East to West USA - Aug 2016

MasterPoo

Hi All,

Having learnt some valuable lessons on my recent multi stop holiday, I decided to revise my next big holiday to the USA. Due to work/family commitments we are no longer travelling August 2015, but 2016.

I've decided that 4 nights in each place allows us to rest, relax, take it easy and explore without rushing.

29 DUB
30 DUB - BOS
31 Boston
1 Boston
2 Boston
3 Boston - NYC (Amtrak)
4 NYC
5 NYC
6 NYC
7 NYC - Washington (Amtrak)
8 Washington
9 Washington
10 Washington
11 Washington - Orlando (Flight)
12 Orlando/Miami
13 Orlando - Miami (Drive)
14 Miami - Vegas (Flight)
15 Vegas
16 Vegas
17 Vegas
18 Vegas - DRIVE (Death Valley + Yosemite)
19 DRIVE (Yosemite + Napa Valley + SF)
20 San Francisco
21 San Francisco
22 San Francisco
23 San Francisco - Santa Barbra/LA (DRIVE)
24 LA
25 LA - Hawaii (Flight)
26 Hawaii
27 Hawaii
28 Hawaii
29 Hawaii
30 Hawaii
31 Hawaii
1 Hawaii
2 Hawaii - LA
3 LA
4 LA
5

Here is where I'm doubting my itinerary:

1. I'd like to reduce nights in Boston to 3 instead of 4 (contradicting myself) but I'm trying to gain a day?!?!?
2. My boys aren't that keen on Orlando, they just want to go see, not bothered about rides etc. So I'm considering making it 1 or 2 nights? Plus we will have visited Miami earlier in the year, so I could possibly take a day off here too?
3. Drive from Las Vegas to San Francisco - Where to stop for the night? I'm hoping to do that drive over 2 days, is this ok? Looking at route planner i could do 6 hours per day up to Napa? Is this realistic?
4. Concerned I don't have enough nights in Hawaii for 2 Islands???

I'm no longer taking my mom with us, there is no way in hell she'd be able to keep up!

Previous thread here, with excellent advice.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5046461

duchy

If you'll have visited Miami earlier in the year ......I'd personally not bother doing it again .

Orlando is all about the rides and if you don't pay to go into the parks then all you'll see is lots of eating places and the Disney themed hotels- Skip Orlando and add a day to LA and stay at Disneyland (the two parks are manageable on a non peak week day you'll see everything and admissions are lower). Hotels at the Disney gate are plentiful and cheap (especially compared with Orlando). The drive between Orlando and Miami isn't very interesting.

Use your "saved days" for the drive to SFO - so you can stop and see stuff rather than need to keep driving to keep on schedule (it's a holiday remember )

Have you done LA before ? I'm not sure it justifies two visits in one holiday !!

Personally I think the Pacific Highway drive is overated so I'd skip Orlando/Miami and fly Washington to SF - drive to Vegas via Yosemite and then onto LA. Alternatively do the Pacific Highway after Hawaii and then fly home.

Honestly I think you are trying to pack too much in and are risking seeing too much highway and too little of the good stuff

There are some lovely lodges on the national parks themselves - pricey and book up early though but they aren't the sort of places to stay and have to leave early to keep on schedule .

jackieblack

I agree with Duchy


I would use the saved days for Yosemite

Crispy_Ambulance

That's a lot in one holiday - could you split it up and do East coast one year and West the next?

I'd agree with others and if you're not going to the parks, don't bother with Orlando. Maybe a Gulf coast beach stop instead if you want to be in Florida?

SF to LA in one day is a hell of a drive. You might want to add in a stop on the way, especially if you want to see anything of the Big Sur coastline.

Personally, I'd lose a city day or two and make more time for Yosemite. It's stunning and you might regret not stopping there. If you want to stay in the park itself, places get booked up months in advance - you can start booking at 12 months in advance.

MasterPoo

Thanks,......I don't know why I included Miami/Orlando again, when I can easily fit it in, in our trip at Easter?!?!? DUH!!

I will be booking early, thanks for the headsup!

I'm considering only making booking as we go along, but this fills me with dread for various reasons, i.e. what if the prices are sky high, what if they are fully booked, etc. etc. I think for MY peace of mind I will have to book in advance.

Yes the drive from Vegas to SFO is my biggest "concern" as I don't want to feel like I'm rushing and have to stick to any schedule. I think this looks even better, Therefore:

9 DUB
30 DUB - BOS
31 Boston
1 Boston
2 Boston
3 Boston - NYC (Amtrak)
4 NYC
5 NYC
6 NYC
7 NYC
8 NYC - Washington (Amtrak)
9 Washington
10 Washington
11 Washington - Vegas (Flight)
12 Vegas
13 Vegas
14 Vegas
15 Vegas - Death Valley + Yosemite (Drive)
16 Yosemite
17 Yosemite + Napa Valley or SFO (Drive)
18 Napa Valley or SFO (Drive)
19 San Francisco
20 San Francisco
21 San Francisco - Santa Barbra/LA (Drive)
22 LA - Hawaii (Flight)
23 Hawaii
24 Hawaii
25 Hawaii
26 Hawaii
27 Hawaii
28 Hawaii
29 Hawaii
30 Hawaii
31 Hawaii
1 Hawaii
2 Hawaii - LA
3 LA
4 LA

michele-p

Hi master poo,

The drive from Vegas to Yosemite would be a very long day. We did it the other direction, left from falls View Lodge just outside the park, through the Tioga pass to Death Valley for the night. It took us until around 5pm to get there. Granted we did have a huge sand storm en route, and had to have police escort the traffic for about an hour!

On the way from Vegas to Death Valley (if you go that way) make time to stop at the Opera House at Death Valley Junction, and ask for a tour, amazing place. Also there is a date farm, which as real oasis in the desert, try the ice cream whilst watching the humming birds.

We did the other direction, 4 nights in San Fran -with a day trip to Napa on last day, it's North of San Fransico, we just picked a random winery and called in for the tour.

I can highly recommend the 14 mile drive at Monterey, very scenic. We stayed just outside of Carmel http://www.ticklepinkinn.com/, and had dinner at Clint Eastwoods Ranch, then inland to Yosemite.

LA - if you're not into Disney and Universal then 2 days max would do it, if I had my time again I'd miss LA out to be honest. Santa Monica is worth a visit though.

We are doing some of your east Coast trip in a few months, NY, Washington, Niagara, Boston, New England, Maine back to NY. Using planes, trains an automobiles, can't wait!

MasterPoo

michele-p wrote: »

Hi master poo,

The drive from Vegas to Yosemite would be a very long day. We did it the other direction, left from falls View Lodge just outside the park, through the Tioga pass to Death Valley for the night. It took us until around 5pm to get there. Granted we did have a huge sand storm en route, and had to have police escort the traffic for about an hour!

On the way from Vegas to Death Valley (if you go that way) make time to stop at the Opera House at Death Valley Junction, and ask for a tour, amazing place. Also there is a date farm, which as real oasis in the desert, try the ice cream whilst watching the humming birds.

We did the other direction, 4 nights in San Fran -with a day trip to Napa on last day, it's North of San Fransico, we just picked a random winery and called in for the tour.

I can highly recommend the 14 mile drive at Monterey, very scenic. We stayed just outside of Carmel http://www.ticklepinkinn.com/, and had dinner at Clint Eastwoods Ranch, then inland to Yosemite.

LA - if you're not into Disney and Universal then 2 days max would do it, if I had my time again I'd miss LA out to be honest. Santa Monica is worth a visit though.

We are doing some of your east Coast trip in a few months, NY, Washington, Niagara, Boston, New England, Maine back to NY. Using planes, trains an automobiles, can't wait!

So the drive between SFO and Napa Valley shouldn't take too long I gather?

The date farm, i love the sound of that!

michele-p

It's about 1-1.5 hours north of SFO to Napa over the Golden Gate bridge! Nice day trip, we also went to see http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/ that day (really not worth it in my opinion, waited 30 mins and just looked like someone turned a hose on!)

The we came back via the coast, and stopped for dinner in a random fishing village, lobster at sunset, perfect!

For what it's worth, we have one afternoon in evening in Boston, and that's all we have time for, so if you are looking to add days on the West coast...

PeacefulWaters

I'd forget the East. Save it for another year.

Death Valley - give it a full day. It deserves it. Perhaps a stop at Bishop, Lone Pine or Mammoth Lakes before heading into Yosemite.

Sedona, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, Arches. Get (at least some of) these into your routes instead of the eastern cities.

Make sure you do Highway 1 (Pacific Coast).

michele-p wrote: »

I can highly recommend the 14 mile drive at Monterey, very scenic.

Have they shortened it?

Cardew

Yosemite is the highlight IMO - just be aware you have to book well in advance to get in the park these days.


Orlando in August is stinking hot and humid and the parks are crowded. If your boys are not keen on the parks then Orlando has nothing to offer; it is just another uninteresting city.


The drive from there to Miami is just boring. Personally I would cut out the Florida leg unless you want a few days on a beach.


Much as I like Boston, on a hectic trip like yours, does it merit 4 days? You can drive around the city on a tourist trolley bus in a couple of hours, and get fed up with being pointed out the different places where 'we whopped the British'!

MasterPoo

michele-p wrote: »

It's about 1-1.5 hours north of SFO to Napa over the Golden Gate bridge! Nice day trip, we also went to see http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/ that day (really not worth it in my opinion, waited 30 mins and just looked like someone turned a hose on!)

The we came back via the coast, and stopped for dinner in a random fishing village, lobster at sunset, perfect!

For what it's worth, we have one afternoon in evening in Boston, and that's all we have time for, so if you are looking to add days on the West coast...

I think I will give the geyser a miss! :rotfl:

Ok, so you're all saying Boston not worth that many days, BUT, the 1st day is our recovery day from flying, 2nd day we will explore.

Currently on my Boston Wish List:

• Boston Common
• Beacon Hill
• Boston Tea Party and Museums
• Food Tour
• *Boston to Province Town, Cape Cod

Which I think can all be done in one day on a Tour a separate day out for *, so lets say 3 nights in BOS?

I've removed Orlando/Miami off this itinerary now, no point in repeating it from our cruise at Easter.