New York to San Fran, or the other way around?

[Bob Dylan]

Hi all.
It’s me, the OP again… Thank you all for your contributions that have been helpful and informative.
So thought I’d feedback with my booked plans thus far.
We are flying from Manchester England to Newark NYC with BA. We had some airmiles to burn off so have booked business class for both our outward in homeward flights.
We plan to stay in downtown NYC for 3 nights,..we’ve visited the city several times before so it’s really just for another look around and a few beers. We will then take the Amtrak to Chicago, and are planning on staying there either two, or three nights… Again, we’ve visited previously and so just want to have a pizza, beers, see the lake, and chill out.
From Chicago we will train over to San Francisco, perhaps probably for 3 nights. It’s then a train down to LA for either a three of 4 night stay before flying home.
We now need to work out hotels for San Fran, and probably LA,as we’ve pretty much firmed up on our NYC and Chicago accommodations.
I’d of course welcome any thoughts, or recommendations for hotels, or things to do, good pubs, restaurants et etc.
All the best to you all.
Cheers Karl

Nice trip!

If you've been to LA before I'd recommend that you consider skipping staying there due to the recent Fires and Mudslides.(0
Parts of the Area are like a War Zone with everything gone).

I'd recommend that you spend a couple of nights in Santa Barbara and/or San Diego instead.( both vety nice places)

You didn't indicate your budget for hotels but San Francisco and the other Big Cities have really increased their rates since COVID.

I f you have Points to use for Hotels, it helps alot just like Miles for Flights.

As for the Bay Area,lots of folks stay in Emeryville or Oakland, and take the Ferries or BART ( subway) across the Bay to the City, ( the Amtrak Station in both is close to the Bay.

I was just in San Francisco in July and it's still a Wondrful Place to visit,,as is New York and Chicago as you know!

 

[zephyr17]

If you've been to LA before I'd recommend that you consider skipping staying there due to the recent Fires and Mudslides.(0
Parts of the Area are like a War Zone with everything gone).

Damage from the fires is pretty much restricted to Pacific Palisades and Malibu, north of Santa Monica and Altadena north of Pasadena. Los Angeles/Southern California is a very big place and, while the damage from the fires is bad, the areas affected by the fires is miniscule in relationship to the entire metropolitan area. Stay away from the north side of Santa Monica and north side of Pasadena and you will not know anything happened. Hollywood, most of the Westside, the San Fernando Valley and downtown, just to name a few of the better known areas, are completely unaffected. In fact, 98% of Southern California is unaffected and did not burn.

There is no reason to avoid LA in general. Although hotel prices may be high right now due to number of people who got burned out.

 

[joelkfla]

In NYC, have you visited the NY Transit Museum? See subway cars dating back to 1907. It's a 5-minute walk from the Borough Hall station in Brooklyn. Currently open Wednesday thru Sunday.

Have you seen Grand Central Terminal?

 

[BCL]

Damage from the fires is pretty much restricted to Pacific Palisades and Malibu, north of Santa Monica and Altadena north of Pasadena. Los Angeles/Southern California is a very big place and, while the damage from the fires is bad, the areas affected by the fires is miniscule in relationship to the entire metropolitan area. Stay away from the north side of Santa Monica and north side of Pasadena and you will not know anything happened. Hollywood, most of the Westside, the San Fernando Valley and downtown, just to name a few of the better known areas, are completely unaffected. In fact, 98% of Southern California is unaffected and did not burn.

There is no reason to avoid LA in general. Although hotel prices may be high right now due to number of people who got burned out.

I hear this sometimes, but you're right that the reality is that it was really only a small portion of LA County that was directly affected. In addition to that, a lot of LA is heavily dependent on the tourism industry, so I'd think they would be appreciative that they still have tourists who bring in business that helps them keep their jobs.

 

[zephyr17]

In NYC, have you visited the NY Transit Museum? See subway cars dating back to 1907. It's a 5-minute walk from the Borough Hall station in Brooklyn. Currently open Wednesday thru Sunday.

Have you seen Grand Central Terminal?

Second for the NY Transit Museum. It is a must for any railfan.