[makrop]

This coming Spring, my brother is getting married out in San Diego area and the wife and I are toying with the idea of driving and making a good road trip out of it with cool stops along the way, etc. We'll be driving from Tulsa, OK so the Grand Canyon is 100% on the list. Was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions on things to do along the way. Going out of the way is not a problem as we're planning on taking a few days and having fun with it. I don't necessarily want to drive 4 hours out of the way, but could be persuaded if it was REALLY worth it.

I'd like to plan on taking the bimmer but wife has a CR-V that might be more comfortable + better mileage + she will be able to drive. But the idea of driving the M240i along the PCH is tempting. We're planning on playing a round at Torrey Pines (gotta start saving up). If we do take my car, any suggestions on what to bring as far as safety/maintenance items? I'll have golf clubs in the trunk so a spare tire isn't really an option. What are some good alternatives if I were to get a flat out in the middle of the desert? I'll for sure have a jug of coolant and a couple quarts of oil. I only have a floor jack though... any recommendations on a small scissor type jack for side of the road work that doesn't take up a lot of space?

[chattanooga240]

Take it from someone who has driven on the PCH, you don't want to do it in a CRV.

[MarcoZandrini]

Originally Posted by chattanooga240

Take it from someone who has driven on the PCH, you don't want to do it in a CRV.

As someone who has driven the PCH both north of LA, and north and south of SF, take the bimmer. Leave the CRV. (/s)

[makrop]

Originally Posted by chattanooga240

Take it from someone who has driven on the PCH, you don't want to do it in a CRV.

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

As someone who has driven the PCH both north of LA, and north and south of SF, take the bimmer. Leave the CRV. (/s)

Is this because of the experience? Or because you need to keep up with traffic? lol

[chattanooga240]

Originally Posted by makrop

Is this because of the experience? Or because you need to keep up with traffic? lol

Yes

[p912guy]

You have a modern, properly maintained BMW. Take it, drive it and don't worry. All you need is a cell phone if in the highly unlikely event something were to happen where you might need assistance. People drive successfully across country in 20 year old POS's with 200K miles or more all the time. You'll be fine. I'd give my right "you know what" for the opportunity to drive the PCH in my M235i Vert, but sadly driving to Cali from Kentucky just doesn't make an logical sense, and I have family both south in OC and north in Mountainview.

[mb67]

Last year I drove my 228i Convertible from here in San Diego to visit family in Ohio and back. It was a very enjoyable, comfortable, 5,000 miles round trip.

[Sportstick]

Based on the available roads, even from the Grand Canyon, you are likely too far from the Valley of Fire north of Las Vegas and Death Valley just over the Nevada border in California, although both are quite striking and worth seeing. I assume you will stop in Sedona another great destination (stay overnight at Enchantment resort), although the city has become a bit touristy in recent years, but the surrounding red rock is incredible. Rent a Jeep or take a Pink Jeep tour and head up Schnebly Hill. Gorgeous.

[makrop]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Based on the available roads, even from the Grand Canyon, you are likely too far from the Valley of Fire north of Las Vegas and Death Valley just over the Nevada border in California, although both are quite striking and worth seeing. I assume you will stop in Sedona another great destination (stay overnight at Enchantment resort), although the city has become a bit touristy in recent years, but the surrounding red rock is incredible. Rent a Jeep or take a Pink Jeep tour and head up Schnebly Hill. Gorgeous.

Google maps shows us going barely south of Vegas. We're actually headed to Orange, CA, about an hour north of San Diego. What is this Valley of Fire you speak of? Sounds intriguing ha

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by makrop

Google maps shows us going barely south of Vegas. We're actually headed to Orange, CA, about an hour north of San Diego. What is this Valley of Fire you speak of? Sounds intriguing ha

http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire

Also search Google for "valley of fire" and choose Images.

Incredible place...if you're into the "nature stuff"!

[mb67]

It was a really long time ago, but I enjoyed driving part of Route 66 from OK through the desert SW.

[Maynard]

Getting far enough up the coast to see some of the redwoods is fantastic, but probably beyond the '4 hrs out of the way'. It does make for a great excuse to drive PCH though, and there are a lot of great things to see/do around Monterey/Big Sur.

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by chattanooga240

Take it from someone who has driven on the PCH, you don't want to do it in a CRV.

Ditto here. I was stationed in San Diego when I was in the Navy. Then we took the kids to SD and drove to San Francisco. We had a Mustang vert rental and it was cool. The S2000 would be a blast. Check out Coronado, Tijuana, Mission Beach, LaJolla. Torrey Pines is tough. Bring lots of golf balls but the view over the Pacific is spectacular.

[734jeant]

I would also recommend Bryce and Zion.

[9t2hoo]

I second the recommendation on Zion. If you are even moderately physically fit, the hiking in Zion is some of the best in the country if not the world. I wood also recommend driving the Shafer Canyon Road in Canyonlands NP, spotlight you will need to rent a Jeep...

[makrop]

Originally Posted by 734jeant

I would also recommend Bryce and Zion.

Originally Posted by 9t2hoo

I second the recommendation on Zion. If you are even moderately physically fit, the hiking in Zion is some of the best in the country if not the world. I wood also recommend driving the Shafer Canyon Road in Canyonlands NP, spotlight you will need to rent a Jeep...

Zion looks pretty incredible... This trip is getting longer and longer... haha! Last Fall we did some pretty good hikes up on Mt. Rainer up in Washington and that was pretty incredible. That was our first time doing legit hikes (just day hikes, no backpacking type stuff, not that serious... yet). We've been wanting to try out some more. This is a totally different terrain but something we've never seen before. Getting super pumped! Keep the suggestions coming!

[morphomeman]

Two thoughts.
One: if the trip is that far away, your wife would be able to learn to drive the MT between now and then. Being able to drive a manual comes in handy in other countries. In Europe, for example, automatic rental vehicles tend to be more expensive.
Two: take the CRV, which will be much more comfortable for most of the trip, and then rent a more sporty vehicle for a couple of days, so you can drive up and down the PCH.
Of course, it is highly likely that large parts of California will break off between now and the proposed trip date due to some natural disaster or other, making the PCH experience less viable.

[makrop]

Originally Posted by morphomeman

Two thoughts.
One: if the trip is that far away, your wife would be able to learn to drive the MT between now and then. Being able to drive a manual comes in handy in other countries. In Europe, for example, automatic rental vehicles tend to be more expensive.
Two: take the CRV, which will be much more comfortable for most of the trip, and then rent a more sporty vehicle for a couple of days, so you can drive up and down the PCH.
Of course, it is highly likely that large parts of California will break off between now and the proposed trip date due to some natural disaster or other, making the PCH experience less viable.

I taught her the basics with my 135i a few years back. She could manage in a pinch. She just doesn't like to do it and never took it out on in traffic. But with the rev matching on the M240i, it makes it "easier" if she wants to cheat her way through it lol. Foot off gas, clutch in, shift, car holds revs where they need to be with foot off gas, clutch out, then get back on gas. Can't really mess it up. But still gotta get going from the take-off ha.

It's less about only wanting to drive on PCH with my car than just preferring to drive mine over hers in general. Also, the furthest I've gone with mine has been OKC (1.5 hours). So it is ready for a trip.

[Shovelman]

If you only see one National Park make it Zion.

Take the CRV, you'll be a little unsatisfied but it would be worse in the BMW.

[Winemaker2]

From someone who just took a road trip from NorCal to SoCal, take the BMW. We were near Dana Point which would be around an hour north of San Diego and on Sunday the highway was crowded with Ferraris and Lamborghinis. I had a little fun with them taking the sweeping right turn up the Newport Coast Highway just outside of Newport Beach.

[734jeant]

Originally Posted by 9t2hoo

I second the recommendation on Zion. If you are even moderately physically fit, the hiking in Zion is some of the best in the country if not the world. I wood also recommend driving the Shafer Canyon Road in Canyonlands NP, spotlight you will need to rent a Jeep...

Bryce hiking is STUNNING! Very different than Zion because you are down in a "canyon". Pictures can't do it justice.

[pmcmtnbkr]

I have read a lot of great ideas I would take the BMW plot a bunch of he recommendations and see what happens, but being a few beers in my mind is drifting to a movie with a family truckster and a road trip across the country. Hmmm I think I need to plot a road trip like this soon.