Trip Advice

[AsphaltPlanet]

I am considering a trip at the end of the month.  I haven't booked anything yet, and am looking at one of two destinations, either the Dallas area to do some freeway cruising (among other things, maybe take in the World Series parade ), or to California and drive up the coast from LA to San Francisco and back.  I don't have a tonne of time (only 5 days), and can't decide between the two.  The coast run is certainly the prettier of the two, but the flight from Buffalo is longer, and more expensive, and San Francisco isn't warm this late in the year.  Dallas seems like an easier trip, is cheaper, but aside from spending a couple of days photographing the freeways I am not really sure what else there is there.  Any thoughts or insight would be appreciated.

[agentsteel53]

if I were to land in Dallas, I'd make a beeline to west Texas, which is the most scenic part of the state in my opinion.

then I'd wonder why I hadn't flown into El Paso!

[NE2]

What's 5 days metric time in real time?

[US81]

Regarding what there is to do in Dallas, may I ask what your other interests are, in addition to roadgeeking (if any    )?

[AsphaltPlanet]

I like baseball.  A lot of times when I travel in the US I'll take in a ball game, but it's too late for that.  I'd consider a hockey game too, but this season doesn't look promising for that.  I like photography, when I went to Boston a few years ago I was quite happy to spend a day walking around the city.  I'd consider going to comedy club or something as well.

[Scott5114]

Something a bit unusual you can do: one of the two plants that produce U.S. paper money is located in Fort Worth. They give tours. (The other is in DC.)

[oscar]

If you decide on Dallas, I hope you can avoid flying there on American Airlines (dominant carrier at Dallas/Fort Worth International).  Lots of stories about major flight delays, etc. at American due to labor issues.  Southwest (which uses Dallas/Love Field rather than DFW) might be the way to go.

[cpzilliacus]

I am considering a trip at the end of the month.  I haven't booked anything yet, and am looking at one of two destinations, either the Dallas area to do some freeway cruising (among other things, maybe take in the World Series parade ), or to California and drive up the coast from LA to San Francisco and back.  I don't have a tonne of time (only 5 days), and can't decide between the two.  The coast run is certainly the prettier of the two, but the flight from Buffalo is longer, and more expensive, and San Francisco isn't warm this late in the year.  Dallas seems like an easier trip, is cheaper, but aside from spending a couple of days photographing the freeways I am not really sure what else there is there.  Any thoughts or insight would be appreciated.

I've done the L.A. to Bay Area drive (via Ca. 1), and it is gorgeous.  It is also relatively-speaking short - and possible to do in a day (though I suggest 2 days). 

It's about 700 km (430 miles) one-way (via Ca. 1), and you can do one trip via the faster (though less-scenic) U.S. 101, or even faster and less-scenic (to most people) I-5 (though the Grapevine Grade north of Los Angeles on I-5 is cool in terms of roadgeeking, as is the "left hand" section of I-5 between between Ca. 14 and the Grapevine) if you want to arrive and depart from the same San Francisco Bay Area airport (don't forget about Oakland and San Jose as alternate Bay Area airports).

Or you could fly in to Los Angeles instead.  LAX has Southwest (somewhat unusual for a "main" airport).  Alternate airports in the L.A. area include Burbank (also has Southwest flights), Long Beach (a colleague of mine loves Long Beach), Ontario [California] and John Wayne in Orange County.

[Alps]

Having just been to both states, go with California. You can do freeway cruising there as well - I had minimal delays in my time in LA and San Diego, though I know that can be unusual. (LA was on a Monday, at that.)

[US81]

The Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex has a lot of freeway miles. There are still some areas where you can see great "old" road architecture - like the old Central Expressway, Harry Hines Blvd (an old alignment of US 77), or old viaducts crossing the Trinity River if that interests you.  The High Five interchange and IH 635 at Dallas North Tollway construction are examples of new freeway construction.  For Photography - Ft. Worth has a beautiful Botanical Garden and Japanese Garden; also the Ft. Worth Zoo has some great landscapes.  The big night life spots in Dallas are Deep Ellum and in Ft. Worth, the Stockyards.  I can't recommend a specific comedy club but I'm sure someone else can.

Btw, I have always been pleased with my flying experiences on Southwest - on time, courteous, have never lost my luggage.

[oscar]

I've done the L.A. to Bay Area drive (via Ca. 1), and it is gorgeous.  It is also relatively-speaking short - and possible to do in a day (though I suggest 2 days). 

I'd also suggest two days for that trip.  San Luis Obispo would be the perfect place to stay overnight.  If you can, stay at the Madonna Inn along US 101 south of town (pricey but unique); if not, at least stop by and check out the men's room in the basement, with the famous waterfall urinal. 

[kphoger]

if I were to land in Dallas, I'd make a beeline to west Texas, which is the most scenic part of the state in my opinion.

then I'd wonder why I hadn't flown into El Paso!

El Paso has a pleasant airport.  FWIW.

[1995hoo]

What's 5 days metric time in real time?

Five days. Under the only major decimal time system ever used, the day was the same duration as in the common clock, but it consisted of ten hours of 100 minutes each.

[OCGuy81]

I'd definitely suggest the California trip.  It's a great drive via CA 1 with a lot of great stops along the way. 

I'd certainly advise you to exit just south of Monterey and go along the famous 17 Mile Drive, provided it's a clear day.  That area can get fogged in pretty easily, but it's stunning on a day when the sun is shining. There are some incredible views the entire drive, and some gigantic estates that make you wonder what their residents do to afford living there. If you're a golf fan, Pebble Beach is worth a stop.

If you have 5 days, you could easily extend your drive out a bit further, taking 101 across the Golden Gate and driving north into Marin County and the Napa Valley just to the northeast. 

Let us know what you decide.  Either way, I look forward to the pictures.

[J N Winkler]

I'd go with California too.  There is actually a reasonable amount to see in the DFW area (Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, a couple of quite good art museums in Fort Worth), but I'd consider it more a weekend destination.  As others have said, Los Angeles offers good freeway cruising possibilities, and it also offers a wider chronological cross-section view of freeway development.

[cpzilliacus]

There are some incredible views the entire drive, and some gigantic estates that make you wonder what their residents do to afford living there.

The late Larry Fine (of the Three Stooges) would have remarked that some of those places are "so big they remind me of the reform school."

If you have 5 days, you could easily extend your drive out a bit further, taking 101 across the Golden Gate and driving north into Marin County and the Napa Valley just to the northeast.

Headed north, Muir Woods is definitely worth a visit (even though it's named in honor of John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club - but I won't hold that against him or the massive trees there).

[AsphaltPlanet]

I have been to the L.A. area before, but I never went further then the Topanga Canyon Road.

LA freeways are a lot of fun to cruise around, the only issue that I have with them is that they are difficult to photograph.  Like many states, California erects fences on all of their overpasses which makes taking photos from them very difficult.  Texas doesn't seem to fence their overpasses.

If I chose California, I would envision the trip as this.  I work a midnight shift until 07:30 in Toronto on Wednesday October 31, book it to Buffalo, NY and take a midday flight to LA.  Arrive in LA around the evening rush, enjoy a burger from In'n'out (best part of CA), and then head northwest.  Two days on the PCH, (thursday and friday), then a day in San Francisco on Sat, back to LA on sunday via US101, and then a half day in LA before flying out on the redeye monday overnight, getting back to buffalo on tuesday morning.  Back to work at 15:30 in Toronto on Tuesday.  Is that too ambitious for the time I have?  Seems pretty whirlwind.

[corco]

Ah, nothing better than a long day of travel after an overnight shift. I've done it several times. I spent most of June and July working F/Sa/Su overnight, driving somewhere Monday morning and not getting back until Friday afternoon.

It's ambitious, but I don't think that's too ambitious at all.

[J N Winkler]

LA freeways are a lot of fun to cruise around, the only issue that I have with them is that they are difficult to photograph.  Like many states, California erects fences on all of their overpasses which makes taking photos from them very difficult.  Texas doesn't seem to fence their overpasses.

The mesh fences can be worked around--it really depends on what kind of equipment you have.  The early freeways (pre-1950) don't have mesh fencing, though signs on them tend to have barbed wire surrounds and graffiti shields.  I have had reasonably good luck sticking the lens housing on a point-and-shoot camera through the mesh, though this doesn't work for oblique shots.

This is a through-the-mesh shot:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/argatlam_roads/4792860866/

[AsphaltPlanet]

I use an SLR which has a larger lens making through the fence photos more difficult.

I took this one of the same interchange a couple of years ago.

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/CA/I/110/I110_CA_cl_13-7_north_lg.jpg

You can see the edge of the fence in this one though...
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/CA/I/105/I105_CA_cl_15-7_east_lg.jpg

[formulanone]

I got some decent LA freeway shots from my car.

[kphoger]

I should mention that there are a couple of drives in Texas that are shorter than L.A.—San Francisco which have something to offer:

Dallas–Austin–San Antonio
Dallas–Houston–Galveston

To truly appreciate west Texas as agentsteel53 suggested would require a longer drive:  Odessa is more than 300 miles away, and that's just where the true west Texas scenery begins (not even, really).

[wphiii]

if I were to land in Dallas, I'd make a beeline to west Texas, which is the most scenic part of the state in my opinion.

then I'd wonder why I hadn't flown into El Paso!

El Paso has a pleasant airport.  FWIW.

Unfortunately, there's not much else there.

[agentsteel53]

Unfortunately, there's not much else there.

Big Bend is an easy drive away, as are destinations in New Mexico, Chihuahua, and even Sonora.

[corco]

If I flew from Buffalo to El Paso I'd wonder why I didn't just clinch US-62 instead