I’m going to CA in a few weeks to look at grad schools with my father (arg to not being old enough to rent my own car), and we are flying into Oakland, looking at several schools in the Bay Area and then driving down the coast to San Deigo. Any places along there that are worth a look see for an hour or two to break up the trip, other than LA and the very expensive theme parks? Cool random museums, factory tours, historical sights, interesting resturants?
Thanks in advance.
My advice would be to take the Pacific Coast Highway south from the bay area. It’s very scenic and lots and lots of beaches along the way. You could take a tour of Hearst Castle http://www.hearstcastle.com/ along the way, and there are a few beaches with sea lions and/or seals you could stop at. My son and I did the trip once, though we didn’t go as far south as you’re planning. It was a great experience, I thought. I don’t remember other attractions along the highway off the top of my head, but I’m sure someone will be a long soon with a list of fun things to do.
I’m going to assume you aren’t doing the drive in one day.
I think it’s at least an 8 hour one, though the farthest south I’ve driven so far is the LA area.
Some cool spots to check out if you have time, aside from the obvious ones in the bay area (Golden Gate Bridge, etc.):
The Winchester Mystery House, Jelly Belly Factory, Gilroy (you’ll smell the garlic driving through), The Hearst Castle, The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo (particularly the men’s bathroom in the main hall), Pea Soup Andersen’s.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Carmel, which is where they filmed the aquarium scenes for Star Trek IV: There Be Whales Here.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is in Monterey (on Cannery Row), not Carmel. Cannery Row doesn’t have anything else to recommend it–it’s all tourist stores & stuff. No more canneries.
It’s a 10-hour drive from the Bay Area to San Diego if you take I-5. If you go on the coast, it’ll be at least 18. But you’ll certainly get better scenery.
I assume you’re going to Berkeley (Go Bears!)? You could go up to the top of the hill to the Lawrence Hall of Science; cool hands-on exhibits & stuff, plus a spectacular view of the Bay Area.
On your way down the coast, as you’re admiring the scenery of Big Sur (try not to drive off a cliff), stop at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and hike the Pfeiffer Falls trail. It’s not much of a waterfall (just a dribble, actually) but the trail goes through a beautiful redwood grove. Being from MA, you may not have seen redwood trees.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a good idea, Ethilrist. Didn’t mean to only be snarky.
I will warn that once you hit the southern edge of Ventura County (Camarillo, Thousand Oaks) and start driving to San Diego, you will be in traffic. Lots of traffic. Very thick traffic. For a long time.
It takes a long time to get to San Diego from Los Angeles unless you make it a point to drive it late at a night.
18? You must have been the dude in front of me in February!
I can usually drive from Palo Alto to San Bernardino in 8 - 8.5 hours doing Highway 101. That’s in a school van, stopping for lunch at PeaSoup Andersen’s.
It’s a lovely drive from Santa Cruz to LA. After that it just gets ugly until you are south of Oceanside. I recommend stopping in Santa Barbara or Pismo Beach for the night, then heading to San Diego the next morning. Be aware that rush-hour traffic through LA is ghastly, expecially on the 101.
Otherwise, what Psycat90 said.
Well, if you only have a couple hours to go out of your way, then taking PCH may not be an option.
So, if you take I-5, then I recommend you stop at Harris Ranch for a meal. Assuming you like Steak, that is. Harris Ranch is in Coalinga, is about half way. Driving Directions. The steaks are awsome.
In Los Angeles, there are TONS of things to do, many of them inexpensive.
On your route, there is Griffith Park, if you want to get out and take a walk.
If you take I-405 thru Los Angeles, then I highly recommend taking in the J. Paul Getty Museum if you like culture. It’s right on the way, and FREE (well, parking isn’t, but admission is.) If you do one thing on my list, this is the thing to do.
If you’d rather visit a winery, then I recommend the San Antonio Winery just east of downtown. It’s a bit of a detour if you’re just passing thru town, but the food is excellent, and they have a large tasting room.
In San Diego, I recommend the San Diego Zoo above all else. Sure, you can go to La Jolla or Sea World, or the Gas Light District, but you’ll drop loads of cash there for stuff you can see in many other cities, but their Zoo is by far their most unique attraction. Plus, you can go at night when it’s cooler. Not that San Diego is all that hot in the summer.
There… that’s enough for a couple of days of distraction, at least… and it’s just a tiny sample.
OK, I padded my estimate a bit. ;). But I’m also talking about Hwy 1 all the way, not 101. 1 is definitely slower. And not for those prone to car-sickness.
Perhaps you could provide a catalyst for the holding of a Bay Area Dopefest, which, for whatever reason, seems to almost never happen.
Anyhow, to get the true flavor of Silicon Valley, I suggest you stop and wander around in a Fry’s Electronics. The one in Sunnyvale is exceptionally enormous.
I agree with both these suggestions. (And the Winchester Mystery House.)
Seriously, we’re past due for a Bay Area Dopefest and your Dad is welcome to come too.
There’ve been a few discussions of a big Dopefest over Labor Day weekend, but nothing ever really solidified.
I’m willing to bring that discussion up again.
What? No mention of Solvang yet? I am ashamed of you people. 
If you are going part of the way on the 101, check out Solvang. Very cool. Lots of interesting pastries, gifts and stuff. Fun to look around. The last time I was there, I ate at the Mexican restaurant, though. (Decent food, from what I remember.) So much for absorbing the Scandinavian culture of the town!
I’d recommend splitting the drive between Highway 1 and Highway 101. Take 101 past Gilroy, then head over towards Monterey and pick up Highway 1, stop in at the Aquarium, drive down to Pacific Grove (right next to Montrey) and past Asilomar Beach to Pebble Beach (if you want to drive through this area, you have to pay a fee (or you did when I was last there), but that will take you into Carmel. I loved Carmel, but mostly in the winter when there weren’t so many tourist–lots of nice art and fancy goods stores, although tourist crap is also in evidence. Continue on Highway 1 down to Big Sur, stopping at the resturant Nepenthe, one of the best views in the world and good food as well. I can’t remember where south of Big Sur you can cut back over to 101, (because I only care about Northern and Central Coast California and don’t understand why anyone would want to go to Southern California), but Hearst Castle and Solvang are also good places to check out.
I’m gonna have to disagree (sorry) and suggest the Wild Animal Park over the zoo (although either one isn’t going to be cheap – admission is $32 for the zoo and $29.50 for the WAP). But to me, it’s much more fascinating seeing animals out in the wide open, roaming around much as they would in their natural environment than it is to see them all caged up (I wasn’t all that impressed with the Zoo, in spite of its reputation). If you do visit the WAP, you definitely have to take the “railway” tour, as that’s where you’re going to have the best vantage points for seeing the open exhibits.
I second the Getty recommendation (parking does cost, but it’s only $5.00/vehicle, or you can park offsite for free and take their free shuttle if you’d rather), as well as Solvang (but of course I’m somewhat biased, seeing as how I’m married to a Dane ;)).
Also very cool is the Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits. It’s pretty inexpensive, too, at $7.00 / $4.50 with a student I.D.
Have a fun trip and good luck looking at schools!
Thanks guys. Another question, are any of you UCSD grads? In Chem? That’s my first choice and looking for opinions. BTW, I’ll be in the bay area July 25 and fly out of San Deigo on the 31st, in case there are any festivals, other than the gilroy garlic one that are then.
You’ve probably already gathered this from this thread, but there’s a HUGE trade-off you’re going to have to make when it comes to driving from the North to the South, between speed of trip and pleasantness of scenery.
Highway 5 goes straight down the middle of the state, and is several hours faster than any other route, but has NOTHING to see, except for a bunch of cows and a friggin’ huge IKEA building. 101 is slower and more interesting. 1 is slower still (much) and much more interesting. It’s possible to switch between 101 and 1, as Kalessa suggests. But if you choose 5, you’re stuck on it the whole way.