Driving from Tahoe to Santa Cruz/Monterey

[NJHalo]

Early July. I am looking for a good place to stop for a couple hours, about half way to break up the ride.

I will be with the wife and kids.

Edited May 20, 2016 by NJHalo

[Amazing Larry]

There's a little town called San Francisco that I would recommend. 

[TobiasFunke]

Halfway from Tahoe to Santa Cruz will land you right in Sacramento. You can tour the state capital, go to old town Sacto, and the big train museum is right next to old town. Pretty cool things to do for a day to break up the drive.

[NJHalo]

2 minutes ago, Lawrence said:

There's a little town called San Francisco that I would recommend. 

LOL, heard of that place. Been many times. Kind of out of the way. The quickest way is to stay east side of the bay

[Jason]

The drive from Sacramento to Monterey is very boring with nothing out there but farms. FWIW, Monterey is my favorite city in California

[NJHalo]

Just now, Angels N Skins said:

The drive from Sacramento to Monterey is very boring with nothing out there but farms. FWIW, Monterey is my favorite city in California

Staying in Aptos for 4 nights.

Planning on hitting Monterey

[Jason]

Just now, NJHalo said:

Staying in Aptos for 4 nights.

Planning on hitting Monterey

While in Monterey you should rent a kayak and go through the kelp paddies. Lot's of sea otters and other critters

[nate]

Monterey is amazing.  Sacramento is a shit hole.  Honestly not many great places to stop on that route.

[Jason]

Just now, nate said:

Monterey is amazing.  Sacramento is a shit hole.  Honestly not many great places to stop on that route.

Sacramento is nothing special but Roseville has a lot of nice restaurants and shopping 

[nate]

Yeah, that is true.  Folsom lake is really nice if it isn't completely dry yet.

[Jason]

6 minutes ago, nate said:

Yeah, that is true.  Folsom lake is really nice if it isn't completely dry yet.

It's currently 110% of it's historical average for this time of year

Edited May 20, 2016 by Angels N Skins

[Blarg]

Sacramento also has Sutters Fort, worth the visit considering it's impact on California history. 

Guy Fieri's restaurant is in Sacramento. There are also 18 In N Out in the Sacramento area. Unlike Wisconsin that has a total of zero in the entire state. Think of it Nate, the Sacramento Kings can feast on In N Out after every game and you can't even get regional baseball action.

 

[Amazing Larry]

19 minutes ago, NJHalo said:

LOL, heard of that place. Been many times. Kind of out of the way. The quickest way is to stay east side of the bay

Hit up Napa Valley.

[NJHalo]

16 minutes ago, Lawrence said:

Hit up Napa Valley.

Is that where the Franzia wine box is made?

[NJHalo]

22 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Sacramento also has Sutters Fort, worth the visit considering it's impact on California history. 

Guy Fieri's restaurant is in Sacramento. There are also 18 In N Out in the Sacramento area. Unlike Wisconsin that has a total of zero in the entire state. Think of it Nate, the Sacramento Kings can feast on In N Out after every game and you can't even get regional baseball action.

 

We are also In n Out deprived here in NJ. Def on the hit list

[Blarg]

38 minutes ago, NJHalo said:

Is that where the Franzia wine box is made?

It is a little out of your way and San Francisco has a lot more to offer. Nappa Valley is more of a Californian detour, since we are in the area and have no other plans and got bored with Frisco. But if you are trying to work your way to Monterey it is going the opposite direction for a place you would have to explore with no first hand knowledge of the area. You could feel you wasted your time. 

[Taylor]

I've heard Modesto is nice that time of year.

[NJHalo]

This is the crew that sent me to Barstow a few years ago!

[Blarg]

Nobody, willingly, goes to Barstow.

[TobiasFunke]

1 hour ago, NJHalo said:

Staying in Aptos for 4 nights.

Planning on hitting Monterey

Just stayed at the Best Western Seacliff Inn in Aptos a few months ago. Any chance you're staying there?

[NJHalo]

Just now, TobiasFunke said:

Just stayed at the Best Western Seacliff Inn in Aptos a few months ago. Any chance you're staying there?

That's the place. Got the 2 bedroom family suite.

Please tell me its good?

[TobiasFunke]

Just now, NJHalo said:

That's the place. Got the 2 bedroom family suite.

Please tell me its good?

It's not shady if that's what you're asking. Right off the freeway, continental breakfast, about 10 minutes from downtown Santa Cruz. Good spot. Aptos is beautiful. I have family that lives there. About 20 minutes south on your way to Monterrey is a shit load of fruit stands. You can get pretty much fresh picked anything you can think of for dirt cheap.

[NJHalo]

3 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Nobody, willingly, goes to Barstow.

Not much of a choice for a pit stop between Vegas and Newport.

Kids had to hit the bathroom desperately, and I got off at the wrong exit. I was driving around "downtown", which is more like creepy abandoned town. Got back on 15 and off at the next exit for Lenwood. Like a different world.

[Blarg]

As much of a dump Barstow is it does have an In N Out. You obviously took the wrong exit.

[mrwicked]

stop at willie's burgers on 16th street in sacramento.

legit burgers. kind of like tommy's in LA. highly recommend adding pastrami.

i stop there most times i drive back from tahoe.

old town sac is cute and has stuff the kids would enjoy, like train museum and old school house and such. you could probably have a picnic there.

also they have a little like 45 min train ride along the sacramento river i did ages ago, was fun for kids: http://www.csrmf.org/train-rides/all-aboard-excursion-train-rides

i also stop in sausalito for cocktails on the water but you're probably going to stay on east bay side if you're rolling to monterey.

if you're going with kids you could stop at San Francisco Creamery in walnut creek. very famous ice cream place. 

Edited May 20, 2016 by mrwicked