Planning 1st trip to California.....

[Lissete]

And I have tons of questions! We are planning a June 2002 trip for 15 days. This is our first trip to California and my very first ever flight. I suffer from fear of flying. I will soon be taking a class that says that it will be able to help me with this. We are a family of 4. My DH, myself, and out 2 DD's who will be 12 & 13.

We have 15 days but can actually extend it by about 2 days if necessary. We are planning on arriving at LAX on June 17th at about 4 PM and renting a car. We would then like to drive to Yosemite for 2 nights.

From there we will be heading to SF for 3 nts. On the way back to LA we want to stop in Monterey for 2 nights. And ultimately end up back in LA for 6 nights, including 3 nts. at the Disneyland hotel. I would really like to go to LAs Vegas for a couple of days also.


As far as lodging, I plan on using Priceline for LA & SF. We hope to stay at the Lodge in Yosemite, the Lighthouse Lodge & Suites in Monterey, and use points for the DLH.

We based our preliminary plan on Route Master @ AAA.com. We had planned on driving from LA to Yosemite according to AAA it is approx. 304 miles but I just read in a previous post that it will take about 10 hours non-stop to SF. We had estimated 5-6 hrs. Does it really take over 10 hrs? Are my estimations unreasonable?

Is this plan feasible? Any information, suggestions and ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Nice work! LA to Yosemite would be about 7 hours. Best bet would be to get a room near the airport and pickup the car in the morning, before heading out to Yosimite. I wouldn't advise arriving at Yosimite at night - you'll be missing some spectactular views.

 

[teri]

10 hours non-stop IF you take Rt. 1 which is the coastal route all the way down. Rt. 5 is the fastest but intensely boring and ugly, probably 6 hours from Anaheim to SF. If you take 101, it is about 7 hours from Anaheim to SF if you go non-stop, but the scenery is much better and there are many nice things to do along the way. Be sure to look at the FAQ at the top of the page, Other Things to do in Southern California, by Mary Jo. We have added a few things to that.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color=#6600CC>Hi Lissete,

Sounds like you're planning a wonderful vacation. Here are my thoughts...

Take the extra two days. There is a lot to see here, and the California coast is worth meandering down instead of rushing. Also, you'll appreciate the extra time for your trip to Las Vegas, etc.

Re Yosemite~
I've been to Yosemite several times, and can tell you a little bit to expect. Here's a link to a website I did on our vacation last year where we spent a couple of days there: MJ's 2000 trip to Yosemite

You say you're getting in @ 4pm at LAX. When are you planning on going to Yosemite? Plan on about 7 hours to get to the valley (where you'll want to spend most of your time). Be prepard to pay $20 to get into the national park. Make your reservations early, as the valley is extremely popular and reservations fill quickly. If you cannot get the Lodge, go for Curry Village. You're going at a great time. The waterfalls will be full, and the park won't be overinundated with people. Must sees are Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove, and if you can hike a little, at least to the bridge on the trail to Vernal Falls... Let me know if you'd like more details or websites.

Re SF & Coast ~
I forget how long from Yosemite to SF, but you'll be driving through some of our prime agricultural land, so you might want to take advantage and buy some fresh produce. Also, it's a neat drive because the scenery changes so much from mountains to agricultural land to the ocean.

If you're going to be in SF for 3 nights, you might want to try & make it to the Napa Valley. (yum) Your kids would also like it there. SF & Monterey are subject to cool days, so though there might be a pool, your kids might not be able to take advantage because of the weather. (Just some advanced notice)

I enjoyed SF, but I loved Monterey. I thought it was so beautiful there. The Aquarium is a must, as well as the 17 mile drive. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

From Monterey, expect about 8 hours to drive down the coast. If you don't want to spend that much time on the road, then you might want to go on the inland freeway... however, I high recommend Hwy 1, as the views can be breathtaking. You might want to break it up into two days, and take advantage of the proximity of Big Sur, Hearst Castle, and Santa Barbara (home of our very own TLK). You'll also hit Malibu on the way down, as you enter the LA area (and your kids might be interested since that is the "home" of Baywatch). In the Malibu area, where Sunset Blvd meets the Pacific Ocean, there is a famous restaurant there called Gladstones. You might want to stop and eat there ... depending on what's more important at that time - eating in a nice restaurant or crashing at the hotel.

Re Las Vegas ~
Expect to drive 4.5 - 5 hours from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, depending on traffic.

Re other stuff ~
We have a post at the top with some ideas on things to do in So Cal while you're here. You might want to check it out.

Hope some of these help. Planning is always a fun thing for me to do, even if we don't do everything I write down.

 

[Lissete]

Thank you for your responses and MaryJo, I really appreciate all the detailed information. We will definitely be adding 2 days to our trip. We have also decided to fly into SF and out of Las Vegas. The flight into SF arrives at 10:13 in the morning which is WAY better. We will be spending $150 extra for the one way car rental but it is worth it.

MaryJo, do you know if our National Parks Card covers the $20 fee for Yosemite?

Anyone have any info on the Lighthouse Lodge & Suites in Monterey? How about the Disneyland hotel? We are planning on splurging and using extra points for concierge. Any experience with their concierge lounge and rooms??

Thanks again and if any one has anything to add, all info will be well received. Although planning is stressful I LOVE IT!

 

[teri]

Lisette, I am pretty sure the NP card should be accepted for admission at Yosemite.