Flying into Orange County for a week in August with my GF. Help me plan my trip...

[LuvSouthOC]

Or consider San Diego too.

[motobecaneti]

Why do you want to fly to Southern California and then drive up right away to San Francisco that same day? Enterprise car rental is only $45 a day if you rent a car from San Francisco and return the car in San Clemente. I say fly to San Franciso and do the one-way rental.

[motobecaneti]

From SF, I would take Hwy 1 and go visit Monterey and big sur, cambria and Morro bay. Go do Hearst Castle, Solvang and Santa Barbara (these three can be done in one day).
Go see the court house in Santa Barbara and make sure you climb the bell tower to take in the view. I would skip the mission at Santa Barbara it's overpriced and not much to see. Go check out the pier at Santa barbara, if you are lucky you will see the birds bomb diving to catch fishes. I would spend the night in Santa Barbara only if it's a Saturday when it's most alive. On the way from Santa Barbara to LA, stop at Camarillo outlet to shop...you will get brownie points from your gf on this. Go check out the pier at Santa barbara, if you are lucky you will see the birds bomb diving to catch fishes.

Hollywood and LA can definitely be done in one day.

By the way, you aren't going to find better beaches along the California coast that's better than Laguna Beach and San Clemente so don't waste your time hanging out at a beach along the central coast.

[Shaolin Shadowboxing]

Originally Posted by motobecaneti

Why do you want to fly to Southern California and then drive up right away to San Francisco that same day? Enterprise car rental is only $45 a day if you rent a car from San Francisco and return the car in San Clemente. I say fly to San Franciso and do the one-way rental.

b/c i am staying in orange county for the final few days of my trip and dont want to drive back up to leave.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by thefastlife

b/c i am staying in orange county for the final few days of my trip and dont want to drive back up to leave.

Either skip SF completely or fly into the SF area and fly out of Southern California. But it really isn't practical your plan to fly into Southern California and immediately drive up to the SF for such a short period of time especially since you seem to be coming from the East coast (approx. 5 hours flight with a 3 hour time difference). There are plenty of things to do and see in Southern California including stuff in Orange County itself such as Dana Point Harbor, Mission San Capistrano, etc. This is besides a visit to San Diego and/or L.A., Long Beach, etc.

If you decide to drive down from SF to Southern California, I would stop in the Carmel/Monterey area for an overnight if you don't want to drive direct.

[Shaolin Shadowboxing]

Originally Posted by Chava61

Either skip SF completely or fly into the SF area and fly out of Southern California. But it really isn't practical your plan to fly into Southern California and immediately drive up to the SF for such a short period of time especially since you seem to be coming from the East coast (approx. 5 hours flight with a 3 hour time difference). There are plenty of things to do and see in Southern California including stuff in Orange County itself such as Dana Point Harbor, Mission San Capistrano, etc. This is besides a visit to San Diego and/or L.A., Long Beach, etc.

If you decide to drive down from SF to Southern California, I would stop in the Carmel/Monterey area for an overnight if you don't want to drive direct.

yep ive already decided on skipping SF

[LuvSouthOC]

Try San Diego, OC (which you'll be in), and LA (watch the time's you drive to carefully avoid traffic). Take the 73 toll road too. You should be able to swing thru Ventura and Santa Barbara...exhausti ng and give yourself a hotel night there and be very careful to avoid traffic thru LA coming back...I'm very serious about this, leave very early or late. The traffic can kill your trip so plan times carefully.

[harhar]

San Fran is cool but it and the areas around it could take a few days to see.

My wife and I loved walking around the city, but we had time. Places like Sausalito are beautiful too and seem like another world.

I'd echo going to Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, Morrow Bay/Solvang. That area is beautiful and there are a lot of little things to do in each town.

As far as OC and LA unless you want tourist traps, a lot of things outside that boil down to preference. There's a lot of cool places to eat, see and visit but without knowing you it'd personally be hard to recommend things.

There are "hipster islands" in Costa Mesa and Anaheim that might be appealing. South County beaches, and Laguna's Coves are always nice. Fashion Island, although a mall, is still beautiful.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by harhar

South County beaches, and Laguna's Coves are always nice. Fashion Island, although a mall, is still beautiful.

I hate malls; my teenage daughters love them. The only mall in OC that I can tolerate is Fashion Island. I can get a drink or snack and sit outside by a fountain reading a book while they shop, and it's actually pleasant. So if your GF loves shopping and you don't, that's the best recommendation I have. Then, after you're done at the mall, Corona del Mar (beach) is only 5 minutes away.