Where you going for your summer hols?

[Hillman avenger]

I stayed with a friend in Colorado, up in the Rockies. While not at the house we toured around in a mini-winnebago.
We met lots of Americans, and without exception, they were friendly, interesting to talk to and willing to help out with any small problems that cropped up. Getting together with locals beats any organised tour hands-down. I would presume that staying in someone's house you will get to meet many of the neighbours.

Yes, it adds a layer of interest that you don't get staying in one hotel after another.

The first time we did it was in Seattle. Lovely house, midway between the sea and the lake. We were invited to dinner by neighbours on the night of a big air display so we ate outside with all that going on. We swapped cars too, and we took their car over to Olympic National Park and on a trip up to see the amazing Boeing factory at Everett.

[Hillman avenger]

Where are going with your brood Sid ,anywhere nice.

Not quite sure I have a "brood" but yes, California is on the cards this year.

Hi
Have you been before?
If not happy to provide some ideas. Been there lots of times and used to work occasionally in Palo Alto.

[Sid Pervcat]

Where are going with your brood Sid ,anywhere nice.

Not quite sure I have a "brood" but yes, California is on the cards this year.

Hi
Have you been before?
If not happy to provide some ideas. Been there lots of times and used to work occasionally in Palo Alto.

Yes, been before. Loved it.
San Francisco.... Bro in law lives in Orinda so flights only required

[Hillman avenger]

San Francisco is wonderful. So is the Marin across the bay,Sausolito etc.
SF down to the outskirts of Santa Cruz is nothing special, but then you are on the Pacific Highway.
Carmel, Monterey, San Louis and my special favourite Santa Barbara, where we have twice spent a week.
I have grown to dislike LA- sprawling, polluted, congested. Ruby Wax calls it Leeds with a beach.
However more recently we have explored the LA-San Diego coast, especially Laguna Beach and Solano Beach.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

San Francisco is wonderful. So is the Marin across the bay,Sausolito etc.
SF down to the outskirts of Santa Cruz is nothing special, but then you are on the Pacific Highway.
Carmel, Monterey, San Louis and my special favourite Santa Barbara, where we have twice spent a week.
I have grown to dislike LA- sprawling, polluted, congested. Ruby Wax calls it Leeds with a beach.
However more recently we have explored the LA-San Diego coast, especially Laguna Beach and Solano Beach.

Portillo's excellent Great American Railroad Journeys was exploring those areas last week

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... os-angeles

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... -san-diego


Never really got the SF vibe myself. Much preferred LA.

[Hillman avenger]

I find LA characterless and an endless sprawl.
It has no real centre.
There are areas like the Hollywood Bowl worth going to.
San Francisco can't sprawl, because of its position.

[Zambo]

LA, a dirty smoggy scummy city. The Boulevard is rapidly turning into a dump, full of weirdos and $ shops.

[Hillman avenger]

Santa Monica is also deeply disappointing.

One time we did an en route stop in LA and stayed at Marina Del Mar, which is fine. But from there you can walk through Venice Beach and on to Santa Monica. What a let-down.

[VeritasVincit]

Not going; gone.
Last evening, sitting outside a Madrid bar, the temperature was 34c at 8-00.
Then I noticed the soles of my shoes were literally falling apart. A very tentative walk back after having our fill of wine and Basque food.

[Sinbad]

LA, a dirty smoggy scummy city. The Boulevard is rapidly turning into a dump, full of weirdos and $ shops.

Hate the place... Doubt i'll ever go back.

[Zambo]

LA, a dirty smoggy scummy city. The Boulevard is rapidly turning into a dump, full of weirdos and $ shops.

Hate the place... Doubt i'll ever go back.

Same here mate. Chalked off. Vegas much the same as far as the beggars, time share pests go, and that includes Freemont St, where tarts with their tits out, try and get a photo with you, and then beg for more when you give them 50 cents

A sleazy shithole.

[Hillman avenger]

The flood of Brits going to Las Vegas defeats me.
Shithole with neon sitting in the middle of a bakingly hot desert

[Basualdo]

The flood of Brits going to Las Vegas defeats me.
Shithole with neon sitting in the middle of a bakingly hot desert

And it's still preferable to Blackpool.

[Hillman avenger]

The flood of Brits going to Las Vegas defeats me.
Shithole with neon sitting in the middle of a bakingly hot desert

And it's still preferable to Blackpool.

That's not saying much.
But at least with Blackpool you don't spend £450 and 9 hours to get there and back

[Basualdo]

To be fair four hundred and fifty quid sounds like a bargain!