West Coast USA

northwest1965

We are in the planning stage of our holiday next year. I just wondered if anyone can advise if we have planned too much?
Fly to San Francisco 4nights, drive to Yosemite 1night, drive to Vegas 3nights, drive to LA 6nights

iltisman

Yosemite to Vegas is a very long drive.I would reduce the stop in SF to 2 nights and LA to 2 nights and visit San Diego for 3 nights.I would suggest keeping some days free for going somewhere on a whim or staying longer in somewhere you like.Hotels are rarely fully booked and there are plenty of them.

northwest1965

Can I ask why San Diego? The beaches?

ferf1223

Many people will say 6 days is too long in LA (I would be one of them). I would also rather San Diego than LA. It's a lovely city...though I suppose if you're more interested in theme parks and that sort of thing maybe LA would be better. Oh, and if you want to, from SD you can easily do a day trip into Mexico. We did and weren't terribly impressed but we didn't have time to go much further than just over the border.

trets77

personally i would revise it something more like this

SF= 3 nights ( this includes the night you fly in )

Yosemite = 2 nights

Death Valley = 1 night ( book this in advance as there is only 1 reasonably priced hotel in DV .http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/furnace-creek-ranch-1223.html )

LV = 3 nights ( although if you are 1st time visitor you might want a extra night if you can swing it )

LA = 2/3nights

SD = 2/3 nights


Yosemite to DV ( or even worse LV ) is a long long drive . it can be done quicker if the Tioga road is open

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm


if not you will have to go Via Bakersfield , which while it was a great drive through places like Techachapi and the eerie ( but one of the best places i have ever drove ) Panamint Valley took in excess of 10 hours to reach DV .

northwest1965

If we missed out Yosemite altogether, would it be a great shame?

wdyw

northwest1965 wrote: »

If we missed out Yosemite altogether, would it be a great shame?

Yes, but maybe the great outdoors is not the sort of thing you are into, especially if you considered 6 nights in LA, which most people would either recommend skipping or spending 1-2 nights max.

C_Mababejive

I would recommend you shorten your stay in SFO to max 3 nights,,maybe even two. SFO is very compact and you will have done most of the interesting bits in two or three days max.

Also you dont need 6 nights in LA as there really isnt much there for you other than a very big city.

I'd recommend you spend a few nights in somewhere coastal like Santa monica and just do a one day early start tour of LA as that will capture all the sights and you really wont feel like youve missed anything.

Maybe you could consider the other side of the Golden gate bridge and a trip to Sausolito or an overnight in Sonoma/wine country /visit some wineries or similar?

dickydonkin

Also you dont need 6 nights in LA as there really isnt much there for you other than a very big city.

Which is true, but if you have a car it is an ideal base to travel to San Diego/Mexico/ Theme Parks to the South and you are within reasonable distance to the Beach Cities and Beverly Hills/Hollywood.

If you can select a reasonably priced central location hotel, there is really no need to live out of a suitcase by having to keep changing hotels.

northwest1965

wdyw wrote: »

Yes, but maybe the great outdoors is not the sort of thing you are into, especially if you considered 6 nights in LA, which most people would either recommend skipping or spending 1-2 nights max.

We are outdoors people, live very close to peak District and walk quite a bit so we'll make Yosemite a must.

Thanks for the advice about SFO, we'll shorten that down.

While in LA I want to visit Disneyland

wdyw

Definitely 1 night if not 2 in Yosemite then as some of the better hikes are all day jobs (to the top of Half Dome is excellent. One plus point of going down the west side of the mountains is you can also visit Sequoia NP and the giant trees ...which saves you going further north than SF to see them.