San Fran/Los angeles

[WaltonRed 24]

Finally gotten round to going over to see my sister in San Fran.

 

Leave with the missus on the 6th of april for a couple of weeks.

 

Going to drive to Los angeles in the middle of it for a couple of nights too then back up to San Fran to watch PULP in the Warfield theatre.

 

any good bars/clubs/restaurants/record shops?

 

I'll also need somehere to watch us play when i'm there cos we'll be playing whilst i'm away.

[Jarvinja Ilnow 1,236]

Well if you are in SanFrancisco then you've got to try Liverpool Lil's - nice location near the Presidio. Not sure you'll get the match there (despite the name) as it's baseball/ American football mostly. Great IPA beers though.

 

Welcome to Liverpool Lil's

 

For the football, there's a pub on Fisherman's Wharf - I think it's 'Jack's' and it's before you get to the Giradelli Square end of the F's Wharf (I think it's opposite the Boating club). There was football there when we last went, and a decent range of microbrews as well as the usual watery lagers.

 

I'm really jealous - can't wait to go back!

[Guest ShoePiss]

I'm back in SF in a couple of weeks. Fisherman's wharf is a nasty tourist trap and it stinks.

 

Mad dog in the fog in lower haight for watching the games

[theghost 3]

LA is shit. Stay close to the beach and you'll be good, otherwise it's nothing worth seeing.

[WaltonRed 24]

Just going so we can drive down the coast then have a couple of days

[Remmie 5,803]

Good thread as I am off to Vegas tomorrow for a week then San Fran. Got 2 weeks though so any other must do's in Cali?

[RobbieOR 1,514]

LA is shit. Stay close to the beach and you'll be good, otherwise it's nothing worth seeing.

 

Really, Pat? It's always been a place I'd love to go to.

[kelster 2]

There is a bar in SF near the centre that shows football. I know that doesn't help but I did watch the scum get beaten by Barcelona in the CL final there so it brings back happy memories for me.

[theghost 3]

Really, Pat? It's always been a place I'd love to go to.

 

There are pockets of LA that are worth a visit, but the coast and SF (even though I'm not a huge fan either) are where it's at. San Diego is also beter.

[Karl_b 1,623]

LA holds no appeal to me, at all. I just see it as the centre of the vacuous, celeb culture that I want nothing to do with. San Fran on the other hand appeals and I love to go, but I never stick to travel plans anyway so whether I'll ever get there or not I have no idea.

[Carvalho Diablo 14,730]

LA is shit. Stay close to the beach and you'll be good, otherwise it's nothing worth seeing.

 

I would not disagree with this.

[Carvalho Diablo 14,730]

Good thread as I am off to Vegas tomorrow for a week then San Fran. Got 2 weeks though so any other must do's in Cali?

 

Carmel, and visit the giant Redwood's in Northern California.

[Champ 4,852]

Carmel, and visit the giant Redwood's in Northern California.

Did the trip from SF to Los Angeles. Went to an old gold mining ghost town called Bodie a couple of hours drive from SF all out on its own in the heat, really enjoyed that and Yosemite, camped there and had to keep your food locked up to deter the bears, and the Sequoia National Park. The vastness of the landscapes is just awesome.

Really liked San Francisco, Los Angeles not so much. The beach at Santa Monica was good

[Guest ShoePiss]

Some good places mentioned. I would take HWY 1 down the coast all the way and on the way back go to Mojave, Death Valley then north through Kings Canyon, Sierra National forest and Yosemite.

 

Santa Cruz, Monterrey, Carmel, 17 mile drive and Pebble Beach, Big Sur, Pismo Beach, San Luis Opisbo.

 

I like the coast and the outdoors though.

[Red Banjo 1,449]

San Fran is boss, LA is shite. I had the misfortune of attempting to watch a game whilst there. Ended up in Hooters, opposite the chinese theatre in Hollywood - on a 9" screen without any sound. Be warned. Vegas and San Fran are easy spots to watch, LA - not so.

[Champ 4,852]

The trouble is its so big 2 weeks just doesnt do it justice. You can only do so much. What amazed me was the contrast between life in the cities and just a short drive out and it's like stepping back in time

[theghost 3]

Carmel is one of the best small towns in the USA. It's amazing.

[Carvalho Diablo 14,730]

Carmel is one of the best small towns in the USA. It's amazing.

 

One of my lifetime ambition's would be to have a bottle of Brown Ale with Mr Eastwood in the Hogsbreath Tavern.

[WaltonRed 24]

I know what you mean Champ but its all we can muster at the min.

 

Wont be going mad, probably drive out of San Fran, spend the afternoon and night in Big Sur then on down to Los angeles. Just going to jump the plane back to SF.

 

I know what you're all saying about Los angeles but we can get a good deal on the Standard hotel which looks boss so hopefully we'll have a good couple of nights down there.

[Jose Jones 2,658]

I know what you mean Champ but its all we can muster at the min.

 

Wont be going mad, probably drive out of San Fran, spend the afternoon and night in Big Sur then on down to Los angeles. Just going to jump the plane back to SF.

 

I know what you're all saying about Los angeles but we can get a good deal on the Standard hotel which looks boss so hopefully we'll have a good couple of nights down there.

 

LA is alright if you take it in the right spirit. Around Santa Monica and Venice Beach is pretty good. Also you can go out on the piss on Sunset strip and watch people acting like they think they are movie stars. I went out with some blonde bird from Leeds that I met in the hostel (and who has definitely been bummed by Tom R since), got lots of free drinks in one bar from a guy who was telling her he was a movie producer. Went to the Viper Room and then ended up in some dodgy after hours warehouse rave. Couldn't find any drugs though so was back by 5am.

Didn't get to bum the blonde though, but neither did the "movie producer" guy. Still, good times.

[Remmie 5,803]

So what's so great about this Carmel place then?

[WaltonRed 24]

LA is alright if you take it in the right spirit. Around Santa Monica and Venice Beach is pretty good. Also you can go out on the piss on Sunset strip and watch people acting like they think they are movie stars. I went out with some blonde bird from Leeds that I met in the hostel (and who has definitely been bummed by Tom R since), got lots of free drinks in one bar from a guy who was telling her he was a movie producer. Went to the Viper Room and then ended up in some dodgy after hours warehouse rave. Couldn't find any drugs though so was back by 5am.

Didn't get to bum the blonde though, but neither did the "movie producer" guy. Still, good times.

 

Viper room might be on the list

 

Got to go for a drink in chateau marmont too

[Unrighteous 952]

LA is shit. Stay close to the beach and you'll be good, otherwise it's nothing worth seeing.

 

Agreed. I hate Los Angeles. Worst fucking place that I've ever been.

 

Really, Pat? It's always been a place I'd love to go to.

 

Don't do it. It's a fucking shitehole.

 

There are pockets of LA that are worth a visit, but the coast and SF (even though I'm not a huge fan either) are where it's at. San Diego is also beter.

 

Pockets, if you have the foreknowledge, and are there specifically to see them. Los Angeles is a waste of time for the casual tourist.

 

I would not disagree with this.

 

Exactly. It's shite.

[Jhinge Machha 297]

LA is overrated as fuck..dirty, crowded, smelly streets everywhere.

san francisco on the other hand is a great city.

i went driving around california this winter, yosemite and death valley were great.

[Scott_M 5,307]

Surprised by the LA hate, I went last year and although I was initially disappointed with it (and I was initially disappointed by New York), the more I think about it, it's made a lasting impression on me.

 

I'll conceed that it's not for everybody but in hindsight, I really enjoyed it.

 

If your passing through, it's deffo worth a look about and there is plenty to do for a few days - Walk Of Fame, Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive, Farmers Market / Grove, Sunset, Universal Studios etc etc.

 

We went to Venice & Santa Monica for a day but ended up in a local doctors all afternoon as my Mrs either got a infected blister or bitten by a spider (the doctor wasn't sure which) which needed attending to. Shame we didn't really get to stay that long as they were both really nice. We walked all along Venice to the pier in Santa Monica before going to A&E. 'Twas quality.

 

I would recommend driving a bit further south and going to San Diego. Was there last year also and it's brilliant. The Gaslamp Area in the centre is class, about 10 square blocks of bars and restaurants. Taking a trip to Conrnado is worth while as well, it has America's best beach and it's easy to see why. You can aslo see Mexico from there on a clear day. We stayed on Mission / Pacific Beach and there were loads of cool little bars and restaurants there as well.