Touring holiday to Nevada, California & Arizona

Murphy_The_Cat

funkyfin2000 wrote: »

Right guys what do you think of this itinery......

1) Fly to San Fran @ 17:00 Pick up Car and Stay @ Family near San Fran

2) Drive to NAPA (3hrs)
Stay in NAPA

3) Stay in NAPA

4) Drive to Mariposa/Yosemite (3hrs)
Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

5) Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

6) Drive to LA (6hrs)
Stay in LA

7) Do Six Flags Theme Park
Stay in LA

8) Do Universal Studios
Stay in LA

9) Drive to Palm Springs (3hrs)
Stay in Palm Springs

10) Stay in Palm Springs

11) Drive to San Diego (4hrs)
Stay in San Diego

12) Stay in San Diego
Do Sea World

13) Travel to Las Vegas by Plane
Stay in Las Vegas

14) Stay in Las Vegas

15) Stay in Las Vegas

16) Fly from Las Vegas to San Francisco early morning for flights booked from San Francisco to Manchester (unfortuantly San Fran home trip is already booked so can't change it to Las Vegas - Manc)

What do people think? enough time in each place? cut down on anything? or add anything?

We like theme parks and seeing the scenary, already been to Monteray and San Fran and Vegas last year!

what do peeps think? Welcome advice from MTC!!!!

Rich

Hi Rich

I'll let you know of any areas that I've been to and if I've not been somewhere/have no knowledge, I'll say so.

OK, hire car. Hire the largest most luxurious car (not SUV or 4x4) that you can get. You're doing a LOT of miles and you'll appreciate it. Make sure that you hire a car with no one way hire charge and which includes multiple drivers in the price. Some people swear by Sat Nav, but I got my without it (& saved the $$$$s), but Mrs Cat is a very competant CoPilot .

Ok Napa, as in NAPA Valley ? Calistoga is a great place to visit & explore and teh area is full of some splendid wineries - from very small to absolutely huge. Do a bit of checking before you go, as some only open to the public by appointment/or on certian days.

I've not been to Yosemite & I really dislike LA

Palm Springs. IMO, Palm Desert is a lot nicer than Palm Springs and the hotels can be quite a lot cheaper. The aeriel tramway is a MUST if you are in the area. Be aware that PS/PD is very, very hot. The Knotts Water Park at PS may be worth a visit

The drive from PD to San Diego is quite long, but if you take Highway 74 out of Palm Desert towards (IIRC) Anza, you'll be rewarded by a fantastically scenic route. You'll eventually pick up on I 15 at Temecula and then its straight down to SD.

In common with most folk, I really like SD. If you enjoy militarty stuff, be sure to take a Harbour cruise around the Naval Base(s) and the USS Midway is well worth a visit. SD is full of outlet malls where you can save a small fortune on your clothing.

Las Vegas - I'm sure taht you don't need any ideas of what to do in LAS, but I'll give you a real MUST DO -- take a helicoptor trip to the Grand Canyon over the Hoover Dam --- its worth every cent/dollar.

hows that for starters :beer:

Baz_2

funkyfin2000 wrote: »

Right guys what do you think of this itinery......

1) Fly to San Fran @ 17:00 Pick up Car and Stay @ Family near San Fran

2) Drive to NAPA (3hrs)
Stay in NAPA

3) Stay in NAPA

4) Drive to Mariposa/Yosemite (3hrs)
Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

5) Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

6) Drive to LA (6hrs)
Stay in LA

7) Do Six Flags Theme Park
Stay in LA

8) Do Universal Studios
Stay in LA

9) Drive to Palm Springs (3hrs)
Stay in Palm Springs

10) Stay in Palm Springs

11) Drive to San Diego (4hrs)
Stay in San Diego

12) Stay in San Diego
Do Sea World

13) Travel to Las Vegas by Plane
Stay in Las Vegas

14) Stay in Las Vegas

15) Stay in Las Vegas

16) Fly from Las Vegas to San Francisco early morning for flights booked from San Francisco to Manchester (unfortuantly San Fran home trip is already booked so can't change it to Las Vegas - Manc)

What do people think? enough time in each place? cut down on anything? or add anything?

We like theme parks and seeing the scenary, already been to Monteray and San Fran and Vegas last year!

what do peeps think? Welcome advice from MTC!!!!

Rich

I would drive from Yosemite to Vegas rather than straight to LA, Yosemite to LA is a long way, as is Yosemite to Vegas, but, the drive from Yosemite to Vegas is quite stunning across the sierras etc. Add 2 hours to your drive though.

If theres anywhere I would stay an extra night it would be around Yosemite or even somewhere between there and Vegas to break the drive up. If you like scenery you will fall in love with Yosemite. Palm springs never appealed to me though as I couldn't find a compelling reason to go there. Driving direct from vegas to LA could be an option to reclaim a night spent in Yosemite or between Yosemite and Vegas.

So you could do

SF - Napa - Yosmite - Vegas - LA - San Diego

It seems a more rounded round trip, then fly San Diego to SF for the flight home.

I'm sure Ive mentioned www.roadtripamerica.com to you before but theres a mine of info on there.

Sea world is ace but is a full day 8am to 8pm easily, so not much time to see San Diego though.

Heres a pic of seaworld from our dine with shamu table.

funkyfin2000

1) Fly to San Fran @ 17:00 Pick up Car and Stay @ Family near San Fran

2) Drive to NAPA (3hrs)
Stay in NAPA

3) Stay in NAPA

4) Drive to Mariposa/Yosemite (3hrs) - THINKING BLUE BUTERFLY INN??
Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

5) Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite - THINKING BLUE BUTERFLY INN??


6) Drive to LA (6hrs)
Stay in LA (Near Six Flags)

7) Do Six Flags Theme Park
Stay in LA

8) Do Universal Studios
Stay in LA

9) Drive to Palm Desert (3hrs)
Stay in Palm Springs

10) Stay in Palm Desert

11) Drive to San Diego (4hrs)
Stay in San Diego

12) Stay in San Diego
Do Sea World

13) Travel to Las Vegas by Plane
Stay in Las Vegas

14) Stay in Las Vegas

15) Stay in Las Vegas

16) Fly from Las Vegas to San Francisco early morning for flights booked from San Francisco to Manchester (unfortuantly San Fran home trip is already booked so can't change it to Las Vegas - Manc)

Adjusted to sound a bit better now...

Already done the GC by helicopter last year and was simply amazing and hoover dam etc.

So MTC, can you give me any suggestions for places you stayed near Pal Desert or San Diego? Seen the suggestions of Holidays Inn's. Don't want anything really posh, but just middle of the road of b+B's would be cool!

Cheers again!

Rich

funkyfin2000

or as Baz says we could change it to this way:

1) Fly to San Fran @ 17:00 Pick up Car and Stay @ Family near San Fran

2) Drive to NAPA (3hrs)
Stay in NAPA

3) Stay in NAPA

4) Drive to Mariposa/Yosemite (3hrs) - THINKING BLUE BUTERFLY INN??
Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite

5) Stay in Mariposa/Yosemite - THINKING BLUE BUTERFLY INN??

6) Drive to Las Vegas (7hrs)
Stay in Vegas

7) Stay in Vegas

8) Stay in Vegas

9) Stay in Vegas

10) Fly out of Vegas to LA - Pick up Car
Stay in LA

11) Universal Studios
Stay in LA

12) Six Flags
Stay in LA

13) Travel to Palm Desert
Stay in Palm Desert

14) Travel to San Diego
Saty in San Diego

15) Stay in San Diego

16) Fly from San Diego to San Francisco early morning for flights booked from San Francisco to Manchester (unfortuantly San Fran home trip is already booked so can't change it to San Diego - Manc)

funkyfin2000

The change that Baz suggests does seem sensible actually and may make vegas cheaper as lands on a week day....

Only issue I have is that Yosemite in the beginning of May Tioga Pass may be closed, which makes crossing to Vegas that way a nitemare surely? as you have to go right round the North?

May also cut off a night in Napa Valley area as im not overly interested but the wife is....but reckon one night would be enough...

and might worth adding in a night near death valley on the way to vegas...

Baz_2

Yes the road will most definitely but shut at that time of year. That's a shame really. I didn't notice when you were travelling sorry.

The guys on the america road trip forum will see you right. There will know the best way to maximise your time and your route.

Did you drive the big sur highway one last time? If not then how about:

SF - Napa -Yosemite - Carmel or somewhere close - PCH1 - LA - SD - PS - Vegas

Again the coast route is a really nice drive.

Then fly back from vegas to SFO?

wdyw

Baz wrote: »

Yes the road will most definitely but shut at that time of year. That's a shame really. I didn't notice when you were travelling sorry.

The guys on the america road trip forum will see you right. There will know the best way to maximise your time and your route.

Did you drive the big sur highway one last time? If not then how about:

SF - Napa -Yosemite - Carmel or somewhere close - PCH1 - LA - SD - PS - Vegas

3 nights in LA is 3 nights too many! ..ok maybe 2 days too many. apart from santa monics/ Venice beaches I'm with MTC on LA...


I'd go along with Baz's suggestion and cut across from Yosemite to either Monterrey or Carmel and then do the coastal highway south with lamost certainly at least one stop on the way

Murphy_The_Cat

funkyfin2000 wrote: »

So MTC, can you give me any suggestions for places you stayed near Pal Desert or San Diego? Seen the suggestions of Holidays Inn's. Don't want anything really posh, but just middle of the road of b+B's would be cool!

Cheers again!

Rich

we stayed at Embassy Suites in Palm Desert and it did the job for us perfectly (but remember, I needed 2 beds & seperate rooms everywhere that we stayed). In San Diego, we stayed at Old Town Inn and if we were going to SD again in the near future, I'd happily stay there again. Very good value & well located.

Rich, when you are doing your hotel planning, have you made use of Tripadvisor as an information source ? we found it very useful as a starting off point :beer: . For example, this is what they thought of Old Town Inn

funkyfin2000

MTC again thanks for the info and again Baz..

i think i will ask on the forum Bazs suggest and look at a route...

i think the itenery round trip wise that Baz suggests is pretty good and you never know the Tioga Pass may well be open as it seems to open some time in May generally but i doubt it would be.....

MTC those hotels look good, will have a look at old town inn and drop them a mail for rates...it looks like most things are about £90-£100 a nite which is pricey for hotels but if thats the budget, then so is it Thanks for the info so far...be nice to see how STsaver got on when he was away in the Holiday Inns.

LA stay i purely really for Universal (a days worth) and Six Flags theme park (another days worth)

we have already done the coast down to monteray and carmel last year and the sea life centre there.......so don't really want to go there again....but thearst castle just down from there could be a possibility....

Rich

Murphy_The_Cat

funkyfin2000 wrote: »

MTC again thanks for the info and again Baz..

MTC those hotels look good, will have a look at old town inn and drop them a mail for rates...it looks like most things are about £90-£100 a nite which is pricey for hotels but if thats the budget, then so is it Thanks for the info so far...be nice to see how STsaver got on when he was away in the Holiday Inns.



we have already done the coast down to monteray and carmel last year and the sea life centre there.......so don't really want to go there again....but thearst castle just down from there could be a possibility....

Rich

Hi Rich

look again at Old Town Inns rates as I think that they are closer to $90 than £90 !
If you are in the coast area on a Thursday night, be sure to visit the Farmers Market in San Luis Opisbo - it really is a splendid affair !