West Coast Of America

[DoubleD]

I'm thinking of going on holiday with the missus to the West Coast of America end of August/beginning of September. Realise it's quite short notice, but been busy with work so not had a chance previously of planning anything. Looking at 2 and a half weeks, and liked an itinerary that Kuoni had taking in San Fran down to San Diego, inland to Palm Springs, Vegas, Yosemite and Napa. I've had a couple of friends who have done similar but just thought i'd see if anyone had here and if they had any opinions/recommendations?

I think one of my main concerns is fitting it all in, in the timeframe and not burning ourselves out driving, so we don't get to relax and enjoy it.........

[Bedford Roughyed]

Highway 1 at Big Sur is blocked due to a landslip, which will be a disappointment for you!

San Francisco is great.  Venice beach to Santa Monica pier in LA is worth a walk.  Yosemite is greatness.

2 and a half weeks will involve a fair bit of driving.  

[Shadow]

We did that 4 years ago and found we didn't have time to do all the things we wanted so we reduced the ambitions and did LA to Vegas, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Death Valley, then up to Santa Barbra and back down to LA.

We had a week booked in Vegas and used that as a base then trusted to luck to find places as we travelled, never a problem

[Shadow]

one of the absolute highlights was sitting on Pismo beach having coffee & donuts for breakfast watching the Pelicans dive bombing for fish and at the exact moment a pod of Dolphins jumped out of the waves I had a work call on my mobile so I could tell them exactly why I couldn't help 

 

[DoubleD]

8 minutes ago, Bedford Roughyed said:

Highway 1 at Big Sur is blocked due to a landslip, which will be a disappointment for you!

San Francisco is great.  Venice beach to Santa Monica pier in LA is worth a walk.  Yosemite is greatness.

2 and a half weeks will involve a fair bit of driving.  

Yeah i heard it was blocked but surely they'll be a diversion around the landslip part?

I think the driving part is a slight concern, just because we don't want to spend days driving, when we're meant to be enjoying it. We could take some internal flights instead but obviously some parts you really need to drive - Big Sur, Yosemite, Death Valley

[DoubleD]

6 minutes ago, Shadow said:

We did that 4 years ago and found we didn't have time to do all the things we wanted so we reduced the ambitions and did LA to Vegas, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Death Valley, then up to Santa Barbra and back down to LA.

We had a week booked in Vegas and used that as a base then trusted to luck to find places as we travelled, never a problem

Yeah that's the challenge, not to overstretch ourselves. Also, the missus will want some days sat by the beach chilling! Did you use an agent or plan yourself?

I went to Vegas last year, and the missus won't be that bothered so was probably only going to do a day there and take a trip to Gran Canyon/Hoover Dam from there, potentially by helicopter........

 

[Shadow]

booked it ourselves and after doing a helicopter flight from the West Rim and a road trip to the South Rim I'd do the road trip again in a heartbeat. Death Valley was amazing but make sure you fill up with fuel before you go in, you don't want to be playing fuel light Bingo in there and then get reminded there's a reason it's called DEATH valley. What kind of idiot would do that and end up on fumes when he finally got to a petrol station, not me no never.

[Bedford Roughyed]

16 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Yeah i heard it was blocked but surely they'll be a diversion around the landslip part?

I think the driving part is a slight concern, just because we don't want to spend days driving, when we're meant to be enjoying it. We could take some internal flights instead but obviously some parts you really need to drive - Big Sur, Yosemite, Death Valley

From memory its long sections without a link inland?  Might be wrong but its a great drive though.

[glossop saint]

I've been in Phoenix for the last 5 months (and go home in the next few weeks) and I would recommend some of the places in Arizona.  The Grand Canyon is very impressive.  We only had a few hours to "do it" so stayed on the sim but I'd have loved to have had the time to walk at least part of the way down.  And fully recommend the helicopter.

If you decide to go there then you should also go just that bit further east to Page.  There is horseshoe bend (lots of tourists), Glen Canyon Dam (slightly smaller version of Hoover Dam, by 30ft I think) and Antelope Canyon which is stunning.  A couple of hours further south east is the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest which are good though it might be getting too far out of your way.  And definitely too far out of your way is South Arizona with Tuscon (Pima air museum, Sonoran desert museum and Lindys Burger), and Tombstone. 

I'd love to do Yosemite whilst out here but don't think I'll get chance.

[Kayakman]

I believe it was 105 in Phoenix yesterday or the day before...take some water!

[glossop saint]

2 hours ago, Kayakman said:

I believe it was 105 in Phoenix yesterday or the day before...take some water!

Definitely.  Too hot for me and only going to get hotter. Though it is a bit higher and cooler nearer the Grand Canyon.

[Donspaghetti]

I was born and raised in San Clemente,Orange County,California until my mom and stepdad hauled us over the border when I was 14 years old. I can only say good things about it and anywhere round there, with its close proximity to the Pacific Coast highway would be a great base for days out, with all the major beaches and tourist attractions only a small drive away, plus It has a british shop for ex pats and the next town to the north, Dana point did have a British pub but I'm unsure as to whether it's still there, best wishes.

[Bob8]

I lived in Northern California, the San Francisco hinterland, for 2015-6.  I thought I could contribute, but it is already pretty well covered.

[Copa]

I used to live in Washington State and have travelled all over the NW and down the Oregon coast but it looks like you aren't planning on going that far north.

So all I can really add is have fun.

[JonM]

On 30/05/2017 at 9:14 PM, DoubleD said:

Yeah i heard it was blocked but surely they'll be a diversion around the landslip part?

I think the driving part is a slight concern, just because we don't want to spend days driving, when we're meant to be enjoying it. We could take some internal flights instead but obviously some parts you really need to drive - Big Sur, Yosemite, Death Valley

I really dislike driving, but it is very different in the US (and indeed Australia or Canada.) You can easily do a few hundred miles without much effort, it's not like here where you are having to make decisions every few seconds and constantly keep an eye on what is happening in front, behind, to the side etc.  Tourist stuff in the day, then move onto the next place in the evening. Driving in SF is a pain (very little parking), in LA it can be very slow, but between places you are often passing through interesting and/or beautiful scenery (desert road with cacti alongside, beautiful views of the ocean, or surreal canyonland landscapes...)

Our last family trip to the west coast we did (in 2 weeks) San Francisco (couple of days), Yosemite (couple of days) over Tioga pass to Death Valley, on to Las Vegas (couple of days), then Bryce & Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon, Williams Arizona (lovely little town on route 66, used to have a real cowboys & indians feel about it, now it's a tourist pastiche but still fun), LA (couple of days), then up the coast to San Luis Obispo, then visited friends in silicon valley, then back to SF.

There are obviously way too many places to do all of them, but I also recommend Kings Canyon & Sequoia national parks, mountain biking at Mammoth, San Diego is beautiful, Lake Tahoe is great (north & south shore very different.) In terms of beaches, you are really spoilt for choice, pretty easy to hang out at Malibu/Santa Monica if you're in LA, or head up to places like Santa Barbara or Carmel. Depends on what you like - even a day in Las Vegas is enough to make me want to never come back, but some people obviously love it. I would definitely give Phoenix a miss, though.

[DoubleD]

2 hours ago, Copa said:

I used to live in Washington State and have travelled all over the NW and down the Oregon coast but it looks like you aren't planning on going that far north.

So all I can really add is have fun.

I would love to do Oregon too but don't have time. Will have to make another trip for that!

[DoubleD]

2 hours ago, JonM said:

I really dislike driving, but it is very different in the US (and indeed Australia or Canada.) You can easily do a few hundred miles without much effort, it's not like here where you are having to make decisions every few seconds and constantly keep an eye on what is happening in front, behind, to the side etc.  Tourist stuff in the day, then move onto the next place in the evening. Driving in SF is a pain (very little parking), in LA it can be very slow, but between places you are often passing through interesting and/or beautiful scenery (desert road with cacti alongside, beautiful views of the ocean, or surreal canyonland landscapes...)

Our last family trip to the west coast we did (in 2 weeks) San Francisco (couple of days), Yosemite (couple of days) over Tioga pass to Death Valley, on to Las Vegas (couple of days), then Bryce & Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon, Williams Arizona (lovely little town on route 66, used to have a real cowboys & indians feel about it, now it's a tourist pastiche but still fun), LA (couple of days), then up the coast to San Luis Obispo, then visited friends in silicon valley, then back to SF.

There are obviously way too many places to do all of them, but I also recommend Kings Canyon & Sequoia national parks, mountain biking at Mammoth, San Diego is beautiful, Lake Tahoe is great (north & south shore very different.) In terms of beaches, you are really spoilt for choice, pretty easy to hang out at Malibu/Santa Monica if you're in LA, or head up to places like Santa Barbara or Carmel. Depends on what you like - even a day in Las Vegas is enough to make me want to never come back, but some people obviously love it. I would definitely give Phoenix a miss, though.

Thanks, really useful. Thinking of doing something along the lines of the attached. Will need to do an internal flight to Denver to see sister in law for a couple of nights in Colorado Springs too

 

 

[JonM]

2 hours ago, DoubleD said:

 Will need to do an internal flight to Denver to see sister in law for a couple of nights in Colorado Springs too.

Only been to Colorado Springs for work, and I expect your s-i-l has it all planned, but I hope you have time for Pikes Peak & Garden of the gods.

In terms of your pictured itinerary, I would definitely prioritize Death Valley over Mammoth Lakes. The main sights in Death Valley are all reachable by road - it's a drive 10 minutes, get out and look at something for a few minutes, get back into the car before dying of heat exhaustion and move on to the next site kind of place. It's on the way between las Vegas and Yosemite. Just find a motel in Big Pine or Bishop or one of those places. If you're a wine fan, do Napa valley, I wouldn't bother otherwise. 

[glossop saint]

6 hours ago, JonM said:

I really dislike driving, but it is very different in the US (and indeed Australia or Canada.) You can easily do a few hundred miles without much effort, it's not like here where you are having to make decisions every few seconds and constantly keep an eye on what is happening in front, behind, to the side etc.  Tourist stuff in the day, then move onto the next place in the evening. Driving in SF is a pain (very little parking), in LA it can be very slow, but between places you are often passing through interesting and/or beautiful scenery (desert road with cacti alongside, beautiful views of the ocean, or surreal canyonland landscapes...)

Our last family trip to the west coast we did (in 2 weeks) San Francisco (couple of days), Yosemite (couple of days) over Tioga pass to Death Valley, on to Las Vegas (couple of days), then Bryce & Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon, Williams Arizona (lovely little town on route 66, used to have a real cowboys & indians feel about it, now it's a tourist pastiche but still fun), LA (couple of days), then up the coast to San Luis Obispo, then visited friends in silicon valley, then back to SF.

There are obviously way too many places to do all of them, but I also recommend Kings Canyon & Sequoia national parks, mountain biking at Mammoth, San Diego is beautiful, Lake Tahoe is great (north & south shore very different.) In terms of beaches, you are really spoilt for choice, pretty easy to hang out at Malibu/Santa Monica if you're in LA, or head up to places like Santa Barbara or Carmel. Depends on what you like - even a day in Las Vegas is enough to make me want to never come back, but some people obviously love it. I would definitely give Phoenix a miss, though.

Agreed