Help me plan a trip to Seattle and down the California coast

Parent Cafe
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<p>

I know I thought the same thing. I* love* LA. Two Getty museums, La Brea Tar Pits, Natural History Museum, Watts Towers, LA Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum and Temporary (now Geffen) Contemporary Art Museum, Frank Gehry’s LA Music Center/Disney Concert Hall, Shindler’s House, great early 20th c. architectural masterpieces including - Schindler, Neutra, and Greene and Greene as well as being a center of contemporary architectural innovation. Slightly further afield Norton Simon Museum, Huntington Garden and museum and what I think is the prettiest college campus in the US - Caltech. Great BBQ and Mexican food, not to mention Wolfgang Puck’s pizza. I don’t think there is half as much intersesting stuff in SF, though it’s a nice place to visit too. :)</p>

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<p>You can also be in the redwoods at Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur, as well as Big Basin St Park between San Francisco and Santa Cruz off Hwy 1. </p>

<p>In the midwest now, but my youth was spent and my heart still lives in northern California.</p>

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<p>Maybe its just because I’m doing a summer internship in Washington State while being a good East Coast girl for the last 15 years, but really spend some time outside of Seattle. Rent a car for a day or two if you have time. </p>

<p>You can pretty much see everything in downtown Seattle in a day, just check out Pikes Market, the Space Needle and wander around a little bit. They just reopened the aquarium and I haven’t had a chance to check it out, but the reviews have been great. Its a pretty good walking city in the downtown area, and fairly safe from what I can tell. But I wouldn’t give yourself too much time in the city… the Beauty in Washington State is outside. </p>

<p>If you hike there are fabulous trails and paths all throughout the Olympic Pennisula that could keep you busy for weeks, or head up to Mount Rainer for the day, or Mt. St. Helens and take a helicopter ride over the active volcano (its still currently de-gassing) and see the lahar flows that have scarred the landscape. </p>

<p>Bonneville Dam on the Columbia is pretty amazing in and of itself with its fish ladder and hydropower production. </p>

<p>I’ve been told hundreds of times “be sure not to miss Victoria” (its just a ferry ride away) and if you have the time, that’s a fantastic trip I’m sure. </p>

<p>Of course, you always could drive over the Cascades and end up in the Apple Valleys where I’m spending my summer. There’s plenty of hiking, biking, and boating to keep someone occupied for years. Plus, we don’t have the rain that the West side of the Cascades gets. I’d say, its 95% sunny here, unlike the over 60% overcast days in Seattle. </p>

<p>Skip the Grayline Tours in downtown Seattle, just head out and get a map – pretty much everything is walking distance, and the only thing that is a bit further is the Space Needle which has a monorail that runs from the center of the City.</p>

<p>Feel free to PM if you have questions! I can’t help you with the Cali part of your trip, but as a new extended visitor to Washington State, I’d be glad to answer anything I can.</p>

<p>Have a fantastic time!</p>

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<p>my suggestions:</p>

<p>make sure to go to:</p>

<p>Carmel
Santa Barbara
La Jolla</p>

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<p>Check out <a href=“http://www.RoadtripUsa.com%5B/url%5D”>www.RoadtripUsa.com</a> for more info. The people there are heavily into road trips!</p>

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<p>*the Beauty in Washington State is outside. *
I would agree with that- although I think a ferry ride is classic</p>

<p>hmm now I am thinking about driving down to LA- except- I think the most time my D will have off, is a week- cause we would like to see schools in Eugene/Corvallis/Arcata/San Fran/ & LA ( plus santa Cruz & Barbara)</p>

<p>We don’t have to do all of them though- and it would be fun if we liked the same kind of music ( I like it cranked- attribute it to blasting out my eardrums in my youth- classic grunge- Neil Young and Pearl Jam- she likes hip hop)</p>

<p>( I think the former college pres from Reed now runs Huntington Gardens- sounds familiar anyway)</p>

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<p>I love the Hollywood Bowl if you can fit it in. Picnic, music and lots of interesting people. We park at Hollywood Highland center ($10/day) and walk up-less than a mile. Or you can take the bus for $3-it just takes longer to get back than walking.</p>