Carson City to San Francisco, 50, 88 or ?
 

My daughter and I are heading out Friday morning for a week long drive in my 65 convertible. Colorado, San Francisco, San Diego, Death Valley and back to Colorado. I’ve got most of the trip figured out but have lots of options between Carson City and San Francisco so I’m looking for advice. I’ll be trying to make good time on a Saturday afternoon so won’t have time to stop a lot for attractions. I’m more looking for a fun scenic road without a bunch of urban sprawl. Is that possible there or am I dreaming? thanks!

88 will probably be closed due to 30 feet of snow. Interstate 80 is a fairly boring multi lane freeway. I would take Hwy. 50 over Echo Summit. Gorgeous drive over the Sierra. It will put you right into Sacramento... then S.F. 90 minutes later.

Definitely Hwy. 50!

You will go along the southern side shoreline of South Lake Tahoe. Then up and over Echo Summit. Truly is a nice drive.

If you're coming over on Saturday afternoon, be sure to stop at Highway 50 Brewery. Great place for a stop. It's located right in Camino (Apple Hill), which is about an hour east of Sacramento just prior to Placerville when you're heading west. From this point, you would be about 2-2.5 hours from San Francisco.

Sure hope you have a safe place for that car while staying in San Francisco. Depending upon where you're staying, it will cost you crazy money for parking overnight.

If you don't quite make it that far, I know where there's a safe garage to park it in near Placerville, and it's free!

Pat

that’s an awesome offer but I’ve made arrangements at our hotel and yes it isn’t cheap

Another couple of options depending on time. Carson to Reno go up to Tahoe on Hwy 80. I would then go completely around lake to Hwy 50. I think weather should be pretty good (you are lucky!! Its been a wet winter) To drive around the lake will be amazing, and Hwy 50 is a much better drive than 80. You can look on map and see there is a couple of ways around lake. Kings beach way and Tahoe City if you want a little longer journey. You could also come into south shore, as post have indicated above, and drive around lake and take Hwy 80. Hwy 80, Donner Summit and being next to the river is pretty amazing. You can even take the old hwy for a few miles (literally fallows 80) through some little towns and next to the river. That would be a beautiful drive. If you have seen Lake Tahoe, and just want the shortest way I would go Hwy 50 as stated above. Hope this help, and the weather stays Sunny!! Good Luck

Whatever you do, be sure to secure that car!

As has already been documented on this site, our '62 was stolen from an extremely nice B&B just to the south of San Francisco.

I now have several obstacles one must overcome (should they choose to attempt another theft), plus a very visible 1/2" cable that goes through two wheels while capturing part of the suspension as well.

Literally sucks to have to take these measures, but this is what society has forced me to do.

On the bright side of things, if you actually drive in San Francisco, you will not believe how many individuals will attempt to stop you to take a picture of the car. Really kind of cool for people who really don't see the old Corvette's much.

Pat

we’ll be doing a lot of driving in SF, my daughter is 17 and it will be her first time there. I’m looking forward to showing her around.

Drive
 

Oh one other thing. There is nothing worse than driving on 80 over the bay bridge. Horrible when you pass suisun city area. If I wanted a scenic drive I would go over hwy 37 to south 101 and enter city over Golden Gate Bridge. Hwy 80 by past Vallejo is just an absolute nightmare 90% of the time!!

that’s a fantastic idea! thanks

You will need to manage your trip. Sacramento to San Francisco, ( never say Frisco or the locals will fry you) the drive is only about 90 miles but can be 1.5 hours or 4 hours if you travel at the wrong time.
In the day you would want to leave Sacramento about 9AM - 12:30 and you will be in SF in 2 hours. Or wait till 7 PM and leave Sacramento and you will be in SF in 2.5 Hours. AVOID any rush hour traffic.
I left SF a couple weeks ago at 4 PM, got to Berkeley about 15 miles away at 5:30, stopped for dinner for an hour and got back on the Hwy to Sacramento and got there about 8:30 PM.
Right now the weather looks pretty clear for the next 7 days but that can change.
I drove from Denver to Sacramento in a Suburban a few years ago, Left outside Denver at 4:30 AM and drove really hard all day, 80-85 MPH whenever I could and got to Sacramento at 6:30 PM, I gained an hour due to time change.
It is a very long drive.
The snow is 20 feet deep at the Summit on Hwy 50 and Hwy 80. They SALT the heck out of the roads near the 7,000 foot summit on each road, so be warned it may be hard on your car. Don't follow any car close as the sand and salt used for safe roads also leaves nice rock chips in your paint.

It is a beautiful Drive for sure on either 50 or 80. 50 is a nice 2 lane road. On HWY 50 near the Summit is the Old Strawberry Lodge, nice old rustic place to spend the night or have a drink at the bar with the old huge fireplace to keep warm.
The Ski Resorts are in full swing and they all close around 4 or 4:30 dumping lots of ski traffic on the roads. On a Saturday if I head from Lake Tahoe back to Sacramento after a ski day it may take 3 hours or more if I travel in the peak times and it is a 72 mile drive for me. Avoid the hours of 4 PM to 6 PM at the summit and you should be fine.
See if you can go on line and reserve tickets to go on the Alcatraz tour, it is not expensive and includes a boat ride out to Alcatraz and the tour of the island. It is really cool to see. Rent the earphones they offer and it will give you a talking tour with lots of fun details.
Dinner at Pier 39 at Scoma's will set you back about $150 for 2 but is a great dinner at an old San Francisco favorite on the water. Prices are the same all over that part of San Francisco but Scoma's has the history and view.
Have a great trip.
Mark

Hate to rain on your parade...that being said as a Native (born mid 1950s) of the San Francisco Bay area...a Corvette convertible with a manual transmission navigating INSANE Traffic in HILLY with Extremely Difficult to find & Expensive street parking San Francisco is NOT "My" idea of a "fun" ..."relaxing" vacation!!!

Parking meters are either 15 or 30 minutes...You are set -up for a $$$$$$ parking ticket!!!....

https://www.spotangels.com/blog/know...arking-meters/

For those that think that San Francisco is a "World Class City"....can you name any other Self - Proclaimed ..."World Class City"....that has a "POOP MAP???!!!"

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article...e-13278828.php

I personally would spend time cruising the coast highway ( Highway 1)... Stop for a moment and take a walk on Pacifica Pier....

https://www.yelp.com/biz/pacifica-pier-pacifica

Stop at Pillar Point Harbor....Check out World Famous "Mavericks"....and if you Enjoy Truly..Fresh Caught Seafood !!!....MANY Great Restaurants in Pillar Point Harbor area...

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...alifornia.html

https://www.hmbbrewingco.com/blog/ma...window-is-open

Continuing south along Highway 1 is Santa Cruz...

http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/

Continuing south along Highway 1 is "World Renowned"....Monterey...

https://www.seemonterey.com/

....I Personally Boycott San Francisco:mad::U.... My recommendations are 100% Guaranteed :D:thumbs::party:....Mark

I’ll be there Sat afternoon / early evening. thanks for the tips

You’re not raining on anything :D

I’ve been to and driven in SF several times. I like it there or I wouldn’t be going back.

Trip
 

Sidepiper brought up some good points. Traffic around Bay Area, parking etc can be a pain but there are some good things about SF. You say your going to San Diego after. That would be a great time to drive to Monterey, and Carmel and continue south towards San Diego. A longer drive for sure, but we’ll worth it. Hwy 5 is horrible!! I would stay away from 5. On the coast you can stop at Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Santa Barbra, and San Luis Obispo. All great city’s. The drive should be all green and beautiful as a large Hwy can be.

US 50 through Utah and Nevada is known as the "loneliest road in the world", which would be perfect for your trip, but you need to plan it out carefully as some sections may be up to 100 miles between available fuel stops.

I had that trip planned out back in the early nineties... had a business conference at Breckinridge in the summer and was going to drive up from LA, fly my then current GF who lived in the east SF Bay area to Denver and pick her up, then drive back on US 50 after the conference, but she dumped me a week before the trip, so I flew.

At least I managed to drive the rented, wheezing Crown Vic up to the top of old US 50 Loveland Pass... over 12,000 feet. The view was great!

Duke

Yes, doing PCH down to San Diego. I lived out there for awhile, just wasn't familiar with the pros and cons of 50 vs 88 up North.

thanks

Yep, 50 is the reason I'm taking a Northerly route. It's been on my list for a long time. At least I have a working odometer and fuel gauge this time. Last time we did a roadtrip in this car both were broken.

When you Calif guys say "Highway 80", do you mean Interstate 80 (I-80)?

Yes interstate 80

Don't forget to check out the other highways around northern California. Fun drives on all of them (1, 3, 101, 20, 36, 299, 70, 99 and 32). Also take a drive through some of the Napa roads. There is a fun road from Santa Rosa to Calistoga.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._in_California.

I would avoid 80 take 50 over the sierras.