Need help planning please

[MPHARJ]

We are going to plan our third trip to DL for probably Oct this year, my kids would like to go to San Diego, where we will stay maybe 3 nights and visit Legoland and the zoo. My concerns are as follows - The airline I prefer to use from the east coast, Virgin America does not have connecting flights between San Diego and LAX, We can fly into San Diego but there are layovers etc.. and we will be on the plane all day, LAX is direct. How difficult is it to drive between LAX and San Diego or would it be easier to take the flight to San Diego and just drive up to Anaheim a few days later? I am so confused on what to do I want to take the kids and do both SD and DL this year but I want to plan properly with out spending a fortune. Looking for some guidance here TIA!

 

[phishy25]

We are doing the same thing. We saved a lot of money by flying in and out of LAX. We're flying into LAX and driving straight down to San Diego. Based on the time of our flight arrival there shouldn't be much traffic and we are estimating a 2 hour drive. We'll spend 3 nights in SD and then drive to Anaheim for the rest of our vacation.

I prefer a direct flight than layovers so I would definitely factor that into my decision. Another thing to think of is rental cars. How do you plan to get from San Diego to LAX? We looked into taking the Amtrack or renting a car in SD airport and dropping off at LAX. In the end we decided to go the LAX round trip route because we saved a few hundred dollars and would prefer to put that money toward a fabulous vacation. Good luck with your decision.

 

[MPHARJ]

I thought of just doing the rental car thing also picking up at LAX and than maybe dropping off at DTD I think they have Alamo there or is it National car rental?, that way we aren't paying for it the entire trip. We can fly right into San Diego but like I said and you stated I like the direct flight and the arrival tie in the am would be 9am and we would have all morning to get to SD, maybe traffic won't be as bad. If we do the connecting flight we won't get in until very late. Thanks for your tip.

 

[kristindavis]

San Diego is about 2 hours from LAX. Can be more depending on traffic. It might be a better idea to fly to LAX, go to Anaheim (45 min drive) stay there then drive to SD. Then back to LAX. That way you limit car time.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

If you start out driving from LAX at around 9 A.M. to San Diego, your drive time will be closer to three hours. you would be smack in the middle of commute time.

Just an FYI.

Since you have time, there is an airport in north San Diego county that takes commuter sized planes out of LAX. Try looking at Palomar airport (CLD) for connections.

 

[redsox721]

We are doing the same thing. We saved a lot of money by flying in and out of LAX. We're flying into LAX and driving straight down to San Diego. Based on the time of our flight arrival there shouldn't be much traffic and we are estimating a 2 hour drive. We'll spend 3 nights in SD and then drive to Anaheim for the rest of our vacation.

I prefer a direct flight than layovers so I would definitely factor that into my decision. Another thing to think of is rental cars. How do you plan to get from San Diego to LAX? We looked into taking the Amtrack or renting a car in SD airport and dropping off at LAX. In the end we decided to go the LAX round trip route because we saved a few hundred dollars and would prefer to put that money toward a fabulous vacation. Good luck with your decision.

We are doing the same thing as you. We are leaving Boston on May 1 very early (6:15 am). We get to LAX about 1:00 pm. We will then be driving to San Diego until Sunday and drive to Anaheim on Sunday around 3:00ish.

The flights and car rental were so much cheaper this way.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

We are doing the same thing as you. We are leaving Boston on May 1 very early (6:15 am). We get to LAX about 1:00 pm. We will then be driving to San Diego until Sunday and drive to Anaheim on Sunday around 3:00ish.

The flights and car rental were so much cheaper this way.

True, but just an FYI, the non-stop Boston to San Diego flight on (American?) has started again!

DW is from boston and we had do do a lot of round trips for family business a few years ago!!

(did you know its REALLY cold at Logan in the winter!!!!)

hehehehehehe

 

[wendyinoc]

Here is a way without a car and no traffic. There is bus that will take you from LAX to Union Station in LA. You then take Amtrak to San Diego. Drops you off downtown in a great area to stay. One of my favorite places is downtown. Then take the train back to Anaheim and the ART can take you to your Anaheim desitnation.

Her is info on the flyway. Only complicated part of setting it up.

"Due to increased demand Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is expanding its FlyAway bus service from Los Angeles Union Station to LAX. The Airport FlyAway buses depart from Union Station's Patsaouras Bus Plaza, Bus Stop 9, and make stops at each airline terminal. For more information go to http://www.lawa.org."

 

[redsox721]

True, but just an FYI, the non-stop Boston to San Diego flight on (American?) has started again!

DW is from boston and we had do do a lot of round trips for family business a few years ago!!

(did you know its REALLY cold at Logan in the winter!!!!)

hehehehehehe

It is very COLD at Logan in the winter.

We had Delta Skymiles to use so we were bound to the flights available for 25,000 miles. We did price out flights to see if they were cheap enough to purchase and save the skymiles for another trip. The flights on American were a good deal the day I checked but I waited a day and they went up by $65.00 a seat.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

It is very COLD at Logan in the winter.

We had Delta Skymiles to use so we were bound to the flights available for 25,000 miles. We did price out flights to see if they were cheap enough to purchase and save the skymiles for another trip. The flights on American were a good deal the day I checked but I waited a day and they went up by $65.00 a seat.

Ouch!! The first couple of times we had to pay current rate. (purchased less than 24 hours prior) but the subsequent trips, I was actually able to get much better prices. we flew American, and American West. Not bad.

We stayed in Braintree!!

nice place!

 

[MPHARJ]

Thanks to everyone for their replies, we decided, well I decided since I am the mother here, lol to stay at DL the entire trip, we rented a car and will take a day trip to San Diego, the main reason for that is my daughter has a friend that lives there. So are Sunday's a good day to take that drive?

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Sundays are good, just remember that traffic in the LA area is "heavy" by a lot of other places standards pretty much every day. The evening hours on sunday are a little more busy, due to everyone returning from a weekend getaway and so on. But if you have ever driven in the big dig during traffic, it should be no problem!! (ha!)

You should be fine!

Have fun!

 

[redsox721]

Sundays are good, just remember that traffic in the LA area is "heavy" by a lot of other places standards pretty much every day. The evening hours on sunday are a little more busy, due to everyone returning from a weekend getaway and so on. But if you have ever driven in the big dig during traffic, it should be no problem!! (ha!)

You should be fine!

Have fun!

The big mess, I mean big dig, is pretty scary to drive in. Luckily I don't need to drive in it to often.