Sequois, DL and San Diego?

[Cheryl N. WI]

We are tentatively planning our first trip to CA this June as soon as DD 9 gets out of school!!! We would have 2 weeks (June 14-28). Would we be crazy to try and fit in all this in 1 trip?

I was thinking of flying in to LAX but am a little nervous about what it would be like to rent a car and drive from here and back or wouldn't it be too bad coming in on a Sat?
I was thinking of driving from LAX to Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP area (DD really wants to see the HUGE trees) and spending 2-3 nights in this area. Is this a bad drive? Is it a pretty drive? Any recommendations on where to stay in this area? Then we would drive back down to DL and stay 4-5 nights in that area (have reservation at Embassy Suites in Garden Grove for good rate). Then drive down to San Diego for 6 nights (got great rate for a suite at Double Tree Club Hotel on Hotel Circle). Then I thought it would be a good idea to drive back up to LAX area and stay at hotel there on Fr. June 27 so we are right by the airport to fly back home the next day. Would traffic from San Diego to La be crazy on a Friday and what time would be good to drive this with the least amount of traffic craziness?

Are we crazy to consider trying to fit all this in? We have been to WDW many times and when we go there we are always on the go trying to fit in as much as possible. When DH goes on vacation he wants to see as much as possble (he says we can relax at home LOL) and seeing how we have never been to CA before and don't know when we might get back this way again I guess we'd like to see as much as possible without exhausting ourselves.

Cheryl

 

[hookedup]

It is a big drive from LA up to the Kings Canyon area but the parks are beautiful. The area can be very hot this time of year - when you are up in the higher elevations it is better but the foothills are warm. You certainly would have some diversity in your trip by doing this jaunt. The drive up there is not esp scenic until you get into the actual areas near the park. The drive up Interstate 5 is not scenic. But I am sure it would be a fun road trip with your family. We have always camped at our visits so I cant recommend a hotel in the area but there are a number of nice smaller ones around as well as lodges. There is the Montecito Lodge that is a family oriented one. Sunset Magazine usually has a lot of ads for smaller boutique inns and lodges in that area - it is worth looking at it for some reference information.
San Diego will be nice then but be warned typically it is quite cloudy in the mornings and burns off later in the day - we call it 'June Gloom'
Friday traffic will be yucky from SD to LAX especially as the day gets later - it will be BAD from 2-3 p.m. until 6-7 p.m. so my advice is go early or go late!

Have fun planning and have a great trip!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>We go camping up in the Sequoias almost every year. It is beautiful up there.

Sequoia is about a 5.5 hour drive from the Los Angeles area (at least from where I live, which is about 15 mins from the LAX airport). I've also rented a car and driven up there, and that was nice.

There are two ways to get to Sequoia:

Go north on the 5 towards Bakersfield, and you will run into the 99 (you will also pass 6 Flags Magic Mountain on the way up). Bakersfield is about 2 hours from LA, and a good place to gas up & grab a bite to eat.

Once you pass Bakersfield, you can take the 65, which cuts off towards the mountains on a country-type road. There will be a big sign about 2 miles north of Bakersfield pointing to Sequoia Park. Follow the 65 north till you hit 198, & go east towards Sequoia National Park.

You can also stay on the 99 until you hit Visalia. Turn right, and get on the 198, which will take you through Three Rivers and Lemon Cove, right up to the Giant Forest in Sequoia. On the way up, you'll pass Hospital Rock. You can stop your car here & walk up to the rock & see the petroglyphs (writing) that the Indians left many years ago.

Lemon Cove is in the Foothills, and is probably a good 45 mins to an hour from the Giant Forest, where you will find the General Sherman (largest living thing on Earth), as well as the Moro Rock/ Crescent Meadow area -- I highly recommend you visit these three - you can do them in one day.

You can stay in Lemon Grove, and drive up everyday, or you can stay up in the mountains, in Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Forest, or Kings Canyon. Sequoia NP is to the south, and you go through Sequoia NF to get to Kings Canyon. There are places to stay up there, but you have to make reservations. I've stayed in the rustic cabins at Grants Grove, and they are very rustic (kerosene lamps for lighting), but there are cabins up there w/more modern amenities.

You can bypass Sequoia and go straight to Kings Canyon, which is about a 6.5 hour drive or so. You would need to follow the 99 up to Fresno (Fresno is about 4 hours from LA), and take the highway that leads to Kings Canyon (I forget the #). The first place you get to at Kings Canyon will be Grants Grove, where there are cabins, a visitor's center, etc.

Here are a couple of sites I did for our camping trips in 2000 and 2002. I also have links to the official Sequoia & Yosemite pages.

Although the weather may be considerably warm in the foothills, it's more refreshing up in the mountains (except in July/August) - you'd be about 6700-7000 feet high.

Sequoia/Yosemite Camping Vacation 2000

Sequoia/Kings Canyon Camping Vacay w/a Visit to Yosemite 2002

 

[LuvTigger]

I don't think it's crazy at all! We've done much crazier, including DL, SD, Vegas, and San Fran, in 13 days! (But we don't have a child either.)

I just wanted to add in a couple of extra things:
1. At one time I was visiting a lot of national parks, and I found out they have a "National Park Passport" that you can buy from the gift shop. Each National Park or Recreation area has a validation stamp that you can stamp in the book (usually they leave it in the open near the cashier, sometimes you have to ask). Might be fun for your DD (or even yourselves!) if you don't have one yet.
2. I'm also planning an SD vacation this year, and I found a website for their visitor's bureau and requested a brochure. I just got it yesterday and it's really terrific, and also includes some great coupons. The only thing is they're only good thru the end of March, so I guess I will have to e-mail again later when my trip dates get closer.

Happy planning!

 

[hookedup]

Hi Cheryl - I just PM'd you about that resort in Sequoia area I was referring to.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy> Hookedup - how did you like Montecito Lodge? We always drive past it, but haven't stayed there.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I personally would take 1or 2 days away from SD, and add it back to DL , then you have time to do some LA stuff if you wish, or really explore the DLR experience.

 

[tstobb]

I just did the drive from San Diego to DL on a Saturday morning and it was about 1 1/2 hours from the San Diego airport to DL. It is a straight shot up I5 but traffic can be beyond miserable so plan on non-rush times if at all possible.