but there's much more interesting towns and scenery on the stretch between L.A. and San Francisco. Frisco is also generally considered a much better city from the tourist's point of view.

InTheTrees

I know to some people this might seem like a crazy extravagance but consider swapping out your rental car for a convertible once you get to SF.

Its really fun. Not much extra and really makes a for an extra memorable time. You can smell the pacific, and cruising Beverley Hills at night with the roof down, you'll remember the rest of your life.

Just a thought. I'm one of those crazy people who even owned a convertible in Ireland...

dave2pvd

dave2pvd wrote: »

go North on 550......one of the best drives in all of North America

Am I allowed to quote myself for emphasis?

Seriously. To go around this piece of America would not be wise

Nelly 21

Paul_Hacket wrote: »

Just wanted to check if you understand that Route 66 doesn't actually exist anymore in any meaningful sense? I've driven on large chunks of what people call Route 66 these days and it wasn't as rewarding as I hoped it would be. The best bit is a 60 mile stretch near Kingman, Arizona, the scenery there isn't amazing but it's pretty much the original two lane road. In nearly all other places the original two lane road has been replaced by four lane state highways which are pretty charmless. When they built the new highways they bulldozed most of the old diners and hotels that used to line the route.

And to be honest, the reason Route 66 is so well known is because of the song and because a vast number of people used it to move out west. It wasn't chosen as a route to be picturesque or anything, in fact the route avoided the more dramatic scenery in the West in an effort to created a smoother road.

Before deciding for sure on a route take a look at a couple of these links where people discuss driving on what is called "66" and being disappointed:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2291407

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28924-i139-k6406051-Route_66-Arizona.html

http://travelingdad.com/66-getting-kicked-by-route-66/

Santa Fe is definitely a much nicer place than Albuquerque, a city that is basically just a big sprawl of cheap housing. You should also know that the Texas panhandle where Amarillo is located is incredibly boring visually, as is Amarillo. There's pretty much nothing of interest in Amarillo apart from the Cadillac graveyard. The desert scenery in northern Arizona and Southern Utah (my personal favorite) is way better. As are the mountain scenery and old mining towns in Colorado.

I wouldn't plan your trip around cities so much as the cities in the South West are very blah. Denver is okay - my girlfriend comes from there so I've been several times - but the state itself and its small towns is much more interesting. The best part of the South West and California in my opinion are basically the National Parks (Yosemite, Monument Valley, Canyonlands, Zion, Arches, Bryce, etc) and the more interesting small towns. You can bring a tent and camp in the "back country" sections of the parks and have an entire valley to yourself with incredible views.

Finally, I wouldn't spend a week in L.A., it has its attractions but it takes forever to get around, and can be pretty confusing to drive. It can take as long to cross L.A. as it takes to drive from Dublin to Belfast, longer even. Venice Beach is nice, and its somewhat fun to take a tour of Hollywood and Malibu but there's much more interesting towns and scenery on the stretch between L.A. and San Francisco. Frisco is also generally considered a much better city from the tourist's point of view.

Yeah I know it doesn't exist anymore. We just wanted to tour that route (and of course say that we did it!!!). You gave me so much info thanks so much. As it stands I'm happy to deviate from the route and am open to changes!!

Myself and my husband like the idea of visiting parks also.

I'm having a good read through the links you gave me. Loads of advise!

Nelly 21

InTheTrees wrote: »

I Love LA.

I think it gets a bad rap because people really are not ready for the fact that its a "car city", designed in the 30's to 50's when the automobile was god in the United States. And european tourists get thrown off assuming a car is an extravagance and expecting to get around by bus and then have a hellish time. Its completely different from Sf. Far larger and in addition to the film industry its also the major west coast business centre, banking, aerospace, manufacturing, etc. And without the geographic constraints of SF its grown into a massive urban sprawl.

But you guys sounds happy driving so I think you'll enjoy LA. Appreciate it anyway I'm sure. Its somewhere to be experienced anyway, its the USA's second city and I think you could easily fill 3-4 days. The driving really isnt bad, there's a lot of it but they still drive reasonably like most americans. You probably will have to pay for parking at your hotel, you'll also find a lot of valet parking at restaurants, etc. (They really do drive everywhere).

Well when I say we're happy driving its my husband that does all the driving.... He loves it and I'm happy enough being a passenger!!! We've driven a little bit through the US so hes not too fussed by having to drive.

Paying for parking is a balls though. I read the small print when booking a hotel so I keep an eye on the paid extras!¡

Also your convertible idea...... Imagine driving in the sunshine in LA with the top down ............. Wow

Nelly 21

dave2pvd wrote: »

Am I allowed to quote myself for emphasis?

Seriously. To go around this piece of America would not be wise

I'm open to doing this. I need to go back to the drawing board!!!!!!