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14 days in CA
So i'm back in the UK.
The itinerary was as follows:
Day 1 & 2: Hermosa Beach, LA.
Accommodation: Surf City Hostel ($30 a night, 4 bed dorm)
Bars worth giving a look: Sharkeez (expect to queue)
Things to see/do: Cycle the broadwalk, early morning surf (1-2ft)
Cafes: Mao's Kitchen (see review), Venice Beach, Pacific Avenue.
Catch the 232 bus south to Long Beach, then the Orange County Bus Network Bus 1 down the PHW to reach...
Day 2: Huntington Beach
Accommodation: Couch Surfing (www.couchsurfing.com)
Cafes: The Sugar Shack - very cheap and popular with locals.
Things to do: Surf! It's the surf capital! Stroll along the broadwalk and admire the surfing. Fish on the pier.
Bus 1 OCTA on PHW to;
Day 3: Laguna Beach
Accommodation: Couchsurfing. due to expense of area.
Cafes: The chain Johnny Rocket's
Things to do: Art galleries, take lots of photos, History museum, barbecue on beach.
Bus 1 OCTA on PHW to;
Day 4: San Clemente
Accommodation: Couchsurfing.
Cafes: Plenty on the seafront to choose from, or hit the popular taco cafe near the hospital.
Things to do: Surf! Trussels is nearby. Photography (sunset), Skate.
Amtrak to San Diego. ($18)
Days 5,6,7: San Diego
Accommodation: USA Hostels, Gaslamp Quarter. ($24, 4 bed dorm)
Cafes: Head to Ocean Beach.
Things to do: Gaslamp Quarter, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission, Little Italy, Modern Art Gallery.
I would recommend only 2 days in San Diego, I do wish i'd spent longer in Huntington or San Clemente rather than spending 3 nights in SD.
Cheaptickets.com ($40) Flight from SD to San Francisco
Days 8,9,10: San Francisco, Union Square, Tenderloin area.
Accommodation: Globetrotters Inn (Hostel) ($27, 6 bed dorm) Free Internet, great location.
Cafes: Veseuvio Cafe, near China Town and North Beach. (Recommended in Lonely Planet. Plays Blues, Jazz. Great bar, hilarious locals, and good staff. Reasonably priced)
Things to do: Alcatraz (overrated), Walk from Downtown to the GGB and over. Walking tour (see tip, which will be posted in two days or so), The Haight area, North Beach, ChinaTown, Fishermans Wharf (Tourist Trap) The Castro, Sunset Beach etc. Amoeba Records Upper Haight district, it's mind blowing!
Places to eat: In and Out Burger, Subway ($5 footlongs), Great restaurants in China Town.
Greyhound or Amtrak to Salinas ($15-20) then bus to Monterey ($3 day pass)
Day 11: Monterey
Accommodation: Couch Surfing
Places to see: the bay, modern art gallery, broadwalk(tourist trap), relatively good surf beach.
Either greyhound from Salinas, or numerous buses from Monterey ($3-10)
Day 12: Santa Cruz
Accommodation: CS
Places to see: Lighthouse, the beaches! Surfing, skating, mixing with the locals in some of the saloons.
Greyhound or Amtrak to;
Day 13: San Francisco
Accommodation: CS
TTD: See above
Cheaptickets ($45) to Los Angeles
Bus 232 from LAX transit centre to Pier Ave, Hermosa. Walk 5 mins down hill.
Day 14: Hermosa Beach/Redondo Beach
Accommodation: Surf City Hostel.
This is a little vague, i may amend this in the next few days/weeks.
