California/Las Vegas Roadtrip Honeymoon

[HotJambalaya]

Craikeybaby said:

Yes, flying into and out of SF, I'm actually looking forward to the drive from Las Vegas back to San francisc through Death Valley and Yosemite. I did look at Sequoia, but it looks like you can only access the park from the west, so it would mean a longer route and missing Death Valley, but it is still a possibility as I've heard a lot of good things about Sequoia.

Post Ranch looks stunning, will consider it when we get to booking hotels.

Do you mean visit Hearst Castle, or just take a look?

My initial thought was 1 night in Santa Barbara and 2 at Venice beach/Santa Monica, but will see. I may also ditch the first night in Monterey and stay at the airport, rather than driving all that way straight after a 12 hour flight.

Just visit it and take a tour, like I say, I saw the signs and never went, once I got back I looked it up, and found out its a MUST see and yes, Hearst castle ----> Never been so cant spell it! http://hearstcastle.org/

Will be a nice trip all in all, I like that coast, though in my book the driving and being on the road is nicer than most of the things to see to be honest.

[Craikeybaby]

That does look impressive - the sort of place my fiancé would like, not sure we'd be able to fit it in and get to Santa Barbara in one day, so will have to investigate further.

[Blib]

Doesn't take too long to get around Hearst castle.

[Shaoxter]

Craikeybaby said:

Good to hear it is doable, I really fancied driving to the Grand Canyon, but didn't realise quite how far away it is, I keep hearing good things about the helicopter trips though - just need to convince the OH who is a bit of a wimp when it comes to these things.

Keep in mind it's all relative... we managed to do GC as a day trip but then I'm ok with driving 12 hours a day (and more importantly so is my wife), on the other hand I know people can't even do 2 hours. Vegas to GC is 4 hours one way, 3-3.5 hours if you press on a little. Didn't see any coppers on the route, but it's so open that you could probably spot them from a mile off and slow down accordingly. Not that I condone speeding of course

Btw here's some pics to let you know what's in store! (in order)

[mike80]

I really liked San Francisco. As someone said there is quite a lot of homeless and beggars, and they seemed to approach you a lot more than in LA and other bits of California! However, they didn't really seem to be in the nicer areas of SF!

If you are driving back there, and intending to spend a few days (or indeed spending a few days there to begin with), then I wouldn't bother with the car in the city. We bought a 3 day public transport pass which was far easier than trying to drive everywhere - and cost less than one nights parking near our hotel! This got us access to all of the buses, trams and cable cars. Train to the airport was extra, but only about $8. We ending up booking a transfer from the hotel though, as the day we left was when the local baseball team had their victory parade, meaning the stations would've been rammed! That was about $15 from memory.

I dropped the car off at a big car rental place near Union Square, but if I was doing it again I would just leave it at the airport and get a train into the city centre.

[TEKNOPUG]

I'm thinking of doing a similar trip this summer, as me and the OH both have about 3 months free after June. SF, Wine country, Yosemite, Vegas, Grand Canyon etc. Fly to SF drive to Vegas and then fly to NY for a few nights before returning home.

Haven't done anymore than thinking about it - have I left it a bit late to plan and book?

[mike80]

Loads of time to book! I reckon I did it at least two months before!

[HotJambalaya]

mike80 said:

Loads of time to book! I reckon I did it at least two months before!

I'm pathological in booking late, I booked SF 2 days before I went. Unfortunately booked the flights, then tried to find a hotel room, aparently some golf thing was on, so I got what appeared to be the only hotel room left in SF, a midrange Marriott for $450 a night. Thank god I only stayed 2 nights before hitting the road! Personally, 2 nights was enough there for me, after Alcatraz all you have left is a city with too many damn hills.

[Craikeybaby]

Blib said:

Doesn't take too long to get around Hearst castle.

Thanks, will add that to the list - we can't be in the car all day anyway!

[Craikeybaby]

Shaoxter said:

Keep in mind it's all relative... we managed to do GC as a day trip but then I'm ok with driving 12 hours a day (and more importantly so is my wife), on the other hand I know people can't even do 2 hours. Vegas to GC is 4 hours one way, 3-3.5 hours if you press on a little. Didn't see any coppers on the route, but it's so open that you could probably spot them from a mile off and slow down accordingly. Not that I condone speeding of course

Btw here's some pics to let you know what's in store! (in order)

Great pictures - thanks! I'm not too fussed about 12 hours in the car, but I know my wife wouldn't be, we may take a drive out to the Hoover Dam, as I understand that isn't too far from Las Vegas, but will try not to do too much driving on our "day off".

[Craikeybaby]

mike80 said:

I really liked San Francisco. As someone said there is quite a lot of homeless and beggars, and they seemed to approach you a lot more than in LA and other bits of California! However, they didn't really seem to be in the nicer areas of SF!

If you are driving back there, and intending to spend a few days (or indeed spending a few days there to begin with), then I wouldn't bother with the car in the city. We bought a 3 day public transport pass which was far easier than trying to drive everywhere - and cost less than one nights parking near our hotel! This got us access to all of the buses, trams and cable cars. Train to the airport was extra, but only about $8. We ending up booking a transfer from the hotel though, as the day we left was when the local baseball team had their victory parade, meaning the stations would've been rammed! That was about $15 from memory.

I dropped the car off at a big car rental place near Union Square, but if I was doing it again I would just leave it at the airport and get a train into the city centre.

Thanks, that is good to know. I had heard of a tourist route around the town, but I guess we could do that on the way in before we drop the car off, then spend the next few days on public transport.

[Craikeybaby]

TEKNOPUG said:

I'm thinking of doing a similar trip this summer, as me and the OH both have about 3 months free after June. SF, Wine country, Yosemite, Vegas, Grand Canyon etc. Fly to SF drive to Vegas and then fly to NY for a few nights before returning home.

Haven't done anymore than thinking about it - have I left it a bit late to plan and book?

Sounds like a great trip! I'd love to have some more time over there, but will need to be back for work.

[TEKNOPUG]

Craikeybaby said:

TEKNOPUG said:

I'm thinking of doing a similar trip this summer, as me and the OH both have about 3 months free after June. SF, Wine country, Yosemite, Vegas, Grand Canyon etc. Fly to SF drive to Vegas and then fly to NY for a few nights before returning home.

Haven't done anymore than thinking about it - have I left it a bit late to plan and book?

Sounds like a great trip! I'd love to have some more time over there, but will need to be back for work.

I don't plan to be there for 3 months - I figure a couple of weeks should suffice. If it was later in the year, we'd just go to Asia for 3 months but I think that long in the US would bankrupt me. Unless Vegas goes well

[anonymous-user]

Craikeybaby said:

Crossflow Kid said:

We did an almost identical route on a Harley last summer.
One thing I'm glad I did was check out the program at he Hollywood Bowl......got to see Steve Martin (he of Parenthood fame but also a very accomplished bluegrass banjo player along with his folk group) in concert with the LA Philharmonic.
Really great venue and a fantastic night out, pretty much regardless of who's on.
Mel's Drive-in in San Francisco is worth a look.
Laguna Seca is just outside Monterey but is monumentally boring unless something's going on.

That sounds like an awesome trip, how long did you spend over there?

Meals drive in sounds great, that's on the list now!

We were in the States for fourteen days/nights, eleven of which were on the road so roughly 300-350 miles a day. Some long days, some less so but all manageable, even on a bike.
Being on a bike, not a day went by without someone stopping to talk to us, be it the lone Route 66 rider we met in Kingman over breakfast, the couple from Canada who pulled up along side us while we waited for the tidal traffic flow through a long tunnel in Zion NP, or a bloke called Tex, touring for TEN weeks on a BMW.
And the scenery never stopped changing, so every day was like a new holiday in itself...cedar forests, wind swept prairies, arid desert, mountains, wooded hills, cliff top roads, beach front, small town America, big cities.....all of it simply amazing.
Riding across Monument Valley, Mrs CK holding on to me, the bike gently burbling away as we wafted along at a sedate 50mph, a warm breeze in our faces and the epic, epic scenery, all whilst listening to Hotel California by the Eagles....an experience that'll live with me til I die.

[anonymous-user]

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 15th January 22:13

[Craikeybaby]

More great pictures! Thanks!

[Craikeybaby]

It looks like we have a date sorted now, so the trip planning can start in earnest! Should be out there end of September/beginning of October.

[gf15]

We did the same thing, the route was fine, all hotels were superb. Below is what we did in a Vette.Sorry for the formatting, but I cut and pasted from a spreadsheet. We went straight from the airport to SF on a train and picked up the car from the airport 2 days later. Only hotel that was not excellent was the Tropicana in Vegas which was average.
After place name below it is distance and estimated time to get to next destination.

E.g 17-Sep Tue Yes Santa Barabra 240 miles which should take 240 mins

Date Day Car town distance Hotel Web Cost $ special request
14-Sep Sat N SF "The Orchard Hotel - San Francisco, 665 Bush Street, San Francisco, California 94108
Phone: [phone] " http://www.theorchardhotel.com/ $249.00 Room on the 10th floor please over looking the front of the hotel please. S
15-Sep Sun N SF "The Orchard Hotel - San Francisco, 665 Bush Street, San Francisco, California 94108
Phone: [phone]" http://www.theorchardhotel.com/ $249.00 Room on the 10th floor please over looking the front of the hotel please
16-Sep Mon Pick up @ 1530 Monterey 112 - 120 mins "Hotel Abrego - Monterey, California (CA)
755 Abrego Street, Monterey, California 93940
Reservation: 800-982-1986 Contact: 831-372-7551 " http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g32737-d1485964-Reviews-Hotel_Abrego-Monterey_Monterey_Peninsula_California.html#REVIEWS $195.00
17-Sep Tue Yes Santa Barabra 240 240 mins The Eagle Inn, 232 Natoma Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93101,[phone] http://www.theeagleinn.com/ Booking number 246043xxx $183.75 “Second floor room please with a balcony - Room 220 would be perfect. Thank you,
18-Sep Wed Yes Santa Barabra The Eagle Inn, 232 Natoma Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93101,[phone] http://www.theeagleinn.com/ Booking number 246043xxx $183.75 “Second floor room please with a balcony - Room 220 would be perfect.
19-Sep Thu Yes Palm Springs 201 - 240 mins "610 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs CA 92264
24-hour front desk - 760-327-5314 " http://desertrivierahotel.com/thankyou.htm $144.00 Room 5 king pool room requested - free parking
20-Sep Fri Yes Palm Springs "610 E Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs CA 92264
24-hour front desk - 760-327-5314 " http://desertrivierahotel.com/thankyou.htm $144.00 Room 5 king pool room requested - free parking
21-Sep Sat Yes Las Vegas 270 - 240mins hilton tropicana 3801 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89109, USA: 1-702-739-2222 Reservation Confirmation # 88147674 - includes tax @ 12% & resort taxes - prepaid $182.77 deluxe strip view room - free parking - includes taxes
22-Sep Sun Yes Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Reservation Confirmation # 467731204 $100.00 deluxe strip view room - free parking
23-Sep Mon Yes Sequoia 374 - 360 mins Sequoia Village Inn, 46000 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers , CA, Zip: 93271, Tel: [phone] http://www.sequoiavillageinn.com/home $155.00 Falcon Chalet - room for 4
24-Sep Tue Yes Sequoia Sequoia Village Inn, 46000 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers , CA, Zip: 93271, Tel: [phone] http://www.sequoiavillageinn.com/home $155.00 Falcon Chalet - room for 4
25-Sep Wed Yes Lake Tahoe 350 - 340 mins "Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe, 1001 Heavenly Village Way
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. [phone]" http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/rnogr-grand-residences-by-marriott-lake-tahoe-studios-1-and-2-bedrooms/ $129.00 5th Floor with a view of the pool please.
26-Sep Thu Yes Lake Tahoe "Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe, 1001 Heavenly Village Way
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. [phone]" http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/rnogr-grand-residences-by-marriott-lake-tahoe-studios-1-and-2-bedrooms/ $129.00 5th Floor with a view of the pool please.
27-Sep Fri Yes SFO 200 = 210 minutes Back to San Francisco -car drop off @ 1500
Sub Total $2,070.27
Total incl taxes @ 12% $2,318.70

Edited by gf15 on Wednesday 21st January 00:54

[gf15]

Really excellent places to visit were:
Air Museum in Palm springs and Hearst Castle which are both en-route.


We hired a Vette which was the same price as a Mustang from Hertz, who guarantee that you will get what you order. Make sure that you join the Hertz Gold club which is free (this way you avoid the queue which would have been a couple of hours).
What you can fit in the boot of a Vette with the roof down:


Good tip is to head south on PCH so you are on the Pacific side of the road.

[yellowbentines]

We are doing a similar route over 3 weeks in October, flying in and out of Vegas and going as far down as San Diego.

Re: leaving it 2 months before to book - if you want to stay in Death Valley (Furnace Creek), Mammoth Lakes or Yosemite, there isnt much choice by way of hotels so they do book up early and prices increase nearer the time, we booked those stops a year in advance and if we were to try and rebook today it would cost us more.