San Fran, L.A and San Diego. Cheapest way?

Duff

Hey guys,

Myself and my girlfriend are planning on doing 4 nights in both San Francisco and LA before visiting a friend in San Diego for a week then flying home. What would be the cheapest way to go about this? Planning on flying into San Francisco and possibly driving to San Diego via LA then flying home from San Diego. We're thinking around August or September time. Anyone done anything like this before? Would you recommend renting a car as opposed to a bus or train?

I've been on J1 a few years ago to San Francisco and drove from there to Vegas so I know San Francisco well and have experience driving there, too.

Cheers.

ptogher14

Hey I'd suggest flying into San Fran and driving down to San Diego. Skip LA and spend the four days driving down. The drive down pacific coast highway is nicer than anything you'll see in LA. Rental cars are cheap. Make sure you do Alcatraz in San Fran. Usually has to be booked months in advance. Flights in Septemberwill be a lot cheaper

athtrasna

ptogher14 wrote: »

Hey I'd suggest flying into San Fran and driving down to San Diego. Skip LA and spend the four days driving down. The drive down pacific coast highway is nicer than anything you'll see in LA. Rental cars are cheap. Make sure you do Alcatraz in San Fran. Usually has to be booked months in advance. Flights in Septemberwill be a lot cheaper

Precisely. LA has so little to offer, definitely not 4 nights worth.

Duff

Cheers for the speedy replies. I've been to Alcatraz already, but I'd definitely go again. Any must-see stops on the way to San Diego? Also, any recommendations for which company to use to book flights as it'll be into one airport and out of another?

Thanks again.

ptogher14

Use Expedia and search for the flights. I think aer Lingus are flying direct to San Francisco. They don't fly out of San Diego though. You can't fly direct San Diego Dublin. Connecting flights are generally cheaper. Flying out of LA is a good bit cheaper as well. It's only a two hour drive from San Diego.....traffic depending. If you really wanted to see something in LA you could spend a night there and fly out. San Fran, the drive down and San Diego are all worth spending time in over LA.

There's loads of small towns to stop in on route 1. If you drive for 2 or 3 hours every morning you'll make it down in four days. Once you near LA on the way down it's worth jumping off route 1 and onto the 5. It'll save you hours of sitting in traffic and you won't miss anything.

jme2010

For L.A, book tickets to be in the audience for a TV show on the Warner Bros lot. 100% free and surreal 'hollywood' sytle experience. That takes up half a day.
In the evening walk up to the observatory in the hills then drive back down to enjoy the Santa Monica Pier.

You'd want to check out Venice beach/Muscle Beach and board walk so that requires a second day...you could squeeze in Malibu that same day.

That's about it. Hollywood hills/Beverly hills you don't even need to get out of the car just drive by them really. So all-in-all about 2 days 1 night can cover it.

Duff

Thanks for all the advice/help guys!