Questions & Tips please for our first (and likely only) California Trip!

[Katiebird]

For more things to do, consider the WB studio tour and La Brea Tar Pits. I think everyone else covered the rest.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

We have a thread with a lot of links that our Disneyland team talked about regarding things to do when visiting Disneyland (Day 6 adventures): https://www.disboards.com/threads/day-six-podcasts-of-things-to-do-around-disneyland.3620288/

Regarding best time of year to go: Keep in mind the length of days. During the winter it gets dark around 5pm, so your days are much shorter to enjoy the sites. I wouldn't recommend February because if we have a rainy season it usually happens in February/March. April is a good time to go, and so is late June before it starts getting hot, and the days are longer. If you go at the end of summer remember that Haunted Mansion usually goes down by the end of the third week in August, and It's a Small World will go down in October for the holiday overlay. Christmas break is beautiful, but depending on the fast pass situation may be really busy. It's usually the busiest time, although we really don't know how it will be in 2022. Of the choices you asked, I would choose April.

For DL/DCA I would recommend a minimum 3-day stay, and if you can swing the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian Hotel, stay there. If not, there are a few hotels that have really nice pools, though it's pretty chilly in April, so I don't know how much pool time you'll really want (note that sometimes we get a heat wave from the Santa Ana winds that will give us a week of 90º weather - we just don't know for sure when it will hit).

For Universal Studios - I consider this a 3/4 day park, especially during the off season. However, there is a nice City Walk to enjoy after the park and you could have dinner there. I do recommend checking out the Warner Bros studio tour, where they filmed part of Jurassic Park, Gilmore Girls, Friends, etc.

Tour of LA: I've given a few tours to my DIS friends and you can visit Griffith Park Observatory, Hollywood area, Rodeo Drive - La Brea Tar Pits, Farmers Market for lunch, and Santa Monica Pier (end of Route 66) for a sunset view and snacks). One of our Day 6 adventures describes that kind of day. Note that it will be a full day, and in the afternoon it can take up to two hours to drive to the Disneyland area from Santa Monica. You would need a full day.

I also like the Huntington Library - Google it to see if your family would be interested.

There are also walking tours - cupcake tour in Hollywood, taste tour in Downtown Los Angeles, etc., that are interesting.

For the beach I'd recommend either Laguna Beach (and check out their little downtown area, Huntington Beach, New Port Beach/Peninsula with Balboa Island/Fun Zone - maybe bike ride over there).

Recommend you rethink renting a car - it's pretty essential for Southern California because everything is so widespread and you'll save money and time in the long run. But, if you insist on Uber/Lyft, my experience is that they are pretty easy to get.

A lot of people are wary of LAX. It's the only airport I use, and it's the most economical with direct flights.

Happy Planning!!!!

DD 14 (she'll be 15 by the time we actually go) wants to go to California (we've always been a WDW family). I say likely only time going to California because of many reasons. So here are my questions and tips we're looking for and your help is greatly appreciated:

What time of year is BEST to go? December (Xmas Break), February (Winter Recess) or April (Easter Break). We're limited on when we can go because DD is going into private catholic HS this year and unless there's a school 'break', unexcused absences wont be taken well.

How many days would you spend at DL/DCA? And where would you recommend staying? (Want to be close to the parks, places to eat, definitely want a 'fun' pool, and comfortable amenities/spacious room.) On the WDW side we've always stayed at the Polynesian, Contemporary or Beach/Yacht Club Resorts. I know its different because WDW the resorts are on property and have transportation options.

How many days would you spend at Universal? (studio tour is a must). And where would you recommend staying, if we decided to transfer from DC/DL area to US area?

Tour of LA to see and do the "touristy" things (walk of fame, griffith observatory, Rodeo Drive, etc.) - would one day or half a day suffice? Are those tours I see on TripAdvisor any good?

We would LOVE to go to a beach and checkout activity on the boardwalk too - which one would be best for this? Thinking Venice Beach or Santa Monica Pier.

We're not renting a car - just dont want to be bothered and rather just use uber/lyft (i'm aware its much more costly this way, but it is what it is). With that said, based on above - is it better to stay a few days in the DCA/DL area then transfer to a hotel in the US area? Or just stay in one hotel and take uber/lyfts whereever and whenever.

Are uber/lyfts fairly easy to get when we need them?

Which airport would be best to fly into/out of? We're coming from NJ so likely flying out of EWR (Newark) and will need non-stop.

 

[Kit Jackson]

If you want to go at a relaxed pace and not have to rush, 4-5 days in Disneyland would be best.

As others have suggested, you might want to consider two hotels and do some time in Disneyland and then switch to a different hotel for LA/Other California stuff.

I would skip Universal Hollywood and do a seperate trip to Universal Orlando another year. The Warner Brothers studio tour is the better option if you want a tour of a working movie studio. The Universal Tour is more of a theme park ride.

To me, Gruaman’s/TCL Chinese Theatre is much more interesting than the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Skip the tour of the theatre, and spend your time in the courtyard. It's where they have the handprints, footprints, pawprints, and hoofprints from various celebrities.

Griffith Observatory and the surrounding area (Griffith park) are fantastic. An afternoon browsing/window shopping on Rodeo Drive can be enjoyable. It's crazy expensive upscale shopping, but you probably already knew that.

 

[redleader74]

Oh, now that I see it posted here by others, I have to say that we LOVE the LA Farmers Market. Everything about it from it's kind of quaint vintage vibe to all the vendors on offer. It's amazing that after more than a year of pandemic they look as if they haven't been hit by it at all. Full of energy and vibrancy. We could spend a whole day there.

And also keep in mind that the LA area looks like a big fat grid when looking at it on a map. Meaning, now everything you want to go to is right of a freeway offramp. Some times you'll spend days on local streets after getting off the freeway, before you get to your destination, so you'll definitely want to be very strategic about grouping your activities together to maximize your time and miles traveled.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I'll just throw in my two cents with regards to weather. We were just at Disneyland two weeks ago and even with the temperature in the low to mid 80's we found it too uncomfortable. In the future we'll be going in the fall or winter to avoid the heat.

Fall is usually hotter than summer here, particularly September and October. It is not unusual to get long heatwaves with temps 90+ in September and October. November is usually cooler but not always! Three years ago we stayed at the DLH for Dapper Day, which was the first Saturday in November. When we checked into the hotel around 4pm it was 100 degrees. Needless to say we went straight to the pool!

 

[sjmac42]

I have to say that we LOVE the LA Farmers Market.

Have to agree with that. We were within walking distance last trip and spent so much time there we probably missed doing other stuff on our list like the Getty Villa, Koreatown, Grand Central Market and Marina Del Ray
Worth every minute though

 

[ErinsMommy]

Thank you all SO much! Great tips and suggestions! Heat is NOT a thing my family enjoys - we've done WDW in June, August and September and its MISERABLE. Our "ideal temp" is low upper 70s but when we want pool time, we're looking for lower-mid 80s. Go figure. LOL. Looks like I have some researching to do. Thanks again everyone!

 

[smartlabelprint]

Fall is usually hotter than summer here, particularly September and October. It is not unusual to get long heatwaves with temps 90+ in September and October. November is usually cooler but not always! Three years ago we stayed at the DLH for Dapper Day, which was the first Saturday in November. When we checked into the hotel around 4pm it was 100 degrees. Needless to say we went straight to the pool!

We often go in Nov and 80* is standard. Friends die in the heat in Oct. It’s not cooler. Lol
We have pix from 3/4 from a few years ago and it was rainy. But not torrential. Didn’t ruin it. We’re planning on 3/1 next year.
the weather is just unpredictable.

 

[Kit Jackson]

If anyone in your family is really into Roman History/Mythology, the Getty Villa is fantastic. It is free, but you have to reserve tickets in advance (the tickets are for crowd control purposes).

 

[wishing4PA]

Oops never mind my accidental post that was here. I was getting my villas/mansions mixed up and replied when I should have just gone to get sleep.