[RoadTrip] USA/Canada

[Sibeh New Member]

Alright I'm flying and landing in LAX on 19th dec and have 2 weeks or so to get to Montreal (Flying in, most probably). Haven't had time to plan anything (even accommodation hasn't been settled). Anyone has any suggestions on must-see spots along the west coast? Probably renting a car with my friends to drive upward and catch a flight to Montreal on 1st Jan.

Will then be in Montreal for approx 5 months. Suggestions for things to do and see in Canada would be appreciated as well!

 

[Shiny Things]

Alright I'm flying and landing in LAX on 19th dec and have 2 weeks or so to get to Montreal (Flying in, most probably). Haven't had time to plan anything (even accommodation hasn't been settled). Anyone has any suggestions on must-see spots along the west coast? Probably renting a car with my friends to drive upward and catch a flight to Montreal on 1st Jan.

Will then be in Montreal for approx 5 months. Suggestions for things to do and see in Canada would be appreciated as well!

I'd try to get to Seattle from there - that's easily doable in two weeks, though prepare yourself to be a bit cold and wet on some parts of the trip. From Seattle it's an easy flight to Montreal.

From LAX, you could:

• Rent an awesome car. A Mustang is the classic, but it may not have enough room if there's three of you or more; a big American sedan like a Chrysler 200C is a good choice too, but you'll have to stay out of the snow.
• Head north on Highway 1 through Santa Monica, Malibu and Santa Barbara, up to Pismo Beach. From there, stay on the 1 and head up through the gorgeous hills and cliffs to Big Sur and Monterey, which is justifiably the most famous road trip in the USA. (If you're an outdoorsy type, stop off in Ventura for a night and do a sea kayaking trip around Channel Islands National Park.)
• From Monterey, pop through Santa Cruz, and then it's a quick blat up to San Francisco. Spend a few days in the Bay Area 'cause it's awesome here.
• Depending on your tolerance for slow and picturesque roads, either take Highway 1 or Highway 101 north from San Francisco. The 1 is slower and nicer; the 101 is quicker but not quite as cool. Either way, you'll reach the town of Leggett, and then you can drive the Avenue of the Giants on your way up to the little seaside twin towns of Eureka/Arcata.
• North of Eureka is Redwoods National Park, with the Fern Canyon where they shot a ton of scenes from Empire Strikes Back; it's absolutely worth a day trip.
• At this point I'd cut across to Interstate 5 and take that road north, because you pass by the majestic Mount Shasta; alternatively, you can stay on 101 north to Crescent City, then hop over to Grants Pass and that puts you on the 5 as well, but it's not quite as much fun.
• From Grants Pass it's a four-hour blat to Portland, which is a really fun town and worth a few days' stay; watch the Portlandia TV series to prepare for your visit.
• And from Portland, it's only a few hours north to Seattle; spend another couple of days here and do the touristy things before you hop onto the plane.