Is this doable??? which way is better?

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I am trying to plan out our days for our vacation, and I need help! Not sure which way would be more beneficial to get more out of our trip. Trying to keep in mind that DH doesn't really want to deal with LA traffic too much.

These 2 options basicly flip flop Universal, tourist stuff, beach WITH Sequioa Natl park. We need to be in DLR on Mon. (DD's Birthday)

I would like to try and find more time to go to DLR... but how? UGHHH, I have no idea how to plan this trip. If you have any better ideas, I am all ears!!!

August 15-aug22
Option 1
Sat. fly in (around 10:00 am) need to rent car
Drive to Sequoia Natl. park and explore
Sun. Horseback riding in park am (9-12) then drive to hotel near DLR
Mon. DLR
Tues. DLR
Wed. DLR
Thurs. Universal
Fri. beach day/ tourist stuff around LA
(can we go back to DLR this night or is there too much to do in LA?)
Sat. fly out in am

Option 2
Sat. fly in (around 10:00 am) need to rent car
Check in hotel near DLR
go to beach / tourist stuff
Sun. Universal
Mon DLR
Tues DLR
Wed. DLR
Thurs. Drive to Sequioa park (poss horseback riding at 1pm)
Fri. (if didn't horseback ride yest, then today in am) drive back to LA area
Sat. fly home

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not sure where the park is, so I can't help with that, but I think that those who can help will want to know what airport you are flying into and out of!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I think we are going to fly into LAX. The park is approximately 3 1/2 hours to the northwest of LA

 

[samkj]

I understand you want to see Sequoia National Park, but 250 miles (500 round trip) just to stay one night and go horseback riding??? That seems like a lot of driving.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

We camp in Sequoia National Park just about every year. I live 15 minutes south of LAX off of the 405 freeway.

Having said that, it takes us 5-5.5 hours to get to the Giant Forest at Sequoia National Park. If you are planning on staying in the foothills, then your drive will be less, but it takes an hour to get to Giant Forest from the foothills - and I am a fast driver.

Where are you staying at Sequoia? If you rent a car & drive there, you can expect to be up in the mountain around 4/5pm. On Sunday, I expect you'll go horseback riding -- where? Grant Grove? or down below? Grant Grove is in Kings Canyon - another 45 minutes or so from Giant Forest, and Cedar Grove is farther. Last I heard, there was no horseback riding at Wolverton (near Giant Forest). I expect that you will want to see the General Sherman (largest living thing on Earth), and maybe Crescent Meadow before driving down the mountain & back to Los Angeles/Orange County.

I'd recommend Sequoia before doing Disneyland - I think you'll be too tired for the drive/etc. after Los Angeles.

You also need a half day to rest - maybe Wednesday? Plan on hanging around the hotel/pool, or you will be wiped out for Universal Studios.

Monday/Tuesday - DLR would be nice
Wednesday at the beach - Newport or Huntington & maybe LA stuff - you need to rest
Thur Universal Studios - Have early dinner at Citywalk, and then on the way back to DLR - stop at Hollywood Blvd & visit Graumann's Chinese Theater/Kodak Center in the late afternoon/evening
Friday - sleep in - go to Disneyland for final visit

Those are my thoughts.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

We don't mind driving, and we love the outdoors. we already cut out seeing the Grand Canyon from this trip, I would hate to cut out the Giant Sequioa as well.

Mary Jo, I would love your help on this... as I have NO IDEA where everything is in Giant Sequoia.

This is the website for the horseback riding. It has a map on the bottom left of the website. http://www.horsecorralpackers.com/


I was thinking of staying at the John Muir lodge. sounds like it would be very close to the General Grant Tree

Nestled among some of California's most famous trees, the John Muir Lodge is located in historic Grant Grove Village, within walking distance of the Grant Grove and the General Grant Tree.

How far away from each other would you say the horseback riding is from the Lodge?

I love the idea of taking a break on Wed. I think my family would like that. And I love the idea of spending our last day at DLR!

 

[BecBennett]

do you really want to spend a whole day at Universal? You probably could, but a lot of people say that it's only a half day thing, depending on what you want to do in LA, and how much time you want at the beach, I think you could put all that into 1 day...

When we go back in May, we're going to fit a smidgy bit of LA sightseeing, and lunch at the Disney soda fountain into either the day we fly into LAX, or the day we fly out...

ETA - I like the first option

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

do you really want to spend a whole day at Universal? You probably could, but a lot of people say that it's only a half day thing, depending on what you want to do in LA, and how much time you want at the beach, I think you could put all that into 1 day...

When we go back in May, we're going to fit a smidgy bit of LA sightseeing, and lunch at the Disney soda fountain into either the day we fly into LAX, or the day we fly out...

ETA - I like the first option

I don't mind cutting that day short. How much time would you say we need for Universal? We would definitely want to do the tram tour and hit some of the rides. By what time do you think we could be at the beach? What would be a good beach to go to? And how would you recommend getting there?

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

and maybe Crescent Meadow

Wednesday at the beach - Newport or Huntington & maybe LA stuff - you need to rest

WHat is crescent meadow?

and what kind of LA stuff do you recommend?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'm going to copy this thread to the California & West section to continue the talk about Sequoia, and leave this thread here to continue the talk about Disneyland.


Sequoia discussion:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2077755