Family of 4 hits LA, San Diego, Disney-want Hollywood History and So Cal Charm...

[PracPerfPatricia]

My Family, self, dh, dd (13) and ds (5) are doing a trip in So. Cal at the end of March, beginning of April....for 10 days/9nights-3 nights in LA, 3 in San Diego and 3 at Disneyland....

We've been to California twice before-once to San Fran (loved) down the coast-Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Barbara and Disney Land. The second trip began in SF and we camped near Half Moon Bay (nice lodge camping-lol at a place called Costonoa and went to Santa Cruz.) Both were great trips -loved everything. ) This time we thought it time to see the southern part of the state.

The things dh and I really enjoyed about our previous trips to California was the natural beauty, the food-we're foodies, and a certain laid naturalness-yet a simultaneous sophistication (if that makes sense). We also do love cities-being right outside Philadelphia and a 90 minute ride from New York so we're not city phobic.

That being said-I'm not sure I would plan a vaction just to LA-and I'm hoping to be proven wrong. There are some things I would like to see-I'm not going to LA to star search-although I love the history of Hollywood and film-we will see Grauman's, maybe the Egyptian, and definately try to catch a movie at El Capitan with the kids...(and check out the Disney Ice Cream Parlor next door-trading pins anyone??? We are going to Griffith (sp?) Park to the Autrey Western Museum and the Observatory. I've also read that Silver Lake and Los Feliz have fun/funky shops and restaurants. Another day we're going to "do" one of the Getty Museum and Santa Monica/Venice (ditto the funky shops but at the beach) We have no desire to do Rodeo Drive or Univeral Walk. We may go to the Petersen Car Museum also. A little kitsch, a little history, art, architecture, Americana...

While in San Diego -we want to go to the San Deigo Wild Park and La Jolla-but I'm still looking for ideas...may ferry to Coronado (I remember reading the hotel there was an inspiration for the Grand Floridian...lol...

And Disneyland-well that it the icing on the cake-we're staying at the Grand Californian for three glorious nights ...hoping to spend 2 days in Disney Land and 1 day in California Adventure.

If anyone can make any itinerary suggestions I would appreciate it.....

 

[DisneyDotty]

We (me, DH, DS9 and DD13, plus grandparents) spent 3 nights at the GC and then 3 in San Diego back in November. You will love the Californian. Excellent location. Excellent parks right there. Have a great time!
(If I were to do it again, I would have spent more days at the GC. We hardly took advantage of anything the resort had to offer--too busy enjoying the parks.)
In San Diego, we really enjoyed the zoo, LaJolla (gotta see the seals!), the Del Coronado (only visited/walked on the beach there), Old Town (great restaurants nearby--excellent Mexican food!), the Midway, and Seaport Village.
My DD and I (with my 18 y.o. niece) are headed back to Disneyland and Hollywood/LA this summer for a long weekend. I look forward to reading about what you enjoyed in LA--I could use some ideas for that part of the trip!
Have a great time!