So Cal Vacation Tips

Driving in or flying?

Huntington Beach. Eat at Sancho's Tacos just north of the pier on PCH. Enjoy your visit!

Flying in early Sunday. Will bs there for a week.

Take the boat over to Catalina for a day.
I don't know anything about LA beaches. Never went North of Seal Beach. For beachtown atmosphere they're probably pretty much all the same though. For wave riding and clean water, not so much. Orange and San Diego counties for that.
Maybe a tour of the USS Iowa if you have never seen a WWII battleship. Tie it in with a late lunch on the Queen Mary. It's a few miles down the road.$$.
Wrong time of year for the desert. I used to love desert hiking and 4 wheeling, just not in July. You could go to Death Valley and then turn around a come back. Just to say you were in 120 degree heat. 122 today. Looks like a cooling trend coming next week. Down to 114.

I recommend skipping Flatlander Hell (L.A.) and head up 14 to 395. Once on 395 go north into Lone Pine. You can see the highest peak in the continental U.S. (Mt. Whitney). You can also get to Death Valley from there, but I promise you...right now, Death Valley is freaking hot. In Lone Pine visit the Film Museum, then head out to the Alabama Hills and see where many famous films have been shot. From there, head to Big Pine about 30 minutes further north. In Big Pine you will see a sign leading you to the oldest trees on the planet - the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains. You'll climb (in your car) to over 10,000 feet to see these beautiful, ancient trees. Of course, if it were me, I'd also being trying to pull some brown trout out of Big Pine Creek.

Big Pine Creek below.




Next stop, Bishop. Stay at the Best Western Creekside. Be sure and stop at Jack's Restaurant and Schat's Dutch Bakery. Lone Pine Creek and the lakes above Bishop offer some great fishing too. Lake Sabrina you can rent a boat and catch some fat browns and bows.

Best Western Creekside picture below.



Harry and wife up in the Bristlecones pictured below.



After Bishop, you're close to Mammoth. Might as well head up there and catch a really nice little alpine city. Not sure if you can go to the track and see that. They were still skiing up there at Mammoth as of last week, but don't know about now. Mammoth Creek offers some nice planted rainbow fishing.

Mammoth city area viewed from our room pictured below.



So, obviously, since I grew up there next to 395 and an hour south of Lone Pine, I'm a bit biased. There's just so much to see and do. If you're into U.S. Navy history, be sure and stop at the China Lake Museum of Armament and Technology. You pass China Lake on the way up - it is right off of 395.

Anyhow, that's my recommendation. I can't stand L.A. and all that crap, so only go there when I can't avoid it. I don't even fly into there when I visit. I fly into Ontario. Whatever you do, have fun. Stay off the Flatlander freeways during rush hours.

Thanks for the replies. We'll check out some of those places for sure.

tip. avoid so cal

Skyslide in downtown is a cool experience.

Exposition Park has quite a few things to see (e.g. Natural history museum, California science center- space shuttle Endeavor, LA coliseum).

Santa Monica pier and Venice beach for walking around..
Huntington Beach and seal beach for going in The water..

Disney, Great wolf lodge, knots, magic mountain, universal studios, for amusement parks..

Good places to eat is virtually endless with options ranging from sushi, Mexican, steak, sandwich, chicken, sea food, etc... seriously endless.

Plenty of moto things to See and do.

Have fun and enjoy your time with your family!

Big Bear will be nice if you want to see some nice scenery and hike (or even mountain bike possibly), I'll be up there next weekend.

I really like Universal Studios but you have to go on the right days so it isn't a shit show.

Venice beach is always fun to walk or rent a bicycle. I've never seen so many hot chicks in my life.

Just wanted to say thanks for the suggestions. We had a great time. Hit Venice beach for a bit. Drove around Malibu, Topanga Canyon, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Did some hiking to the Hollywood sign. Visited Griffith Park and Greystone Mansion. Walked on the Walk of Fame. Took a day trip to the Sequoia National Forest. Long drive but totally worth it. Hit Huntington and Laguna beaches for swimming. Checked out the Top of the World Park in Laguna. Hit the Peterson Museum. Caught a contact buzz no less than 3 times while walking around. We actually stayed in a cool place downtown, so we walked around there a bit as well. There is literally a starbucks on every other corner. haha

"contact buzz" Lmao.