About this item
Drive the entire "Best of the West" loop, mix and match destinations for shorter road trips, or follow strategic itineraries for spending time in San Francisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, and smaller towns along the Pacific Coast Highway Experience California and the Southwest your way with lists of the best hikes, views, restaurants, and more. Conquer Half Dome, stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge, venture into the depths of the Grand Canyon, or snap a picture on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Step back in time at Alcatraz, tour the opulent rooms of Hearst Castle, or marvel at the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Satisfy your cravings with an authentic Mission burrito, be dazzled by an over-the-top Las Vegas show, or enjoy a technicolor sunset from a rooftop bar in Los Angeles Over 40 easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, and detailed directions for the entire routeLocal Insight: Surfer and adventurer Stuart Thornton shares his passion for the state's best secluded beaches, quirky pit stops, and mountaintop vistasPlanning Your Trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, and suggestions for international visitors, LGBTQ travelers, seniors, and road trippers with kidsWith Moon California Road Trip's practical tips, detailed itineraries, and local expertise, you're ready to fill up the tank and hit the road.
About the Author
Researching a travel guide yields many memorable experiences, and I have had several while working on the Moon Monterey & Carmel, Moon Coastal California, Moon Santa Barbara & The Central Coast and Moon Spotlight Cambria & San Simeon books. These include paddling into the glowing sea caves of Santa Cruz Island, surfing the waves of California's northernmost coastal community, snacking on gold dusted appetizers at Michael Mina, spending the night in San Francisco's Mandarin Oriental with its pulse quickening views of the city and fleeing from a remote Lost Coast campsite at 3am due to gunshots erupting nearby.My years writing articles for National Geographic Education, Relix Magazine and the Monterey County Weekly have also resulted in many moments that I will always remember. Some highlights include interviewing filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer James Cameron in person after his record-breaking submarine descent and getting some inside knowledge about the acting life from screen legend Gary Oldman in a fancy San Francisco hotel room. It has been good fun having the pleasure to be one of the first writers to do a feature article on blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. in a national music magazine and being able to do a piece where I got to trace the journey of a condor egg from the backcountry of Big Sur to the Los Angeles Zoo. Anyway, the writing work I have done has always been enlightening and interesting to me.
