BOS to LAX/SFO - Trip tips/Am I nuts?

[Pilsy]

A friend of mine is getting married near L.A. on a Sunday next April. We will be invited to the RD and farewell brunch, but I'm not in the wedding and don't mind if we miss those. We aren't big fans of L.A. DH has a brother in the area, but they are not close, so we will make a point of seeing him, but one afternoon or night will be plenty. We have been figuring it will be a long weekend trip.

But now I'm scheming, because we have wanted to see San Fran and Napa, and I wonder if I can turn this trip into a catch-all since we'll be on the west coast, anyway. (We live near Boston.)

DH doesn't want to be out of work for more than a week. Is this doable? Reasonable? I haven't looked at flights but have it in my head that it can't cost that much to fly from SFO to LAX. I mean, it has to be cheaper than flying from BOS to SFO some other time. But there are trade-offs in making a short stay.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Admonitions?

[Deleted]

That is both doable and reasonable.

[sa]

You'll be fine. When we went to CA two years ago, we spent a few days in LA/Ventura, then we drove to Yosemite stayed for two nights, and then drove to SF for a few nights before flying back home. The trip didn't feel rushed at all for me. I thought it was nice to get a little taste of each area.

Plus if you do Napa that part of your trip is going to be laid-back, so it's not like you'll be go, go, go the entire week.

[Pilsy]

Oct 12, 2012 10:49:27 GMT -5 v said:

That is both doable and reasonable.

Sweet!

[SJ]

Oct 12, 2012 10:49:27 GMT -5 v said:

That is both doable and reasonable.

I totally agree. With 9 days (1 week off work) I think you can do both, especially if you don't want to spend too much time in LA

[Pilsy]

I'm so psyched. I was expecting people to say, "Sure, you can do it, but I don't recommend it."

Thanks, ladies!

[Deleted]

Yes do it. I was only in San Fran for three days and I wanna go back so bad. Have fun.

[ESF]

Yup, easy.

Best bet for flights is a one way leg on Southwest out of Oakland and into LAX. There's about a eight flights a day and they are usually pretty cheap. They might have them from SFO to LAX too, though they may cost more and there might be fewer of them.

[taylormade]

Check out the 'multiple destination' option on your favorite airlines.

Do your flight like this: BOS-LAX LAX-SFO (or Oakland) SFO-BOS

For some reason when I read your OP it sounds like you are planning on doing BOS-LAX LAX-SFO SFO-LAX LAX-BOS

It will be so much easier to fly into LAX and out of SFO.

Or.... You can do BOS-LAX rent a car, drive up to SFO/NAPA and then get a flight from SFO-BOS

I used to live in San Francisco and would do the drive to Orange County and back regularly.

[Pilsy]

Oct 12, 2012 12:11:17 GMT -5 taylormade said:

Check out the 'multiple destination' option on your favorite airlines.

Do your flight like this: BOS-LAX LAX-SFO (or Oakland) SFO-BOS

For some reason when I read your OP it sounds like you are planning on doing BOS-LAX LAX-SFO SFO-LAX LAX-BOS

Yeah, yeah. I have been looking on Kayak. We will do BOS to LAX to SFO (or Oakland) to BOS. I would love to drive from LAX to SFO, but with relatively little time, can we afford to do that? I just looked quickly and Southwest won't show flights for April, but Kayak showed JetBlue flights from LAX to SFO for just $77. Crazy!

The whole thing is still going to run us several grand, but I figure the long weekend would have cost a couple grand, anyway, so to turn it into a real vacation is well worth it for the incremental cost.

[drloretta]

A RT ticket from LAX to Sacramento cost us around $100. So that leg is doable, and preferable to driving the length of the state.

Enjoy!

[Deleted]

Yeah, that should be fine. Definitely fly in and out of Oakland though if it works for where you want to go. That airport is way better and less delayed flights.

I would take a red eye to LA Friday night, stay through brunch and fly to SF Sunday night, go home Saturday. Should be more than enough time.

[Pilsy]

Thank you all so much! Great tips. (And I may hire you to plan the trip in detail, sfgal!)

We haven't traveled enough over the past couple years, so I'm extra excited!

[rosebud]

Just a reminder about the drive time: By the time you drive to LAX, return your rental, get through security, etc, not counting getting to the airport 1.5 hrs before the flight you could be halfway to Santa Barbara

[Deleted]

What exactly is "near L.A."?

It matters.

[Pilsy]

Oct 13, 2012 8:54:24 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

What exactly is "near L.A."?

It matters.

RD and brunch in Pomona, wedding in Canoga Park. DH's brother is in N. Hollywood.

We may avoid LAX.

[dapotato]

Oct 13, 2012 10:40:42 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

Oct 13, 2012 8:54:24 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

What exactly is "near L.A."?

It matters.

RD and brunch in Pomona, wedding in Canoga Park. DH's brother is in N. Hollywood.

We may avoid LAX.

no wonder you don't like LA if these cities are your impression of "LA."

pomona and canoga park are VERY far from each other. i would fly into burbank if you can find a decent plane ticket from boston, stay near the wedding, skip the rd and brunch (i actually don't mind driving, but pomona to canoga park and back twice in one weekend is a horrible drive; and staying in pomona won't be fun even if you only have to drive to canoga park once), meet with bil for a meal as north hollywood & canoga park aren't that far from each other. then fly out of burbank again to sfo or oakland. if you decide to drive, canoga park is already pretty far north, so you'll shave about an hour or even more off your drive up north compared to starting from pomona.

[dapotato]

oh, and if you decide to stay near pomona, fly into ontario. plane tickets to both ontario and burbank especially from boston are usually more expensive. my brother and sil fly here from boston once or twice a year and usually end up just doing lax because it ends up being cheaper.

[Pilsy]

Oct 13, 2012 10:54:41 GMT -5 dapotato said:

Oct 13, 2012 10:40:42 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

RD and brunch in Pomona, wedding in Canoga Park. DH's brother is in N. Hollywood.

We may avoid LAX.

no wonder you don't like LA if these cities are your impression of "LA."

haha Good point. Really, though, we have nothing against L.A. (the good part!). It's more that we've both been there before, whereas I've never been to SF and neither of us has been to Napa. But still, I know what you mean. Your suggestion is a good one. It really works to our advantage that I'm not in the wedding.

[dapotato]

well, i do love sf and napa, so i hope you guys end up going and enjoy!

also, north hollywood is right next to burbank airport. so if you want to see bil but take care of it soon/quickly, you could meet him as soon you land, even.

[Pilsy]

Oct 13, 2012 11:20:55 GMT -5 dapotato said:

well, i do love sf and napa, so i hope you guys end up going and enjoy!

also, north hollywood is right next to burbank airport. so if you want to see bil but take care of it soon/quickly, you could meet him as soon you land, even.

:Y:

[MixedBerryJam]

Oct 12, 2012 12:11:17 GMT -5 taylormade said:

Check out the 'multiple destination' option on your favorite airlines.

Do your flight like this: BOS-LAX LAX-SFO (or Oakland) SFO-BOS

For some reason when I read your OP it sounds like you are planning on doing BOS-LAX LAX-SFO SFO-LAX LAX-BOS

It will be so much easier to fly into LAX and out of SFO.

Or.... You can do BOS-LAX rent a car, drive up to SFO/NAPA and then get a flight from SFO-BOS

I used to live in San Francisco and would do the drive to Orange County and back regularly.

Ohmigawd this would be a totally awesome and doable driving vacation. We did something similar a few years ago -- we were with kids, though. (From Boston also)

We flew in to SFO, rented a car. Spent a few days there including a daytrip to Napa, then drove to Yosemite for a few days; then drove to LA for a couple of days (do not miss La Brea Tarpits), then we headed down to San Diego and flew home from there. I would love to do this without kids, and spend more time in Napa and on the coast.

[Deleted]

Nothing you listed is even remotely close to Los Angeles.

Stop maligning my town.

And listen to dapotato.