Houston to San Francisco, Any Route Changes Recomended???

[plasma800]

Mapping out a trip to san fran, and google says just hang out on I-10 until you hit LA.

I was curious if anyone else had ever made this trip, and if you added any route changes or WOULD if you had to do it again.

[plasma800]

OH AND any good stops along the way?? or places to stay away from?

[UFO Pilot]

Unless you just want to go thru LA for some reason, I would take the following route:

I 10 to Redlands
N on 215 to I 15
15N to 395
395 to 58
58 to 5 via Bakersfield

We live North of SF and that is the route we take when going to Palm Springs or Arizona. We avoid LA and the Grape Vine.

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

Unless you just want to go thru LA for some reason, I would take the following route:

I 10 to Redlands
N on 215 to I 15
15N to 395
395 to 58
58 to 5 via Bakersfield

We live North of SF and that is the route we take when going to Palm Springs or Arizona. We avoid LA and the Grape Vine.

GOT IT! thanks for the tip!

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

Unless you just want to go thru LA for some reason, I would take the following route:

I 10 to Redlands
N on 215 to I 15
15N to 395
395 to 58
58 to 5 via Bakersfield

We live North of SF and that is the route we take when going to Palm Springs or Arizona. We avoid LA and the Grape Vine.

And honestly I need to end up in san mateo

[Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43']

How much time do you have? Are you interested in sight seeing, drive along the Pacific Coast, or just getting to San Mateo. If just getting to San Mateo then the above recommendation works...what time of year?

[No More Snow]

x2 on avoiding the grapevine, especially this time of year! A long, long grade. Depending on when you're going (like now), you would need to chain up. In the summer vehicles often overheat.

x2 on avoiding LA any time of the year. But I'm probably biased. I escaped and never, ever want to go back.

The coast is nice but I WOULD NOT, repeat WOULD NOT take any kind of RV on the PCH for any length of time. It's narrow, windy, and scary in just a car; will add hours to your commute (well, that is if you were driving from LA to the SF bay area), and is only entertaining for a few miles, but then you're stuck on it.

And no, there is literally nothing to see in Bakersfield, or between Bakersfield and Tracy. Pretty much the most boring drive on the whole west coast. But that is good for travelers, and it's fast. Just make sure that if you're sharing the ride, you watch each other for road hypnosis.

[plasma800]

ok this is great info! I need to be there no later than Jan 28th, and I plan on leaving Houston 7 days prior. I would prefer to get to san mateo first, and then have a couple days there to relax before I have to do anything.

I figure if we drive 7 hours on day 1, 7 hours on day 2, 6 to 7 on day 3, and 4 or so on day 4, we're there, but I also have the room to drive less, and take two more days to get there if I need.

7.5 hours from Houston puts me right smack dab in the middle of 'no where tumbleweeds texas', but the internet shows there are some well reviewed rv parks in fort stockton.

another 7 hours puts me between las crusas and tuscon (7.5 to tuscon in perfect conditions)

another 7 hours and change puts me near san barnardino

and again, 7 hours to san mateo.

I'm thinking I'm being overly optimistic on drive times. 7 to 8 hours is a long drive in a clip, and with things like fuel stops, construction, stretch the legs, lets the dogs out, I'm wondering if 4 days is too much pushing it to get there.

AND ANOTHER QUESTION -
When I get up highway 5 a little ways, and I'm going to san mateo, would you take 5 all the way to 580, cut through to 880 and cross the san mateo bridge, or would you go across at treasure island, and work your way back down the 101 (or 280)?

[adonh]

Originally Posted by plasma800

Mapping out a trip to san fran, and google says just hang out on I-10 until you hit LA.

I was curious if anyone else had ever made this trip, and if you added any route changes or WOULD if you had to do it again.

Traveling out of Houston, TX going west the first task is to get out of Texas. That is a long drive from Houston to El Paso on I-10. After making this trip last year the longest part of the drive is after you leave San Antonio. With the oil boom in west Texas forget about any RV parks to stop over for the night. They are packed as well as most hotels in the few small towns you go through. So plan your stops through Texas and New Mexico. Have a safe trip.

[ka6bud]

When u come north on 5 U have option of taking 152 west to 101 north to san mateo

Joe (ka6bud

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by adonh

Traveling out of Houston, TX going west the first task is to get out of Texas. That is a long drive from Houston to El Paso on I-10. After making this trip last year the longest part of the drive is after you leave San Antonio. With the oil boom in west Texas forget about any RV parks to stop over for the night. They are packed as well as most hotels in the few small towns you go through. So plan your stops through Texas and New Mexico. Have a safe trip.

Yeah it's a long way out of texas! Being a native texan, I've made the drive through west texas in cars many times, but I haven't been out that way in a little while. Call ahead reservations maybe? Walmarts?

I also considered heading towards austin, then to midland / odessa, san angelo -> carlsbad -> las cruses

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by ka6bud

When u come north on 5 U have option of taking 152 west to 101 north to san mateo

Joe (ka6bud

I saw that on the map, Any reason why this would be a bad idea?

See I'm glad I ask these things.. i had no idea "the grapevine" existed.

[ChileRick]

We live in Palm Desert, right on the I-10 freeway and when we head up to the Bay Area, we take:

I-10 to the the 210
210 to the 5
5 to the 126 to the coast
126 to the 101

Takes us 6 hours to get to Paso Robles, really nice wine country, several good places to stay. We stay at The Vines right on the 101. A bit noisy from the freeway, but easy on, easy off and the people and facilities are great.

Then up the 101 right into San Mateo.

The drive is pretty and you avoid the grade over the 58 thru Tehachapi and the grapevine over the 5 and the possibility of snow and or fog on either. You do have to navigate the Cuesta grade, but it's only 3-4 miles of 6% and no worries about the weather.

Enjoy your trip!

[ChileRick]

Oh, forgot to mention, rather than stopping in San Bernadino, stop in The Palm Springs area instead. It's just about 30 minutes or so before San Bernadino and is one of Trip Advisors top 20 vacation destinations. Lots of nice places to stay in your RV. Lots of stuff to do and the weather is terrific.