Visiting California, any advice?

[Yuri-G]

I've only been to SF, and I don't want to bog you down with too many suggestions, so let me tell you the one thing you have to do: visit Golden Gate Park. trust me.

it's really cool. more like a huge combination garden/forest than a park. I was walking through it my first time in SF and stumbled upon a totally random koi pond with a bamboo grove and willow trees, and there's a ton of little things like that. the botanical gardens are a must-see for anyone who has even the slightest appreciation for nature as well, so many random exotic plants from around the world. I hear the Japanese tea gardens are cool too but you have to pay to get in so I skipped that; there's plenty of nature to go around in Golden Gate Park for free.

there is a ton of other cool shit to do in the city - Golden Gate bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the castro district, haight-ashbury, and then other places outside the city like sausalito (very pretty) and the redwood forests, but if you only do one thing: Golden Gate Park.

[Absolutely Virtue]

If you feel like getting out of town while you're in San Francisco, a short trip north (about 10 miles iirc) and you can see the redwoods at the famous Muir Woods: http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

I also really enjoywed Muir Beach: http://www.nps.gov/goga/muir-beach.htm

Both places can be a bit crowded, but not nearly as crowded as the touristy places in the city itself. Great family spots though.

[Devia]

Are you driving down from Frisco? If so, visit Hearst Castle in San Simeon on the way.

[Demosthenes11]

If you feel like getting out of town while you're in San Francisco, a short trip north (about 10 miles iirc) and you can see the redwoods at the famous Muir Woods: http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

I also really enjoywed Muir Beach: http://www.nps.gov/goga/muir-beach.htm

Both places can be a bit crowded, but not nearly as crowded as the touristy places in the city itself. Great family spots though.

I love Muir beach
way less crowded than stinson beach, though I prefer a random beach in half moon bay more than both of them (have to hike down a cliff to get to it)

[Bockage]

General California suggestion; In-n-Out burger.

[archibaldcrane]

Getty museum and Griffith Observatory are awesome in LA. If you're in LA may 14th go to the cemetery screening with your family - bring blankets, food and alcohol, and watch a film projected onto a wall sitting on the grass with 5,000 others in a historic cemetery.

http://cinespia.org/

Also catch a Giants game in SF, beautiful stadium.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S 4G using Tapatalk

[takethistoyourgrave]

Enjoy SF, a lot to do there and some great food.

I guess you could hit up Little Tokyo (although SF has it's own Japan Town), but other than that, I prefer to stay the fuck out of the dumpster that is LA.

[Miroku_Asura]

General California suggestion; In-n-Out burger.

God I fucking live here and I didn't even think about that. Definitely hit that up.

[Misterjingles]

General California suggestion; In-n-Out burger.

Order from the secret menu an animal style burger with animal style fries.

Also going to vouch for Roscoes, that's usually what I try to hit everytime I visit LA. Although tempting, I wouldn't buy anything from the van vendor there.

[synistar]

About the secret menu: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/...cret-menu.html

Eh, food trucks are decent, just overpriced. Too bad you'll be missing the Grilled Cheese Invitational http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/

Also Umami Burger, some place with chemically perfected burgers http://umamiburger.com/ Heard lots of praise for it. Never eaten there myself.

The Hat: http://thehat.com/loca.htm If you want pastrami, you want to go here.

[warc]

Venice Beach, In n Out animal style burger and fries, Kogi Taco Truck. If you can find a Kogi truck, definitely stop by. Best korean bbq meat in burritos and tacos ever.

http://kogibbq.com/about/

http://www.venicebeach.com/

[Fievel]

If you do one thing while in L.A. please go Rosco's Chicken and Waffles.

^ This 1000000x times

[Venga]

Hey guys thanks for the replies! Alot of good stuff to keep me occupied!

Probably should have put this in originally but is it worth driving SF to LA, are there things unmissable or just get a flight?

[Gredival]

Hey guys thanks for the replies! Alot of good stuff to keep me occupied!

Probably should have put this in originally but is it worth driving SF to LA, are there things unmissable or just get a flight?

If you like driving scenery and aren't in a hurry, go down through CA-1. The views are pretty beautiful. If you don't really care, then just take a flight. There's nothing on the main freeways that you'll pass except the Monterrey Aquarium and the Aquarium of the Pacific is better imo if you want to go to an aquarium. On that note you could also trek it to San Diego, it's only about an hour and a half for Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. I mention it since you said family trip, so if there's kids throwing stuff out there besides the obligatory Disneyland suggestion.

I'd recommend visiting the Newport area and the Malibu area if you like beach stuff.

They got a Pink's in Universal Citywalk now if you plan on going to Universal, so you can cut out making a special trip to Pink's. I'll second trips to In-N-Out and The Hat as well.

Other stuff off the top of my head... if you're going between May/June there's a chance the Lakers will still be playing if that's something you're into. Also consider catching a Dodgers game.

[Miroku_Asura]

Hey guys thanks for the replies! Alot of good stuff to keep me occupied!

Probably should have put this in originally but is it worth driving SF to LA, are there things unmissable or just get a flight?

The drive isn't too too bad- only 6 hours (if you follow the speed limit), but if you really wanted to see some spectacular sites, I say take the PCH (pacific coast highway/highway 1) all the way down from SF to LA- the fog shouldn't be too too bad and you'll have an amazing view of the ocean and mountains the entire drive.

[Venga]

Hey guys, sorry for bringing it back to life, forgot to ask if there are any good outlet malls in either LA or San Fran? I would assume there are, but any that stand out in particular?

[Jeryhn]

Hi.

You should go to this place.

http://www.medievaltimes.com/

[Dakk-Siren]

Hi.

You should go to this place.

http://www.medievaltimes.com/

Do this. That place was great as a kid.

Also last time I was in LA my sister took me to this itallian place C&O.
http://www.cotrattoria.com/
Quite literally they give you a bucket of pasta.

[Chicomagiko]

Outlet malls near LA would be Camarillo and the Citadel.

[miokomioko]

If you're driving from SF to LA, you'll probably be on 101 most of the time, if not the entire time. There's a large outlet mall in Gilroy (exit Leavesley Rd.) as well as a smaller one in Pismo Beach (exit Five Cities Dr.). I'm not really too familiar with other outlet malls other than knowing there's one in Camarillo somewhere (I think you can see it from 101).

Oh shit, speaking of... If you like clam chowder, or any other form of clams for that matter, you HAVE to make a stop in Pismo Beach and go to The Splash Cafe (On Pomeroy, exit Price St.) . It's the best chowder on the planet and usually has a line going out the door and around the corner at most times of the day. People usually get it in a delicious sourdough breadbowl, but the locals' trick is to get the bowl sliced and grilled instead so you have the entire thing to dip in the chowder.

God damn I want to go down there now, I used to make trips from San Jose down to Pismo just for the chowder... and maybe to haul ass driving on the beach and launch my old beat up Range Rover off the sand dunes.

Oh yeah, sourdough bread is the most delicious in the bay area, specifically San Francisco, and is generally shit everywhere else. If you like it, there's a massive Boudin bakery somewhere on Embarcadero, probably near Fisherman's Warf/Pier 39. I love it.