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Thread: California accommodation for road trip

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    California accommodation for road trip

    I am heading off for a Cali road trip in mid August with the family (4 of us). We have 3 weeks and a rough route planned including Vegas Yosemite Sam Fran and route 1.
    I have done this before 12 years ago and basically found hotels as we went but with kids in tow I need to plan this trip.
    I have a budget of £150 per night and like to stay in different types of places. Currently looking at Airbnb and Booking.com.
    Had anyone got any good suggestions for finding places to stay? The more bizarre the better!

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  3. #3
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    In no particular order..

    Venice Beach is a must as a stay!.

    San Fran - go to the Stinking Rose for food.

    Santa Cruz well worth a stay.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by neillp View Post
    I am heading off for a Cali road trip in mid August with the family (4 of us). We have 3 weeks and a rough route planned including Vegas Yosemite Sam Fran and route 1.
    I have done this before 12 years ago and basically found hotels as we went but with kids in tow I need to plan this trip.
    I have a budget of £150 per night and like to stay in different types of places. Currently looking at Airbnb and Booking.com.
    Had anyone got any good suggestions for finding places to stay? The more bizarre the better!

    Bizarre?

    The Madonna Inn in San Louis Obispo. Its been around since the 60's; every room is themed. It used to be a bit run down for awhile but it looks like they've done it up.

    San Louis Obispo is on the south end of highway one which snakes down the coast between SF and LA.

    https://www.madonnainn.com/viewrooms

  5. #5
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeP View Post
    Bizarre?

    The Madonna Inn in San Louis Obispo. Its been around since the 60's; every room is themed. It used to be a bit run down for awhile but it looks like they've done it up.

    San Louis Obispo is on the south end of highway one which snakes down the coast between SF and LA.

    https://www.madonnainn.com/viewrooms
    Been a lot of years but my memory remembers bizarre, weird and decidedly different it is not your Holiday Inn.

    Also out of Vegas if it fits the route
    29 Palms inn
    http://29palmsinn.com
    Last edited by mart broad; 21st March 2019 at 00:37.

  6. #6
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    Its not a place to stay but its...mysterious

    The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz (north side of Monterey Bay).

    Its an area of weird gravitational and visual anomalies. Well thats what they say.

    https://www.mysteryspot.com/

    There's also a small funfair at the beach in Santa Cruz:

    https://beachboardwalk.com/

  7. #7
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    The Ventana Inn in Big Sur.

    Its more of a resort and pretty expensive but an amazing location.

    https://www.ventanabigsur.com/

  8. #8
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
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    Go north from SF heading to Humboldt County (Eureka). Stunning scenery and breathtaking landscape. Quite a few motels along that route.

    Menno

  9. #9
    Master thegoat's Avatar
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    Where you are flying into and from would help us put flesh on the bones , there are literally thousands of places to go to and stay.
    I’ve stayed in the 29 Palms too and it is very cool. Woke up early one morning to a huge pack of coyotes in front of the cabin. The pool was well needed too.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by thegoat View Post
    Where you are flying into and from would help us put flesh on the bones , there are literally thousands of places to go to and stay.
    I’ve stayed in the 29 Palms too and it is very cool. Woke up early one morning to a huge pack of coyotes in front of the cabin. The pool was well needed too.
    We are flying in and out of LA 10-31 August and already have a car booked for the duration.

    The current plan is
    2 days near Huntington Beach to find our feet and the wife wants to enter a 10K run on the Sunday.
    2-3 days heading up towards Monterey alng route 1, we were wanting to stay in Monterey but there is the USA equivalent of the Festival of Speed on at Laguna Seca that week so massively expensive. May now stay in Santa Cruz
    After that it will be a coupe of days in San Fran, then head to Yosemite - Death Valley - Vegas
    We are then hoping to spend 5-6 days on the beach south of LA before heading home.

    29 Palms and the Madonna Inn look ideal and the links for Santa Cruz have gven me some ideas.

    I thnk when I said bizzare I probably meant different or quirky! I want to avoid the main chain hotels if I am staying there more than one night.

    Cheers

    Neill

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by neillp View Post
    We are flying in and out of LA 10-31 August and already have a car booked for the duration.

    The current plan is
    2 days near Huntington Beach to find our feet and the wife wants to enter a 10K run on the Sunday.
    2-3 days heading up towards Monterey alng route 1, we were wanting to stay in Monterey but there is the USA equivalent of the Festival of Speed on at Laguna Seca that week so massively expensive. May now stay in Santa Cruz
    After that it will be a coupe of days in San Fran, then head to Yosemite - Death Valley - Vegas
    We are then hoping to spend 5-6 days on the beach south of LA before heading home.

    29 Palms and the Madonna Inn look ideal and the links for Santa Cruz have gven me some ideas.

    I thnk when I said bizzare I probably meant different or quirky! I want to avoid the main chain hotels if I am staying there more than one night.

    Cheers

    Neill
    Would highly recommend a side tour from Vegas to Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, rather than 5 days on a beach south of LA.

    California beaches are not all that, and nowhere near as nice as the beaches in Cornwall for example.

    You’ll find the water in Cornwall warmer too.

  12. #12
    Master thegoat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by neillp View Post
    We are flying in and out of LA 10-31 August and already have a car booked for the duration.

    The current plan is
    2 days near Huntington Beach to find our feet and the wife wants to enter a 10K run on the Sunday.
    2-3 days heading up towards Monterey alng route 1, we were wanting to stay in Monterey but there is the USA equivalent of the Festival of Speed on at Laguna Seca that week so massively expensive. May now stay in Santa Cruz
    After that it will be a coupe of days in San Fran, then head to Yosemite - Death Valley - Vegas
    We are then hoping to spend 5-6 days on the beach south of LA before heading home.

    29 Palms and the Madonna Inn look ideal and the links for Santa Cruz have gven me some ideas.

    I thnk when I said bizzare I probably meant different or quirky! I want to avoid the main chain hotels if I am staying there more than one night.

    Cheers

    Neill
    There’s loads of driving there. You’re a braver man than me with kids in tow. Remember the heat inland will be absolutely off the scale too . In place like Yosemite, 29 Palms etc , everything outside needs to be done early morning .
    You seem to have a lot of it covered so I’ll only offer a couple of bits .
    If you can, stay in Yosemite Valley. It’s expensive but cuts out a lot of travelling . I stayed in Oakhurst last year and travelled into the South Gate adding 90 minutes each way . Stayed at the Sierra View bnb justoutside Oakhurst . Not quirky as such but amazing views over the mountains, a friendly couple with lots of dogs and other assorted animals and great home cooked breakfasts. They actually encourage you to bring back takeaway pizzas etc and eat on the stoop as the sun goes in. Watch out for the bears 😳

    In Yosemite, you must eat in the Grand Lodge . White tablecloths, fantastic service, stunning cheap food served in a really impressive hall. We were advised to book but as we were slightly out of season we had no problems pitching up on the day . They created a trout dish for the queens visit and it’s still the go to dish for most .
    Another tip here is to pull up in your car at the front doors and get valet parking . It’s free, little known about and saves you a long walk if the car parks are full .

    Of them all, Yosemite is one of the best places I’ve ever visited in the USA and I’m headed back but for my ch longer soon .
    Enjoy

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeP View Post
    The Ventana Inn in Big Sur.

    Its more of a resort and pretty expensive but an amazing location.

    https://www.ventanabigsur.com/
    That's a LOT more than £150 a night. Be lucky to get dinner for that. I liked the Ragged Point Motel. The Pacific was right there outside my window. Great location.

    https://www.raggedpointinn.com/accommodations.php

    As mentioned the heat will be well up there esp in the desert. I stayed outside Yosemite in a small guest house. the N.Parks have an expensive hotel and often just franchise the food outside the hotel to all the usual suspects (Subway, KFC etc). I had to eat in the Grand Lodge because the food in the park was just the usual fodder. I'd look at the amount of driving - there are miles of nothing.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrushton View Post
    That's a LOT more than £150 a night. Be lucky to get dinner for that. I liked the Ragged Point Motel. The Pacific was right there outside my window. Great location.

    https://www.raggedpointinn.com/accommodations.php

    As mentioned the heat will be well up there esp in the desert. I stayed outside Yosemite in a small guest house. the N.Parks have an expensive hotel and often just franchise the food outside the hotel to all the usual suspects (Subway, KFC etc). I had to eat in the Grand Lodge because the food in the park was just the usual fodder. I'd look at the amount of driving - there are miles of nothing.
    Yes. I foolishly forgot the price limit.

    I agree on the Ragged Point Inn.

  15. #15
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    I would also highly recommend booking accommodation in Yosemite Valley. One of the best things I did and was the best part of the trip. Amazing place to sleep in and walk around at night and early morning.

    Accommodation books up really quickly so you need to be booking now. Even now your choice may be limited but look out for cancellations if nothing at the moment.

    I used Trip Advisor for other accommodation en route. Pick a location and then see what is on Tripadvisor around that location.

    A place to stay for one night is Solvang. A strange Dutch town where everyday is Xmas.

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