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GETTING AROUND
CALIFORNIA |
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If you want to explore and enjoy California to the full, you'll need
a car . A city such as Los Angeles couldn't exist without the automobile,
and in any case to drive down the coastal freeways invites irresistible
mental images of Beach Boys-style cruising. Car rental in California is
among the cheapest in the country and the savings made by easy access to
campgrounds and chain motels can easily offset the initial cost.
Frequent Amtrak trains connect LA and San Diego , with a stop at
Fullerton for buses to Disneyland, and one daily service runs up the
coast from LA, stopping at Oakland and Emeryville , the nearest stations
to San Francisco, and continuing via Sacramento to Seattle. Another line
from Oakland runs along the Central Valley, but only connects with LA by
bus. Cross-country routes leave LA for Florida (the Sunset Limited via
Tucson, Houston and New Orleans) and for Chicago (the Southwest Chief
daily via Flagstaff, Albuquerque and Kansas City). Oakland has its own
direct service to Chicago. Foreign visitors can cut fares greatly by
using the Rail Pass program. Greyhound and Green Tortoise buses link all
the main cities.
For quick hops between the major cities - especially LA and San
Francisco - you can't beat flying . Services are extremely frequent, and
prices competitive - if your plans are flexible enough to take advantage
of off-peak deals. Regular scheduled fares are high.
If you plan to do any long-distance cycling , traveling from north to
south can make all the difference - the wind blows this way in the
summer, and besides, you're on the right side of the road for the best
views. Be careful if you cycle along the coast on Hwy-1: despite its
stunning views, it has heavy traffic, tight curves and is prone to fog.
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