CA "vacation" tips

kwyjibo

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
737
Reaction score
152
Location
Denver, Colorado
Hi all,

I'm traveling to Calif. in June for work and decided to add a couple of days to the trip as a vacation. Does anybody have anything of interest they'd like to share? I'll be in both the south (LA) and the north (South Bay). I am a CA native so I'm familiar... but haven't lived there for almost twenty years.

As it is now, I'm trying to make my stay in the south go over a weekend so I can check out the cars and coffee - The last time I was there, it was the mid-80's and it was over in Laguna Beach (and from the recent photos, much smaller).

Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks!
RMS
 

OCCoupe

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
1,943
Reaction score
1,298
Location
Monterey, California
RMS, I live in Orange County and go to Cars and Coffee frequently. While you are here, I think it might be fun to visit the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles as well as the Marconi Auto Museum in Tustin. Downtown LA has undergone a major cleanup/renovation and is full of night life and eclectic buildings, not to mention that it is now safe to walk at night. I always like to go out for a electric boat cruise around Newport Harbor, sort of a sunset cocktail cruise, very relaxing.

Let me know when you are down, I'll ask some of the Coupsters to join us at Cars and Coffee. Blumax and RonP are regulars there as well.

Mike
 

blumax

(deceased)
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
2
Location
Costa Mesa, CA
To the traveler kwyjibo

I've been in Orange County since Summer 1968--and my suggestion is that things have indeed changed here as well as LA--but not as badly.

In spite of LA not being proclaimed as a "sanctuary city"--and not quite a Tijuana as yet--it's moving steadily in that direction--not an improvement from its past.

Frankly I wouldn't risk a walk in dowtown Los Angeles at night unless accompanied by at least two large and well skilled, armed body guards--it's moving steadily toward and mindful of a very large border town with many gangs viciously competing for their "turf"--prefer not being an "accidental target" of a drive by shooting!!!

Your statement regarding a former gathering of cars in Laguna Beach 20 years ago was a mystery to me--where was that get to together--I must have missed it even though living in Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills from 1975 to 1988--oops that was over 20 years ago.........

Cars 'n Coffee now attracts 350-400 interesting cars each decent Saturday AM and an absolute solid mass of cars on holiday weekends
 

shanon

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,026
Reaction score
562
Location
NorCal
While in the South Bay (NorCal), you might enjoy the Blackhawk Museum (East Bay, San Ramon), then take a drive up Mount Diablo and enjoy the view. Then picture the 'Monte' when 8 coupes 'hustled' up to the tower.

8)
-shanon
 

kwyjibo

Well-Known Member
Site Donor
Messages
737
Reaction score
152
Location
Denver, Colorado
Re: To the traveler kwyjibo

blumax said:
Your statement regarding a former gathering of cars in Laguna Beach 20 years ago was a mystery to me--where was that get to together--I must have missed it even though living in Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills from 1975 to 1988--oops that was over 20 years ago.........

Hi Murray - your post got me thinking... It was probably closer to the early 90's. My girlfriend at the time worked weekends in a gelato/coffee shop on PCH -south of MacArthur on the beach side- She mentioned that there were always guys and cars meeting in a lot a bit further down, so one weekend I went to check it out. Sure enough, there were maybe twenty guys hanging out - mostly American iron with a few contemporary foreign exotics thrown into the mix. I didn't stay long -it wasn't my scene (I was driving a '64 conv. Ghia at the time). Anyway, I was under the impression that this was the primordial version of today's Cars and Coffee, am I wrong?

Thanks for the suggestions - and, I don't know how I could have overlooked the Blackhawk.
 

blumax

(deceased)
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
2
Location
Costa Mesa, CA
Original seed to Cars 'n Coffee

I don't recall such a gathering in Corona del Mar--perhaps the parking lot for the resturant at the corner of PCH and Margurite--about the only space of any size along PCH for a car gathering.

Crystal Cove--the former gathering to Cars 'n Coffee was held in the then newly developed commercial center between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach that overlooked the Pacific Ocean--it was an extraordinary venue for the weekly Saturday morning gathering, but with space for less than half the capacity of the successor Cars 'n Coffee.
However, Don Bren, the majority owner of much of Orange Counties property, including CC, so generously closed it to future gatherings as it seemed to disturb the home-owners above CC that all those car people were in their way of getting their morning Latte fix--he corrected that problem by booting us--he is such a kind and generous community minded Billionaire.

FYI and that of the board--Cars 'n Coffee is perhaps the largest and most unusual weeklyl gathering of fine machinery in the country. Attendees range from museum pieces, the earliest of race machines, historically significant US & European race machines both older and newer, a few hot-rods (thankfully only a few as they meet in Huntington Beach), many European machines--Porsches, MBZ, BMW, Jaguars, Ferrari, Alphas, Citreon, Lambos, Fiat, and othrs--original US pieces from the 1930's, 40's, 50's, and 60's and a few rare japanese pieces such as the 2L 6 cylinder Toyota Coupe from the 1960's (very rare) and many others.

The typical first time visitor from overseas or out of state usually go away shaking their heads in dis-belief that this is a weekly spontaneous gathering of auto enthusiasts and not a sponsored, organized event--although it is sponsored by Ford's Premier Automotive Group (or what's left of same) and Mazda and orderly in the sense that no one seems to get their "panties in a bunch" entering or leaving the limited access parking lot. If ever in the area on business or vacation do attend--it's a treat of auto overload.
 

pj

Well-Known Member
Messages
456
Reaction score
0
Location
Santa Cruz , Ca
santa cruz ,monterey,sears point,laguna seca need I say any more.Laguna has world of speed, alms,historics , check the schedule to see who is there when you are. Bring a helmet you can usally get rides on trackdays.
 
Top