Best factory outlet in california - pls help

[eatshitndie]

yup, if you can get a direct flight from bangkok to honolulu, it's shorter and faster. even if it stops by tokyo, seoul or taipei, it's quicker. going from bkk to honolulu via los angeles is like a ping pong flight. it takes about 4 hours from l.a. to honolulu.

i was going to recommend yosemite and tahoe/reno if you're in sf. however, it is so dry this season there's hardly any snow. norcal is as bone dry and brown as you can get during the end of summer. because there's little precipitation, the ultra thin snow pack produces no water, thus no run off, no streams, no waterfalls, nothing to see in yosemite except granite peaks and valleys. same in tahoe. ski resorts are resorting to man made snow to survive. but if you have never seen yosemite national park, this is a chance in a lifetime while you still can hike. because there's no snow, the road up to glacier point is wide open. you'll be able to see yosemite valley from about 9k feet above sea level at glacier point. changes in weather can happen between now and may, where precipitation can cause snowfall, and winter comes late. some years ago, it snowed on ridges of bay area hills around early spring.

sf to yosemite will require a day trip. there's a 2-day bus tour from sf to yosemite to san simeon or hearst castle. the same tour operator also has a 5-day bus tour from sf to yosemite to las vegas to los angeles. the route is inland and doesn't get near the coast.

 

[singveld]

Oh by the way I am planning to go LV just to bring the wife to see the decorations and designs of the casinos and also the "show" outside the casinos every night. I hate gambling so will not go into any because don't wanna waste time la.

fantastic idea, i being to LV 3 times, seen a few of the shows, tell me what your wife like or hate, and i can narrow down the choice, and there are so many good shows. more or less you can only see one show per day, a bit hard to move from location to location to catch the next show. unless they are very near.

 

[Froggy]

Is there no BKK to HON flight? I remember making a LA to Honolulu and Honolulu to Singapore once. Your itinerary is like going backwards. Honolulu is not so close to LA. It's in the middle of the Pacific.

There isn't thats the problem

 

[Fook Seng]

There isn't thats the problem

Through Japan?

 

[Froggy]

Ok guys here's the story. The right thing to do is

Best Option:
Bangkok -> Japan or Taiwan or Manila -> Honolulu -> San Francisco -> (Do what I need to do in States) -> LA -> Bangkok

But then you see, the above requires me to have many one way tickets and its becomes very expensive I had found out.

Option 2
Bangkok -> Japan or Taiwan or Manila -> Honolulu -> (Buy 2 way tickets to LA or SF then do what I need to do there) -> Japan or Taiwan or Manila -> Bangkok

This option can be expensive and it's not cheaper than my 3rd option because tickets from Bangkok to Honolulu is as expensive as going into continental states. Also I many have to use JAL or or other unfamiliar airlines and I may not get any points for this long haul flight.

Option 3
Bangkok -> LA -> Honolulu -> SF (do what I need to do) -> LA -> Bangkok

I like this because its cleaner not complicated and I get to fly Thai Airways and likely to use my miles to change for business class also it takes only 16hrs to get from Bangkok to LA. Also airticket from continental states to Honolulu is cheap less than US$500 2 ways per person. Also we could take a day's rest in LA before flying to Honolulu. Also we got to earn the TG points and points if we fly United

 

[eatshitndie]

considering all your options, looks like option 3 is the best. roundtrip travel to/fro the u.s. has less hassles than multiple one-way segments. after 9/11, homeland security is constantly on the lookout for those with 1-way tickets. :p

 

[Froggy]

considering all your options, looks like option 3 is the best. roundtrip travel to/fro the u.s. has less hassles than multiple one-way segments. after 9/11, homeland security is constantly on the lookout for those with 1-way tickets. :p

Yes and now I think I am flying in earlier say end April so I actually can say spend 3 days in LA to do the Hollywood thing before getting to Honolulu and the rest will be the same so it's gonna be a almost 20 days thing.

You see flying to Honolulu with stopover in Japan or Taipei or Manila take at least 17 hrs, while flying directly into LA is only 16hrs. So there is no time advantage to go Honolulu first. On top of that my 16hrs with TG if I could upgrade will be in business class all the way with good Thai service so not too bad la.

 

[Froggy]

KNN, Thai Airways will be dropping non-stop flight to LA from 1st May. Will stopover in Incheon (S.Korea) so now extra 1.5hr. Just on the day I plan to fly. Knn. Maybe I will fly one or two days earlier but still come back will still have to stopover.

 

[eatshitndie]

KNN, Thai Airways will be dropping non-stop flight to LA from 1st May. Will stopover in Incheon (S.Korea) so now extra 1.5hr. Just on the day I plan to fly. Knn. Maybe I will fly one or two days earlier but still come back will still have to stopover.

looks like they are tailing you in sbf, trying to sabo your best laid plans. :p

 

[Froggy]

looks like they are tailing you in sbf, trying to sabo your best laid plans. :p

How I wish eatshitndie because if they are tailing me in SBF they would have sent me 2 free 1st class tickets for promoting Thailand for them. :p

 

[ps07857]

what about shopping at ross at powell station in downtown SF? That's a good place too!

 

[Ramseth]

what about shopping at ross at powell station in downtown SF? That's a good place too!

At Powell Station, walk over to Macy's. There're two wings, just like Mustafa in Singapore has two wings. Ask for the tourist service counter. It should be on the 4th floor of the new wing. Show your passport and air ticket, you'd get something like a 10% discount voucher for everything you buy. It's just practically offsetting your sales tax but that's better than paying full price plus sales tax.

 

[Froggy]

Thank you I will put this in my list

what about shopping at ross at powell station in downtown SF? That's a good place too!

 

[neddy]

sf to muir woods - half day
muir woods to sausalito - half day
sf to sonoma and napa (optional) - 1 day
sf to milpitas great mall - half day
sf to half moon bay - half day, only 30 mins driving
sf to monterey - 1 day, only 2.5 hours by driving
pacific grove, pebble beach, carmel (monterey) to big sur (optional) - 1 hour
monterey to san luis obispo and morro bay - half day
big sur to san simeon - half day
san simeon, paso robles to santa barbara - half day

total will be about 5 days comfortable driving with stops and bed and breakfast, minus the optional day trips. if you include extra days in sonoma/napa and monterey, total will be 6 to 7. that's my 1 week sightseeing drive recommendation from norcal to socal.

Thanks for the info,buddy.
Some of my Aussie friends heading to US, because of the cheap promotional flights.

Should visit SF again. The last time, I stayed near the Civics Center, not such a good idea at night.
Still prefer the hotel near the California Line cable car terminal. My hotel room face the Alcatraz.

Like the seafood in Monterey bay, but almost forgot to tip.

Next time,I will take the ferry to Sausalito. I remember the view of SF from Yee Tock Chee Park (some nice charming shops around here). It may be nicer on the open upper deck of a ferry.

Should try driving down Lombard St again for fun.

Muir Woods should be fun - what is the best season to go?

Is it too adventurous to wonder into Mission?

At Powell Station, walk over to Macy's. There're two wings, just like Mustafa in Singapore has two wings. Ask for the tourist service counter. It should be on the 4th floor of the new wing. Show your passport and air ticket, you'd get something like a 10% discount voucher for everything you buy. It's just practically offsetting your sales tax but that's better than paying full price plus sales tax.

Excellent tips. Thankyou,

 

[Froggy]

I remembered years ago I went to a Vietnamese restaurant serving great crab spaghetti with garlic in SF. Shiok shiok man. Will look for it soon so I can visit again.

 

[eatshitndie]

I remembered years ago I went to a Vietnamese restaurant serving great crab spaghetti with garlic in SF. Shiok shiok man. Will look for it soon so I can visit again.

i believe it's thanh long on 4101 judah street. they are famous for their roasted crab and spaghetti with garlic. the other one famous for crab is the crustacean on 1475 polk street. they are both owned by the same family.

 

[Jlokta]

Thanks eatshitndie.

I will be traveling with wife la. You see as I've said since I'm traveling so far to Hawaii for the wedding I might as well go a little farther to California for a short holiday. Also there is no direct flight from Bangkok to Hawaii so need to transfer in Taipei or somewhere in Japan or even in Manila. But then I think its gonna be very confusing and may be using non Star Alliance airlines. So decided to use Thai Airways fly directly into LA spend a night there then catch a flight to Honolulu for 4 days then back again to LA for 10 days.

10 days in California wish to do Las Vegas and San Francisco so plan is to drive from LA to SF along the coast on HW1 (very scenic). LIke to spend 3 nights in SF and then drive from SF to LV. Spend 2-3 nights in LV then back to LA. I'm not planning to stay long in LA because there's nothing much there except Hollywood, Universal Studio, Disneyland so LA 2 nights should be enough.

What say you? Any advise to offer please?

If you're stopping at LV, can stay at this place.
http://www.stratospherehotel.com/Hotel

IIRC the nearest premium outlet is probably a 5mins cab ride away.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=58

 

[Froggy]

Thanks buddy. Yes this is the one. Remember the street name Judah. Thanks a lot.

i believe it's thanh long on 4101 judah street. they are famous for their roasted crab and spaghetti with garlic. the other one famous for crab is the crustacean on 1475 polk street. they are both owned by the same family.

 

[eatshitndie]

Muir Woods should be fun - what is the best season to go?

Is it too adventurous to wonder into Mission?

best time to go is during coho salmon spawning season. salmon would swim up the creek and spawn in pools upstream. depending on rainfall and snow pack in mountains, water level in ponds and creek make it a life and death situation for salmon.

avoid the tenderloin in the mission district. that's where bums, addicts, alcoholics and criminals congregate because of low income housing, city subsidized monthly hotels, hostels and shelters for the homeless and poor. the mission and hunters bay point are the two notorious ghettos of sf. gangbangers and sometimes unsuspecting tourists get shot once every other week.

 

[Froggy]

Wow I don't wanna be driving into these areas. Thanks. By the way salmon spawning which month?

best time to go is during coho salmon spawning season. salmon would swim up the creek and spawn in pools upstream. depending on rainfall and snow pack in mountains, water level in ponds and creek make it a life and death situation for salmon.

avoid the tenderloin in the mission district. that's where bums, addicts, alcoholics and criminals congregate because of low income housing, city subsidized monthly hotels, hostels and shelters for the homeless and poor. the mission and hunters bay point are the two notorious ghettos of sf. gangbangers and sometimes unsuspecting tourists get shot once every other week.