Man, I feel bad for you. I work on the former Norton AFB (until they finish tearing down our building) and despite the fact that it is a “secure” facility, we get cars broken into and vandalized on a regular basis.
And people wonder why I commute from Pasadena…
Stranger
Blimey, I didn’t expect so many responses!
Perhaps we should come for longer, to make sure we can try all of the various eateries suggested, and perhaps as impartial observers settle some of the arguments ;)!
We’re most likely to come in September, which hopefully will let us have good weather (and also give us time to save up). My girlfriend had San Diego recommended to her by a Californian when she was at Harvard, so we’re probably leaning to that rather than LA - although I see we could indeed stay halfway between, quite easily.
We do indeed drive on the left over here, and I’ve never driven elsewhere. I’m not 100% convinced I could get used to sitting on the other side of the car (although in an automatic that shouldn’t present too many problems), but mainly I’m not convinced I could remember to drive on the right. I once went to Legoland in Denmark, and had a go on the little lego-like cars. At every junction on the little lego map, I found myself automatically on the left, and this was when I was 12, before I could even drive. Ever since then I’ve been convinced that me driving abroad is a mistake.
We’ll definitely go to San Francisco - I’ve wanted to go there for years! It just seems to have so much to offer. It certainly sounds like this holiday won’t be long enough to fit everything in!
Then you’re in luck. For some reason car rental places don’t have cars with standard transmissions. I can understand why, but you’d think they’d keep a couple of standards around in case people prefer them.
I found another site that refers to the stretch of Old 101 in North County as the “Coast Highway.” You learn something new every day.
The state is huge, but also chock full o’ goodness. There are great things to see and do all over the place. You cannot do California in 2 weeks, so don’t even try. Don’t ruin your vacation trying to cram everything in.
Out of the things listed, pick a handful of things you like the most and run with it. If you have time left over, pick a couple more or just sit on the beach and enjoy it.
After living here most of my life, I really started touring California in 1996. I’m still not finished, nearly 10 years later.
You might find this book helpful: Let’s Go: California.
Let me know when, and I’ll buy you a beer in Redlands. We have a semi-decent pub called The Royal Falconer that has a good selection on tap.
I’m the same way (just the other way around). I don’t try to drive in the UK or Australia because they drive on the left. I’ve generally managed to find enough to do on my vacations even without having a car. You’re going to miss a lot of stuff in California with or without a car if you only have two weeks, anyway, so don’t try to drive if you don’t feel comfortable doing it. You definitely won’t want a car while you’re in San Francisco, anyway- finding parking there anywhere near where you want to go is very difficult, and it’s easier just to use BART or Muni.
Save up an extra month and come in October. September can be pretty hot (in So Cal). October is usually pretty nice. And if you plan on doing the theme parks, the crowds are thinner in October. The crowds will probably be thinner in most touristy places in October.
FWIW, my dad spent some military time on your side of the pond, and said switching sides isn’t hard at all except for (a) shifting and (b) remembering which side to step into the car from. Other than that, the driving itself is supposed to be a pretty easy adjustment.
BTW, San Diego is actually bigger than San Francisco. Didn’t know if you knew that (or if it was mentioned earlier in the thread)–I didn’t until I had lived here for five years or so.
Having a car will REALLY, REALLY, REALLY help in Southern California. NorCal has a lot of good public transit, but we really don’t. The San Diego trolley will get you up and down the coast and on a straight line east from Pacific Beach, but if you want to go anywhere else you’re going to spend all day transfering from trolley to bus to trolley to bus. I have a feeling that, if you stop worrying about it, driving on the right won’t be as big a deal as you think.
I agree with Yookeroo that you should come in October, BTW. Not for the weather, though; you really won’t care what time of year you come weather-wise (at least in San Diego), because it’s going to be a lot better here than there. You’ll be jamming happily in a T-shirt and shorts when most people here are out with two or more layers on (I was when I moved here).