California Itinerary - what do you think?

[Lovewhereilive]

Ok, next August we are hopefully going to make it out there. Here's what I was thinking:

Fly to Vancouver (Yes I know this isn't California but DH and I really really want to go there and its close (relative to the UK!)

3 nights Vancouver
Fly to San Francisco (2.5 hours)
3 nights San Francisco
1 night Monterey
1 night Pismo Beach
2 nights Santa Barbara
1 night Santa Monica (drive to Universal from here for the day)
1 night Huntington Beach (go to Knotts Soak City for the day)
2 nights Carlsbad
2 nights San Diego

Fly home from San Diego or Los Angeles (preferably SD)

Think this is ok? There are 5 of us (3 active boys who will be 13,12 and 8)

All advice/tips gratefully received!

We didn't try any water parks near San Diego but did go to the one at Palm Springs - big mistake not to take flip flops, I scorched my feet on the concrete paths.

Ouch - bet that hurt!

Cow Hollow Inn, Coventry motor Inn, Lombard Motor Inn & one other are all part of same group of 2* motor inns on Lombard Street. They have family rooms & first has family 3 & 4 bed mini apartments. Clean & free parking! Good beds. Good value for money. We used the car when we felt like it & uber for hard to park places like nr Westfield/May's off Union Square. If you get a Three sim, (all you can eat data in US), you can a new uber account & free trips. Just back from fab fortnight with 13y & 11y.

Just booked flights for next August! £2.5k for 4 which we thought good deal. House swapping so will have house in irvine and car too. Want to drive out to sequoia national park and Death Valley. Any tips or recommendations? Dds 9 and 7

Death Valley in August will be extremely hot, make sure you have plenty of water for yourselves and the car. Try staying a night or two in the Palm Springs area?

Both places you mention are a long way from Irvine (at least 200 miles).

This national park website for Death Valley may be useful to you:-

www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/index.htm

What is a waterpark?

Not really sure what itinerary OP is on, now.

Going to Death Valley in August is stupidity strange.

I have done Anaheim to San Diego in as little as 90 minutes, really depends what time you go. Traffic horrific most the time, though.

Thank you for tips much appreciated. Plan to stay based in irvine and do day trips from there bar x 2 or 3 nights in sequoia and dh keen for Death Valley. Is it mental to do in August though? Know it's 5 hours to sequoia hence staying over a few nights. We keen to relax not just charge around sightseeing. We are near Newport Beach etc.

Any Disney tips? Not big fans but girls obv very keen. Though will just get day passes as it's 20 mins drive from our house.

Death Valley temps in August will be well up into the 40s, so you can do some limited sightseeing but it will really be a case of driving round with brief stops to hop out and take a few photos before retreating back to the AC. It's also quite a hike from Irvine (around 250 miles?).

Ragged, this is my revised itinerary

3 nights San Fran
3 nights Yosemite
2 nights Monterey
1 night Santa Barbara
2 nights Santa Monica
1 night Annaheim
4 nights San Diego
2 nights Chicago

Water park is just lots of water slides and lazy rivers etc.

Will check out those San Fran motels -thanks.

Not long now and this is my revised itinerary:

3 nights San Fran
3 Yosemite
2 Monterey
1 Buellton (in between pismo beach and Santa Barbara)
3 LA Glendale
4 San Diego
2 Chicago

We are planning on going to universal studios and then have got a concert in Pasadena the next night hence the 3 nights in Glendale.

Does anyone know Glendale? Is it a good place to stay? Can we do Hollywood etc from there? Can't decide if we should stay in Santa Barbara or Ventura a night and do 2 nights in Glendale but then we would have to drive to universal from SB or Ventura.

It's going to be a long drive from Monterey to Buellton but we are ok with that as long as we can stop a few times, don't mind arriving late evening.

So any good advice again as got lots of great tips last time.

SF to Monterey will take you about 3 hours in the car - you can do whale watching there

F

Yes We plan on whale watching in Monterey, Ice Maiden. Going via Yosemite so will be coming from there to Monterey.

What do you think to the Monterey to Buellton drive? Think it's too much for one day? It's in between Pismo beach and Santa Barbara.