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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Places to see in California/Vegas/Grand Canyon

18 replies

DetentionGrrrl · 10/10/2006 05:07

I'm currently booking hotels etc for our honeymoon roadtrip in June. Son will be nearly 1yr old by then. We're going from San Fran, on to LA, upto Vegas, maybe Grand Canyon then back to San Fran. Does anyone have any suggestions for places to go, or good child friendly cafes / hotels. Also, can you see much of the Grand Canyon with a 1yr old in tow?

OP posts:

Steppy1 · 10/10/2006 06:00

Wow sounds very brave...we did a similar trip ...but in "life before kids" !!!!....There were lots of motels available with "family suites and rooms" but as we weren't looking at particuklarly child friendly facilities at that time.... most of the restaurants and eating places were pretty relaxed anyway so having toddler/baby with you shouldn't be a problem. The only thing that we've come across generally since travelling WITH our two to the States is the general lack of healthy food (veggies in particular).....the trip to the Grand Canyon is absolutely worth it, simply stunning. We've always said that is one of the places we would take our children when they get older...Yosemite national park in California is also stunning as is Lake Tahoe, but it sounds as if you're going to be busy, how long are you going for ??

TwigTwoolett · 10/10/2006 06:44

San Francisco fab .. go see Beach Blanket Babylon (its a show) whilst there (not for kids)

Yosemite National Park lovely

Original poster

DetentionGrrrl · 10/10/2006 08:29

12 days. 2 days in San Fran first, then LA and onto Vegas, then back to San Fran for 2 more days. Saying it's brave makes me nervous! He loves the car though, and he's very easy going (the baby, not the husband)We've been to San Fran before, and husband has been to LA and Vegas, but without a baby in tow obviously!

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dejags · 10/10/2006 08:41

Not at all brave DG.

We just did a 7 week roadtrip with a 18month old and a 5 year old in May this year from East to West coast in the States.

The KOA campgrounds are fabulous! Google Kampgrounds of America and check out there options - avoid the Vegas one though it's dismal.

There is a fabulous KOA in Williams which is an hour from the Grand Canyon and it has everything - swimming pool. We were in an RV but they have wonderful Kamping Kabins which are quite cheap. The Canyon is very accessible for those with wheelchairs and children - but if you want to go into the rim you will need a baby backpack. There is a complimentary bus which takes an hour or so and goes right to along the south edge of the rim with SPECTACULAR views.

Otherwise accomodation in the USA is quite easy to find and most places accomodate children - just be wary of the bank holiday weekends (not sure when the next one is, because everything gets booked up so quickly).

In LA we stayed in the Travelodge at the Park (Anaheim), it's basic but clean and cheap as chips. Best of all it's spitting distance to Disney if thats your thing.

Vegas wasn't particularly child friendly - babysitting is expensive. We stayed at the Mandalay Bay - it has a fabulous pool complex and is great for kids - about £45 per night, room only.

If I can be of help with anything else I am always around.

Dejags

Original poster

DetentionGrrrl · 10/10/2006 11:16

That roadtrip sounds fab dejags! So jealous! I'll check out the Grand Canyon site- thankyou!

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aDadOnMumsnet · 10/10/2006 11:20

You may have done it before, but drive the coast road, highway 1, rather than the freeway between SF and LA. If you have the time it's worth it, can stop at great beaches and get away from it all round Big Sur.

Like others on here, also loved Yosemite.

aDadOnMumsnet · 10/10/2006 11:23

I meant if you haven't done the coast road before, do it if you can!

bamboo · 10/10/2006 11:37

We went to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon when I was pregnant with dd. Agree that Las Vegas didn't appear that child friendly - the hotels that did market themselves to families seemed a bit naff, like Circus Circus - mind you, we were childfree then so perhaps my opinion would be different now. I think, personally, I wouldn't be that interested in taking a child there - they can't go on the gaming floors etc - depends what you want from the experience I guess.

I'd definitely recommend a trip to the Grand Canyon if you can. Stay in the National Park if possible - we stayed here and it was definitely worth it. We did a trail almost to the bottom, took all day, nearly killed me on the way back! But as I said I was pregnant at the time! I wouldn't have attempted that with a 1 year old but there is less challenging walks. Also, just the view from the rim alone is worth the trip.

Have a great time. I am a bit .

AttilaTheMeerkat · 10/10/2006 12:10

Re Las Vegas:-
The MGM Signature is a fully non gaming and non smoking facility. These rooms are condo based and have a fitted kitchen in them.

Original poster

DetentionGrrrl · 11/10/2006 10:50

Definately planning the coast road route- seen it in too many films to not do it! Re Vegas, i just wanted to see it really...and i really want to stay in Circus Circus anyway...but i am a sucker for kitch and cheese!

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Daemara · 11/10/2006 12:58

The coast road north of san fran up to Bodega Bay is lovely and there are a few good places for fish and chips there. Sonoma is a lovely little town north of San Fran too, some very nice wineries in the Sonoma Valley and alot of them are family friendly with resturants and vinyard tours. We don't really drink but i love the area anyway as i lived there before moving to Derbyshire to get married, hummm perhaps i should have made my other half move to cali! Hope you have a lovely trip.

p.s. for something silly to do if you have the time you can always check out the Jelly Belly factory, free tour and free candy!

nogoes · 11/10/2006 13:09

We stayed in Yosemite National Park which I think is roughly halfway between LA and San Fran. Yosemite is gorgeous very green and lush with big mountains, racoons and wild bears wandering about.

manamana · 11/10/2006 13:22

We went to Arizona for 2 weeks in August with my 1yo - I was bit dubious but got some v good/reassuring advice from mnetters. America is SUCH an easy place to take kids, they have highchairs in every place to eat (even Subway), travel cots everywhere, you can get kid-friendly food easily and the supermarkets are stocked with a mass of stuff you never even knew you needed! We just went to the rim of the canyon but it was great, we went there on the steam train from Williams which was great - a cheesey cowboy show before the train, singing cowboys on the train and we all got 'robbed' on the way back - made a long trip go fairly quickly and our guide was really good. Other great place we went was Sedona, absolutely beautiful and there's a place called SlideRock which is a natural water slide thing which was great (until my d/h lost his wedding ring!). Will shut up now, hope that helps.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 11/10/2006 14:58

and i really want to stay in Circus Circus anyway...but i am a sucker for kitch and cheese!

However, there are nicer hotels to stay in Vegas than Circus Circus.

LizP · 11/10/2006 16:32

The aquarium at Monterey is fab - would amuse a small child looking at all those fish I would think - and your ticket lasts all day - so you can go in and out.

mamamaaargh · 11/10/2006 21:34

Vegas is very child-friendly except that you can smoke everywhere & people do. That said, if you are out and about, not hanging around casinos (which you can't do with kids anyway - in most places, you can walk through but not play), it's not too bad. The Venetian has impromptu shows in the main square and you can do gondola rides. The MGM has lions & The mirage (or is it the Tropicana?) has an aquarium. We stayed (pre-baby) at Cesar's Palace and would definitely go back if we could get another good deal. I would avoid Circus circus - several friends have told me it is good for school-age children but 'is a circus'

Fisherman's wharf in San Francisco is a good bet with kids. You can do a boat trip to Alcatraz (well worth it, but get the audio tour and book in advance- we did it online) & watch the sealions.

There are no bank holidays at that time of year, so you should be ok - the gay pride march in SF is towards the end of June.

FairyBasslet · 14/10/2006 12:29

We did the San Fran-LA-Vegas trip with our DS when he was 8 months old and we had a wonderful time. We flew into SF then took Highway 1 down to LA. From there we drove to Vegas which we loved. We stayed in the Excalibur which was fine. We took turns having a gamble as you cant stop with kids when going through the casinos. We just spent lots of time walking through the hotels and did the aquarium at Mandalay Bay which again I would recommend. From there we went off to see Death Valley which was quite amazing. We got there very early to avoid the heat of the day (our visit was in May).

Then we stayed in Yosemite, splashing out on a room in the Awanhee (beautiful old hotel in the middle of the national park. Yosemite was gorgeous - we even did a hike with DS in the sling.

Finally we did a few nights in San Fran and did the usual - Alcatraz etc which was good.

Like others have said, America is a great place to take kids - we've just returned from a couple of weeks in New York and Washington DC with our now 3 year old DS and our 9 month old DD so don't be phased at all. You will have a wonderful time.

triplets · 12/11/2006 22:42

Hi all,
Some great ideas here for my next BIG adventure! We have taken the plunge and just booked our road trip for next July/Aug. We are going for 4 weeks, and we know it wil be hot, but we can`t keep taking the kids out of school, we have only just come back from Orlando with them! We fly into San Francisco on the 26th July, then to Modesto to visit my pen friend, then to Yosemite for 5 nights, then into Vegas for 2 nights, then Williams to take the train to the canyon, then on to Sedona, then work our way to San Diego via Joshua Trees, then to LA for flight back! The only accomodation I have booked so far is in Yosemite! Husband panicking that we must book it all up now, but as there are 5 of us I am finding the prices VERY expensive. So lots of help and ideas needed please, I love to find somewhere quirky and different!

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