California road Trip

[jackal]

Fleshed out a trip for next easter for the family (2 young kids 6 and 11 yrs). I've read a lot of the PH archives to get some good ideas but thought i'd put this thread up in case i'd missed anything and anyone could add in some must see places, things to do or must have reastaurants.

My chosen itineray looks something like this, all in a big hired SUV:


29th March LHR to San Fran

San Fran, 3 nights
Monterey/Carmel, 1 nights
Santa barbara, 1 nights
Beverly hills/Hollywood, 3 nights
San Diego, 2 nights
Palm springs, 3 nights
Death valley, 1 nights
Vegas, 3 nights


I've got an extra day to play around with. Where should I put it ? San diego or SF maybe ? Or possibly some other stop on route ?

I know no one rates LA but i've never been so want to see the usual touristy stuff so ive put 2 clear days in there. Palm springs will be for relaxing for a few days and swimming for the kids, hopefully it will be hot there in April.

Here is my list of things to do, any additions welcome. I do like to do some of the specieifc touristy stuff but always like unstructured time to just mill about, people watch and soak up the atmosphere, stumble across stuff haphazardly etc.. Don't plan on doing disney or universal studios or any galleries (i love art galleries but the kids dont and we maxed out in Paris this year). Also decided against alcatraz.


Calico ghost town
White Cliff Inn, santa cruz ?
hearst castle
Pebble beach
whale watching trip out of Monterey Bay
Golden Gate Park
fishermans wharf (submarine)
Langers deli in LA
Redwoods
Monterey aquarium
Seaworld san diego
USS Midway
Hoover dam
McCray cove on big sur
See a Rodeo
American football or Dodgers stadium
Avenue of the stars
Mullholland drive
Rodeo drive/Sunet strip/Sunset boulevard etc.
Santa Monica beach/pier

Edited by jackal on Sunday 4th November 23:10

[pushthebutton]

San Diego for me.

The Zoo is great if you are looking for something else to do. I doubt I'll ever visit a better one. There's so much more to do as well. I'm sure your kids would love it.

The harbour tour is really good and included some of the US Navy's pacific fleet. We had two Nimitz class carriers in the bay the last time we were there.

You can take the ferry across to Coronado which has the most retired Navy admirals per unit space than anywhere in the US. As a result it has special planning laws meaning it still resembles 1950's America in some ways. You can hire bikes and cycle around it. I think the Hotel del Coronado is from Some Like it Hot. It's also home to RNAS San Diego and some of the Seal teams.

The fishing industry is also great with plenty of opportunity to rent boats or go on guided fishing trips. The coast line means plenty of Surf towns and great beaches such as La Jolla. We saw the sunset there which was popular.

Of course further south is the Mexican border and Tijuana...

Edited by pushthebutton on Monday 5th November 01:51

[chrismcg1]

Wouldn't miss Alcatraz - the kids would love it. The audio tour is really atmospheric. It doesn't take up too much time either and well worth it IMO.

[a311]

It’s true what you say about LA, I don’t know many people who rate it that stay in LA proper. I’ve been several times and have always stayed in Santa Monica, really nice town with access to the main sights of LA. Let someone else do the driving as driving is a pain and public transport not great. We used a tour company base in SM to see Universal and the city sights and they were great.

Yosemite doesn’t seem to be on your list but could be a ball ache with road closures etc as there should be a fair bit of snow still around, although the Tioga pass is worth experiencing. If you ski or have always wanted to try it think about a trip South Lake Tahoe beautiful place and has some casinos too.

I might get flamed for this but I don’t think Vegas would be great for kids. I understand it’s on most peoples bucket lists and although I’ve been a few times I can think of better ways to spend those 3 days seeing more of California.

[Strangely Brown]

a311 said:

I might get flamed for this but I don’t think Vegas would be great for kids. I understand it’s on most peoples bucket lists and although I’ve been a few times I can think of better ways to spend those 3 days seeing more of California.

No flames from me. I agree with you.

Vegas is something that has to be seen because it is just so extreme. It is definitely worth spending a evening/night there to see the lights on the strip, the fountains at The Bellagio, the inside of some of the casinos like Paris and The Venetian, the indoor shopping mall that feels like you are outdoors at Caesars Palace etc. It's a good base to get out to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon but, unless you are into gambling or the shows, then I would spend the time elsewhere.

[2fast748]

I've done something similar recently (though kind of the opposite way round) and your Palm Springs-Death Valley-Vegas leg seems odd to me. If I were you I'd spend extra time in Death Valley, it's a fascinating place that most people only seem to use as a drive through, there's surprisingly lots to see and it is spectacular.

We did LA-Santa Barbara-Monterey-SF-Yosemite-Death Valley-Vegas and if we did it again I'd avoid LA and spend more time everywhere else except Vegas (been there, done that).

[jackal]

thanks guys

ok just 2 nights at veags then, i think that will be enough time to see the hotels, have a walk round the main drag and the shops, see the fountains etc.. maybe see a show one night if kids are allowed. we also plan to go to the hoover damm and a littel driving just outside vegas on one of the clear days.

ive added a day at San Diego

still have another day to add ? Maybe add it to San Fran as we might be a bit jet lagged on the first clear day

or is monterey/carmel or santa barb crying out for another nights stay ?



29th March LHR to San Fran

San Fran, 3 nights
Monterey/Carmel, 1 nights
Santa barbara, 1 nights
Beverly hills/Hollywood, 3 nights
San Diego, 3 nights
Palm springs, 3 nights
Death valley, 1 nights
Vegas, 2 nights

Edited by jackal on Monday 5th November 14:27

[JuniorD]

Monterey/Carmel to Santa Barbara is a long old drive if you plan on doing the coastal route. I'd stop somewhere on the way. If not doing the coastal route, it's pretty boring on the interstate. Last time we were forced to do this as there were landslides at Big Sur Only upside was we went via Laguna Seca instead and caught a superb trackday with some stunning historic racing metal.

LA is awesome, kids will love it there.

[Nickyboy]

Strangely Brown said:

No flames from me. I agree with you.

Vegas is something that has to be seen because it is just so extreme. It is definitely worth spending a evening/night there to see the lights on the strip, the fountains at The Bellagio, the inside of some of the casinos like Paris and The Venetian, the indoor shopping mall that feels like you are outdoors at Caesars Palace etc. It's a good base to get out to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon but, unless you are into gambling or the shows, then I would spend the time elsewhere.

I'll agree, having just got back from Vegas i'm actually shocked at how sleazy it actually is. Touts handing stripper cards to everyone, women, men, kids. Hobo's everywhere who get quite pushy and its sooo busy when you got kids on tow. I'm pretty sure you cant take them into the casinos even to have a look and its not within a comfortable days driving just to see it for a day.

I might suggest taking the kids to the Grand Canyon instead of Vegas, you can easily spend 2 days there

Edited by Nickyboy on Monday 5th November 22:21

[2fast748]

Jackal

If you're going to do the whale watching, aquarium and pebble beach I'd spend 3 nights in Monterey. We stayed for 2 and didn't have time to do the aquarium which is supposed to be amazing. We also didn't get to Carmel which was a shame. We did drive to Laguna Seca on the way to San Francisco though :-)

As for whale watching, erm, it's 5 hours in a boat, cold, a bit rocky and you might see 1 whale. I'm glad we did it but the g/f has stated with some certainty we won't be doing it again!

I could go on but it only makes me depressed because I want to do it all again.

[Strangely Brown]

2fast748 said:

If you're going to do the whale watching, aquarium and pebble beach I'd spend 3 nights in Monterey. We stayed for 2 and didn't have time to do the aquarium which is supposed to be amazing.

It is. If you are going to Monterey, you really need to make time for the aquarium. The deep sea exhibit is seriously impressive and no photo will do it justice. You have to stand in front of the glass to truly appreciate it.

2fast748 said:

We also didn't get to Carmel which was a shame.

Walking barefoot on the beach at Carmel is fantastically peaceful and beautiful. Worth the detour for that bit alone.

If you are driving south from there, make sure you take Highway 1 down the coast and be sure to stop at Café Kevah for breakfast or Nepenthe for lunch depending on the time. Either way you will not be disappointed with the view.

[jackal]

thanks guys, more great ideas

[durbster]

Nickyboy said:

I'll agree, having just got back from Vegas i'm actually shocked at how sleazy it actually is. Touts handing stripper cards to everyone, women, men, kids. Hobo's everywhere who get quite pushy and its sooo busy when you got kids on tow.

Just got back from Vegas myself (probably saw you ) and I agree with that. You can only walk through a casino with kids - if you stop you'll suddenly have a security guard appear from nowhere to move you along. Pretty much everything you do there is adult themed too so there's very little for them. I also went with my parents as a 11/12 year old and spent a lot of time sitting in the hotel room.

I'm not sure why you were shocked that the gambling capital of the world built by gangsters on the proceeds of crime turned out to be a bit sleazy though

We did:
Couple of nights in LA
Up the coast to San Luis Obisbo
Stayed on the coast road (accidentally) to San Francisco
Went inland to Yosemite
Did a 620 mile drive from Bakersfield to the Grand Canyon via Death Valley (broke my own record for longest ever single drive )
Finished with two nights in Vegas.

San Francisco was a surprise in that we loved it, and we normally try and escape the cities asap. We had hoped to stop in Monteray but due to running a bit late and forgetting to get off the coast road rather than the highway, we arrived there really late so only had time to stand on the beach, say 'ooh', and continue on our way.

Yosemite was a real highlight but it may be out of your way.

A couple of nights in the Grand Canyon is probably enough. It's stunning - definitely a world class visit - but unless you do a hike there's not much to do but look at it. The best thing about it is you can walk 100 metres from the masses along the ridge and have it to yourself. We may have been lucky but walking for about a mile along the ridge we saw about eight people, as opposed to the hundreds we left at the nearest spot to the bus park.

Death Valley is something you can basically drive through if you wanted to and can organise your stops correctly. There's no real draw to stay the night I don't think (although I would love to have seen the sky at night there).

Driving over there is surprisingly chilled, even in LA. We did just over 2,000 miles and overall I found American drivers were a lot more relaxed and polite than in the UK; no aggressive tailgating, none of the self-righteous, egotistical stuff when attempting to overtake, change lanes or merge into traffic that blights the UK.

This became hugely apparent when I left Heathrow last Friday afternoon to join the no-holds-barred brawl around London.

Edited by durbster on Tuesday 6th November 13:18

[thehawk]

LA is a great place, for kids it has loads of attractions and you''ll need more time

-Griffith Observatory
-Peterson Automotive Museum
-Natural History Museum
-Getty Centre
-Farmers Market
-Universal Studios
-Disneyland
-Disney's California Adventure
-Six Flags Magic Mountain
-Knotts Berry Farm
-Santa Monica
-Long Beach
-LA Zoo

And that is just scratching the surface. Also some of the country's best food.

Hollywood and Venice Beach are totally worth giving a miss however.

[will_]

Nickyboy said:

I might suggest taking the kids to the Grand Canyon instead of Vegas, you can easily spend 2 days there

Edited by Nickyboy on Monday 5th November 22:21

I'd agree - well worth spending a night at the Grand Canyon, so that you can see it at dusk and dawn. Much better to be there for a while than just taking a day trip/helicopter ride from Vegas.

Book early though, there is very limited places to stay at the Canyon itself.

[coletrickle01]

durbster said:

Just got back from Vegas myself (probably saw you ) and I agree with that. You can only walk through a casino with kids - if you stop you'll suddenly have a security guard appear from nowhere to move you along. Pretty much everything you do there is adult themed too so there's very little for them. I also went with my parents as a 11/12 year old and spent a lot of time sitting in the hotel room.

I'm not sure why you were shocked that the gambling capital of the world built by gangsters on the proceeds of crime turned out to be a bit sleazy though

We did:
Couple of nights in LA
Up the coast to San Luis Obisbo
Stayed on the coast road (accidentally) to San Francisco
Went inland to Yosemite
Did a 620 mile drive from Bakersfield to the Grand Canyon via Death Valley (broke my own record for longest ever single drive )
Finished with two nights in Vegas.

San Francisco was a surprise in that we loved it, and we normally try and escape the cities asap. We had hoped to stop in Monteray but due to running a bit late and forgetting to get off the coast road rather than the highway, we arrived there really late so only had time to stand on the beach, say 'ooh', and continue on our way.

Yosemite was a real highlight but it may be out of your way.

A couple of nights in the Grand Canyon is probably enough. It's stunning - definitely a world class visit - but unless you do a hike there's not much to do but look at it. The best thing about it is you can walk 100 metres from the masses along the ridge and have it to yourself. We may have been lucky but walking for about a mile along the ridge we saw about eight people, as opposed to the hundreds we left at the nearest spot to the bus park.

Death Valley is something you can basically drive through if you wanted to and can organise your stops correctly. There's no real draw to stay the night I don't think (although I would love to have seen the sky at night there).

Driving over there is surprisingly chilled, even in LA. We did just over 2,000 miles and overall I found American drivers were a lot more relaxed and polite than in the UK; no aggressive tailgating, none of the self-righteous, egotistical stuff when attempting to overtake, change lanes or merge into traffic that blights the UK.

This became hugely apparent when I left Heathrow last Friday afternoon to join the no-holds-barred brawl around London.

Edited by durbster on Tuesday 6th November 13:18

Durbster, where did you stay when San Francisco and Yosemite. I'm planning a trip for September 2013 and looking for some inspiration - any recommendations?

[marcosgt]

coletrickle01 said:

Durbster, where did you stay when San Francisco and Yosemite. I'm planning a trip for September 2013 and looking for some inspiration - any recommendations?

We stayed in one of the tent villages in Yosemite when we went (one night) (2002 I think).

I'd spend more time in Monterey/Carmel and give LA a miss altogether, personally, but each to their own

M.

[a311]

Thought this thread needed some pics…… Like with most things in life its horses for courses in terms of what will interest you and your family may or may not be different to what I and other people like. What I will say is Death Valley is a destination in its own right, the attractions are in the vast majority natural phenomena rather than being man made so your kids may not like too much or any of this. It’s BIG so it’s hard to see the highlights just by driving through unless you stayed just outside the national park and then drove through and saw some of the sites on your way to Vegas it would still be a very long day.



San Francisco



South Lake Tahoe



Entering Yosemite



El Capitan- Yosemite Valley



Death Valley as seen from Dante's view



Devils Golf Course- Death Valley

[fivetenben]

I see you've got a few days in Palm Springs planned so I'm guessing it's already on your itinary, but just in case it's not, I'd definitely recommend a visit to Joshua Tree National Park if spectacular desert scenery is your thing. Especially at sunrise or sunset, it's a stunning place, full of amazing rock formations, sweeping vistas and quirky fauna. In keeping with the 'needs more pictures' suggestion a few posts earlier...:

[jackal]

thanks very much

dantes view, Joshua Tree National Park and the golf course firmly on the itinery


Yosemite and Grand Canyon are off limits. We were oriinally going to go to them as well over a 3+ week trip in an RV but decided to simplify things and keep this as a regular road trip to all teh cities. and beaches. Will go back another year and do a deeper dedictade camping RV trip to yosemite/yellowstone/GC/monument valley/Bryce etc..