"Far...far.. far west" California by solopes

I made my first (and last, till now) trip to California in my 2004 holidays, for the first time without the boys. To fight jetlag we spent 2 days in New York in both directions.
Form there we flew to S. Francisco, where we rented a car in the airport, to go to town. With my special skills to loose myself I went straight to Oakland. I noticed it when entering the bridge, but decided not to turn halfway, and, since I was there, why not a look over Oakland? Back to S. Francisco I had no trouble finding the excellent motel I booked in Internet.
We stood there for 3 days, and took 2 days driving south to Los Angeles. A quick visit to Carmel and 17 mile drive, a lunch at Nepenthe, stopping here and there in the Big Sur, and the visit to Hearst Castle at San Simeon. A few more miles and we slept in a calm and cheap motel at Santa Maria.
The 2th day was reserved to see Santa Barbara (wonderful surprise) and Malibu (disappointed), arriving at Santa Monica by the end of the day.
Two days in Los Angeles, with everybody's program and I delivered the car in the airport, leaving to Las Vegas by night. Two nights there and, as weekend came with its rising of the prices, we escaped to the Grand Canyon, by air, visiting also the Brice Canyon and Monument Valley. Back to Vegas in Sunday afternoon, to find the room still cheaper than 2 days before. And it was it, flying next day back to New York, and home 2 days later.