To skip LA even though DD has her heart set on it?

[DragonessOfFlagstaff]

We're doing a USA road trip in a few weeks. SanFrancisco to Utah. We were originally going to do San Fran - Vegas and LA and DD had her heart set on LA, universal studios, Malibu etc but honestly, LA is such a shit hole I really don't want to go so we've decided to skip LA and just do San Fran-Vegas-Utah and then back to SF. DD doesn't know yet and my mum thinks im being cruel making DD do a number of "boring" destinations and skipping the biggest thing she was looking forward to but it's such a shit hole I don't think she'd enjoy it anyway! AIBU to just call rank and knock it off the trip?

I'd visit LA ten times before you could drag me to Vegas once

This.

Do the right thing here OP. Why on earth would you skip LA for Vegas , especially is her heart is set on it?

Santa Monica is cute, beverly hills is funny and Venice is an eyeopener!

Mean to not take her there!

Oh and Laguna Beach is actually very lovely for a proper stay for beaches and cafes.

Magic Mountain would be very out of the way with their existing itenerary. However, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom or California's Great America may be options for you.

The holiday sounds absolutely amazing but I do think you are being unreasonable to miss out LA. Go to universal studios, rodeo drive, then head out to Malibu up the Pacific coast highway on your journey to San Francisco. The scenery is stunning. Paradise Cove restaurant on Malibu beach is amazing and not too overpriced.

I don't think yabu for not going. You're the parent, perfectly reasonable for you to decide where you're going on holiday. Yabu however for not telling her.

YABU and there is fuck all for her to do in vegas.

Downtown LA i heard from dh who went, was rough, but there is the Universal theme park she likes, Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive (Swanky stars shopping area), and Miami Beach. There is plenty to do for a couple of days. Take her, it might be her only opportunity to go, your there anyway.

Hate these types of AIBU.

So why not say any of that in your OP?

OP - "DD got her heart set on going to LA during our road trip, really looking forward to it, am I unreasonable to just not tell her and skip the whole thing?"

MN - "Yes, yes you are. How mean."

OP - "But, but, we're going here here and here and she likes ALL THESE THINGS TOO.
I might take her somewhere else next year to make up for it."

Why ask if you're so set on knowing you're right?!

YABU

What a huge let down it would be for your DD. You keep saying its shit, well to you it obviously is, but it might not be to your DD .

Omg Vegas is by far worse than LA!!!!

Yabu

I agree, it might be rubbish to you, but dd might love it. Lots of things to do in LA

www.timeout.com/los-angeles/things-to-do/best-things-to-do-in-los-angeles

And another vote for Vegas being way worse than a nice part of LA.

The Californian Universal is really a different experience from Florida. It has a rich history of the amazing films that were made there, and I think the Orlando one is just another theme park

Absolutely, we loved it. DH is a huge film fan and I can still remember his face when he saw the set of Bates Motel from Psycho. My boys thought it was hilarious though that you could see part of the set of Who Ville from The Grinch above it!

Actually, the ideal thing would be to sit down as a family and discuss this. Maybe say 'OK, we won't have time to do everything. I'd suggest we miss out either LA or Vegas. What do you guys think?'.

And take it from there.

LA is ten times nicer than Vegas. Stay in Santa Monica.

So if you're doing all this other stuff with her why not present it as a choice? She can do ABCDE in all the other places or just AB plus Los Angeles instead of doing CDE elsewhere. It's a bit unfair that you mentioned LA to her in the first place to her then unilaterally changed your mind.

There is of course the alternative school of thought that as the parents who are paying for such an amazing trip and doing plenty of stuff with DD in mind she sucks up your decision and pays for herself to go to LA when she's earning.

OP this might be one of the last holidays you do as “your” family if that makes sense? By that I mean that the last time I went away with my DPs as a teen/young adult was when I was 15, after that I went away with friends and then (now) DH and I met when I was 17 so I went away with him. The next time I went away with my DPs it was when DH and I invited them on our family holiday with us and DC, when I was 28, which was brilliant but obviously a rather different dynamic. IMO now is a good time to have some lovely family time while you can.

Re LA, if you do change your mind Pacific Palisades is nice and isn’t really touristy, plus is within easy reach of Malibu and Venice beach etc so might be a good place to be based for a couple of nights?

There is a far richer and authentic American experience in LA than there is in Las Vegas. If you want to see the biggest sh--hole, then its LV.

I cannot think why you think LA is so bad! The Getty Centre is one of the best buildings in the world. It is fantastic. We visited the Paramount Studios which are working Studios, not a theme park. You can drive along Mulholland Drive and see the Hollywood sign at the end. You can cruise around Bel Air and see how the rich live! There are wonderful buildings and lovely cafes and shops.

We stayed in Santa Minica and that area has a lot to offer too. You can go up the coast to Malibu or stay local and go to Venice Beach and other attrations nearby. None of these are remotely sh--hole. It's a bit sad you have done no research at all on the area. Go and have a look and you will enjoy it.

YABU. Vegas is a dump.

San Fran has deteriorated hugely. Lots of beggars and druggies and mentally disturbed people everywhere. The City is waking up to this as numerous conventions decided to go elsewhere. Having said that to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Carmel and the wine country is amazing, but that's not downtown SF either, and I doubt that would impress DD!

Shorten your stay in SF, and try pack in a couple of days in LA. You are going all that distance, so you might as well! LA is very spread out for sure but it is no way a shithole either. IMV.

From your update it really sounds like there is LOTS she is looking forward to on this trip, rather than just LA.

You're asking if you'd be U to skip LA given she has her heart set on it, but then you said you can't skip Vegas because she chose half the activities and is looking forward to it! So just explain that you don't really have time to do all these things and ask her to pick whether she'd prefer a theme park in LA or quad biking in Nevada? Life is all about compromise!

Even with your update, I think you are being a tad unreasonable.

The only thing I ever wanted to do in Los Angeles was go to the original Universal Studios, which we did during a three day stopover en route to my SIL's wedding in Australia.

We had a hotel (Radisson) in Anaheim, and they ran buses to any theme park or attraction you wanted to go to.

Universal Studios was fabulous. We had our two eldest DDs with us (third not yet born) who were then aged 5 and 2. They loved it all, and we also took them to Disneyland. I wouldn't go back to LA, but those were worth doing, as was a walk along Rodeo Drive and a bus tour to see the stars' homes.

That was many years ago now.

You are aware that you can't actually 'visit' Area 51, yes? The most you can do is drive out in the desert and look at the fence, a gate, and the sign that says 'Entry Prohibited' blah, blah, blah. There's really nothing to 'see'. And if you do manage to get past the fence you'll be 'greeted' by rifle-toting military police who will escort you OUT, possibly after searching your car, your bags, and you. Not a fun experience.

It is what it is. It’s a desert city. If DD wants the whole glamour thing, Hollywood Hills, tour of the stars houses, Bel Air, it’s got the history regardless of what it looks like.