Tag Archives: car

To have a car or not to have a car… that is the question

By Lily Tam

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3 minute read]

Not having a car in LA makes life hard. Or at least, that’s what I thought. Despite the strong and ever-improving public transportation system in LA, taking the Metro or another form of public transport just isn’t the same as having the luxury of driving. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve taken the Metro to Santa Monica quite a few times, and I definitely recommend it since the stop right outside of campus is so convenient. The best part? Not having to worry about parking and traffic-an absolute dream come true.

The story’s a bit different if you want to explore a little outside the city, however. My roommate and I are from the farthest ends of the United States, the East Coast and Hawaii, so it wasn’t really feasible for us to bring or drive a car all the way to California for use during school. Fortunately, we both have our driver’s’ licenses, which is why when we got the chance to rent a car with the school’s new partnership with Maven, we did.

Photo by averie woodard on Unsplash

My roommate had just finished one of her most dreaded midterms and was looking to celebrate that accomplishment with a meal out. We decided to head down to East LA for some great Mexican cuisine. However, we were so excited that we forgot to take into account something LA is notorious for: rush hour traffic. Yes, we decided to head out exactly at 5 PM. On a Friday. About to go on the 110 Freeway. Not a brilliant idea, I’ll tell you that much. In fact, the traffic flow was so bad that the Waze app directed us to square around (like a circle around, but we went in a box shape) two blocks just to come back to Figueroa. The lanes were insane though, and the maneuvers I saw some drivers making really took some skill. A drive that was supposed to take 15 minutes took 40 instead, and we arrived at the restaurant disgruntled and very hungry. It ended up being alright though because in our eyes a good meal is worth anything.

It was starting to get dark on our way back, but the traffic didn’t stop. In fact, the headlights from the oncoming lanes and the rear-end lights of the cars in front of us made it seem like a stream of Christmas lights. I guess no matter the time of the year, LA will have the festive feel of a city lit up at night. Despite our frustration at the endless traffic, we took away one important lesson: appreciate the relaxation of public transportation.

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Driving Along the PCH

By Andrew Hemberger

By going to school at USC you are essentially surrounded by every type of environment. You have beaches, mountains, deserts, and forests. With just a little bit of an adventurous spirit there are a plethora of activities that you can participate in. Surfing, skiing, hiking, and biking are just a few of these. Los Angeles is a truly special place to call home for a couple of years.

During one weekend last year some friends and I decided to go camping. We didn’t know where we wanted to go, so a simple Google search directed us to a spot in Northern California called Big Sur. It was roughly five hours away by car, and we planned a fun road trip and subsequent camping experience.

We left early Saturday morning form Los Angeles and hit a steady rhythm of 80mph until we got past Ventura. Once I looked up from the road I couldn’t stop.

Waves formed and fell in magnificent fashion along the still dimly lit coastline. I could see the dedicated dawn patrol surfers floating in the water and riding glassy high crested waves.

The sunrise was starting to sparkle off of the water and we decided to keep pushing onward. By the time we had reached Morro Bay I had to stop.

We ate breakfast at a small diner while giving sideways glances at the giant behemoth rock jutting from the ocean.

Morro Bay is in an area called San Luis Obispo, about an hour and a half past Santa Barbara.

Photo from Pxhere

Although the drive could get tiresome at times the PCH, otherwise known as highway 1, makes for magnificent scenery. I would highly recommend driving during sunrise or sunset. The Channel Islands hug the coastline and for me elicited thoughts of adventure. Each island is big enough to be it’s own trip, with Catalina Island being the most industrialized.

I pondered about the Channel Islands while I ate my eggs and toast in Morro Bay. The waitress filled up the stained white mug at my table, and I sipped on the piping hot coffee. People were starting to slowly file into the small diner. First, the elderly came for their early breakfast and tea, and then young couples with small children. We watched all of this from a booth by the window. It felt like we were in our own world.

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Road Trippin’ Down the PCH

By Greg Lennon

After studying at USC for over a year and a half, I have exhausted almost all of Los Angeles’ tourist attractions.  I’ve hiked the Hollywood Sign, journeyed to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and been to Santa Monica Beach countless times.  This spring, after buying a new car, I thought I would take my new ride on an inaugural road trip.  The long weekend at the start of the semester was the perfect time.  So I rounded up a few friends, rolled down the top on my brand new (to me) Ford Mustang, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for the weekend.

Photo by Jeremy on Flickr

The Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, is one of California’s most storied routes, offering some of the most beautiful views the state has to offer.  The highway runs along the California coast from its southernmost tip in Orange County, all the way to Mendocino County in Northern California.  Along the way, drivers can stop for gorgeous views of the California coastline, as well as various famed attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge, The Monterrey Bay Aquarium, and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

My friends and I started up the PCH late in the day on a Friday afternoon, so we were able to see the classic Malibu sunset as we sped up the highway.  Stopping in Malibu for dinner, we sampled an apparently world famous pizza parlor, then returned to the highway for what would be a long drive.  A couple hours later we arrived in Santa Barbara to fill up on gas and grab a snack.  Santa Barbara is known for its nightlife in the college town neighborhood of Isla Vista, as well as its storied downtown, where we stopped to rest.  After a quick fill up, we returned to the highway en route to our final destination of Big Sur.  As night fell on the PCH, the road grew extremely foggy, making the turns of the twisting highway that much more perilous.  Around midnight, we arrived at our campsite at Big Sur, directly adjacent to a small river, and surrounded on all sides by redwood forest.

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