Greetings all! From about the 9th of November to the 19th of November I will be making my way North through California on what is definitely NOT a vacation. The current plan for this totally innocent and respectable trip has me hitting LA for a few days, driving to San Francisco for another few, then hitting Redding and it's epic surrounding forests before flying out. As the plan is still somewhat frighteningly nascent in nature, I thought I would pop on here. Anybody who lives in the general area and would like to meet up throughout this frame somewhere, be sure to let me know!

Another big thing I'm on the lookout for is awesome things to do. Any locales or "experienced" travelers have any must see things? I've tried to do some research myself, but time on my end is not exactly readily available, and it's a rather large state with quite a lot of things to do. Age wise I'm old enough to do anything(scary as that is), so feel free to fire away! Thanks all!

Drae:

Greetings all! From about the 9th of November to the 19th of November I will be making my way North through California on what is definitely NOT a vacation. The current plan for this totally innocent and respectable trip has me hitting LA for a few days, driving to San Francisco for another few, then hitting Redding and it's epic surrounding forests before flying out. As the plan is still somewhat frighteningly nascent in nature, I thought I would pop on here. Anybody who lives in the general area and would like to meet up throughout this frame somewhere, be sure to let me know!

Another big thing I'm on the lookout for is awesome things to do. Any locales or "experienced" travelers have any must see things? I've tried to do some research myself, but time on my end is not exactly readily available, and it's a rather large state with quite a lot of things to do. Age wise I'm old enough to do anything(scary as that is), so feel free to fire away! Thanks all!

Well, I am not native to the area but I have lived here for the last 5 or so years.... I would avoid LA honestly... every attraction that is actually in LA is done better elsewhere EXCEPT for Universal Studios, which is meh to be perfectly honest. I would choose to fly Lindbergh, which is in San Diego if you have the choice. There you have Balboa Park which is filled with Museums, some of the most amazing in the country. (If you hit them up on Tuesday's, most are free as well.) You also have the San Diego Zoo (Pandas!) there, and the Safari Park in Escondido. Then there is Sea World. Anaheim is an hour and a half out if you want to do Disneyland. You'd also be there in Apple season, so a nice drive up to Julian will net you some of the best Apple pie you have ever had. San Diego beaches are better as well, although you will be looking at water temps that range from 40-50 degrees so not sure if beach play is an option :-p

You also have the Gaslamp if you are into nightlife, which is better then anything LA throws at ya, unless you like over crowded clubs. Everyone I know across the pond always asks me what to do in LA and I always tell them the same thing. Half the time they thank me, the other time they admit I was right and say they regret ignoring me. Up state, do not, repeat do not, ignore Monterrey Bay it is worth it. The aquarium there is amazing and last I heard, they still have a Great White in captivity, although they may have released it. Have not checked recently.

I'll buy you a drink in San Francisco!

Can't say I'll ever be able to pass up a drink, especially as I've been forced to be sober for the past 6 months ;P Just let me know a cool bar to meet up at, and I'll let you know the dates I'll be passing through. I can't predict the exact date we'll be in San Francisco right now due to travel chaos from some weather and such. I'll probably have a week and a half warning or so.

Elenwe:


Well, I am not native to the area but I have lived here for the last 5 or so years.... I would avoid LA honestly... every attraction that is actually in LA is done better elsewhere EXCEPT for Universal Studios, which is meh to be perfectly honest. I would choose to fly Lindbergh, which is in San Diego if you have the choice. There you have Balboa Park which is filled with Museums, some of the most amazing in the country. (If you hit them up on Tuesday's, most are free as well.) You also have the San Diego Zoo (Pandas!) there, and the Safari Park in Escondido. Then there is Sea World. Anaheim is an hour and a half out if you want to do Disneyland. You'd also be there in Apple season, so a nice drive up to Julian will net you some of the best Apple pie you have ever had. San Diego beaches are better as well, although you will be looking at water temps that range from 40-50 degrees so not sure if beach play is an option :-p

You also have the Gaslamp if you are into nightlife, which is better then anything LA throws at ya, unless you like over crowded clubs. Everyone I know across the pond always asks me what to do in LA and I always tell them the same thing. Half the time they thank me, the other time they admit I was right and say they regret ignoring me. Up state, do not, repeat do not, ignore Monterrey Bay it is worth it. The aquarium there is amazing and last I heard, they still have a Great White in captivity, although they may have released it. Have not checked recently.

Hmmm. Admittedly, I suspected as much. Main thing I'm shooting for there is an awesome tattoo guy, an 18,000 foot skydive, and Six Flags. One of my friends knows someone who actually works at Universal with an all access black pass, apparently, so we'll be getting a sweet insider tour too. I thought we'd try to see hollywood because we were so close, but it sounds like we won't be missing much if we don't go. I'm personally most excited for San Francisco ;PSan Diego does sound pretty awesome, but my main problem with it is I'm somewhat time limited. It's a long way from south to north, especially in a rental >_> I'll definitely have to check it out carefully and see if I can work it in, but I just can't hold out hope, honestly. Maybe if I can fly in, then fly out to somewhere else for cheap. Monterrey Bay, however, will definitely become a stop! Thank you very much for the suggestions, and if you can think of anything else awesome, be sure to let me know!