2 driving vacation options = need ideas

Everskyward said:
Monterey has airline service, but depending on what the connections look like, SJC might be easier.
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Same deal for SLO, or Santa Rosa if you want to go north.

Maybe one of us locals can be talked into a flight to MRY if you don't have too much stuff. Del Monte isn't a long walk to the 121 terminal or the rental car lot. It's a rather pleasant airport, except for the ramp fee.
 
Matthew said:
What's a decent airport for something like that? SJC, then head south, then back north? Or is there another place south of there so we wouldn't have to backtrack?
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As Everskyward mentioned, Monterey is not going to have much in the way of commercial flights (though it is very GA friendly for a Class C). SJC is less than a two hour drive, though, so, yes, that is the best place to fly into.
 
MAKG1 said:
Same deal for SLO, or Santa Rosa if you want to go north.

Maybe one of us locals can be talked into a flight to MRY if you don't have too much stuff. Del Monte isn't a long walk to the 121 terminal or the rental car lot. It's a rather pleasant airport, except for the ramp fee.
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Del Monte is great. They would get him a rental right there. They have actually given me a courtesy car a time or two on lunch runs.
 
John221us said:
As Everskyward mentioned, Monterey is not going to have much in the way of commercial flights (though it is very GA friendly for a Class C). SJC is less than a two hour drive, though, so, yes, that is the best place to fly into.
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RHV isn't a half bad place to fly in to either. It's easier to get in and out of (ground transportation wise) than SJC in my opinion.
 
Sac Arrow said:
RHV isn't a half bad place to fly in to either. It's easier to get in and out of (ground transportation wise) than SJC in my opinion.
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But Matthew is flying in commercial from out-of-state, so his first stop would need to have commercial service.
 
Sac Arrow said:
RHV isn't a half bad place to fly in to either. It's easier to get in and out of (ground transportation wise) than SJC in my opinion.
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Yes, for GA into San Jose, I have always used RHV, too. I like Nice Air. They get me into a rental car usually within 10 minutes.
 
I've been out to CA a few times. Wanted to spend some more time on the PCH. The first time was in a subcompact that didn't have much in the way of power. I was lucky to get out alive. Last time was a new Mustang. Thanks to unlimited milage, I did about 400 miles.
I always wanted to get back to Gilroy. Maybe the garlic feastival in July http://gilroygarlicfestival.com. Garlic capital of the world or so they believe. Growing not using.
 
silver-eagle said:
I've been out to CA a few times. Wanted to spend some more time on the PCH. The first time was in a subcompact that didn't have much in the way of power. I was lucky to get out alive. Last time was a new Mustang. Thanks to unlimited milage, I did about 400 miles.
I always wanted to get back to Gilroy. Maybe the garlic feastival in July http://gilroygarlicfestival.com. Garlic capital of the world or so they believe. Growing not using.
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Many years ago I was in San Jose with a buddy for some kind of trade show. We blew off one day and drove to Gilroy and Carmel. Didnt feel bad about it, either. Good times.
 
Sac Arrow said:
RHV isn't a half bad place to fly in to either. It's easier to get in and out of (ground transportation wise) than SJC in my opinion.
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Yeah, some day I'l be able to do that.

Looks like SJC might be a good starting point. Probably driving no more than 3-4 hrs a day, at most, going South to North. Maybe drive a few hours, stop a few hours, then drive a few more hours. Will look at an atlas and see where that gets us.
 
One of my favorite spots on the coast is the Marin Headlands. Hilltop 88 (one of about 120 abandoned cookie cutter Nike missile radar sites) is a beautiful hike if you're in to that. It's on the north side of the Golden Gate. It's also home of Battery Townsley, which is one of two 16 inch gun batteries which were constructed prior to WWII to protect the entrance to the bay. The other is at Fort Funston in South San Francisco. The guns aren't there but the massive concrete structures are.

In fact, Hilltop 88 appears in two of my book covers.
 
Sac Arrow said:
One of my favorite spots on the coast is the Marin Headlands. Hilltop 88 (one of about 120 abandoned cookie cutter Nike missile radar sites) is a beautiful hike if you're in to that. It's on the north side of the Golden Gate. It's also home of Battery Townsley, which is one of two 16 inch gun batteries which were constructed prior to WWII to protect the entrance to the bay. The other is at Fort Funston in South San Francisco. The guns aren't there but the massive concrete structures are.

In fact, Hilltop 88 appears in two of my book covers.
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About 2-3 years ago we pulled over for a quick stop at Vista Point (?), that rest stop/visitor center on the north side of the bridge, east side of the highway. We were on our way up to Santa Rosa. The Marin Headlands look like it's just on the other side.

I'll put it on the list.
 
Matthew said:
About 2-3 years ago we pulled over for a quick stop at Vista Point (?), that rest stop/visitor center on the north side of the bridge, east side of the highway. We were on our way up to Santa Rosa. The Marin Headlands look like it's just on the other side.

I'll put it on the list.
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To get there from the 101, you take the first exit off the freeway north of the bridge, which is Vista Point, then there is a side road that takes you under the 101 to the west side. Follow it all the way up and down the one way road on Conzelman, and then back through the tunnel. I usually park at Rodeo Beach. You can pick up the PCH going north on the 101 at the end of Sausalito.
 
Sac,

Thanks for those tips.

I looked around on the Google and found some pictures:

7152728.jpg
 
If you're in the area you should go to the Point Bonita lighthouse which is on that point of land, hidden behind the high ground.

IMG_0822.JPG
 
Any thoughts on KSBP? Looks like it might be an option, but with limited flights in.
 
Have some breakfast at the Lucia restaurant in Big Sur.
 
Matthew said:
Sac,

Thanks for those tips.

I looked around on the Google and found some pictures:

7152728.jpg
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If you turned around the other way from that spot you would see this... (minus the writing of course.)
 
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I heard today that the redwood with the drive through tunnel fell down in the recent storms. Missed that opportunity.
 
Matthew said:
Any thoughts on KSBP? Looks like it might be an option, but with limited flights in.
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SLO is a real nice place, but that airport is far from anything.

There are several really good barbecue joints in downtown, near the mission. That region has a unique style.

You'll have an easier time at KSBA, but it's another 100 miles south.
 
cgrab said:
I heard today that the redwood with the drive through tunnel fell down in the recent storms. Missed that opportunity.
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There has always been more than one.

The one in Garberville is still there. I believe the one that fell down is near Angels Camp.
 
One nice thing about SBA is that since you're that far south, you can do a Sideways and hit the Solvang/Buellton wine region. It's along the way going north.
 
MAKG1 said:
SLO is a real nice place, but that airport is far from anything.

There are several really good barbecue joints in downtown, near the mission. That region has a unique style.

You'll have an easier time at KSBA, but it's another 100 miles south.
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I keep moving down the coast!

I was trying to make a plan of driving south to north starting around Big Sur vicinity, but I didn't want to start too far north and then have to drive south, then back north again. Ah, well, "Going too far is half the pleasure of not getting anywhere." - Bill Griffith

SJC seems to be working out best for what we are looking at doing. Fly into SJC, grab a car, wander SW towards the coast, then drive north until we run out of vacation days and have to fly back from somewhere else.
 
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