Planning USA Trip

cubegame

Ditch the Mustang convertible.


It's too small for your luggage, it will too hot to have the top down, it will be a crap hire car company model and won't have the advantage of a better viewpoint that an SUV will have.


Seriously, find one in a car park and take your photo next to it. Saves the effort of hating it for 95% of your holiday.

Bodders11

Murphy - thanks for pointing that out. I just checked it out and it looks amazing. I love street food!! Looks perfect. I'll check out Madonna Inn too. Hopefully I can find somewhere nice, cheap and local so I can have an alcoholic drink or two!!


Cubegame - I am happy with my choice. The heat doesn't concern me and we can use the back seats for our luggage if required. I want to experience it and then I can learn from my mistakes (if I have any). Having said that, I will look at the SUV option as it is a lot cheaper too.

Murphy_The_Cat

Bodders11 wrote: »

Murphy - thanks for pointing that out. I just checked it out and it looks amazing. I love street food!! Looks perfect. I'll check out Madonna Inn too. Hopefully I can find somewhere nice, cheap and local so I can have an alcoholic drink or two!!

.

I think that SLO is my all time favourite place - whenever I go there, I just feel comfortable and totally at ease.
Depending on your timing when your in the area, Avila Valley Barn shop
is very close by and is nice excuse to stop and load up with fruit (& goodies) and then Avila Beach is just a few miles away to enjoy an ice cream on the pier whilst watching the fisherman, seals, dolphins and if you're lucky, whales drifting past.

p.s I don't know what yardstick was used, but I've seen SLO described as the happiest city in America

Murphy_The_Cat

Bodders11 wrote: »

Our only accommodation that we have confirmed is Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes. San Fran we will look for an Air BnB. Others we may look for along the way aside from LA where we will book prior. San Diego I will want a nice hotel as I will be travelling alone for 2 nights.
Any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations are welcomed.

Have a quick mooch at your San Diego accomodation - for my visit this Summer, accomodation was (relatively) scarce and prices were (relatively) expensive.

Bodders11

Avila Beach sounds and looks great. Hopefully we can spend an hour or so there before the Farmers Market kick offs.


Re: San Diego, Money Saving Expert emailed today about a 15% eBookers discount available until Sunday so I expect I may book my San Diego accommodation and then it's done and I can worry about all the other lodging with my friend.

PeacefulWaters

Bodders11 wrote: »

13th - 16th September - Las Vegas

Perhaps a trip to Grand Canyon within these days?

Friday 16th September - Pick up car at 8am, Death Valley NP, evening arrival at Mammoth Lakes for overnight stay.

Thats a hell of a long drive. I'd suggest an overnighter in Lone Pine or Bishop.

Near Mammoth Lakes Airport there are some boiling rivers feeding off seismic activity.

Saturday 17th September - Yosemite NP all day, overnight at Yosemite Cedar Lodge

Like.

Sunday 18th September - Morning and early afternoon at Yosemite NP, depart for San Francisco, arrive evening, go out for dinner and some exploring

Yup.

Monday 19th September - Explore SF, Chinatown, Union Square, Lombard Street, Cable Car trip, Alcatraz Night Tour (5.55pm).

Yup.

Tuesday 20th September - Hire bikes - Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Twin Peaks.

Yup.

Wednesday 21st September - Depart SF early, visit Santa Cruz in morning. Afternoon, evening and overnight at Monterey.

Yup.

Thursday 22nd September - Depart Monterey mid morning, travel along Pacific Coast stopping at Big Sur, Ragged Point, etc. for photos, arrive evening at San Luis Obispo and overnight stay.

seventeen Mile Drive and Carmel are worth time.

Friday 23rd September - Depart SLO early, head for Ventura, stop at Santa Barbara en route. Evening and overnight stay with friends in Ventura (think I'd rather skip Ventura and head straight for Santa Monica for the evening and overnight as not sure much to do in Ventura and rather devote more time to Santa Monica).

Saturday 24th September - Depart Ventura (or Santa Monica if there) early and head for LA. Explore LA (Santa Monica, Beverley Hills, Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, evening Dodgers Baseball game and night out in LA, overnight at Santa Monica probably.

yup.

Sunday 25th September - Possibly Warner Brothers Studio Tour, Universal Studios day but unsure as it is a weekend and could be busy. Evening/overnight at Long Beach.

Monday 26th September - Plan/Activities TBC - possibly shopping at Mall/Outlets in Orange County, overnight at Huntington or Newport Beach.

Tuesday 27th September - my friend departs LAX so will need to drop him off around 4. I think I may do this slightly earlier. Morning in LA area, maybe Marina Del Rey. I then head to San Diego so want to be there by 5pm latest so I get a full evening to explore - Cabrillo Monument (if time permits), Coronado Ferry, Old Town, dinner at an authentic Mexican.

Wednesday 28th September - San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village, Little Italy (Bencotto for dinner)

Thursday 29th September - Head to La Jolla, breakfast at Brockton Villa, explore La Jolla Cove, drive back to LA to arrive by 1.00pm, explore Venice Beach area so near LAX, drop car off at 5.00pm, home to London.

Our only accommodation that we have confirmed is Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes. San Fran we will look for an Air BnB. Others we may look for along the way aside from LA where we will book prior. San Diego I will want a nice hotel as I will be travelling alone for 2 nights.

Any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations are welcomed.

I can't add any value after LA.

It looks fabulous.

Bodders11

Thanks, PeacefulWaters. Possibly helicopter/aeroplane tour of Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. We were going to stay at Lone Pine but now just pressing on so closer to Yosemite for next day. The rivers in Mammoth Lakes sound interesting. 17 Mile drive and Carmel will definitely be incorporated.

PeacefulWaters

Bodders11 wrote: »

Thanks, PeacefulWaters. Possibly helicopter/aeroplane tour of Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. We were going to stay at Lone Pine but now just pressing on so closer to Yosemite for next day. The rivers in Mammoth Lakes sound interesting. 17 Mile drive and Carmel will definitely be incorporated.

In that case plan Death Valley carefully and get a good route through it.

I found it wonderfully intoxicating and well worth spending several hours in the place.

Share the driving for the long hours afterwards. Or shave a day off Vegas.

Murphy_The_Cat

Bodders
You're looking to pack in an awful lot into your holiday. You'll need a holiday when you get back .

As you're trundling down the PCH, set aside a few minutes to stop at the Sea Lion Rookery that is a few miles North of San Simeon.
Its 15 seconds off Highway 1, but if you don't know its there, you'll miss it (its free and its a real treat).

San Simeon and / or Cambria are well worth pulling into for a brew and a cake.

Finally Doc Bernsteins. Hmmmmmmm luverrly :beer:. see how much justice you can do to the Periodic Table.

blindman

Bodders11 wrote: »

Thanks, PeacefulWaters. Possibly helicopter/aeroplane tour of Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. We were going to stay at Lone Pine but now just pressing on so closer to Yosemite for next day. The rivers in Mammoth Lakes sound interesting. 17 Mile drive and Carmel will definitely be incorporated.

For SFO and then Long beach you could look at Priceline or Hotwire if your itinerary is fixed.

Las-Death Valley -Mammoth
IMHO that's doable in one trip-Did that same thing a few years back.