Best Time to Visit

[MEC004]

We are planning on going to Universal Studios Hollywood, DL, and then take in a couple of sights that are accessible (not LA, but redwoods or the like). What time of year would be best to go?

I am looking at these timelines:
1. Thanksgiving 2023
2. March 2024 over Spring Break
3. Early June 2024

I have never traveled to the West coast and we will be there a week. Planning 2 days Universal, 2 days DL, and 3 days sights.

 

[irlandaise]

MEC004, you'll need to go north at least to Monterey County (preferably Santa Cruz or further) to see redwoods. You can do that in three days from LA but it will be rushed. Most of one day driving up, one day to visit the redwood parks, most of a day to drive back to LA. It will be less hectic if you can fly home from the Bay Area instead of returning to LA.

Here's a map of the California State Parks that have redwood groves:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24723

There's also Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County:

https://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

I hope you can come see them. They're amazing!

 

[Mr. Mike]

I have never traveled to the West coast and we will be there a week. Planning 2 days Universal, 2 days DL, and 3 days sights.

I think 2 days at the Disneyland Resort is good. Park hoppers would be helpful. However you really only need one day at Universal. If you axe the second Universal day, then you'll have 4 full days instead of 3 to see the sights. And as irlandaise pointed out, the redwoods are nowhere near DL. The best way to get to Northern California on a tight schedule is to fly there. Perhaps you should consider 3 days in Southern California (if you only want to do theme parks) and 4 days in Northern California.

 

[Geemo]

Any of the times for DLR will be fine but for a tour of the Northern part of the state I'd do March or June.
Northern California at Thanksgiving time might be a challenge weather wise. Could run into winter conditions on the roads.
Fall / Winter time in So.Cal. is shorts and t-shirt weather most days with a jacket in the evening.

 

[MEC004]

Perfect! We were thinking of getting the VIP experience for Universal so one day should work then.

Should we stay at one of the Disney hotels as our base for the three days and then drive north to another location?

 

[Laura K]

Also when thinking of timing, take into account the recent announcement of the February 17th opening of Nintendo World at Universal. If you're the type who likes to go right when things open, the spring break timing is better but if you like to give it a few months to work out the kinks (which is my preference), the early June timing is better. The Universal VIP is something I'd HIGHLY recommend if you're already thinking of doing it. Since there's a lot less to do compared to Disneyland, they take you to literally every ride and you don't have to think or make any decisions, you just follow them around, and it comes with buffet continental breakfast and a nice lunch with characters visiting the tables. The studio tour is a lot more amazing than the tram tour they usually do, and you get to get off the tram and visit actual sets that are currently being used and the props warehouse.

The Disney hotels are quite expensive and if you were wanting to check out of the Disney hotel to do Universal the next morning, there's gonna be traffic, so maybe you'd want to drive up to stay at a hotel near Burbank for your Universal Studio day the evening before, then you can fly out of Burbank after Universal into the Bay Area for the redwood forest part of your trip. Burbank is a very chill airport that is usually very affordable to fly out of, plus Universal doesn't really have its own hotels like they do in Orlando, so any affordable hotel in the area is fine.

For Northern California, I actually live in Marin County, and the most beautiful hike in my opinion is the Matt Davis/Dipsea/Steep Ravine loop trail. You do have to be moderately fit to do it, but you get to hike through the redwood trees, stunning coastal views, a cool wooden ladder to climb (very sturdy), and a beautiful meadow field. A lot of it is shaded in the forest and it's colder in that area, so it doesn't get hot, even in the summer. I usually still wear a long sleeve on the hike in the summer cause it gets so cold. Then, you have to go to Sol Food (there's one in Mill Valley but the larger one is in San Rafael) post-hike to reward yourself with a big late lunch. It's a Puerto Rican place (Bad Bunny was here some months ago to get dinner for his 50-something crew team) and is casual counter service dining and tastes so good after a long hike.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/...o-steep-ravine-trail-to-matt-davis-loop-trail

For Muir Woods, you do need reservations, so keep that in mind. If Muir Woods sounds crowded for your preference, I'd recommend Armstrong Redwoods, which is 1.5 hours north of San Francisco and less popular but no reservations needed and still a good redwood forest near Guerneville, which is a very quaint town with a lot of great food options.

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450