DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Mrs Sam, the three teenagers and I are going to California for 3 weeks in July. I’ve never been to the west coast.

We’re hopping off the plane at LAX with our dreams and cardigans, then over to Vegas to see some NBA for my youngest’s birthday, then thinking Grand Canyon - Death Valley - Yosemite - San Francisco - back to LA. The usual tourist route I guess.

I’m guessing a load of you wealthy jet setters have done all that before so would welcome any pointers to interesting stuff to do please. Car and non car.

Delete your social media and don't look too brown before you land?

LA- Petersen and NHRA museum
Pacific coast highway and if heading up towards Frisco Canepa in Scott’s Valley
If in SF first Saturday of month go to EASY / RGruppe cars and Coffee ( pm me for a contact)
Buy Curves California by Stefan Bogner from Amazon
C

It’ll be a great trip Sam - did that pre-kids

+1 for the Petersen in LA
Personally I'm super-fond of Palm Springs and the desert around, including Joshua Tree national park, but that might be off your route
Yosemite is fab, do your research to minimise crowd-based annoyance
Have a look at Sedona (red rocks) for yet more stunning scenery, if it fits your route while in the Vegas / Grand Canyon area
Can recommend a house (Airbnb) just outside the Death Valley national park. Absolute middle of nowhere, stargazing from the hot tub is fun. DM me if of interest.

While in LA you are spoiled for choice, but it does sprawl... On family trips I have found it best to rent a place in a fun neighbourhood (eg Silverlake) for a few days and spend a bit of time there, with specific outings for those who want to go. Rather than driving around trying to see everything, which risks becoming a holiday in traffic if you're unlucky.
Touristy stuff in LA: Universal Studios (especially if you get there early in the day), Getty Museum (if you like art, and for the location / views). California Science Center depending on your kids' interests - personally I much enjoyed the space stuff including a Shuttle.

Have fun!

Done this lot twice when my daughter was 11, and in the mid 90's.
We did all the usual non-car stuff, but in the 70's i worked in North California for a while, so cross the Big Bridge in SF and go north to Santa Rosa, Walnut Creek etc.
They are a bit away from the madding crowd and were a light relief overall.

The distances between places are long so you have lots of time in the hire car.

I think in July the popular places really will be busy.

However, a very good experience for all, have a great trip!

Me and the good lady took in a VW show at a raceway just outside LA - that was a very cool day out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Forgot - if you can get out to Zion NP it's fab


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rhd racer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 16, 2025 1:40 pm Me and the good lady took in a VW show at a raceway just outside LA - that was a very cool day out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Both Fontana and Irwindale are now closed, sadly. Delighted I managed to race at both of them on several occasions before the bulldozers moved in...

What a shame - Irwindale, that was it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We managed to get to several hot rod evening show n shines whilst in SFran.

Alcatraz or a boat trip around it. The Maddona Inn is an eye opener if you are doing the drive down the coast road, San Francisco to LA. All this talk makes me want to plan a trip for the Porsche week next winter.

Lots to do on that trip and very easy, just watch out for LA traffic and PCH closures. If you have teens, think they will enjoy Santa Monica and the area around there. Malibu is also great and a nice place to stay. Peterson, Getty etc. are truly world class. Hearst Castle is a nice detour and pretty spectacular. LA has some great food places as well to suit all budgets. Hi Ho burger in SM and Howlin Rays are good fun. There are often food festivals / trucks serving amazing food.

Alcatraz is super touristy but brilliant, rest of San Fran a bit rubbish. Yosemite also beautiful. Santa Barbara is a lovely town that has some quite astonishing cars n coffee events.

It’s a big place so definitely worth planning what you want to do and how much distance you want to cover. I’ve been a few times and there are still things I would like to see.

Agree with everything so far and would add a couple of things. The Peterson is excellent but if you also do the vault where they have a huge store of really interesting and often rare cars it gets slightly expensive. Consider whether to do both or one. With Yosemite you generally need to book entrance in advance as it has a capacity. If you turn up on a busy day having not booked you may be disappointed. Google cars and coffee in the area, they are running all the time and you meet some great people as I did last year. The RGruppe cars and coffee at EASY was just great so take up Clive’s offer of a contact. Enjoy!

IIRC, California is as big as England.
Our last trip was a 14 nighter and there was much more to 'tick-off'

We took a helicopter ride over SFran and Alkatraz, quite a perspective.
What has the recent fires done to the tourist traps?

After the two big California trips we did Canada which I preferred (more space, less people).