Getting around
Boat
Boating is not an option for getting around California, although there are a few local services, notably to Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. On San Francisco Bay, ferry routes operate between San Francisco and Sausalito, Tiburon, Larkspur, Oakland, Alameda and Vallejo. There are some small ferries and water taxis operating in San Diego Bay.
Car & motorcycle
Insurance
California law requires liability insurance for all vehicles, which covers you if you injure another person in an accident. The minimum for bodily injury liability is $15, 000 for one person or $30, 000 for all injuries in one accident. You also have to carry at least $5000 of property damage liability. Car-rental contracts do not automatically include basic liability insurance, so be sure to ask. Liability insurance policies available through the rental companies usually provide coverage for up to $1 million as well as protection against damage or injury to you inflicted by uninsured or underinsured drivers. Taking out this insurance inflates daily rental costs by about $12.
Insurance against damage to the car itself, called Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), reduces or eliminates the amount you’ll have to reimburse the rental company in case of an accident. Although it is optional, driving without a waiver is not recommended, even though it adds a rather steep $9 to $15 to your daily tab. If you don’t have this coverage, you accept responsibility for all damages to the rental car.
Depending on your personal vehicle- insurance policy or travel-insurance policy, you may be covered for liability and CDW/LDW when you rent a car. Be sure to check details with your agent.
Some credit cards, especially the gold and platinum versions, cover CDW/LDW for a certain rental period if you use the card to pay for the entire rental and decline the policy offered by the rental company. Always check with your card issuer to see what coverage it provides in California.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) covers you and any passenger (s) for medical costs incurred as a result of an accident. If your travel insurance or your health-insurance policy at home does this as well (and most do, but check), then this is one expense (about $5 per day) you can do without.
Cars
As anywhere, rates for car rentals vary considerably by model and pick-up location, but with advance reservations you should be able to get an economy-size vehicle from about $25 per day or $150 a week, plus insurance and taxes. If you belong to an auto club, ask about discounts. It’s also worth asking whether car rentals are eligible for frequent-flyer miles.
Rates generally include unlimited mileage, but expect surcharges for rentals originating at airports and train stations, as well as for additional drivers and one-way rentals. Child or infant safety seats are compulsory (reserve at the time of booking) and cost about $8 per day or $40 per week.
In order to rent your own wheels you generally need to be at least 25 years old and hold a valid driver’s license and a major credit card. Some companies may rent to drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 for an additional charge (about $15 to $25 per day). If you don’t have a credit card, you may be able to make a large cash deposit.
Here is a list of the major international car-rental companies with dozens of branches throughout California.
Alamo (800-327-9633; www.alamo.com)
Avis (800-331-1212; www.avis.com)
Budget (800-527-0700; www.budget.com)
Dollar (800-800-4000; www.dollar.com)
Enterprise (800-325-8007; www.enterprise.com)
Hertz (800-654-3131; www.hertz.com)
National (800-227-7368; www.nationalcar.com)
Thrifty (800-367-2277; www.thrifty.com)
You might get a better deal through online agencies, such as Expedia (www.expedia.com) or Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), or consolidators such as www.carrentals.com. Independent local agencies may offer lower rates, so it’s worth looking into that as well. They’re also more likely to rent to drivers under 25 and to accept cash or travelers checks as a deposit. About 300 independent agencies are represented by Car Rental Express (www.carrentalexpress.com).
Overseas travelers should look into prepaid deals or fly-drive packages arranged in your home country, which often work out cheaper than on-the-spot rentals.
Motorcycles
Motorcycle rentals and insurance are not cheap, especially if you’ve got ‘Harley hunger.’ Small bikes, such as the Harley’s Sportster 883, go for about $75 per day; three-day or one-week rentals cost around $210 or $455 respectively. Larger models, such as the Fat Boy, go for about $130, $345 or $750. Security deposits range from $1000 to $3000 (credit card required). Rates usually include helmets, unlimited miles and minimum liability insurance; collision insurance (CDW) costs extra. One-way rentals typically incur a hefty surcharge.
Eagle Rider (310-536-6777, 888-900-9901; www.eaglerider.com) Nationwide company with 10 outlets in California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Springs and San Diego.
Moturis (800-890-2909; www.moturis.com) Also rents recreational vehicles (RVs).
Recreational vehicles
Traveling by recreational vehicle (RV) is a popular way of exploring California and great for those keen on getting away from the major population centers and into the forest, mountains or desert. For the widest choice, book as early as possible. Costs vary by size and model, but you can generally expect to pay from $100 per day for a small campervan sleeping two or three adults to as much as $300 for a mansion on wheels for up to seven people. Diesel-fueled RVs have considerably lower running costs. Your travel agency back home may have the best deals, or contact these companies directly:
Cruise America (480-464-7300, 800-671-8042; www.cruiseamerica.com) Also rents motorcycles.
El Monte RV (888-337-2214; www.elmonterv.com)
Happy Travel Campers (310-675-1335, 800-370-1262; www.camperusa.com)
RV Central (909-613-0562; www.rvcentral.com)
Bus & tram
Bus
Within California, buses operated by Greyhound (800-231-2222; www.greyhound.com) provide an economical and environmentally friendly way to travel between major cities and to points along the coast, but they won’t get you off the beaten path or into parks and forests. Frequency of service varies from ‘rarely’ to ‘constantly, ’ but main routes have a service every hour or so, including a few nonstop express buses. Stopovers are allowed on full-fare tickets only.
US customers can purchase tickets online, over the telephone and in person at a terminal. If you order them at least 10 days in advance, they’ll be mailed to you (US and Canadian addresses only) or you can pick them up at the terminal with proper identification. Non-US customers must buy tickets at the terminal.
Greyhound is most popular with the less-affluent strata of American society, but by international standards the service is really quite good. There’s only one class and buses are generally comfortable, reliable and clean. Amenities may include lavatories, reclining seats, air-conditioning (bring a sweater). Smoking on board is prohibited. On longer journeys, buses make meal stops every few hours, usually at highway service stations where the food tends to be bad and overpriced; you’re better off bringing your own sustenance.
Bus stations are often dreary places located in sketchy areas. This is especially true of LA.
Greyhound can accommodate disabled travelers, but you should make your needs known either at the time of booking or by calling 800-752-4841 at least 48 hours in advance of travel.
Costs
Greyhound is the cheapest method of getting around and there are ways to trim costs even further. A round trip is generally cheaper than two one-way tickets. Children under 12 save 40% when accompanied by a passenger paying the full adult fare. Seniors get 5% off, while students in possession of a Student Advantage Card save 15% on the full fare.
Other promotions, including advance purchase or companion fares, become available all the time, although they may come with restrictions or blackout periods. Simply ask or check the website for the latest deals. See the following table for some sample fares.
Route - Adult Fare - Standard Duration - Frequency
Arcata-Oakland - $35 - 7hr - 1 daily
LA-Anaheim - $8.50 - ¾hr - up to 7 daily
LA-Palm Springs - $21 - 3-3½hr - up to 5 direct daily
LA-San Diego - $16 - 2¼-4hr - up to 24 daily
Las Vegas- $49 - 8hr - up to 2 direct, San Diego - 9 indirect daily
San Diego- $16 - 2¼-2½ - up to 7 daily Anaheim (Disneyland)
San Francisco-LA - $43 - 7½-12½hr - up to 15 daily
Santa Barbara-LA - $12 - 2¼-3hr - up to 8 daily
Bus
Buses are the most ubiquitous form of public transportation and practically all towns have their own system. Some lines are commuter oriented and offer only limited or no service at all in the evenings and on weekends.
Train
Amtrak (800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com) operates train services throughout California. At some stations, the trains are met by motorcoaches (called Amtrak Thruways) for onward connections to smaller destinations. Travel on these buses is only permitted in conjunction with a train ticket.
A pleasant way to travel along the coast between San Diego and San Luis Obispo (SLO) is aboard the Pacific Surfliner. The sleek, double-decker cars have comfortable seats with panoramic windows, and there’s a café car as well. Business-class seats feature nifty little video screens, slightly more legroom and outlets for plugging in laptops or other electrical devices. Up to 11 trains daily ply the San Diego-LA route (via Anaheim, home of Disneyland), with as many as five trains continuing north to Santa Barbara via Oxnard and Ventura. Two trains usually plunge on to San Luis Obispo. The trip itself, which hugs the coastline for much of the way, is a treat because of the beautiful scenery.
Amtrak also operates two other intra- California lines. The Capitol Corridor links communities in the eastern San Francisco Bay area (including Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville with Sacramento several times daily. From here, a few trains as well as Thruway buses continue south to San Jose, north to Auburn in the Gold Country and east to Truckee and Reno near Lake Tahoe.
The third train is the San Joaquins, which has several departures daily between Oakland and Bakersfield as well as Sacramento and Bakersfield. Stops along the way include Merced, with onward service to Yosemite National Park. From Bakersfield, buses leave for Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Anaheim.
Of Amtrak’s long-distance trains the Coast Starlight provides the most extensive intra-California service as it chugs pretty much along the entire length of the state. Major stops include Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento and Redding.
The California Zephyr, which travels between Emeryville/San Francisco and Chicago, passes through Truckee and Reno, where you can catch a local bus service to Lake Tahoe.
Costs
Tickets can be purchased in person, by telephone and online. Fares depend on the day of travel, the route, the type of seating and other factors. See the following table for sample standard adult fares. The fares are slightly higher between late May and early September. Round-trip tickets cost the same as two one-way tickets.
Route - Fare - Duration
Emeryville/San - from $25 - 3hr - Francisco-Merced
Emeryville/San - $44 - 5½hr - Francisco-Truckee
LA-Santa Barbara - $17/$28 - 2½hr
San Diego-Santa Barbara - $26/$41 - 5½hr
Seniors over 62 and students with a Student Advantage Card receive a 15% discount, while up to two children aged two to 15 and accompanied by an adult get 50% off. Children under two travel for free. AAA members enjoy 10% off regular fares. Special promotions can become available at any time, so be sure to ask or check the website.
Travel documents
Reservations
Greyhound does not take reservations and even buying tickets in advance does not guarantee you a seat on any particular bus. Show up 45 minutes to one hour prior to the scheduled departure and chances are pretty good you’ll get on. Allow more time on Friday and Sunday afternoons and around holidays.
Reservations
Reservations can be made any time from 11 months in advance to the day of departure. In summer and around holidays, some trains fill up quickly, so book seats as far in advance as possible.
Local transport
Taxi
Taxis are metered, with charges from $1.50 to $2.50 at flag fall, plus $1.20 to $2 per mile. There may be an extra charge for handling baggage and drivers expect a tip of 10% to 15%. In many cities, including Los Angeles, it isn’t customary to hail a cruising cab. Instead you phone ahead for one; numbers of local companies are listed throughout this book or look under ‘Taxi’ in the Yellow Pages.
Air
Flying within California is convenient if your time is limited and you want to cover great distances quickly. Besides the big international airports in San Francisco and Los Angeles, flights also depart from smaller regional airports, including Redding, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Burbank, Ontario, Long Beach, Orange County and San Diego.
The best fares are usually available on major routes with hourly services or better. These include SF-LA, SF-Burbank, SF-Orange County, SF-San Diego, SF-Reno, Oakland-LA and LA-Las Vegas. It’s possible to just show up at the airport, buy your ticket and hop on, though the best fares usually require advance purchase. Flights to smaller destinations tend to be fairly pricey because fewer airlines compete for your travel dollars. Much of the same advice here applies for domestic travel.
Airlines in California
Several major US carriers fly within California. Flights are often operated by their regional subsidiaries, such as American Eagle, United Express/Skywest and American West Express. Alaska Air and its partner airline Horizon Air have possibly the most extensive intra-California networks, even serving Redding and Eureka/Arcata in northern California. The most popular low-cost airline is Southwest.
Bicycle
Cycling may be a feasible way of getting around in some of the smaller towns but it is not really recommended in such traffic- dense areas as LA, San Francisco (think about those hills!) and San Diego. According to the League of American Bicyclists, Palo Alto, Santa Barbara, Davis and Chico are the most bicycle-friendly communities in California.
Bicycles may often be transported on public transportation at certain times of day.
Bicycle
In theory, cycling around California is a great, nonpolluting way to get around the state. In reality, though, the distances involved make it hard to cover a lot of the state and some of the more mountainous regions require a very high level of fitness. Cycling in the desert in summer is brutal and not recommended. Some cities have designated bicycle lanes, but you really want to have your wits about you when venturing out into heavy traffic.
Cyclists must follow the same rules of the road as vehicles, but don’t expect drivers to always respect your right of way. Helmets may give you a bad hair day but using one is not only the smart thing to do but is mandatory for anyone under 18. Cycling is permitted on all roads and highways - even along freeways if there’s no suitable alternative such as a smaller parallel road; all mandatory exits are marked. With hust the occasional exception there is no off-road mountain-biking in wilderness areas or in national parks, though bikes are allowed on national forest and BLM single-track trails. Trail etiquette requires cyclists to yield to other users.
Emergency roadside assistance is available from the Better World Club (866-238-1137; www.betterworldclub.com). Membership costs $40 per year, plus a $10 enrolment fee, and entitles you to two free pickups and transportation to the nearest repair shop, or home, within a 30-mile radius.
Most airlines will carry your bike in place of a checked bag without charge on international flights, although it may have to be in a box. On domestic flights there’s usually a fee of about $80. Check before you buy the ticket.
Members of the League of American Bicyclists (LAB; 202-822-1333; www.bikeleague.org) may transport their bikes free on selected airlines. See the website for details about this program as well as bicycle routes, special events, local clubs and tons of helpful tips on safe biking, maintenance and things to do prior to a big trip.
Greyhound buses will carry bicycles as luggage for about $15 to $25, provided the bicycle is disassembled and placed in a box (usually available at terminals for $10).
Most of Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Capitol Corridor trains feature special racks where you can secure your bike unboxed, but be sure to reserve a spot when making your ticket reservation. There’s a fee of $5 to $10, depending on the destination. On trains without racks, bikes must be put in a box and checked as luggage (fee $5, box $10). Not all stations or trains have checked baggage service.
Bicycle theft is fairly common, so protect yours with a heavy-duty bicycle lock and park in well-lit, busy areas. Some parking garages have special bike-parking areas. If possible, bring your bike inside your hotel room at night.
Rental
Outfitters renting bicycles from an hour to several weeks exist in practically all towns and cities. Rentals start at about $10 per day for touring bikes and $20 for mountain bikes, usually including helmet and a lock. Most companies require a security deposit ranging from $20 to $200.
Purchase
Buying a bicycle is easy, as is - usually - reselling it before you leave. Specialist bike shops have the best selection and advice, but general sporting-goods stores may have lower prices. Some bicycle stores and rental outfitters also sell used bicycles. To sniff out the best bargains, scour flea markets, garage sales and thrift shops, study the notice boards in hostels and universities or check the online listings at www.craigslist.com. These will also be the best places to sell your bike, although stores selling used bikes may also buy one from you.
California
Things to do
- All things to do (3,368)
- Activities (641)
- Entertainment (578)
- Restaurants (849)
- Shopping (412)
- Sights (832)
- Tours (56)
