May have to drive to San Francisco in two weeks... (Los Angeles: sales, hotels)

[Need4Camaro]

Driving from Austin TX to San Fran to help a friend move there. I know California has checkpoints around its state borders. Is there anything related to Covid I need to be aware of? I'm not really going to do much else after I get them squared away, maybe sight see alittle bit if I'm allowed to but not expecting anything to be open. Outside of that will I run into problems with driving along public roads there? passes or authorizations to be outside? ect?

[DeanoSF]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/u...%20responsibly.


There are no COVID-related restrictions for travel in California. Conversely, I believe that at one time there were restrictions on entering Texas, though they may have been relaxed. So, you may have an issue going home, ironically. The only checkpoints you will encounter at the California state line that I know of are agricultural ones, making sure you don't let in fruit flies and other pests on your snacks. You may encounter Border Patrol checks in New Mexico and Arizona, too, if I remember correctly. I'm not sure if those states have any COVID restrictions on travel.

No jack-booted soldiers will ask for your papers here and there's no such thing as an authorization to be outside. SF does require a mask to be worn outside in the City, but even that is loosely, if ever enforced. In my experience, it doesn't need to be. 95% of the people I encounter on the street here are wearing a mask, or have one handy if someone comes within about 60 feet of them. I confess, I often ride my bike with my mask pulled down, but again, have it ready if needed.

A lot of restaurants are open to a limited degree--in non-tourist neighborhoods. The tourist areas like Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square/Theater District , as well as areas in and around the Financial District are mostly closed.

Restaurants and a few bars with enough food sales to qualify along major commercial streets like Fillmore, Polk, Union, Valencia, Haight, Mission, etc. are open for outside seating only, as they've closed off parking spaces for limited numbers of tables in the streets. That's been hampered for the past week, due to smoke from wildfires. It is pretty unpleasant to be outside in most parts of the City right now because of the smoke.

Some shops are open. I rode my bike past the Alcatraz ferry landing the other day and saw a sign that said they were open for business, but I doubt it. If you wanted to walk or ride on the Golden Gate Bridge, it's probably windy enough to be free of smoke. Likewise hiking around Land's End or anywhere on the immediate coastline is possibly OK. This smoke situation will likely be with us for awhile, though.

So, no indoor dining. Only a few shops are open. No baseball or theater performances. My wife went to the flagship Apple Store today to get her computer examined and was in and out in about 30 minutes, if that tells you how dead they were. That place is always packed. At least they were open... You get the idea.

Most hotels are boarded-up. No cable cars running. Half the buses, ferries and trains are running. It's pretty miserable. Visually beautiful, still, but pretty miserable for those of us who love this place. Still lots of people in the parks (pre-smoke, anyway) A bottle of wine with in-bubble friends, sitting in a white circle in a hillside park on a sunny SF Saturday is a nice way to spend the day...even in a pandemic.

[tikkasf]

The supposed check points you may be thinking of, may be the agricultural check points that have existed for a long time.....they are just asking about agricultural products you may have in your vehicle......such as fresh fruit......that's all,.... if you happen to come across one of these check points

[Need4Camaro]

One other question, seems like SF area has alot of fires going on currently. Will driving up U.S. 101 from Los Angeles be an issue? Wanted to take the scenic route but I'm especially concerned about the fires in Coyote and SCU. Oh and any recommendation for suburbs with safe hotels?

[gone down south]

You can't take Highway 1 along the coast, that's smack in the middle of the fires, but 101 should be fine.
And don't stay in the burbs, stay in the city if you want to see the city.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by gone down south

You can't take Highway 1 along the coast, that's smack in the middle of the fires, but 101 should be fine.
And don't stay in the burbs, stay in the city if you want to see the city.

Noted, J/W is there any issue with the suburbs?

[gone down south]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Noted, J/W is there any issue with the suburbs?

No, but in the best of times why bother adding big commutes to your daily schedule? You're on vacation, don't waste time waiting for trains or dealing with finding parking. Why go sleep somewhere you can't walk around after dinner?

And we're not in the best of times.... public transit is on reduced schedules in many cases. Hotels are empty so rates are low. Restaurants are mostly either closed or take-out only.

[PMicallief]

There aren’t any serious restrictions that I know of, recently we drove to Phoenix and back and had no trouble

This isn’t directly related to your question but as someone who went to college in Austin and drove home often you’re gonna find that Mapquest, Google Maps etc all tell you to take 10 to California before getting on 5 in Los Angeles and taking it north. Don’t do that, even with no traffic it’s a longer ride but I do promise that you encounter enough traffic to make you rip your hair out when in/around LA on that route. Instead, take 40 from Texas to Barstow, California and then get on the Barstow-Bakersfield highway (California State Road 58) to Bakersfield and get on 5 over there!

However I think that the best way to get there isn’t by car at all, it’s by train! With that in mind the best way to get to SF from Austin is to take the Amtrak Texas Eagle to LA and then change over to the Coast Starlight and take that to either Oakland Jack London Sq or Emeryville which are both right across the Bay. Amtrak only takes a few hours longer but you’ll save a lot of money when you factor in the cost of gas, stopping for food and getting an hotel room for the night; also you’ll see all of the beauty of the American west out of your window. Personally, after taking that one train trip in college 5 or 6 years ago on the Texas Eagle to Chicago, I became obsessive about trains and built one in my garden, and since then every year I try to go on a train vacation.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Driving from Austin TX to San Fran to help a friend move there. I know California has checkpoints around its state borders. Is there anything related to Covid I need to be aware of? I'm not really going to do much else after I get them squared away, maybe sight see alittle bit if I'm allowed to but not expecting anything to be open. Outside of that will I run into problems with driving along public roads there? passes or authorizations to be outside? ect?

"Passes, authorizations, problems?

Where are you from? (Gotta be outta the USA.)

As far as "checkpoints," the State may/will ask you if you're bringing any fruit or veggies into the State.

That's it.


You're too far North to hit a border patrol "checkpoint." So, no worries there.

Fuel up before you cross the Stateline, because you're gonna flip when you see $4/gallon gas, when you've been used to $1.79/gal gas.

[DeanoSF]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

"Passes, authorizations, problems?

Where are you from? (Gotta be outta the USA.)

As far as "checkpoints," the State may/will ask you if you're bringing any fruit or veggies into the State.

That's it.


You're too far North to hit a border patrol "checkpoint." So, no worries there.

Fuel up before you cross the Stateline, because you're gonna flip when you see $4/gallon gas, when you've been used to $1.79/gal gas.

I've crossed that desert between California (where I live) and Texas (where I was born) by car seven times. Each time I remember having to stop at at least one checkpoint checking for citizenship. Whether or not it was US Border Patrol, state police, or some other entity I can't remember.

Driving on I-10 from Texas to California the last time, when I moved, I came upon a checkpoint in Arizona at about 1:00 am. It was pretty quiet, and the officers manning the checkpoint were pretty much waving everyone through.

When I pulled up to the officer, with my ID out, he didn't ask to see it. Instead, he asked, "Are you a US citizen?"

Feeling proud of my home state (yet excited about moving), I answered, "Even better. I'm a Texan."

He smiled and immediately waved me through.