Moon California Road Trip: San Francisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles & the Pacific Coast

by Stuart Thornton

Overview

Hit the Road with Moon Travel Guides!

From the waterfalls of Yosemite and the colorful Grand Canyon to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Golden Gate Bridge, cruise through the best of the West with Moon California Road Trip. Inside you'll find:

• Maps and Driving Tools: Over 40 easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, and detailed directions for the entire route
• Eat, Sleep, Stop and Explore: With lists of the best hikes, views, restaurants, and more, you can ride a cable car in San Francisco or hike Half Dome, descend deep into the Grand Canyon, or hit the waves in a classic SoCal surf town. Wander through history at Alcatraz, snap a photo at Big Sur, or marvel at jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Chow down on an authentic Mission burrito, lunch on fish tacos by the beach, or watch the sunset from a rooftop bar in Los Angeles
• Flexible Itineraries: Drive the entire two-week route from San Francisco to Yosemite, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, and Southern California, mix and match sections for shorter road trips, or follow strategic itineraries for spending time in big cities and small towns along the way
  
• Local Insight: Surfer and adventurer Stuart Thornton shares his thirst for the next secluded beach, quirky pit stop, and mountaintop vista
• Planning Your Trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, and suggestions for international visitors, LGBTQ+ travelers, seniors, and road trippers with kids

With Moon California Road Trip's practical tips, detailed itineraries, and local expertise, you're ready to fill up the tank and hit the road.

Doing more than driving through? Check out Moon California, Moon Grand Canyon, or Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640494343
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	06/29/2021
Series:	Travel Guide
Edition description:	4th ed.
Pages:	472
Sales rank:	625,247
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Stuart Thornton fell in love with the California coast while working at the Big Sur Ranger Station after college. There, he advised visitors on every topic, from campsites to restaurants. On his days off, he took his own advice and regularly sought out the best spots for hiking, backpacking, surfing, and snorkeling along that striking coastal region.


Stuart later moved to nearby Monterey to become a staff writer for the Monterey County Weekly, where he is still a contributor. In addition, Stuart has contributed to National Geographic Education, Relix magazine, and Ed Grant's Piers of the California Coast, a coffee table book highlighting the Golden State's piers and wharves.


While researching and writing this book, Stuart hiked through lesser-known sections of Yosemite National Park, discovered the stunning Eastern Sierra community of June Lake, stared deep into the Grand Canyon, and enjoyed the diverse offerings of San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.


He spends his time off searching for the next secluded beach, uncrowded wave, or mountaintop vista. Learn more about his adventures and projects by visiting stuartthornton.com.

Read an Excerpt

From Moon California Road Trip

Los Angeles can be the starting line for a road trip up the California Coast—or the launching point to explore two tried-and-true U.S. adventure destinations, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Take in the L.A. sights, but don’t linger long. Adventure calls!

A sparkling Technicolor oasis in the arid Mojave Desert, Las Vegas continues to be a beacon to travelers from every walk of life. Despite the saying that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” if you take in any of these Sin City spectacles, you’ll have an abundance of memories to carry with you.

• Caesars Palace: Caesars Palace carries on the Roman Empire’s regality (and decadence) with over-the-top excess.
• Fremont Street Experience: Part music video, part history lesion, the six-minute shows are a four-block-long, 12-million-diode, 550,000-watt burst of sensory overload.
• Gondola Rides: Just like the real Grand Canal, only cleaner, The Venetian’s waterway meanders along the Strip, with gondoliers providing the soundtrack.
• Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat: At the Mirage’s twin habitats, the tigers, lions, and leopards can be seen playing impromptu games and the bottlenose dolphins never resist the spotlight.
• Mob Museum: Explore what some old-timers still refer to as “the good old days,” when wise guys ran the town, meting out their own brand of justice.
• High Roller: The world’s largest observation wheel overwhelms the sense with driving music, videos, and unmatched views of the Strip.
• Las Vegas Springs Preserve: The city’s birthplace, these natural springs now display the area’s geological, anthropological, and cultural history along with what may be its future: water-conserving “green” initiatives.
• Atomic Testing Museum: Visit a fallout shelter and measure your body’s radioactivity at this museum that traces the military, political, and cultural significance of the bomb.
• Jubillee!: This show at Bally’s pays tribute to one of Las Vegas’s most enduring icons—the showgirl—in all her statuesque, sequined grandeur.
• LOVE: Cirque du Soleil’s magical mystery tour features artistry, acrobatics, and Beatles music in a surreal examination of the Fab Four’s legacy.

After your sojourn in Las Vegas, shake off the dust of modern convenience and reconnect with nature at one of the most ancient geological landmarks, the Grand Canyon.

• Hermit Road: Make your way west along the forested rim to the enchanting stone cottage called Hermit’s Rest, stopping at different viewpoints to see the setting sun turn the canyon walls into fleeting works of art.
• Desert View Watchtower: See one of architect Mary Colter’s finest accomplishments—a rock tower standing tall on the edge of the canyon, its design based on mysterious Anasazi structures.
• Rim Trail: Park your car, grab a bottle of water, and walk along the rim on this easy, accessible trail past historical buildings, famous lodges, and several of the most breathtaking views in the world.
• Bright Angel Trail: Don’t just stand on the rim and stare—hike down the most popular trail on the South Rim, its construction based on old Native American routes. Or choose one of several additional trails to see the arid grandeur of the inner canyon.
• Grand Canyon Lodge: Even if you’re not staying the night at the North Rim, make sure to step inside this rustic old lodge balancing on the edge of the gorge, where you can sink into a chair and gaze out the picture windows at the multicolored canyon.

Table of Contents

Discover the California Road Trip 6

Top Experiences 8

Planning Your Trip 16

Where to Go 16

Know Before You Go 16

Driving Tips 19

Hit the Road 20

The 14-Day Best of the West 20

San Francisco, Yosemite, and Los Angeles 25

Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon 27

San Francisco 31

Getting to San Francisco 35

Sights 40

Entertainment 56

Shopping 64

Recreation 67

Food 72

Accommodations 82

Transportation and Services 88

Yosemite 93

Getting to Yosemite 97

Visiting the Park 102

Yosemite Valley 107

Glacier Point 119

Hetch Hetchy 121

Wawona 127

Tioga Pass and Tuolumne Meadows 130

Las Vegas 145

Getting to Las Vegas 148

Orientation 156

Casinos 156

Sights 172

Entertainment 182

Shopping 195

Food 198

Accommodations 203

Transportation and Services 209

The Grand Canyon 213

Getting to the Grand Canyon 217

Visiting the Park 224

The South Rim 231

The North Rim 257

The Inner Canyon 267

The West Rim and Grand Canyon West 276

Los Angeles 285

Getting to Los Angeles 288

Sights 295

Entertainment 313

Shopping 318

Recreation 319

Food 322

Accommodations 329

Transportation and Services 333

Disneyland Resort 335

Long Beach and Orange County Beaches 343

Pacific Coast Highway 353

Ventura 358

Santa Barbara 366

San Luis Obispo 381

Morro Bay 387

Cambria 394

San Simeon 397

Big Sur 399

Carmel 412

Monterey 419

Santa Cruz 428

Half Moon Bay 436

Essentials 441

Getting There 442

Road Rules 445

Visas and Officialdom 447

Travel Tips 448

Health and Safety 451

Internet Resources 455

Index 457

List of Maps 467