Thinking about going to California in late January

[Scouzer]

Will be for one week. Thoughts on late January weather? We're Canadians so above about 55 is no jacket weather...but it will likely rain a lot I assume?

Primary attractions:

Disneyland
Six Flags
Universal
San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge

Interests: Entertainment, history, architecture.

Will probably be staying in LA or Anaheim. Not really sure what would be better...

We'd also like to make it to San Francisco for a day trip or maybe one night. Economical? Greyhound is $135 US for the two of us. Seems OK, trying to keep the whole trip under $3000 total.

The only attraction ruled out is Sea World...no interest personally. Please, go ahead and recommend other attractions or any other thoughts

 

[I Saw OJ]

How about Yosemite? Althought it might be a bit below 55 there, its very beautiful.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

LA area isn't worth seeing in my opinion. Disneyland is cool but other than that LA is disgusting (IMO). As far as weather goes.. It's likely to rain while you are here but probably not the whole time. Our weather here is confusing, but since where you are going is along the coast expect fog and lots of it.

 

[Scouzer]

Oh don't get me wrong, below 55 is fine, I just am not sure what the weather is like. Spring jackets will be brought along.

Yosemite...maybe. But we're from Alberta, and this is the land of natural beauty, so it almost seems like a waste to go so far to see more mountains.

BTW, rental car not possible. I'm 20, she's 19. Guess we're below drinking age too....that'll be weird.

Overlordi...thoughts about where is better? Which attractions to see?

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
How about Yosemite? Althought it might be a bit below 55 there, its very beautiful.

Aye! Go to Yosemite that place is beautiful. I would highly recommend experiencing this national park. Just go ahead and google some pictures of it and you'll see. Trust me it is stunning in person.

 

[SuepaFly]

Originally posted by: Scouzer
Will be for one week. Thoughts on late January weather? We're Canadians so above about 55 is no jacket weather...but it will likely rain a lot I assume?

Primary attractions:

Disneyland
Six Flags
Universal
San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge

Interests: Entertainment, history, architecture.

Will probably be staying in LA or Anaheim. Not really sure what would be better...

We'd also like to make it to San Francisco for a day trip or maybe one night. Economical? Greyhound is $135 US for the two of us. Seems OK, trying to keep the whole trip under $3000 total.

The only attraction ruled out is Sea World...no interest personally. Please, go ahead and recommend other attractions or any other thoughts

As someone who has lived in both places, I'd say the weather really depends. San Francisco could be pretty rainy by then, you'd have to see what sort of storms are working their way down the coast around then.

With regards to Six Flags, which one are you looking at going to? There's the one in Southern California, Santa Clarita, but I heard it's sort of ghetto. There's a Six Flags up near San Francisco in Santa Clara, I definitely do not recommend the Marine World in Vallejo though.

For architecture, I'd say that San Francisco again has way more to offer, as LA is a lot of newer buildings (houses and businesses). Maybe I'm biased, but sometimes when I drive through the Financial District, I see some amazing things, from buildings to ornate carvings for ceilings inside those buildings. Consider though that although $135 may be cheap for Greyhound, it will probably take you nearly 12 hours by bus.

I'd land at LAX or John Wayne (Orange County) and head to Disneyland first. If the weather isn't too bad, check out the beaches down that way rather than Malibu or Venice. Head north to Universal (don't go at night, it gets scary sometimes). Then go through Downtown, up to the west side (Santa Monica, Venice, Century City, Rodeo Drive etc...). As someone who lived in Malibu for a few years, skip it, it sounds glamorous but there's really not much there and the beaches are primarily private. What would be awesome though is if you want to "rough it" spend the night at this campground across PCH from the ocean, we used to take night trips up there and sit on the beach at midnight. Then head up north and enjoy the not as great weather, but great city. Do Coit Tower, Pier 39 (if you want), Golden Gate, Golden Gate park, Legion of Honor, SFMOMA, Union Square, etc...

But that's just me

 

[Scouzer]

Very good thoughts Suepafly. I really appreciate that.

I am thinking to the effect of 3 days in LA now and then 4 in SF. It's a 9-10 hour bus ride...I had no idea it'd be so long.

But instead we can fly into LAX and leave from SFO. Costs $10 more.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Scouzer
Will be for one week. Thoughts on late January weather? We're Canadians so above about 55 is no jacket weather...but it will likely rain a lot I assume?

Primary attractions:

Disneyland
Six Flags
Universal
San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge

Interests: Entertainment, history, architecture.

Will probably be staying in LA or Anaheim. Not really sure what would be better...

We'd also like to make it to San Francisco for a day trip or maybe one night. Economical? Greyhound is $135 US for the two of us. Seems OK, trying to keep the whole trip under $3000 total.

The only attraction ruled out is Sea World...no interest personally. Please, go ahead and recommend other attractions or any other thoughts

It may rain but it's not likely. We have had a pretty dry winter thus far. It was 80 here yesterday.

BTW-San Francisco is 500 miles north of Los Angeles. Not exactly a day trip.

 

[Scouzer]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Scouzer
Will be for one week. Thoughts on late January weather? We're Canadians so above about 55 is no jacket weather...but it will likely rain a lot I assume?

Primary attractions:

Disneyland
Six Flags
Universal
San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge

Interests: Entertainment, history, architecture.

Will probably be staying in LA or Anaheim. Not really sure what would be better...

We'd also like to make it to San Francisco for a day trip or maybe one night. Economical? Greyhound is $135 US for the two of us. Seems OK, trying to keep the whole trip under $3000 total.

The only attraction ruled out is Sea World...no interest personally. Please, go ahead and recommend other attractions or any other thoughts

It may rain but it's not likely. We have had a pretty dry winter thus far. It was 80 here yesterday.

BTW-San Francisco is 500 miles north of Los Angeles. Not exactly a day trip.

Yeah I had not realized it was so far. I am not sure if its reasonable to do both in a 7 day trip...basically a whole day written off on a Greyhound. Is it an interesting drive at least?

 

[SuepaFly]

Originally posted by: Scouzer

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Scouzer
Will be for one week. Thoughts on late January weather? We're Canadians so above about 55 is no jacket weather...but it will likely rain a lot I assume?

Primary attractions:

Disneyland
Six Flags
Universal
San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge

Interests: Entertainment, history, architecture.

Will probably be staying in LA or Anaheim. Not really sure what would be better...

We'd also like to make it to San Francisco for a day trip or maybe one night. Economical? Greyhound is $135 US for the two of us. Seems OK, trying to keep the whole trip under $3000 total.

The only attraction ruled out is Sea World...no interest personally. Please, go ahead and recommend other attractions or any other thoughts

It may rain but it's not likely. We have had a pretty dry winter thus far. It was 80 here yesterday.

BTW-San Francisco is 500 miles north of Los Angeles. Not exactly a day trip.

Yeah I had not realized it was so far. I am not sure if its reasonable to do both in a 7 day trip...basically a whole day written off on a Greyhound. Is it an interesting drive at least?

Only if they take 101 up, otherwise you're screwed with Interestate 5, plug your nose around Harris Ranch if you're on the 5