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Vancouver to San Fran to Miami

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  • 31-05-2018 1:02pm
    #1
    bamayang
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    There are a lot of San Fran threads already in existence but not too many recent ones about.

    So plan is fly to VC, spend 4 nights there.
    Get a train to Seattle and 2 nights there.
    Pick up a car in Seattle and drive to Portland. 2 nights there.
    Then onto Redwood National park for 2 nights.
    Then Nappa for one night.
    Followed by San Fran for 4 nights.
    Then flying to Miami for 1 night.
    Pick up another car and drive to Key West for 3 nights.
    Then Home!!!

    Questions:
    Anywhere we are missing in between that we should definitely try and hit?
    Are Seattle and San Fran OK places to have no car, as we are picking the car as we leave Seattle and dropping off as we arrive in San Fran? This is to save money as someone suggested there is no need to have a car in either.
    I love driving in US, so no issue with 6-7 hour car days.
    Is 3 nights too long in Key West?
    I have little interest in Miami, but I presume it would be foolish to not even stay one night there?


    Cant wait for it.


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    #2
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭youngblood


    Can I ask, are you getting a regular ETA visa for Canada?

    Im applying for a Visa for Canada but on the online form there is no option for arriving into Canada by train, car etc only plane

    Any ideas?


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    #3
    bamayang
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭bamayang


    Ya I am getting the regular ETA (i think). We are arriving by plane as we are doing Canada first.
    Its the US visa that we will be arriving by train.


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    #4
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    I would hold onto the car for one day in San Francisco. Public Transport is very good but having a car for a day would mean you have plenty of flexibility and freedom to explore at you leisure the likes of Muir Woods, Sausalito, Nike Missile Base and other spots around the Marin Headlands (north over the Golden Gate) and/or maybe head down the coast a bit, drive around Golden Gate Park, The Cliff House, Twin Peaks or around the Mission.

    Also after dropping the car off, Uber and Lyft are smashing for getting you around.


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    #5
    circular flexing
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭circular flexing


    youngblood wrote: »
    Can I ask, are you getting a regular ETA visa for Canada?

    Im applying for a Visa for Canada but on the online form there is no option for arriving into Canada by train, car etc only plane

    Any ideas?

    ETA is only required for air travel into Canada - land border crossings don't require an ETA.
    Travellers who need an eTA:
    Visa-exempt foreign nationals need an eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. These travellers do not need an eTA when arriving by car, bus, train or boat (including a cruise ship).

    https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html


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    #6
    bamayang
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭bamayang


    tricky D wrote: »
    I would hold onto the car for one day in San Francisco. Public Transport is very good but having a car for a day would mean you have plenty of flexibility and freedom to explore at you leisure the likes of Muir Woods, Sausalito, Nike Missile Base and other spots around the Marin Headlands (north over the Golden Gate) and/or maybe head down the coast a bit, drive around Golden Gate Park, The Cliff House, Twin Peaks or around the Mission.

    Also after dropping the car off, Uber and Lyft are smashing for getting you around.

    We've actually changed plans slightly and cut off the Miami wing. We are sticking with the west wing for the whole trip. This means we are keeping the car until the end and thus have it for the duration of our time in San Fran. Hopefully we'll try and get out to a few of the places mentioned above. Cheers


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    #7
    circular flexing
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭circular flexing


    bamayang wrote: »
    We've actually changed plans slightly and cut off the Miami wing. We are sticking with the west wing for the whole trip. This means we are keeping the car until the end and thus have it for the duration of our time in San Fran. Hopefully we'll try and get out to a few of the places mentioned above. Cheers


    Just be aware that hotel parking in SF can be a significant cost - $50 per night to self park seems to about the minimum if you are anywhere near downtown.


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    #8
    bamayang
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭bamayang


    circular flexing wrote: »
    Just be aware that hotel parking in SF can be a significant cost - $50 per night to self park seems to about the minimum if you are anywhere near downtown.

    God that’s steep. We hope to AirBNB it in San Fran tho so we’ll probably be a good bit outside city, hopefully with parking supplied


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    #9
    tonydude
    Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭tonydude


    Drove from Seattle to San Diego couple of months ago, one of the massize highlights for me was the avenue of the giant s before San Francisco. Also when renting a car in Seattle , they mentioned that the Golden gate bridge is tolled, it is but they charge you the toll every day while you have the car. Look into this as I paid 30 dollars when it should only be a few dollars. I drove across the bridge as the sun was setting, which was my wife's highlight.
    Enjoy the trip , it's amazing


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    #10
    bamayang
    Registered Users Posts: 689 ✭✭✭bamayang


    tonydude wrote: »
    Drove from Seattle to San Diego couple of months ago, one of the massize highlights for me was the avenue of the giant s before San Francisco. Also when renting a car in Seattle , they mentioned that the Golden gate bridge is tolled, it is but they charge you the toll every day while you have the car. Look into this as I paid 30 dollars when it should only be a few dollars. I drove across the bridge as the sun was setting, which was my wife's highlight.
    Enjoy the trip , it's amazing


    Hadnt heard of that before, but I adore the monstrous redwoods they have over there, so I'll be making sure we hit that.
    We have the car for the whole time we are in San Fran so sun setting will definitely be on the to do list. Thanks for those great points.

    When you say a few months ago, was that winter or spring months? Just curious to know how the weather was. Was it very cold? I know I can google temps for cities at any time of year, but would be interested to hear your views on how it felt. Thanks again


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    #11
    helimachoptor
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 21,656 Mod ✭✭✭✭helimachoptor


    Can 2nd avenue of the giants, great spot


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    #12
    tonydude
    Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭tonydude


    bamayang wrote: »
    Hadnt heard of that before, but I adore the monstrous redwoods they have over there, so I'll be making sure we hit that.
    We have the car for the whole time we are in San Fran so sun setting will definitely be on the to do list. Thanks for those great points.

    When you say a few months ago, was that winter or spring months? Just curious to know how the weather was. Was it very cold? I know I can google temps for cities at any time of year, but would be interested to hear your views on how it felt. Thanks again

    It was oct/Nov, we had Alaska and Hawaii after seeing Seattle and then saw San Francisco, its warm during the day and a bit chilly in the evenings however a hoodie wouldn't go amiss when walking the bridge in the evening.
    If you do Avenue of the Giants drop Muir woods and don't forget to visit the gift shop/ museum at the end of the avenue, also the drive through tree ( there is two locations for this)and the big foot shop that's there..lol. Also leave early each day and if your into the pop culture side of America, check out the road side dinners, some of them are so cool, we came across one straight outta grease


    Who are you renting the car from ?


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