Help me plan out June 2012 Cali trip

[ruadisneyfan2]

I recently started planning for Aug 2012 trip and I'm not seeing the huge rental car prices I'm reading. Sure they're higher than Orlando but I don't believe we are being charged a drop off fee. I'm using the Costco coupon/discount with Alamo.

We are flying into SNA (2 nts DL) then 1 nt in Sequoia NP, 3 nts in Yosemite, then 3 nts SF, flying out of Oakland. I originally planned only 2 nts in SF and my rental cost would be $415 for 9 days full size SUV, Jeep Grand Cherokee. Yesterday I added another day to the trip to allow for all the driving we will need some down time and a chance to do some laundry since we'll be living out of our suitcases for the week, not really time to unpack in any location. The additional day brought the price to $480.

 

[hockeybabe]

I recently started planning for Aug 2012 trip and I'm not seeing the huge rental car prices I'm reading. Sure they're higher than Orlando but I don't believe we are being charged a drop off fee. I'm using the Costco coupon/discount with Alamo.

We are flying into SNA (2 nts DL) then 1 nt in Sequoia NP, 3 nts in Yosemite, then 3 nts SF, flying out of Oakland. I originally planned only 2 nts in SF and my rental cost would be $415 for 9 days full size SUV, Jeep Grand Cherokee. Yesterday I added another day to the trip to allow for all the driving we will need some down time and a chance to do some laundry since we'll be living out of our suitcases for the week, not really time to unpack in any location. The additional day brought the price to $480.

Hmmm, I just went to Alamo's site, put in SFO for June 2nd and return at SAN on June 10th and it came out to over $1000 for a compact! Could the Costco discount be that big?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Hmmm, I just went to Alamo's site, put in SFO for June 2nd and return at SAN on June 10th and it came out to over $1000 for a compact! Could the Costco discount be that big?

No, it's not the Costco discount. It must depend on which airport you pick up & drop off at. Try entering the opposite route. I don't know. I guess if your airfare is already purchased it's expensive to change unless you're flying SWA.

 

[hockeybabe]

OK, that is sooo weird! Yes, if I go the other way, SAN to SFO, it's less than half the price! I wonder why? Well, my flights aren't booked, so I guess I have to try to rework my trip....

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

OK, that is sooo weird! Yes, if I go the other way, SAN to SFO, it's less than half the price! I wonder why? Well, my flights aren't booked, so I guess I have to try to rework my trip....

I can't explain it but maybe it has something to do with an excess # of vehichles ending up in same area and if you're helping to return a car it's cheaper but if making the problem worse, you'll pay. Just a guess. I'm thinking of how so many snowbirds in FL cause a shift in rental cars so they sometimes offer one way specials in & out of FL in spring & fall to compensate. Maybe driving south down the coastal hwy is very popular in CA.

Anyhoo, tweak it a little and you'll probably save hundreds.

 

[owensamo]

OK, that is sooo weird! Yes, if I go the other way, SAN to SFO, it's less than half the price! I wonder why? Well, my flights aren't booked, so I guess I have to try to rework my trip....

That is weird! I checked on Southwest's site for your dates, and Alamo shows up with a Midsize at $580 for SFO>SAN, and $309 for SAN>SFO. That's a pretty big chunk - but I didn't see $1000 for economy either!

One reason we decided to go north-bound was because I had read that driving the Pacific Coast Highway going north was much prettier than going south. Also, we have a lot of theme parks in the beginning of the trip but less planned as we go north to San Fran - so I wanted to end on a less hectic note! I also got *great* fares home from SFO on Southwest, which kind of sealed it for us! Every penny helps on a vacation like this!

 

[hockeybabe]

That is weird! I checked on Southwest's site for your dates, and Alamo shows up with a Midsize at $580 for SFO>SAN, and $309 for SAN>SFO. That's a pretty big chunk - but I didn't see $1000 for economy either!

One reason we decided to go north-bound was because I had read that driving the Pacific Coast Highway going north was much prettier than going south. Also, we have a lot of theme parks in the beginning of the trip but less planned as we go north to San Fran - so I wanted to end on a less hectic note! I also got *great* fares home from SFO on Southwest, which kind of sealed it for us! Every penny helps on a vacation like this!

OK, so I can get a midsize with National for just over $400 if I go north, which is the new plan! I agree, every penny saved helps! Actually, my itinerary has changed quite a bit from when I first posted it We added took out Yosemite..I know, gasp! But I could only give it most of one day, and that wasn't doing it justice. We'll catch it on another trip. For now, we are landing in LAX, doing Venice and Santa Monica beaches, next day LA and Hollywood, next day San Diego Zoo, next day more San Diego with some beach time, the DTD, next two days DL and DCA (Hubby agreed to 2) Then 3 days up the coast to SF, and fly out of SF. A little more down time, and although we'll miss Yosemite, we will hit Big Basin, so we will see some redwoods.

Of course, itinerary subject to change without notice

 

[owensamo]

That's a great deal for National! When I checked from SAN>SFO, they had the same cars as Alamo, at a higher price! I think they're owned by the same parent company - maybe the Costco deal is just really good compared to any National discounts I could find!

We had originally taken Yosemite out as well - but I added it back in, with a night at one of the hotels in the park. We have 3 weeks, flying into San Diego with 6 nights there, 8 nights in Anaheim to do Anaheim/LA, 2 nights in Monterey, 1 in Yosemite and 4 in San Fran. I don't see us hitting Cali again anytime soon - we have *so* many other places we want to go, and our daughter's getting older so time is growing short. So we're trying to make this trip count!

 

[hockeybabe]

I know what you mean about the kids getting older and running out of time. DS is 16 and DD is 15, so we only have a couple of summers before college takes over I wish we had 3 weeks, but we only have one. Two summers ago we did a 10-day Route 66 road trip...left from Dallas, hit Cadillac ranch, stayed at the Wigwam motel in Arizona, saw the Grand Canyon, did a couple of days in Vegas, headed home through Tucson, rented sleds to slide down the dunes in White Sands New Mexico and then home (outside of Dallas). It was an awesome trip, and we are hoping for a similar experience this summer.

If we could stay in the park at one of the more reasonably priced resort options, I might have tried to squeeze Yosemite in, but the places I would have wanted to stay at were booked, and then we would have had to cram more in. But I'm pretty happy with our itinerary now anyway!

 

[owensamo]

I hear you about Yosemite. We only added it back in last minute - after pushing the trip out from June to July! The change in dates really helped open things up in the park, and we got a room at the Wawona at a liveable price.

Enjoy your trip! I'd look for you if our dates coincided, but it looks like they probably won't. I'll keep an eye out for a trip report, though!

 

[danacath]

Just wondering if the OP ever decided on an itinerary for this June? If so, please share.