Suggested route from Las Vegas to San Francisco.

Thanks. Will try and come up with a good one, based on your suggestions.

Denis

The route we like to take is Hwy 15 to Barstow and then Hwy 58 to Hwy 101. Avoid I-5 and Hwy 99. A good stop over place is the RV park at the glider airport at Tehachapi. Good town for fuel and food.

Hwy 101 is the most scenic route up to San Francisco and will take you straight into the city. Avoid the San Jose to SF stretch before 10 am and after 2 pm and you will be fine. An alternative route from San Jose is Hwy 280 to SF and you can take the Hwy 1 - 19th Ave. route past Golden Gate Park and to the Golden Gate bridge.

I used to make this particular run every 2 weeks. I would take 15 from LV to 58 in Barstow, then to Bakersfield then, 99 to Manteca and 152 to the Bay Area. 101 to 280 North from there. 99 is easier than I-5 and, IMO has more things to see (keeps you awake) and more places to stop.

Granted I was taking this at a higher speed than you will. I was in my MACH 1 and going home for the weekend. I could make it from the Main Gate at Nellis at 6PM and be home in Santa Clara in time to watch the 11 O'Clock news. It was back in the 70's, also.

JohnG3 wrote:

djgarcia wrote:

miatared wrote:
In April we'll be pulling our 31ft 5th wheel to visit our son in San Francisco, we have time, no rush at all.

From Las Vegas, what would you recommend for a nice, scenic route? Places we could stay and/or any other ideas. We'd love to drive a bit along the coast, but it ain't that easy with a 5'er... Not thrilled to take I-5 ??

Thanks.

Hello shepcal,
My preference would be 2 different routes comming and going:
1. To S.F. I-15 to 395 to I-80 then I would take I-80 to Hwy 37 out of Vallejo to any where around the Napa or Petaluma areas. I would use these areas to park the RV to use as a home base so you can drive to S.F. to visit the family without the RV. Yes, there are a limited number of RV parks in the S.F area BUT it is not an area I would drive my 5th. wheel there on a bet, traffic and congestion. Crossing across the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate bridge towing a 5th. wheel is a real "white" knuckle experience:( From your home base you can visit all the Wineries and then sight see/visit in S.F. :)
2. From S.F. to Vegas
Take Hwy. 37 back to I-80 to 680 to 101, take 101 all the way south to Hwy 126 out of Ventura to I-5, then north on I-5 back to Hwy. 58 in Bakersfield, take I-15 to Vegas:)
This gives you the whole west coast on 101 for the scenic part of your trip.
If you want more specific suggestions on routes or sights to see, email me privately.
Great trip:)
dick

Why go all that way south to go north again? Take 46 east from Paso Robles to 99 then south about 20 miles to 58. Then to Barstow and 15.

Taking 46 to Bakersfield would be more direct. But, he said that time was not an issue and he wanted a scenic route. Both routes will just give him some alternative choices.

djgarcia wrote:

miatared wrote:
In April we'll be pulling our 31ft 5th wheel to visit our son in San Francisco, we have time, no rush at all.

From Las Vegas, what would you recommend for a nice, scenic route? Places we could stay and/or any other ideas. We'd love to drive a bit along the coast, but it ain't that easy with a 5'er... Not thrilled to take I-5 ??

Thanks.

Hello shepcal,
My preference would be 2 different routes comming and going:
1. To S.F. I-15 to 395 to I-80 then I would take I-80 to Hwy 37 out of Vallejo to any where around the Napa or Petaluma areas. I would use these areas to park the RV to use as a home base so you can drive to S.F. to visit the family without the RV. Yes, there are a limited number of RV parks in the S.F area BUT it is not an area I would drive my 5th. wheel there on a bet, traffic and congestion. Crossing across the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate bridge towing a 5th. wheel is a real "white" knuckle experience:( From your home base you can visit all the Wineries and then sight see/visit in S.F. :)
2. From S.F. to Vegas
Take Hwy. 37 back to I-80 to 680 to 101, take 101 all the way south to Hwy 126 out of Ventura to I-5, then north on I-5 back to Hwy. 58 in Bakersfield, take I-15 to Vegas:)
This gives you the whole west coast on 101 for the scenic part of your trip.
If you want more specific suggestions on routes or sights to see, email me privately.
Great trip:)
dick

Why go all that way south to go north again? Take 46 east from Paso Robles to 99 then south about 20 miles to 58. Then to Barstow and 15.

miatared wrote:
In April we'll be pulling our 31ft 5th wheel to visit our son in San Francisco, we have time, no rush at all.

From Las Vegas, what would you recommend for a nice, scenic route? Places we could stay and/or any other ideas. We'd love to drive a bit along the coast, but it ain't that easy with a 5'er... Not thrilled to take I-5 ??

Thanks.

Hello shepcal,
My preference would be 2 different routes comming and going:
1. To S.F. I-15 to 395 to I-80 then I would take I-80 to Hwy 37 out of Vallejo to any where around the Napa or Petaluma areas. I would use these areas to park the RV to use as a home base so you can drive to S.F. to visit the family without the RV. Yes, there are a limited number of RV parks in the S.F area BUT it is not an area I would drive my 5th. wheel there on a bet, traffic and congestion. Crossing across the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate bridge towing a 5th. wheel is a real "white" knuckle experience:( From your home base you can visit all the Wineries and then sight see/visit in S.F. :)
2. From S.F. to Vegas
Take Hwy. 37 back to I-80 to 680 to 101, take 101 all the way south to Hwy 126 out of Ventura to I-5, then north on I-5 back to Hwy. 58 in Bakersfield, take I-15 to Vegas:)
This gives you the whole west coast on 101 for the scenic part of your trip.
If you want more specific suggestions on routes or sights to see, email me privately.
Great trip:)
dick

Been over a lot of the east-west routes. think Hwy 70 from Beckworth to Oroville prettiest. Feather River canyon in particular. Also when 80 and 88 are closed because of snow, 70 is usually still open due to lower altitude.

Certain sections of different routes are scenic. From LA, 395 north is nice, and 101 north is nice.