I Live in LA and am driving up to Santa Cruz later this summer. I've driven up there a few times either just in an auto or dragging our TT. This summer I'll get the chance to do it with our new 35' rolling couch! The quickest way is straight up the 5 and over Pacheco Pass on 152 down into Gilroy. (MMMMM. Garlicky....) Anyway, some of that stretch (the twisty-2 lane part) gives me the heebee jeebies just thinking about it. Does anyone have any experience driving 46 from Lost Hills to Paso Robles and then up 101? Thanks in advance. PS- Sorry. This should have been in the other part of the forum.
QUOTE(gwbischoff @ Jun 22 2007, 02:53 PM) [snapback]7403[/snapback] I Live in LA and am driving up to Santa Cruz later this summer. I've driven up there a few times either just in an auto or dragging our TT. This summer I'll get the chance to do it with our new 35' rolling couch! The quickest way is straight up the 5 and over Pacheco Pass on 152 down into Gilroy. (MMMMM. Garlicky....) Anyway, some of that stretch (the twisty-2 lane part) gives me the heebee jeebies just thinking about it. Does anyone have any experience driving 46 from Lost Hills to Paso Robles and then up 101? Thanks in advance. PS- Sorry. This should have been in the other part of the forum. We have driven both 152 to Gilroy and 46 from Lost Hills to Paso Robles with a 36' mh. Neither are too bad. However, we would not take our coach on 152 (Hecker Pass) from Gilroy to the coast. 46 is o.k. too. We have driven that stretch for the past two or three years, heading to Buellton and Solvang from No. CA. If I remember correctly there are some twisty, hilly parts there too but the turns are not tight and the road is not bad. I don't remember having a lot of traffic on that stretch either. We haven't driven up 101 from that direction for a long time so I don't know the condition of the road. Our preference would be 46.
I would take the 101 out of LA. It's a much nicer drive. You have Questa Grade outside of San Luis Obispo. It's steep but since the recent work is nice and wide and pretty straight. When you get to Prunedale cut over to Castroville and up the 1. It's another 20 minutes to Santa Cruz. If you still want to take the 5, cut over to the 101 at the 152. Instead of going into Gilroy take the Holister bypass to San Juan Batista. Then take the 101 south to Prunedale and cut west over to Castroville and then take the 1 north. This will add maybe 30 miles but in tearms of time will be about the same since you don't have all the Gilroy stoplights, traffic and the curvy Mt. Madonna road.
I live in the central valley and the coast is our favorite location, beit Monterey to Bodega Bay. The last 2 post's are right on. They have made Questa grade very easy now. When you go through Salinas via 101 you will see a turnoff to go to Monterey, Hwy 1, take it. When you get to Castroville, about 2 miles take the Hwy 1 north turnoff, It is a beautiful drive and it's a freeway all the way into Santa Cruz. DO NOT TAKE HECKER PASS out of Gilroy or HWY 17 out of San Jose, both are very bad, esp in a big rig or pulling a trailer. Hecker being the worse, I have driven that in a car and it was bad. Have a great time. Just my opinion
QUOTE(rodman @ Jun 25 2007, 10:16 AM) [snapback]7424[/snapback] I live in the central valley and the coast is our favorite location, beit Monterey to Bodega Bay. The last 2 post's are right on. They have made Questa grade very easy now. When you go through Salinas via 101 you will see a turnoff to go to Monterey, Hwy 1, take it. When you get to Castroville, about 2 miles take the Hwy 1 north turnoff, It is a beautiful drive and it's a freeway all the way into Santa Cruz. DO NOT TAKE HECKER PASS out of Gilroy or HWY 17 out of San Jose, both are very bad, esp in a big rig or pulling a trailer. Hecker being the worse, I have driven that in a car and it was bad. Have a great time. Just my opinion Thanks one and all. I'm trying to remember about the Hwy1 cutoff that you're talking about. I remember going up that way towing out TT and having to cross 101 when it's technically"not a freeway". I recall that some of those crossovers were a nightmare and had huge lines of cars waiting to run the gauntlet of oncoming traffic. The name "Espinoza Rd." comes to mind.
Thanks one and all. I'm trying to remember about the Hwy1 cutoff that you're talking about. I remember going up that way towing out TT and having to cross 101 when it's technically"not a freeway". I recall that some of those crossovers were a nightmare and had huge lines of cars waiting to run the gauntlet of oncoming traffic. The name "Espinoza Rd." comes to mind. [/quote] There are two connecting highways (101 to 1) in that area. The 68/183 out of Salinas and the 156 west out of Prunedale. I'd take the 156. There are overpasses both ways and no lines waiting for a gap in traffic.
Head north from LA on Hwy 101. You will go through Salinas and start to get to Prunedale. Take the Monterey turnoff, you won't have to cross traffic, it's a loop that will put you on the hwy heading toward Monterey, you will see the exit to go to Santa Cruz, it will be hwy 1 north, again not having to cross traffic. It's real easy, you will be very comfortable. I used to live in Salinas and Monterey. That is your easiest and most senic way. Have fun. Just my opinion,
There are two connecting highways (101 to 1) in that area. The 68/183 out of Salinas and the 156 west out of Prunedale. I'd take the 156. There are overpasses both ways and no lines waiting for a gap in traffic. [/quote] Then that's how I'll play it. Thanks. BTW, I looked up the Espinoza Rd/ 101 interchange on Google Maps and switched to the satellite view and there are about 16-18 cars waiting to cross the southbound lane!
[/quote] BTW, I looked up the Espinoza Rd/ 101 interchange on Google Maps and switched to the satellite view and there are about 16-18 cars waiting to cross the southbound lane! [/quote] I really wonder some times why so many people would try to get on 101 at one of those crossings. It isn't very safe and they are virtually guarnteed a long wait. Just curious where you are staying in the Santa Cruz area.
Just curious where you are staying in the Santa Cruz area. [/quote] We're going to KOA- it. I know it's steep, but they have a lot of stuff for the kids and the beach is convenient. We're also planning to drive up to SF once or twice. Do you have any experience with (I believe it's called) Marina Dunes, outside of Monterey? We drove by it a few months back and looked like a great location. Any others in the area that you'd recommend?
We've stayed at Marina Dunes and liked it there. It's a walk to the beach but it's well kept . There's no pool but it's much closer to services. Everything along the Monteray Bay coast is in the 50$ and 60$ (except the state parks). We just got back from Smithwoods RV Park in Felton which is about 5 miles from Santa Cruz and rght next to the Roaring Camp Railroad and Henry Cowell State Redwoods. I can highly reccomend them or Cotillion Gardens next door. Lots for the kids to do and the adults too. Felton RV Parks.
Thanks a lot for your help. When we're up there we'll probably stop by an look at a few other spots up there. We love that whole area. What's not to like, right?
Marina Dunes is one of the best in the area. It has gotten a little pricy though. We have been staying at this place for some years now and love the location. We have been wanting to stay in Santa Cruz for awhile but have never done it. We have been told of 3 parks in Felton but have never gone, are they nice places, I only know of them from what I have read here and a buddy of mine who goes to 1 of them a couple of times a year. We have a friend who stayes at another one and of course they say that 1 is better. Of course it's just their opinion. Just my opinion,
QUOTE(rodman @ Jun 27 2007, 10:20 AM) [snapback]7467[/snapback] Marina Dunes is one of the best in the area. It has gotten a little pricy though. We have been staying at this place for some years now and love the location. We have been wanting to stay in Santa Cruz for awhile but have never done it. We have been told of 3 parks in Felton but have never gone, are they nice places, I only know of them from what I have read here and a buddy of mine who goes to 1 of them a couple of times a year. We have a friend who stayes at another one and of course they say that 1 is better. Of course it's just their opinion. Just my opinion, How is it negotiating a 35 footer around there? When we drove by it seemed like it was packed in pretty tight in amongst the dunes. Cool spot, tho... It seemed like it was pretty
The sites east of the office are for larger rigs. I never have any trouble. They will let you come in from either direction which makes it easier to back in. I have always had enough room to park my 35'r and my Dodge 2500 in the site. I've seen 40'ers get in no problem. This is a nice place. They hang glide from the beach where you turn off, walking distance plus the resturant right up the road is very good. Like I said though it is pricy, I think the last time I was there it was around $70. As always just my opinion,
Hey, I just posted a comment in another thread about this, but have any of you stayed at the racetrack at Laguna Seca? I'm thinking that I might want to go for the race weekend in October. Thanx
I haven't stayed there but I've driven through. It's ok, very much on the "hillsides" but good roads. When we were there cars were on the track and it was very noisy, go figure!
Hey, just wanted to thank you guys for your info on the driving conditions up that way. Your recomendations were right on the nose. We didn't have any problems. Thanks. The drive from Lost Hills up 46 to Paso Robles was nice. I could do without all of the big rig traffic, tho...
