This place out west called California...help!!! - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**freespiritz** · 03-03-2007, 04:12 PM

So yeah, this tpunk roadtrip in April doesn't seem like it's going anywhere...and so freespiritz is anticipating finding herself out in Cali all by her lonesome self since she got all excited and bought plane tickets. Which isn't so bad, just that traveling solo can be pricey.*sigh*

Nine full days, where should I go? I have April 11th-21st...and shall make up a random itinerary now for you guys to comment on.

Flying into LA late on the 11th.
I want to see Hollywood I guess, and maybe Universal Studios.
Beach bummery. Up the coast to Santa Barbara where I will hopefully soak up the sun after a winter in Maine.
And San Fran after, for a couple of days and some redwoods.
Backtrack and fly out of LAX on the evening of the 21st.

How long do you think I should spend in each place?
And are there any other things you think I should try to fit in?
How do I keep this CHEAP?

And does any other friggin' tpunk want to do that roadtrip that we've been talking about for months now? OR just want to chill out with me for part of my trip? OR have a couch I can crash on? I'm good company!

**kiwichick** · 03-03-2007, 07:30 PM

lol im in the wrong hemisphere but if u make it my way at sum stage il hang wif ya and put ya for the night! best of luck with ur trip, dont stress im sure u'll have blast!

**freespiritz** · 03-03-2007, 09:06 PM

Hehe, thanks kiwichick...hopefully I'll make it to your corner of the world someday! Same goes for ya if you're ever in my corner!

**patchouli Lover** · 03-04-2007, 03:43 PM

hey freespiritz I'm from around that area... about 2 hours north of Santa Barbara.... I'm in Oklahoma right now (see if you only wait till Sept. I'll be out there) but I can give you someplaces to check out. How are you traveling around Cali? Train? Car?

If your going to soak up the sun definitely do it south of Santa Barbara.... after that things can be iffy.... Check out San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay and Morro Bay Rock. Both are on highway 1 and San Luis Obispo is on Highway 101 too. There is definitely some GREAT hiking if you have the time. If your driving I would definitely take highway 1 as much as possible. I know this really cool state park that use to be a hippie commune that is located on highway 1. PM and I can give you more info if you want. Good luck!

**freespiritz** · 03-04-2007, 05:32 PM

Hey, thanks for the advice! Sadly I'll be back to classes in Maine in September, but I would have loved to hang out.

So...I aim to travel around Cali by good ol Greyhound or whatever is cheapest really. Morro Bay looks pretty - I would love to go hiking, and I'll see if I can fit in a night there, although I may have to limit my stops to save money.

Right now I'm figuring on two overnight buses to save money and an extra stop would throw that off.

I've put together a random itinerary...feel free to tell me if I need less time in a city and stuff like that. Oh, and would Santa Barbara be a good beach stop or do you recommend elsewhere?

11th - fly into LAX, arrival at 9.30 p.m.
12th - LA
13th - LA
14th - To Santa Barbara early
15th - SB
16th - SB
17th - SB/Overnight bus to San Fran
18th - San Fran
19th - San Fran and Muir Woods
20th - San Fran (Overnight bus to LA)
21st - LA, flight to BOS at 6.15 p.m.

Any thoughts on things to do in specific cities would be great too.

Thanks for the help!

xanthuos · 03-05-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freespiritz

So...I aim to travel around Cali by good ol Greyhound or whatever is cheapest really.

Make sure to at least check Amtrak's prices, in case they are close enough to Greyhound. The train is always more comfortable!

**lauren313** · 03-05-2007, 02:20 PM

I'm pleased to see you're not spending too long in LA. I gotta say, when I went there in September, I found it to be totally unlike I'd expected/hoped. I didn't much like it. BUT, having said that, I'm glad I went and saw it. And Universal Studios was good fun! Hostels all offer a ticket/bus price, but it works out way cheaper to buy the ticket yourself and get the metro there. You can pick up 2for1 tickets along Hollywood Boulevard, they seemed to be always giving them out.

O-Face · 03-05-2007, 09:09 PM

my gf and I will be in SF around that time, apr 19-28, and I'm always up for a meetup. No couch to offer, I'm afraid. But let me know if you want some drinkin company!

**freespiritz** · 03-05-2007, 09:19 PM

Thanks for the tips guys! Yeah, I've heard that LA isn't as grand as it's cracked up to be, but I feel like I kind of need to see it if I'm there.

And O-Face, I saw your thread, and I would love to meetup out West!! I have been called the meetup mogul, and not without reason.

**LiveFreeorDie** · 03-06-2007, 05:36 AM

I still think LA is cool and worth seeing, but then I am a dork when it comes to movies and music and LA will always be an iconic place in my mind. Going to Santa Monica, checking out 'muscle beach', wandering down Sunset and checking out all of the great old rock clubs like the Whiskey and the Roxy (clubs that spawned all of the fine hair-metal of the 80's:D ). Of course there is Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills which is certainly worth a visit, the La Brea Tar Pits is interesting, Universal Studios, etc. The only real problem is how spread out everything is, but other than that there is still a lot to see. I think Santa Barbara is absolutely gorgeous - on your way up you may want to stop off at Malibu and wander around a little. Also, if you head up into Pepperdine University which is in Malibu there are some fantastic views as it is up on a hill overlooking the ocean and the town.

I have only been to California a few times and really do not know it very well but have always enjoyed my visits there. It is sooooo different from the east coast. Its like a different country. Enjoy!!

p.s. - if they are playing local dates when you are in Cali, you should check out The Iron Maidens. They are an all female Iron Maiden tribute band and are supposed to be fantastic.

**freespiritz** · 03-06-2007, 11:57 AM

Freaking -33C after windchill today in Maine, I am really all set to go to Cali NOW!!

Do you guys think I should book all my hostels ahead of time to avoid getting stuck due to spring break rush? I like having the flexibility of dropping/adding days, but I don't want to get stuck w/out a place to stay...and I don't have that much time to play around with either. Well, I'll definitely book my LA hostel, but I'm just itching to do stuff now.

**patchouli Lover** · 03-06-2007, 09:25 PM

I agree with Lauren I'm not a big LA fan.... I prefer San Fran more....

Your itinerary sounds good.... I would definitely hit up Amtrak for prices... I took the train from Paso Robles, Ca to Sacremento, Ca and it was great and cheap! I really like Sacremento so if you get some time you should check itout... I think you can take a train from San Fran and it is only an hour and a half... i think...

If you have some time and the cash you can branch out from Santa Barbara to other small towns like Morro Bay... But SB is definitely worth seeing! As far as hostels go I couldn't tell you. Maybe you could call the ones you are looking at and see ifthey have a record for being booked up during your stay. I would probably reserve one in SF and LA. And of course you can always sleep on someone's roof...

**freespiritz** · 03-06-2007, 09:35 PM

Thanks! :D

Unfortunately I'm going to be scrimping as much money as I can although all the side trips sound SOOOO tempting! I wish I had way more than 9 days out West and way more money - there were so many national parks I wanted to see, and all of Arizona too. Amtrak looks a lil bit more expensive than the bus, but I'm okay with buses. Maybe I'll meet random people who I can daytrip with.

I think I'll just have to go back to Cali when the people I know are actually around and see more stuff that way!

**patchouli Lover** · 03-06-2007, 09:52 PM

Well I'll be around Cali from Sept to possible May.... you are more than welcome to come out.... we could try for another Tpunk meet up in Cali!

**freespiritz** · 03-07-2007, 05:11 AM

Sadly I don't think I'll be heading back west for a while...I'll be in Maine for the fall, thinking about going home for Christmas, and then Italy/Europe from Jan-August! We'll just have to meet up in some other corner of the world.

**travelpunk** · 03-07-2007, 07:08 PM

Hwei, are you like some ex dot com tycoon that sold your company and now just travels the world?!

If you don't mind me asking, how are you funding your trips?!

**freespiritz** · 03-07-2007, 07:59 PM

Oh, nothing as glamorous as that.

I've been asked this question before and I really don't know how to answer.

For now, I'm integrating trips with college. I'm on MAJOR financial aid, and it works the same if I'm here or abroad (within certain constraints), so I'm doing semesters abroad while I can since it doesn't cost more (except that I can't work). My parents do pay my fees, so any money I make is mine to do with as I please.

A lot of it is just being smart and my life-long scrimping habit because I don't splurge on too much else. My family doesn't have much money, so I'm good at saving.

I pretty much got paid to be in China - after scholarship I paid 500 bucks for the entire semester (w/ 900 loan though), and we got a US 12/day allowance which in China lets you live like a king! My friends drank it away but I saved and it funded my month-long trip through Nambodia.

I also applied for a grant and got another 120 bucks to do a sidetrip in China - college has a bunch of cool opportunities like that.

Right now, however...I am working 20-25 hour weeks + classes for the next three weeks (I normally only work 6-ish a week!), and I slave away over breaks too to earn extra cash...but I'd like to have it for this summer. A little bit stressed right now.

**LiveFreeorDie** · 03-08-2007, 06:14 AM

^you are the Queen for how to take advantage of aid and how travel on a budget!

Honestly - you ought to write a how-to for the travel book series. More college students could probably do what you do and have no idea what's available (or how to be disciplined, which is another issue all together).

**freespiritz** · 03-08-2007, 09:05 AM

Hehe, thanks Jamie! And writing that tip section would actually be a good idea, except that I'm short on time and long on homework at the moment, which happens in the last three weeks of term as all the theater shows I'm working kick in and finals approach!

Hopefully I'll get around to it, depending on when the deadline is.

**travelpunk** · 03-08-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiveFreeorDie

^you are the Queen for how to take advantage of aid and how travel on a budget!

Honestly - you ought to write a how-to for the travel book series. More college students could probably do what you do and have no idea what's available (or how to be disciplined, which is another issue all together).

I would love to see your formula and tips on this for the ebook! I'll include it with your the other story you already submitted!

Thanks, Hwei! You're an inspiration to all of us

!