Last details on west coast honeymoon

Hi everyone,

I've posted in here before and I've taken on board all suggestions kindly offered by you!
We're finalizing preparations for our 3weeks and half honey moon trip to west US.

We start flying to Vegas (Luxor Hotel)where we spend a couple of days, then driving to North Rim of grand Canyon, staying at Jacobs Inn for 4 days where we're planning to visit the grand canyon (did we do the right choice to choose North rim?) and Zion NP.
Back to Vegas to fly to Fresno where we spend the night and then drive to Yosemite where we'll spend 4 nights staying at Wawona Hotel (the only choice at this point and quite expensive!!).

After that, drive to gold rush country where we'll spend two nights one in Jamestown and the other on Sutter Creek. Drive to SF staying 4 nights at Fitzgerald Hotel Union Square which I believe is quite central. I've already booked tickets for SF Giants (even though we don't even know baseball rules )

From this point we still have about 9 days and the plan is to drive down the highway 1 and stay 3/4 days in LA as we fly back from there. We also would like to explore the highway 1/big sur area, spend a couple of days drinking wine 'sideways' style and discover beaches, little towns, etc.....

So, any suggestions on activities, places to visit, secret gems along the whole trip? recommendations for places to stay on the last part?
we like music quite a lot so where to go for great gigs (not necessarily big stadiums but smaller and cosier)? festivals? art? clubs?

many thanks in advance!!!!

[ Edit: Edited on 20-May-2009, at 15:07 by guille_uk ]

On your way south, stop in San Luis Obispo. You are close to Morro Bay, and the hidden gem of Montana de Oro State Park, truly beautiful coastline.

Pismo Beach is close, and there is a pier to walk out over the ocean.

On the way towards Santa Barbara, see Los Olivos and the surrounding wine country. In the Santa Ynez Valley you might like Solvang, which is a Danish village. Very friendly and quite good food.

Have a great trip!

thanks for your reply Ham.

I've been researching all of those places and they look amazing. I think that we'll spend one or two nights in Monterey or Carmel by-the-sea so we can go the Aquarium (should we go to Seaworld instead?) and explore the Big Sur area. Problem is that hotels in this area are eexpensiivee!!

Then maybe go all the way down to San Luis Obispo/Solvang area and spend another 2/3 nights around there. Vineyards, etc... All these places look amazing but B&B's are quite expensive as well so would you recommend anywhere more affordable?

Then LA. We're thinking of going to Universal Studios, I went to the one in Orlando when I was a kid and I really enjoyed so we'll have a fun day on film sets.
Would anyone recommend going to 'mythical' clubs like Viper room, Whiskey a go-go, etc..... are they very exclusive/expensive these days? do they have bands playing live? we're quite into music so any chance to see live bands would be great.

Also, I took the recommendation from someone here and we're spending two nights in the gold rush country. what kind of stuff would you recommend around the area?

thanks in advance!!

Guillermo

Quoting guille_uk

thanks for your reply Ham.

I've been researching all of those places and they look amazing. I think that we'll spend one or two nights in Monterey or Carmel by-the-sea so we can go the Aquarium (should we go to Seaworld instead?) and explore the Big Sur area. Problem is that hotels in this area are eexpensiivee!!

Then maybe go all the way down to San Luis Obispo/Solvang area and spend another 2/3 nights around there. Vineyards, etc... All these places look amazing but B&B's are quite expensive as well so would you recommend anywhere more affordable?

Then LA. We're thinking of going to Universal Studios, I went to the one in Orlando when I was a kid and I really enjoyed so we'll have a fun day on film sets.
Would anyone recommend going to 'mythical' clubs like Viper room, Whiskey a go-go, etc..... are they very exclusive/expensive these days? do they have bands playing live? we're quite into music so any chance to see live bands would be great.

Also, I took the recommendation from someone here and we're spending two nights in the gold rush country. what kind of stuff would you recommend around the area?

thanks in advance!!

Guillermo

Last add San Francisco: congratulations on booking a SF Giants baseball game. Even if you don't know the rules, strike up a conversation with the people around you and they'll explain what's going on. The ballpark food is excellent and highly recommend the garlic fries (chips). They are to die for.

Absolutely see the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is a treasure. You will be amazed. (Sea World is a poor alternate.)

In San Luis Obispo, recommend the Apple Farm Inn. Specials are listed on their website and the telephone staff is quite helpful. Prices are about the same (or less) as competitors and the service is better. Also an excellent restaurant on premises. http://applefarm.com/

Solvang can be pricey, but do a search on a travel engine for competitve rates. Weekend days are higher. As an alternate, search nearby Buellton which is off US 101. It may be cheaper there and you are only 6 miles (10K) from Solvang. While in Solvang, visit the Mission Santa Ines (free) and see the beginnings of California history. Easy to get to, just park adjacent to the Solvang Bakery and walk to the back of the parking lot. The mission is on the other side of the hedge. Buy sweets and bread at the family-owned bakery! The town is charming.

As far as the Los Angeles club scene, start with the experts at the Los Angeles Times newspaper. Here is a web link for their recommended spots: http://theguide.latimes.com/los-angeles/recommended/bars-and-clubs

Have a great trip!

You made a good choice of hotels in SF - the location is the very best - very easy to walk from there to Union Square for shopping, to Chinatown and North Beach, to Fisherman's Wharf. I used to live just a few blocks from there. From your hotel be careful and don't walk below Geary Street - that's the Tenderloin (red-light and skid row areas) or on Market Street west from 5th to 8th Streets.

Do ride the Muni-Metro subway out to the beach or Golden Gate Park - take the "N" car at Powell & Market station (which is shared with BART - the transit system that goes to the airport and Oakland/Berkeley). You can also take the "N" car to Haight Ashbury to see what's left of the hippies - might want to rent rollerblades or bike at Haight where it meets the GG Park. I like to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge also - you can go down to Sausalito on the bike and take a ferry back. For the best hilltop views I suggest the top of Buena Vista Park on Haight or Twin Peaks which is beyond the Castro District. SF is still one of our wilder towns! Nude beaches all over the SF Bay area and in SF itself at Land's End. The wilder your costume/clothes/hair are the better in SF!