Car hire & Hotels in California

[SR7492]

Now that I have my planned route and have the destinations sorted for my road trip; I need some advice in which car would be best to hire for the trip and where I can get the cheapest rates (going direct to Hertz is pretty expensive)

I've read that the Mustang V6 is very common but will this be suitable for the National Parks?

Also, would it be best to book the hotels on the road trip as we go along or better to book in advance?

I don't want to be caught out on the travels so I'm thinking booking as we arrive might be better as this gives a lot flexibility. I'd like to think the US is set up for this kind of thing and the cost for a night stay in hotel won't be high.

Final question; where to stay in LA or Long Beach; have heard that there are places to avoid. So, where do tourists stay? :-)

Thanks all!

[Matt..]

If you are staying anywhere near a national park (especially one in California) then the accommodation needs to be booked months in advance.

Which parks are you planning to visit? Places like Death Valley have a lot of offroad driving that can be done (but you can just as easily see a lot without going offroad).

I would suggest giving National car rental a look. If you join the Emerald Club then you can book a midsize car and when you arrive, you get an aisle that you can choose your own car from. That aisle contains lots of random stuff. When i picked up from Washington, DC it had things like: Jettas, Jeeps, Chargers, etc...

[SR7492]

Thanks Matt

The road trip is basically about 2k miles in 8 days (San Fran down the PCH, LA/Long Beach, Phoenix/Flagstaff/Grand Canyon/Vegas/Death Valley/Yosemite/San Fran)

Potential stopovers are Santa Barbara/LA/Phoenix/Grand Canyon/Vegas x 2/Yosemite NP

I'm I best of looking for a hotel in GC/Yosemite now then?

[Rollin]

Look at Groveland to stay just west of Yosemite.
Williams to stay for Grand Canyon.

To be honest you will be going through some amazing places and only being able to stop for a few photos. I think you're going too far for 8 days and I've done these trips numerous times.

[SR7492]

Appreciated Rollin!

I do agree, it is a lot in 8 days but it's the only way I can fit it in and take advantage whilst I'm there.

The other option is to cut out GC from the route and from LA go to Vegas to Yosemite instead. Don't want to do this as I really want to experience the whole GC experience.

I've read that there are Helicopter tours from Vegas to GC, so this might be a option - anyone with any experience on this in terms or cost/duration/sights?

Thanks

[Rollin]

Can you not fly into LA and then go to SF, Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas? Look at getting a Grand Canyon heli trip from Vegas and fly home. You'd miss out the comparatively dull drive from LA to Las Vegas.

[SR7492]

Unfortunately not, as my work duties are around SF so easier and a lot more convenient flying in and out of there!

[Matt..]

Do you have a day by day plan of what you're hoping to do? and when is it scheduled for?

I would say that 8 days is far too little time for that trip, especially when you take into account some of the distances that will wipe out considerable amounts of time.

You mention work, which are the places you have to be for that?

Edited by Matt.. on Tuesday 16th July 18:22

[danzltiu]

My wife and I did the helicopter trip from Vegas to Grand canyon. easily say its the best trip I have ever done. limo to the airport, helicopter all the way with a couple of circuits over the hoover dam, landed in the Canyon, breakfast, flew down the canyon a bit and back to Vegas with a flight down the strip. Think it was Sundance helicopter tours. This was about 12 years ago and think all in it cost about $300 each then so god knows what the cost would be now but was worth every cent. Pilot made the whole trip very interesting pointing out things in what we would consider desert etc. If you get the chance go for it.

[DoctorX]

I did the exact same route a few years back but over two weeks, all in one week is a big undertaking but fair enough if the drive itself is the holiday. We stayed between the tourist destinations, got up early then drove to the destination asap. For example, from las vegas we drove up to Death Valley, spent some time there then drove on to Lone Pine. Next day, up to Yosemite then overnight in Fresno. On the PCH, stayed in Cambria. Looking for accomodation en route rather than at the destination may give more options/be cheaper.

[SR7492]

Great info and advice, thanks!

The holiday itself will be the drive hence the long distance short days.

The helicopter tour sounds very interesting now, doing this will give me at least a day and half extra (instead of driving to Phoenix/flagstaff)

So will a Mustang do for this trip? Soft top of course ;-)

[Matt..]

SR7492 said:

Great info and advice, thanks!

The holiday itself will be the drive hence the long distance short days.

The helicopter tour sounds very interesting now, doing this will give me at least a day and half extra (instead of driving to Phoenix/flagstaff)

So will a Mustang do for this trip? Soft top of course ;-)

Of course a Mustang will be ok. You're not exactly going to have time for any excursions offroad are you.

I would strongly advise mapping it all out to check driving times. Yes 600 mile, 10hr days are ok, but don't try that kind of thing everyday, and try and get time to explore some areas a little more than from the car parks. I say that, but its the US and you can drive right up to the majority of famous outlooks in the national parks of California!