My unusual West coast plan! How does it sound?

[sunkisser]

Myself, DH & two DDs 12 & 10 have been planning a trip to America for the past 2 years. Then DH put a spanner in the works after getting the 'cruise bug' So our tentative plan is as follows;

6th Aug 2012 - Fly to LAX
Spend 4 nights somewhere around LA visiting the sights. Either a condo or 2 x hotel rooms with inter connecting door somewhere like Long beach or Huntinton beach. DH will not share a room with DDs
10th Aug - Fly to San Francisco for 2 nights
12th Aug - Fly to Seattle for 1 night
13th Aug - Disney Alaskan cruise
20th Aug - Fly from Seattle to Flagstaff. Hire a car and drive to Grand Canyon for 1 night. (Maybe El Tovar)
21st Aug - Drive to Las Vegas & stay for 2 nights at MGM signature
23rd Aug - Fly home from Las Vegas

We have been to California before, a long time ago before the kids and know what a wonderful drive it is up the coast but DDs won't appreciate 6+ hours in a car to see scenery They will have to put up with it going to Las Vegas though).

What do you think?

 

[jdb in AZ]

Myself, DH & two DDs 12 & 10 have been planning a trip to America for the past 2 years. Then DH put a spanner in the works after getting the 'cruise bug' So our tentative plan is as follows;

6th Aug 2012 - Fly to LAX
Spend 4 nights somewhere around LA visiting the sights. Either a condo or 2 x hotel rooms with inter connecting door somewhere like Long beach or Huntinton beach. DH will not share a room with DDs
10th Aug - Fly to San Francisco for 2 nights
12th Aug - Fly to Seattle for 1 night
13th Aug - Disney Alaskan cruise
20th Aug - Fly from Seattle to Flagstaff. Hire a car and drive to Grand Canyon for 1 night. (Maybe El Tovar)
21st Aug - Drive to Las Vegas & stay for 2 nights at MGM signature
23rd Aug - Fly home from Las Vegas

We have been to California before, a long time ago before the kids and know what a wonderful drive it is up the coast but DDs won't appreciate 6+ hours in a car to see scenery They will have to put up with it going to Las Vegas though).

What do you think?

Not sure about the flight to Flagstaff part. It's a tiny airport and flights in there are very expensive on very small planes. They'll probably route you through Phx, which is about a 2 hr drive between Phx-Flag. It's really cheaper to just fly to Phx, rent a car there, then drive to Flagstaff.

 

[CPT Tripss]

IMO you are trying to do too much. With all the flights and driving, you won't see much of the places that you are visiting. At best you have the afternoon you arrive and one full day in SF, and afternoon and evening in Seattle, and a sunset and sunrise in the Grand Canyon.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I would not take my kids to Las Vegas...been there, done that. It is an adult place with adult things and too expensive. IMHO

Also, it seems like an expensive side to trip to go peer over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Why not explore Seattle and the islands up there, instead?

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Also, if you are going to Disneyland, I would reverse the trip and do LA last. You have a better chance of reduced crowds due to some CA kids starting back in school at the end of Aug. Can you take an earlier cruise?

I would do Seattle, cruise, fly to San Francisco, drive from SF to LA stopping and staying a night in Monterey (on Hwy 1 to see the aquarium) and Santa Barbara to break up the trip.

 

[lcasa]

I'd skip Vegas with kids too. 10 years ago or so they were trying to make it a family place and there were somethings to do with kids - but that's all changed. 1 example: the Mirage had a great pool that was shallow and had 2 easy slides in it -- great for kids. now it's a topless adults-only pool

Last time I wound up spending the days shopping in the malls with my teen while the rest of the adults gambled and played golf. Kind of dull.

Long Beach vs Huntington - huntington more of a beach, long beach has more to do -- aquarium, queen mary, shoreline village. so it depends on what you want to do. Not far apart though - 20 min or so.

 

[KCmike]

Seems like a lot of flying and moving around. I agree with another poster and limit what you want to see. Are you doing Disneyland? You might want to cancel San Francisco and instead visit San Diego as its closer and you want feel like your "on the run" all the time. Have you been to Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego?