October itinerary doable?

[loveswdw]

We are traveling to CA in October for our first ever trip out West. Planning on Yosemite and DL/DCA. I was hoping to get more sightseeing in but as we are only there for a little over a week I think I've squeezed in enough.

Oct 21--land LAX at 2 PM. Planning to drive to Bakersfield or Visalia to stay the night
Oct 22-24--drive to Yosemite. Staying 2 nts at Yosemite Valley Lodge
Oct 24--driving from Yosemite to DL (Google says it's about a 6 hr drive)
Oct 24-29--staying VGC. 3 days DL/DCA. 1 day at USH.
Oct 29--back to LAX for 5:15 PM flight home

I would love to see the Hollywood sign, walk of fame, Pacific Ocean, etc but I'm thinking the only time we'll be able to do that is on the 29th after we check out of VGC and head back to LAX. I would love to do more (Sequoia/Kings Canyon/Death Valley/Pacific Coast Hwy) but think we are going to be short on time due to the drive times to and from Yosemite.

Any advice?

 

[Ndusmama]

It will take you 5-6 hours to drive. It's about 2 to Bakersfield and another 2 hours to Visalia and then from Visalia another 2. All depends on traffic. Bakersfield has more hotels. Visalia really doesn't have much. If you do go to Visalia that's the turn to get to sequoia. Modesto is another hour from Visalia and closer to Yosemite. Traffic on a Friday night though can be bad. It could be a really late night. Once you get through the mountain pass there isn't a whole lot to look at. But the mountains near Frazier park are beautiful.

DL at that time of year will be crowded on trick or treating nights. if you don't go to the trick or treating then the day after at DL is usually quiet. The trick or treating itself has some special food and merchandise only available then. Plus it's different fireworks that night. You could easily do the two parks in 3 days for that extra day for sight seeing, or just extra day for spare. I saw another post a couple weeks ago where someone posted about a day trip around la. If I can find it I will quote it for you.

As for the PCH you could probably get a couple miles in but not enough to really see it. Flying out of LAX you will see the ocean but not feel or smell it. Death Valley is COMPLETELY out of the way for where you are going. As for kings canyon/sequoia I'd choose either them or Yosemite but not both. I love the view from the top of Half Dome and at Rainbow Falls. Sequoia has those amazing trees. So which do you need to see first?

 

[Ndusmama]

I've done this several times with guests:

Go to Griffith Park Observatory before 10am (they open at 10). You can visit the observatory and see the Hollywood sign from up there. If it's the weekend, drive 'round to the other side to the carousel where Walt Disney took his daughters. From there you can have lunch at the Tam O'Shanter (they are all in same relative area). Go back towards the 101 freeway north to Highland Exit. When you're near Gower you'll see the circular Capital Records to your left and you'll see the Tower Hotel (inspiration for Tower of Terror) on the right. Get off on Highland (you'll be by the Hollywood Bowl) turn left, get to the right lane and park in the underground parking at Highland and Hollywood. You'll be at the complex, and can walk to the Graumann's Chinese Theater and El Capitan across the street. Spend some time there. If you time it right you can also visit La Brea Tar Pits, Farmers Market, and/or Santa Monica Pier. You'll just need to map it out ahead of time.

Another day you can do Huntington Beach or Newport Beach - both are nice. If you can, rent bikes. The channel by Newport Beach is the same where the Minnow started that fateful "3 hour tour" for Gilligan's Island. You could start your day at Disneyland, then late morning head out to the beach. We typically have a marine layer in the mornings that burns off by late morning. Sometimes we have Santa Ana winds that will start the days off sunny, and then it might be good to go to the beach. You might want to spend the early part of the day at Disneyland, then maybe go to the beach later in the day and stay for sunset - we can get some beautiful sunsets. If you go to Huntington or Newport Beach that would work; Malibu would be a little too far.

This is the itenerary I saw that I thought was a great itenerary for a day. Hope it helps and thanks WebmasteMaryJo for the idea in another post.

 

[loveswdw]

This is the itenerary I saw that I thought was a great itenerary for a day. Hope it helps and thanks WebmasteMaryJo for the idea in another post.

Thank you, Ndusmama! That is a great day trip and we'd knock a bunch of stuff off our wishlist. And thanks WebmasterMaryJo for the itinerary!

 

[loveswdw]

which do you need to see first?

Definitely Yosemite as we already have the 2 nights reserved there. I'm disappointed that the Mariposa grove with the sequoias at Yosemite will be closed during our visit. I'd love to see the big trees but don't see us having time to stop at SEKI after Yosemite.

I'm leaning towards Bakersfield as our 1st night stopover because I think a 2 hour drive after a long plane travel day is all we'll muster. The 3 hour time change may be rough, too.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

In my experience a drive to Yosemite is more like 7 hours, because once you get to the park entrance you have another 45 minutes or so to get to the valley, which is where a lot of the beauty is. I can follow up better after May 8, because we're going there for a long weekend.

I live 15 minutes south of the LAX airport off of the 405 freeway. If you get in around 2pm, then rent a car, you may hit traffic on your way out of Los Angeles. I recommend downloading Waze on your Smartphone if you have one, and using it to gauge timing. Bakersfield is typically two hours from Los Angeles, Visalia another hour, and Fresno two hours from Bakersfield. You might want to try going up to Fresno. You'll have a shorter drive to Yosemite and its beauty. In October, it will probably be dark by 6:30pm or so, while sunrise is around 7:15 or so. Expect it to be kind of cool in Yosemite. At least you'll be at Yosemite Lodge, so that will be warm nights. You CAN go through Sequoia/Kings Canyon on your way to Disneyland, but it will add another 3 hours to your drive to Disneyland. IF you decide to do that, you can go to the 180 from the 41 and go to Kings Canyon. At the turnoff (General's Highway), turn right to Giant Grove. You'll go through the Lost Grove, and have the opportunity to go to Giant Forest where you can walk to the General Sherman and see those trees, then visit Crescent Meadow and Moro Rock - those are highlights there. Or when you get to that crossroads, turn left and you'll soon be at Grants Grove in Kings Canyon. Research these areas and see if it's worth it to you to check any of them out.

The above itinerary that Ndusmama shared is one I've done a few times, and you can tailor to your interests. If you're going to go up Hollywood way then plan on visiting Santa Monica or Venice beach (Santa Monica is easier to get to). Leave early (8:30/9am) from the Disneyland Resort and go up to Griffith Park Observatory. I think you'd have to miss the carousel this go around, unless that and the Tam O'Shanter are big on your list. But the other things that are interesting are Hollywood/Highland complex, and La Brea Tarpits/Farmers Market (could have lunch there or at the Grove - they are next to each other & you walk to both), then head to the Santa Monica pier before going to LAX. You want to time it so that you're turning your car in by probably 3pm or so.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'm leaning towards Bakersfield as our 1st night stopover because I think a 2 hour drive after a long plane travel day is all we'll muster. The 3 hour time change may be rough, too.

If you decide on Bakersfield, that's a good start because it will get you out of the Los Angeles traffic. You also have an opportunity to go to Santa Monica Pier on the day you get to Los Angeles, check that out, then get back on the freeway to go to Bakersfield.

 

[Ndusmama]

If you decide on Bakersfield, that's a good start because it will get you out of the Los Angeles traffic. You also have an opportunity to go to Santa Monica Pier on the day you get to Los Angeles, check that out, then get back on the freeway to go to Bakersfield.

I must say WebmasterMaryJo you really are a good source for travel plans! I would definitely agree about the aiming for Bakersfield the first night. It does have more options for places to stay. I think I will try the Yosemite to kings canyon route my next trip.