California Vacation

[moericus]

How feasible is is to visit Disneyland and the Redwoods in a 3-4 day trip?

I'm tossing around ideas for a big getaway next year. I'd probably try to use my DVC at Disneyland for 2 nights. Any big tourist stops between them that I chould see? I will have to fly accross the country.

 

[keishashadow]

That's a ambitious itinerary imo, depends on your touring style. We found plently to do for 4 days 2 DL (with a day trip to U). We did a Vegas/Grand Canyon/Vegas/DL trip 2 years ago in 10 days and were absolutely wiped out although we're going to try & do 'only' Vegas/DL next summer

don't forget to factor in the length of the flight & the time zone difference, it can play havoc with touring and turned the last day into a travel only one heading back to east coast, unlike WDW where we're accustomed to catching a 8:30 pm flight home to stretch out our trip.

fyi, I didn't find much in way of availability when i checked for this summer @ the DVC...good luck planning your trip.

 

[RumpleMom]

We flew into San Francisco and out of LAX.

We went to Sierra National Park( Bakersfield and Three Rivers, CA), then drove down the coast stopping to see Monterrey Bay Aquarium, Hearst Castle, Lompoc, Disneyland (2 days), Knotts's Berry Farm and the San Diego Zoo.

Are you in the area for more days and you just have 2-3 days to fill? IMHO I wouldn't travel across the country for such a short time.

It has been a number of years since we did this, so you need to use mapquest and see how many miles apart these things are. I'm thinking you would have plenty to do in the Disneyland area, but not enough time to see the redwoods too.

 

[moericus]

My wife and I have a chance to leave the kids behind for a big trip. We're on the east coast and we love the Caribbean, but this idea popped into my head last night. I was thinking we could push our travel limits without the kids. And we can skip a lot at Disneyland without them.

But we can't escape from the kids forever, you know? So we're trying to do something in less than a week.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

How feasible is is to visit Disneyland and the Redwoods in a 3-4 day trip?

I'm tossing around ideas for a big getaway next year. I'd probably try to use my DVC at Disneyland for 2 nights. Any big tourist stops between them that I chould see? I will have to fly accross the country.

IMHO, that's way too much driving for such as short trip.

Which redwoods were you thinking of? The drive to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park is more than 5 hours from Disneyland one way. Yosemite National Park or Muir Woods National Park would be around 7 or 8 hours one way. Redwood National Park would be around 13 hours one way from Disneyland. Those numbers all go up if you get stuck in Los Angeles traffic.

With 2 days at Disneyland as part of a 3-4 day trip, there's no time really to enjoy a distant National Park once you factor in the driving time.

My advice is to concentrate on the two parks of the Disneyland Resort and save the redwoods for another year.

The other thing would be to make it week-long trip if you can get enough vacation days.

 

[JimMIA]

How feasible is is to visit Disneyland and the Redwoods in a 3-4 day trip?

I hate to sound like a former President, but I think it depends on what you mean by "redwoods," and what you mean by "3-4 days."

If, by redwoods, you mean Redwood National Park (www.nps.gov/redw) or other redwwod forests in Northern CA, you're talking about a very ambitious trip. Redwood NP is almost on the border of Oregon, and a very long way from Anaheim. The Coastal Redwood range is along the coast (oddly enough) from about the Monterey Bay area north.

If you mean "big trees" then there are actually bigger trees closer in Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP (www.nps.gov/seki) and Yosemite NP (www.nps.gov/yose). Both are in central CA, with Sequoia being east of Fresno and Yosemite a little further north, east of Merced.

The Giant Sequoia range is inland, in the Sierra Madre Mountans from about Sequoia up to Gold Country north of Sacramento. If you look on the SEKI site, under Directions, you will find a map showing the ranges of both types of trees. Both are spectacular, but very different ecosystems.

If, by 3-4 days, you mean 4 full days not counting your arrival or departure days, you would have time to see some things but I certainly would not do it that way. You're going to miss so much more than you'll see that I wouldn't consider it worthwhile.

I would do a Southern CA trip, or a Northern CA trip...and I've been to both numerous times and wouldn't bother with Southern CA. But that's me personally -- if you haven't been there, done that, there is a lot to see and do in both places.

Any big tourist stops between them that I chould see?

Only about a thousand. California has virtually limitless "not-to-be-missed" places.

I will have to fly accross the country.

Big benefit going out; big PITA coming back, unless you can sleep on airplanes and take a redeye (I can't).

 

[moericus]

If you mean "big trees" then there are actually bigger trees closer in Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP (www.nps.gov/seki) and Yosemite NP (www.nps.gov/yose). Both are in central CA, with Sequoia being east of Fresno and Yosemite a little further north, east of Merced.

Yes I apologize. I really meant "big trees".

 

[JimMIA]

My wife and I have a chance to leave the kids behind for a big trip. We're on the east coast and we love the Caribbean, but this idea popped into my head last night. I was thinking we could push our travel limits without the kids. And we can skip a lot at Disneyland without them.

In that situation, I would forget So Cal and base in San Francisco for four days. I'd see SFO, take her to a great dinners at Scoma's (do NOT miss Scoma's if you go to SFO), and Chinatown; go to Wine Country for a day (maybe overnight there if you want to do a spa day); and also go to either the Monterey Bay area, or Lake Tahoe.

[ETA: Actually, I'd probably take a week and do SFO, Wine Country, and 3 days at Yosemite, which is simply the most beautiful place I've ever been.]

In flying, check other airports. From Miami I usually fly into SFO, but sometimes the fares to either San Jose or Oakland are less and either is an acceptable alternative. My first priority would be non-stop service, because you'll lose your first day if you have to connect.

 

[JimMIA]

Yes I apologize. I really meant "big trees".

If you have to choose between SEKI and YOSE, drive a little further and visit Yosemite.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If you have to choose between SEKI and YOSE, drive a little further and visit Yosemite.

I agree if you've never been. If you're interested in Big Trees you can find them in Yosemite plus you get Yosemite!!

 

[msp2mco]

I'm also in the camp that if you only have 3 or 4 days, just visit one geographic location. If it's SoCal, then you can do DLR, beaches, Beverly Hills and tons of other stuff. If it is northern California, then go with the big trees. Or, without the kids, consider Napa/Sonoma.

 

[papamouse1]

We flew into San Francisco and out of LAX.

We went to Sierra National Park( Bakersfield and Three Rivers, CA), then drove down the coast stopping to see Monterrey Bay Aquarium, Hearst Castle, Lompoc, Disneyland (2 days), Knotts's Berry Farm and the San Diego Zoo.

Are you in the area for more days and you just have 2-3 days to fill? IMHO I wouldn't travel across the country for such a short time.

It has been a number of years since we did this, so you need to use mapquest and see how many miles apart these things are. I'm thinking you would have plenty to do in the Disneyland area, but not enough time to see the redwoods too.

well said. This trip is doable... but not in 3-4 days IMHO

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Or, without the kids, consider Napa/Sonoma.

Yep. And make a day trip to the big trees at Muir Woods, north of San Francisco, from Napa or Sonoma.

 

[ACDSNY]

In that situation, I would forget So Cal and base in San Francisco for four days. I'd see SFO, take her to a great dinners at Scoma's (do NOT miss Scoma's if you go to SFO), and Chinatown; go to Wine Country for a day (maybe overnight there if you want to do a spa day); and also go to either the Monterey Bay area, or Lake Tahoe.

[ETA: Actually, I'd probably take a week and do SFO, Wine Country, and 3 days at Yosemite, which is simply the most beautiful place I've ever been.]

I agree starting at SFO, hit Monterey and Yosemite if you can it would be an awesome trip. If you need a Disney fix SF has the Disney Family Museum and the Presido area is beautiful too.

Lake Tahoe is great too.

 

[disneySCLA]

I agree with many of posters...there are thousands of great places to visit in CA. Assuming you only have 3-4 full days, I also suggest concentrating your vacation in No. Or So. CA. You need to consider traffic in CA and the travel times to/from airports, airport check-ins and traveling between destinations...you'll burn more than half a day. N or S CA are different in look and feel. That said, I vote for N CA, SF bay area to visit Muir Woods for amazing big trees. So much you can do within 60 mile radius of SF.

Happy planning!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I reread the OP's original post. The OP will "probably try to use my DVC at Disneyland for 2 nights."

This is a DVC forum, and the OP is interested in using DVC points. With a trip of only 3 or 4 days, the best solution might be to spend the whole time at the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian, enjoy both theme parks at a more leisurely pace, try some of the excellent resort restaurants and Downtown Disney restaurants, and relax at the resort pool if it's warm or at the lobby fireplace if it's cold.

With a rental car (and perhaps an extra day), all sorts of attractions are within a one-hour drive for a terrific day trip. It just depends what the OP is interested in seeing and doing. Beach? Art museums? Cultural attractions? Knott's Berry Farm?

I think such a vacation would be much more enjoyable than spending many hours on Interstate freeways to cram in an all-too-short visit to a national park with big trees as part of the same vacation.

As has been noted in this thread, Northern California and California's national parks in the Sierra Nevada are great destinations too, but I wouldn't try to do too much in a 3-4 day trip.

 

[BeccaG]

Another vote for picking either northern or southern Cali for your trip! I can't imagine adding 6+ hours of driving to a 4 day trip. The Grand is a beautiful hotel, but if you are looking to do something different without the kiddos, this may be a chance to splurge on a fancy non DVC exchange and see something totally new and different. Otherwise, I'd consider saving your points for something else or renting them. Whatever you do, enjoy your time!!!

 

[La2kw]

If you want to see all that, you need at least a week. Otherwise you'll spend all your time driving from one place to another. California's a big state and getting from Disneyland to any of the national parks in the Sierras will take you through L.A. and take at least 5 hours to Sequoia and longer to Yosemite. Redwood National Park is near the Oregon border and that will take even longer.