macrakis@harvard.ARPA (Stavros Macrakis) (08/24/85)
I am planning to visit California for two weeks (25-IX - 8-X) this fall: Bay Area, Yosemite, Monterrey(*) and the coast, and Los Angeles. I'd appreciate advice on guidebooks, maps, and inexpensive car rental. I've already bought Let's Go, which appears to have, as usual, good practical information with flippant background notes; and Amex, which appears (surprisingly?) to be a good general-purpose guide... but then, I won't know until I get there. Maps have been harder to find. I found one which is a notch better than Rand-McNally or AAA, but nothing to compare with the Michelins or TCIs in Europe. Are there any? Or will I have to settle for USGS? As for rental cars, the cheapest I've found is Hertz (!) @ 2x$130/wk + $50/dropoff - 10% = $280 (+ gas) for a Chevette. Can I do better? Are Rent-a-Wrecks reliable and acceptably pleasant? Any specific recommendations for exceptional restaurants (for food or setting), hotels, etc. are of course also welcome. -s (*) Can I help it if the natives misspell it?...