West coast USA

[cookcleanerchaufferetc]

Thinking of booking holiday to west coast of USA. 2 adults and 2 kids aged 10 and 9.

We are happy to do lots of driving and go to several states, but time and money is unfortunately limited so we would be grateful for any must-do places to go/see!

So far on dream list is San diego, grand canyon, las Vegas (1 night just to see it!), something like Malibu beach, and national park of some kind ......

Monument Valley - MUST stay at Goldings Lodge, fantastic breakfast, watch the sunrise over the Valley, go for a ride and pretend to be John Wayne (lots of westerns filmed there) but have to book in advance.

Petrified Forest is fascinating

Calico - an old mining ghost town

Hoover Dam

Loved Knotts Berry Farm in LA - better than Disney

Try and book overnight accommodation at the Grand Canyon Rim - but again, need to book in advance.

I hated Vegas with small children I have to say - but might be because we didnt go to the best places - too brash, rude, (guy in a fast food outlet shouted at me for holding up the queue because I couldnt understand what he was asking me and he couldnt understnad my accent), you dont get anything - even a seat in a restaurant unless you slip the maitre d a large tip!

Yosemite is fantastic.

San Francisco is a must.

How long would your holiday be (if two weeks I would look at a two, perhaps three center holiday) and what time of year (would not travel to Las Vegas in August due to it being over 100 degrees in the shade).

BA fly direct to San Diego.

The west coast and the adjoining states are full of fabulous things to see. It really depends how long you've got and how long you want to spend driving between each thing. We lived in LA for a while and apart from the places you've mentioned my highlights would be -
Yosemite
Las Vegas for its uniqueness
the Pacific Coastal Highway south from San Francisco
Santa Monica and other beach communities like Laguna Beach to get a taste of the Californian lifestyle!

Malibu is a bit of a funny place, just strung along PCH with no centre and nothing much to see. Best just to park up and go on the beach for a while to say you've been there and then head on to Santa Monica, or Santa Barbara in the other direction.
Agree about Monument Valley and Gouldings lodge too!

San Francisco and Monterey are fantastic (brilliant aquarium at Monterey). Drive down the PCH to Santa Monica. Grand Canyon is breath taking and the Hoover Dam is well worth a visit!

San Francisco
Yosemite Park
Bodie State Park
Old Faithful geyser
Napa Valley wineries
Sonoma town and wineries
Pacific Coast Highway
San Diego Zoo
Long Beach, LA (home of the Queen Mary)
Santa Monica
Morro Bay
Palm Springs

Disneyland, if you haven't already been there
Universal Studios
Yosemite
Calico Ghost town
Death Valley
San Diego zoo
Sea world, San Diego

I loved San Francisco, but am not sure how much the children would like it, except for a visit to Alcatraz perhaps. I wouldn't bother with Las Vegas with children in tow.