Expert: Steve Summers - 8/10/2003

Question
Hi Steve,
I'm coming over to LA from New Zealand shortly and was intending to drive to San Diego, visiting the beaches along the way. If I take the Pacific Coast Highway, without stopping, how long would I expect to take?
Do you know how long it takes to get from Las Vegas to LA?
Also, what is the cheapest way to get around LA?
I'll be there for a few days to do the touristy things, would I be better off with a Rental Car, or take an alternate form of transportation?
If you could help with any of these questions it would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Andrew.

Answer
Hi Andrew!

That's quite a range of good questions. Let's take them one at a time:

PCH: If you start at LAX, you can probably make it it SD in about 4 hours, depending on traffic. LAX to San Diego is 120 miles, about 2 hours on the freeway if there is no traffic. PCH is a highway in name only until you get to Orange County. From LAX through Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beaches, you don't see much beach at all. Rather, you see the back end of someone's beach house.

Here's an idea, which will give you the best views and not waste a lot of time looking at buildings and beach houses: Take the 105 freeway to the 405, then take the 405 south to Bellflower Blvd in Long Beach. Take Bellflower south to PCH, then you can take it from there all the way through Orange County. Here are a few notes for the trip:

-In Long Beach, at PCH and Los Coyotes Diagonal, is an In-N-Out Burger. We in So Cal are mad about hamburgers, and In-N-Out makes the best of all of the major chains. Get a Double-Double, fries, and a shake, and eat it in the car. Life gets pretty good at that point.

-In Sunset Beach, just as you go into Orange County, look for a giant water tower on the right. That is actually somebody's house!

-In Huntington Beach, you can stop at the Huntington Beach Pier and watch the surfers. They just had the surfing championships here, for pretty good reason. If you missed In-N-Out back in Long Beach, take a walk out to the end of the pier and get a burger and a shake at Ruby's, a 50's-style diner.

-Huntington Beach to Newport Beach is a nice stretch, with long stretches of sand.

-Newport from Laguna Beach is also a nice stretch. Look for a little yellow shack on the right side of the road. The Shake Shack, in Crystal Cove, makes shakes and smoothies that are delicious.

-Dana Point Harbor to the Orange County line is also a nice stretch of road. Once you pass Doheney State Beach, the road name changes to El Camino Real. In San Clemente, El Camino Real crosses I-5. At this point, take I-5 in order to cross the Marine Base.

-The San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant and San Onofre State Beach are on the right as you go into San Diego County. For some reason, the locals call it "Dolly Parton State Beach". If you've ever seen Dolly Parton, and seen the reactors at San Onofre, it becomes obvious.

-Take the Oceanside Blvd exit, turn right, then left again on Coast Highway. You will pass over a series of lagoons, which are usually full of birds.

-Note that there is another In-N-Out at Palomar Airport Road and I-5. Or try going to the Claim Jumper Restaurant. CJ's has large portions, so go with an appetite. I recommend the ribs.

-If you like Mexican Food, try Juanita's tacos in Leucadia. It's on the right sid of th Coast Highway.It's hardly more than a shack, but most of the best places are like that.

-Short side trip: Turn right at Encinitas Blvd, then follow 4th St as it goes to the right. Look on the left side for a couple of small homes that were built to look like boats.

-Solano Beach is another pretty stretch of road, right next to the Del Mar Fairgrounds. At this point, Coast Highway 101 becomes Camino Del Mar.

-As you enter Torrey Pines, the road becomes Torrey Pines Road. Once you get to La Jolla, I recommend taking La Jolla Village Drive to I-5. The "Coast Highway" winds through La Jolla, without much in the way of beaches. You will get a nice view of Mission Bay on the right side as you go into SD.

In San Diego, I like to eat at Anthony's, which serves pretty decent seafood on the waterfront. Exit I-5 at Harbor Dr (by the airport). The exit drops you on Kettner. Turn right on Laurel (as if to go to the airport), then left on Harbor Drive. Once you pass the Star of India, Anthony's is on the right.

The real guru of San Diego is "Local Wally". Check out his site at www.localwally.com.

It takes about 4 hours to drive from Vegas to LA. Add 2 hours if you drive it on Sunday. Stop in Barstow (Ludlow, actually) where the 15 meets the 40 for the biggest In-N-Out I have ever seen. This is the halfway point to LA.

The cheapest way to get around LA is the bus. But don't take it. LA's public transit sucks. Totally, Dude. (Sorry, I had to say that). We are just now getting to where we should have been 50 years ago. My advice: Rent a car. This is how we all get around. And check out www.sigalert.com for traffic conditions on the freeways.

The only time I recommend taking the bus is if you are here with a big group. In that case, you just rent a nice air-conditioned coach.

BTW, it's very hot here now. When you rent your car, don't go too small. Some of those little sub-compacts don't have good air conditioning. And make sure you test the AC before you take the rental car off the lot. Finally, bring a few CD's for the car in case you get stuck in traffic.

Have fun,

Steve


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