California road trip...

loganjared

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I am needing a lot of advice with this trip. We normall go to DW so this is all new to us. We are planning a trip to DL which will include several destinations. Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, LA, Anaheim, San Diego, San Fransisco. Other than printing driving directions on google maps I am at a loss.
Does anyone have advice on driving routes other than what google maps provides, we are coming from southwest MO? I also need suggestions for hotels in those areas and how to get the best deal since we will only be staying in each location for a day or two. Also, any must see places that I may not be aware of. Places other than the big obvious ones that I would know about.
I knew my fellow disers would be a helpful source of information :)
Thanks!
 
I am needing a lot of advice with this trip. We normall go to DW so this is all new to us. We are planning a trip to DL which will include several destinations. Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, LA, Anaheim, San Diego, San Fransisco. Other than printing driving directions on google maps I am at a loss.
Does anyone have advice on driving routes other than what google maps provides, we are coming from southwest MO? I also need suggestions for hotels in those areas and how to get the best deal since we will only be staying in each location for a day or two. Also, any must see places that I may not be aware of. Places other than the big obvious ones that I would know about.
I knew my fellow disers would be a helpful source of information :)
Thanks!
One thing I would recommend, IF you have time, is to drive Hwy. 101/Hwy. 1 between L.A. and San Francisco rather than I-5. It takes several more hours, but it's so much prettier, and you'll see the CA coastline. You could make a couple days of it and stay in Morro Bay or farther up in Monterey to break up the trip.

Consider a trip to the Walt Disney Museum while in San Francisco. It's a WONDERFUL place. It does take several hours to see, but SO worth it.
 
If you are coming along on I 10 through Arizona you can visit the Painted Desert and petrified Forest. They are just off the freeway. Though not real spectacular, they were interesting. Also of I 10 is the Meteor crater which was interesting. If you are adventurous you can stay here. http://www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam/
We did it in December of 2010 and liked staying in the wigwam. This place is very informal about arrival and payment and contact. It is somewhat rustic though our heater worked really well. The wigwams are cement and the bathroom is small and dated but the water pressure in the shower was the best!

I agree that about traveling 101 through California if possible. We always drive form San Jose to Anaheim via 101 unless we are in a big hurry. It is usually about 1.5 hours longer on 101. If you want to stop in Yosemite though 101 will not work.
 
Yea that drive up 101 from LA to SF is great if you have the time to do it.
I-5 is much faster but also a very boring drive. The view of the ocean along 101 is great and there are many great spots to stop and enjoy the scenery.

My Wife and I did that drive after a trip to DL in 05 (we werent married yet when we did it) and we really enjoyed it. Normally we dont have the time to do that but that trip we did.

In SF there are a ton of things to go see. Pier 39 is a great spot to check out. The exploratorium is a must if you have kids.
Acadamy of sciences is cool but expensive.
 

If you do not have I would invest in a nice GPS. Their websites have nice planning tutorials and you can import routes and maps from google into them or at least Garmin did. It will show many things along your drive, gas with prices, places to eat, places to see, etc. If you belong to AAA, they have great guidebooks that are free with membership

Jack
 
If you are coming along on I 10 through Arizona you can visit the Painted Desert and petrified Forest. They are just off the freeway. Though not real spectacular, they were interesting. Also of I 10 is the Meteor crater which was interesting. If you are adventurous you can stay here. http://www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam/
We did it in December of 2010 and liked staying in the wigwam. This place is very informal about arrival and payment and contact. It is somewhat rustic though our heater worked really well. The wigwams are cement and the bathroom is small and dated but the water pressure in the shower was the best!

I agree that about traveling 101 through California if possible. We always drive form San Jose to Anaheim via 101 unless we are in a big hurry. It is usually about 1.5 hours longer on 101. If you want to stop in Yosemite though 101 will not work.

I think this was supposed to read I-40. There's nothing of great interest on I-10 unless you count those Dinosaur statues in Cali.:)
 
I just helped my cousin map the exact same trip! She took the 101 which is on the coast for part of the trip, and inland for others. That way you can stop in Monterey. An economic place to stay if you want to visit Monterey Bay would be in Marina. You can stay right on the water for around 100/night (as opposed to 300 or 400/night in Monterey or Carmel). It's a quick 2 hour trip to SF from the central coast. IF you decide to stay in Monterey, send me a PM and I'll give you a list of great local eateries!
 
When visiting Grand Canyon south rim stay in Flagstaff or Williams if not staying at the canyon itself. Flagstaff has far more hotel choices and dining but Williams is closer to the canyon. From Flagstaff take hwy 180 to the canyon. Along the way is the turn off for Arizona Snowbowl ski area 6 miles off the hwy. In the warmer months they allow you to ride the chair lift to the top at an elevation of 11,600' with incredible views.

From Williams there is an old turn of the century train you can take to the canyon. Its about 1 1/2 hours each way and you get about 4 hours to spend at the canyon. During the trip there are theme costumed workers that tell history, stories, sing old songs etc. On the way back the train gets 'robbed' by gun slinger on horseback and the sheriff saves the day. Fun for kids!

How many days total will you have for your vacation? That could determine just how many places you will have time to visit. How many days at each destination?
 
I agree with other posters about Highway 1. Absolutely stunning if you have the time.

How long is your trip? That's an awful lot of driving for only a night or two in each place (especially up to SF)...going Highway 1 will add a couple hours. Again, if you have the time and decide to drive up Highway 1, consider breaking it up for a night somewhere along the coast.

When driving around the greater LA area, consider the times of day and direction you're driving. Going the wrong way during a rush hour can easily double your travel time.
 
We belong to AAA. When we are going on a road trip I go in and pickup maps, tour books and anything else they have for the route we plan to take.

Some places give discounts to AAA members. Goofy's Kitchen give a 10% discount if you show your card.

The tour books are for each state. You can look to see what is in the cities you'll travel through for attractions as well as hotel/motels and restaurants.

We usually travel by motor home so I mainly look to see what activities/attractions are in the different places we will stop.

I agree about getting a GPS unit. We just picked one up. I don't have much experience with it.

I hope you have plenty of time for everything you'll want to do.

Have a safe trip.
 
I think this was supposed to read I-40. There's nothing of great interest on I-10 unless you count those Dinosaur statues in Cali.:)


Yes. That is what I meant! Its a good thing I am not like that while out on the freeways!:rotfl:
 
Hello fellow Missourian!

Couple of questions. How long are you planning on staying at Disneyland? One must see if your planning on going that far north in California would be the Yosemite National Park. It's heaven on earth. What are your plans for San Diego? Are you starting there first?
 
Thank you everyone! We are planning on a total of two weeks for the trip. After mapping out the trip with driving times it looks like we won't have enough time for SF, we are also stopping at Scottsdale to see family on our way home.
I was planning on a couple of days drive time to hit the Grand Canyon first. Google maps suggestion is MO to Grand Canyon, then LA, Anaheim, San Diego and hitting Scottsdale on our way home. It looks good because it makes a big loop and then the end of our trip will be visiting family and the beginning (when we still have energy) will be the Grand Canyon.
I still have a lot of research to do, but I think it will look something like this.
Driving to GC-2 days
GC-1 day
LA-1 day
Anaheim-3 days--DL/Universal
San Diego-3 days--Zoo/Sea World/Beach
Scottsdale-2 days
Drive home 2 days
Wow! I'm exhausted just looking at that! Am I crazy?
 
I still have a lot of research to do, but I think it will look something like this.
Driving to GC-2 days
GC-1 day
LA-1 day
Anaheim-3 days--DL/Universal
San Diego-3 days--Zoo/Sea World/Beach
Scottsdale-2 days
Drive home 2 days
Wow! I'm exhausted just looking at that! Am I crazy?

My only note is that Universal is in Hollywood, not Anaheim. It's about an hour away (and can be much longer with traffic!). What attractions do you want to see in LA? I didn't see when you're planning on travelling, but to maximize your Disneyland experience, you should plan on three days there, not two days at DL and one at Universal. If you only want to hit the main sights like the Walk of Fame and stuff in Hollywood, then I would just do those on the same day as Universal, as they are less than 10 miles apart.
 
I still have a lot of research to do, but I think it will look something like this.
Driving to GC-2 days
GC-1 day
LA-1 day
Anaheim-3 days--DL/Universal
San Diego-3 days--Zoo/Sea World/Beach
Scottsdale-2 days
Drive home 2 days
Wow! I'm exhausted just looking at that! Am I crazy?

This is a lot! You are going to need a vacation after your vacation. :laughing:

You didn't say what time of the year you are going. Time of year does make a difference. When are you traveling?????

Have you thought about SanDiego being 2 days not 3?
1day SeaWorld and 1day for Zoo and beach? Moving the third day to when you are in Anaheim?

When we did an Anaheim - SanDiego vacation. My group wished we'd stayed at DL another day and one less day in SanDiego. Our week was 4 DL and 3 SanDiego. We spent a full day at SeaWorld. The Zoo didn't take a full day. That's why I feel you could split one day for the Zoo and beach.
 
I would skip Universal and add an extra day for Disney as well.
Where are you planning on staying at Disneyland?
Are you thinking of getting the SoCal City pass, is that why your trying to hit Universal?
I also agree that the time of year your going will great impact how much time you will need for Disney. We have always wanted to try to drive out to CA but its 24hrs in a car and that was just too much driving time. Did you say that you usually drive to WDW?
 
We are making a similar trip this summer coming from Oklahoma. I like to have stops on the drive for the kiddos to get out and stretch and burn energy. I found some great ideas on the roadside America website. We are stopping at the Cadillac Ranch and the wigwam hotel to get some pics. Then when we are at DCA we plan on taking pics in front of the cars land attractions themed off of them.
 
We are making a similar trip this summer coming from Oklahoma. I like to have stops on the drive for the kiddos to get out and stretch and burn energy. I found some great ideas on the roadside America website. We are stopping at the Cadillac Ranch and the wigwam hotel to get some pics. Then when we are at DCA we plan on taking pics in front of the cars land attractions themed off of them.
I had that same thought when I first saw the Wigwam motel (get pictures at the real thing then at the Disney Cars version) :)

Glad to see you've dropped SF and LV...you've already got a lot of driving to do.

I assumed you were flying out and renting a car....didn't realize you were driving from MO...yikes!

Completely agree with the observations that
  • Universal should be part of your LA time. What else were you thinking of doing besides downtown Hollywood? (I assume) Occasionally, we'll go to a studio taping...fun, free entertainment (although you often have to set aside a big chunk of time for it....last one we went to was an episode of Happily Divorced...got there around 5, left at 11:30). Pink's for hot dogs is always enjoyable.
  • I agree with others that three days in San Diego is not necessary...I would spend one less day in San Diego and do your beach time in Santa Monica...depending on time of year, the pier might be open and you've got the whole Muscle Beach/Venice scene going on. We lucked out one year and pricelined the SM Holiday Inn across the street from the beach...ended up watching a beautiful sunset off the pier.
  • Sound like you might be using the SoCal City Pass (and if you're not, you should consider, given your itinerary). If so, what specific attractions does it include (as the offerings do change over time)?
  • Considering that your AZ stops are Grand Canyon and Scottsdale, the loop that you're proposing (GC -> LA -> DL -> SD -> Scottsdale) makes sense. What time of year? If this is summer, it might make sense to do your desert driving at night...less chance of overheating and less traffic as well.
  • No matter what time of year, try to schedule your DL time so that at least part of it is during the week. Because a LOT of locals have AP's, there's a clear difference in crowd levels between weekday and weekend.
  • If your family includes baseball fans, a game at Dodgers Stadium is always fun

Given these comments, here's what I'd propose:

DAY 1/DAY 2 - Drive from Missouri, stay outside of GC on Day 2 night
DAY 3 - See GC. In evening, drive to LA. Arrive quite late. Stay somewhere in north LA (San Fernando/Universal City/Burbank/Glendale/Hollywood) (or stay en route if the drive's too long/late)
DAY 4 - USH/Hollywood (again, maybe a studio taping or baseball game)
DAY 5 - leisurely morning, a.m. Santa Monica/Venice. early afternoon drive to Anaheim (to minimize rush hour traffic). check-in to hotel. hang out at DTD in the evening, maybe head over to the queen mary and do some other OC thing.
DAY 6/7/8 - DLR
DAY 9 - Drive to SD Zoo, afternoon there, then check-in and see the city
DAY 10 - Sea World
DAY 11 - Drive to Scottsdale
DAY 12 - Scottsdale
DAY 13/14 - Drive home :sad:

Or put in terms of where your hotel stays are:

On the road (1 night)
GC (1 night)
LA (2 nights)
Anaheim (4 nights)
SD (2 nights)
Scottsdale (2 nights)
On the road (1 night)

Don't know how good of a fit this is, but I hope it maximizes the time for the things you're interested in. Remember to try (in general) to avoid rush hour traffic in LA (which generally is 5 am-10 am and 3 pm-7 pm and don't think about driving a long distance on Friday night before 9 pm...I've been caught in several Friday night rush hours over the years).

Man, that's a lot of driving. It's a shame your kids aren't quite old enough to help out with it. Good luck.
 
I work for the school district so the only time that we can go is July. We will go the first two weeks of July.
Seattleredbear-thank you for such detailed help!
I'm not really sure what all of our options are in LA, basically the kids want to see the starts hand prints and I think a trip to Madame Tusco's was museum would be cool. I am definitley up to been there done that suggestions.
I like the idea of splitting a day with the zoo and beach.
My boys will be 13 and 16 next summer and want to go to the zoo but really want to go to the beach.
Maybe the 16 year old could help with driving, but that may be more stressful than driving ourselves. :rotfl:
As far as driving we all love roadtrips! Every year for the past 6 years we have driven the 19 hours from our home to WDW in one day, and have loved every minute of it. We think that is half the fun of the trip...maybe we are crazy :)
As far as citypass. I guess it depends on what is offered next year. Last year it was for DL, zoo and seaworld which would be perfect. This year they have universal instead of the zoo. It would save us a lot to do that vs buying the tickets individually. If universal isn't on the pass I would skip it and just do the other places I mentioned.
 








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