Touring holiday to Nevada, California & Arizona

jackieblack

Christa1 wrote: »

Jackie: We are doing Yosemite/SF and Monterey on our road trip in July so I will let you know how we find it. We are starting off in Phoenix and flying back 16 days later from LAX going via /Yosemite/Sonorra/SF/Monterey/Morro Bay the LA. We are wanting to go to Universal in LA and was wondering if I should book tickets on line now or if I could do it when we arrive in Phoenix? The Butterfly Inn loooks great, saw funkyfin's recommendation but for July it was $359 a room and we need two!!

Thanks Christa, your trip sounds great. I'll look forward to reading about it, and any tips/reccomendations you have.

We're not going until next April, but we'll be flying into San Francisco, driving out to Yosemite, back to Monterey then down the PCH, flying home from LAX. Planning to spend a few days in each place (15 nights in total) apart from LA which we did this year.

Can't help with the Universal tickets I'm afraid - we decided to give it a miss as the bits we really wanted to see were destroyed in the fire last year, so it wasn't worth it for us.

Christa1

Oh, I didn't know about the fire. We are taking our two kids befor my daughter goes to uni this autumn(ds has already graduated and not keen to turn down a trip the US of A!!!). They especially wanted to go to Universal I wonder if it's worth it for them being older and loving fast rides? Rich might have an opinion on that so will see what he says. Yes forgot to say we are also spending two days in Sedona which has been described as one of the most beautiful places on earth- we will see- and of course LA( Paris) where I am trying to decide whether to take DD to see Blue Man Group( who she wanted to see in NY last Easter but we saw Wicked instead- which was Wicked!) or CDuS. Decisions-. With all the great posts on here it does give you that bit of excitement and taking on board everyone's feedback etc is a great help.

jackieblack

Christa, I think if you're going for the rides you'll have a great time.
The bit we wanted to see were the backlot film sets, particularly the Back To The Future set, which was one of the ones destroyed in the fire. They've replaced them with things like the Wisteria Lane set (from Desperate Housewives - not our cup of tea I'm afraid!) so we didn't bother.

funkyfin2000

Christa - Universal is SO worth going, BUT if you get the front of line passes (you will be silly not too) you will do it EASILY in a day! Inc City Walk (Its only small)
IF they are after rides - they will be dissapointed....there are few rollercoasters - in fact 1 (the mummy ride) the other rides are jurrassic park (log flume ride) and simpsons (video ride - ie sit in something and watch and bump around to a video) all the rest of things are like shows that you watch!

But the place is wicked, we are 28 and 29 and loved it, we love places like Alton Towers (live 20mins from it) and Thorpe Park etc! Well worth going but we did it ALL (apart from the blues brothers show - just singing and dancing from what we could see) from 10am - 5pm.

Jackie - Lots to see and do bar wysteria lane, thats just part of the trolley tour, you get to see loads of things like bates motel, war or worlds sets etc etc! But there we go Pity about Blue Butterfly, how olds your daughter? Maybe worth emailing Ron and Liz there just to ask if she is not far off 18!
Cheers for Info about San Diego, I wish we had more time to get in the car and explore! Darn it! Have to go back!!!!

Backbiter

My wife and two sons are doing this trip in July/ August. I've used loads of info from this site to help plan and book everything, so in case anyone's interested (I loved reading Murphy's posts), this is our itinerary:
day1: nat express coach to Gatwick, night in Hilton room only(booked via Holiday Extras. Total £190 for coach + hotel)
day 2: Virgin flights to Vegas (booked direct last Sept, but later found out would have saved CC fees if booked via Expedia at same price of £2550 for 4)
3 nights at Excalibur room only(total $156, booked via link on Vegas thread)
day 5: Collect car, booked via [FONT=&quot]U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk [/FONT]Premium 4-door, £430 all in. Drive to Sedona via Hoover dam
Two nights in Sedona, with day at Grand canyon. Total $256 B&B, booked direct at SW Inn
day 7: Night in Palm Springs. $64 B&B at Best western, booked direct
day 8: 3 nights San Diego, at Humphreys Half Moon, room only. Total £329 via Hotels.co.uk
day 11-13: Thinking of 3 night cruise to Mexico (swine flu permitting) with Carnival. Approx $1000 all in, single inside cabin.
day 14-18: 5 nights at Sportsman's Lodge LA. Total £370 via Hotels.co.uk
day 19: Night at Huntingdon Beach Hyatt (friend's wedding - no idea of room cost yet!)
day 20: Flight home from LA
day 21: coach back to Wales.

Months and months of research already done, with still loads more to do (and lots of saving). Encouraged by the recent rise of the £!

Christa1

Funky fin: I was interested to see you say that your front of pass tickets were cheaper at the box office, as we are there early July, I wonder how busy it will be. There are four of us so this is an expensive trip but I told my husband what you had said and think we will go for those, the only other thing is that at the moment you can get 2 for 1 day passes for US, which is tempting but having done Disney, Florida where you could get front of queue passes just by getting a ticket( don't know if that has changed now) from the ride you want, much prefer that but wasn't sure if it was worth paying the extra money?

jackieblack

Backbiter wrote: »

My wife and two sons are doing this trip in July/ August. I've used loads of info from this site to help plan and book everything, so in case anyone's interested (I loved reading Murphy's posts), this is our itinerary:
day1: nat express coach to Gatwick, night in Hilton room only(booked via Holiday Extras. Total £190 for coach + hotel)
day 2: Virgin flights to Vegas (booked direct last Sept, but later found out would have saved CC fees if booked via Expedia at same price of £2550 for 4)
3 nights at Excalibur room only(total $156, booked via link on Vegas thread)
day 5: Collect car, booked via [FONT=&quot]U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk [/FONT]Premium 4-door, £430 all in. Drive to Sedona via Hoover dam
Two nights in Sedona, with day at Grand canyon. Total $256 B&B, booked direct at SW Inn
day 7: Night in Palm Springs. $64 B&B at Best western, booked direct
day 8: 3 nights San Diego, at Humphreys Half Moon, room only. Total £329 via Hotels.co.uk
day 11-13: Thinking of 3 night cruise to Mexico (swine flu permitting) with Carnival. Approx $1000 all in, single inside cabin.
day 14-18: 5 nights at Sportsman's Lodge LA. Total £370 via Hotels.co.uk
day 19: Night at Huntingdon Beach Hyatt (friend's wedding - no idea of room cost yet!)
day 20: Flight home from LA
day 21: coach back to Wales.

Months and months of research already done, with still loads more to do (and lots of saving). Encouraged by the recent rise of the £!

Sounds like a great trip.
We stayed at Excalibur last month, Tower 2 is the one that's been refurbished and the pool is conveniently located at the bottom of that tower. We stayed in Tower 1 because a good view was more important to us than the refurbished room and the only room they could offer us in T2 was overlooking the pool, and it was fine.

We also stayed at Humphreys Half Moon in San Diego and we loved it there. We had an upper floor room, which had a lovely wood beamed vaulted ceiling, not sure that the ground floor rooms would have been as nice. Hotel has lovely grounds and we liked the pool and jacuzzi. we thought the restaurant was a bit pricey- ok if you like 'fine dining', but the Dennys 5 minutes away was more our thing! Loads to do in SD, we loved it!

funkyfin2000

Christa1 wrote: »

Funky fin: I was interested to see you say that your front of pass tickets were cheaper at the box office, as we are there early July, I wonder how busy it will be. There are four of us so this is an expensive trip but I told my husband what you had said and think we will go for those, the only other thing is that at the moment you can get 2 for 1 day passes for US, which is tempting but having done Disney, Florida where you could get front of queue passes just by getting a ticket( don't know if that has changed now) from the ride you want, much prefer that but wasn't sure if it was worth paying the extra money?

Yeah $99 on the booth but this was Early May! I wouldn't risk it but its up to you, maybe call them and see what they say! But we definetly paid more online sadly Did save queuing in the booth queue though to get tickets, just walked straight in, but had to queue for the front of line pass!

The front of line pass even gets you in the front queue for the hollywood studios tour trolley bus! Which is cool!

We thought it was very worth it, but even more so in July when busier!

You got front of line everywhere.....plus you also got back stage passes (asked to stay behind after everyone has gone) for T2, Pets Show, Waterworld thats it i think

Ho9pe that helps Christi!!!

STSAVER

just read some of the reports that have been added to the thread since my trip back in August last year.

Great to remind me of how good our trip was, but makes me sad that its going to be a while before I get the chance to go back - but hey, the joy of first born being due later this year for us more than makes up for it.

Will have to get saving for another trip in the years ahead.

funkyfin2000

STSAVER! I wil be in your position soon but no baby on the way quite yet. Just need a bigger house before they come along!!!!

I will also be reminded like you, can't persuade the wife to go again quite yet sadly!

What fond memories we hold about the place the twice we have been!

Rich