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Original poster

West Coast Road Trip - LA/Vegas/Grand Canyon

66 replies

YankeeZulu · 27/10/2018 16:22

I’ve just started planning our big west coast road trip for my 40th next year. We’re flexible with dates and can take up to 3 weeks. So far I’ve planned to fly in to San Francisco, stay there for a few nights and drive down to LA with stops in Monterey, Cambria and Santa Barbara. We’ll stay in LA for a few days to do Disney and Universal for the DC’s. My plan was to then drive to Vegas for a night, then over to the Grand Canyon and back up through Death Valley, Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite with various overnight stops before driving back to SF to fly home. But I can’t make any sense of the LA/Vegas/Grand Canyon bit. It all seems a really long way apart with nowhere obvious to stop en-route. Is it really too far to drive from LA to Vegas. Should I plan to stop or take the hit with a long drive. Any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

OP posts:
ImogenTubbs · 05/11/2018 06:30

We did two weeks in that area - San Fransisco, Big Sur, Santa Barbara and LA. We then drove overnight from LA to Vegas - took about four hours, without stopping. And that was in the middle of the night. We didn't do the whole Grand Canyon, Death Valley bit because it just would have been too much. Gutted to miss it but you can't do everything, and we wanted to spend more than one or two nights in most places.

We then ended up driving from Vegas back to San Francisco in a day - took ten hours but we went across country, which is not picturesque. We found it fascinating to see another side of California - we drove through poor hispanic towns and industrial areas. Quite a contrast to the beautified white areas along the coast.

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 06:50

There is not point in going to everything just so you can say you have been, not to mention jet lag and boredom driving for so long

Make a list of top 5 things you want to do

then time for theme parks you will need at least 2 days for universal, if you have done Disneyland Paris I wouldn't bother with Disney there, it's for younger children

while universal has amazing rides but massive queues

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 06:59

Don't know about Vegas with teenagers, They will be stuck in a hotel room unless you go to see family shows

I'd also stick to California and arrange to fly to Grand Canyon if you really want to see it.

Skip Vegas, its just a mile of hotels and it's a bit overrated and it's so hot

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 07:00

A 10 hour drive wow! I would personally hate that

bruffin · 05/11/2018 07:03

We did 3 weeks
Las Vegas
Flagstaff
North and south rim Grand Canyon
Bishop

Also drove through Death Valley

Yosemite
San Francisco
Monterey
Santa Barbara
LA
San Diego

ferrier · 05/11/2018 07:15

Absolutely the driving is part of it. It's easy driving through mostly wonderful scenery.
We didn't do LA but did SF, Yosemite, Death Valley, LV, Grand Canyon and back to LV in that order in two weeks. It was an amazing experience.

ferrier · 05/11/2018 07:18

Agree Vegas is overrated. We did one night there with teenagers and that was enough. We weren't interested in the gambling so just strolled around and took in the ambience as it were. It is an amazing and weird place so I wouldnt necessarily skip it. I would have thought three weeks is absolutely fine for what you want to do.

ferrier · 05/11/2018 07:21

SF wasn't anything much either. But Grand Canyon was simply jaw dropping ... quite an emotional experience and I absolutely would not miss it ... and Yosemite was spectacular.

LillianGish · 05/11/2018 07:30

We did a similar trip when our kids were the same age as yours. We went to Universal for a day which was fun, but their highlights were Alcatraz, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge and coming back on the ferry with their bikes and Yosemite (stayed a night, wish we'd stayed longer). They also loved the arial tramway to Mount Jacinto in Palm Springs and a visit to Joshua Tree. Driving was brilliant - lots to see, like being in a film nothing like driving in the UK, would definitely do that over flying. I'd advise anyone to prioritise real experiences over theme parks (and I include Las Vegas in that category!) - especially if you are thinking of it as a once in a lifetime trip. You don't say what time of year you are going - the PCH is an amazing drive, but actually really easy and surprisingly quick. We went in July and Monterey was foggy so I found it a real disappointment, loved the elephant seals on the beach in Cambria though, Hurst Castle and Santa Barbara is just gorgeous. Lots of fab things to do in LA too - Griffith Observatory, Getty Villa and Santa Monica to name, but three. Personally I found Hollywood Boulevard the most disappointing and overrated tourist spot - friend advised me to skip it, I ignored and wish I hadn't wasted half a day.

PeridotCricket · 05/11/2018 07:35

Lots Angeles traffic makes it really hard to get around. Everywhere else the roads are brill. A night of two in Vegas I’d probably enough, the GC is incredibly, bu try and spend a night there. Yosemite is stunning ...

Be aware that accommodation in national parks books up months in advance.

It sounds doable...but I wouldn’t worry too much if you missed LA!

PeridotCricket · 05/11/2018 07:37

We took teenagers to Las Vegas and they enjoyed it for 3 days any longer would have been wearing. There was loads to do.

ferrier · 05/11/2018 07:43

I'm intrigued.... what did you do in LV for three days?

Isitmybathtimeyet · 05/11/2018 07:46

I would do a night in Vegas just to look, as PPs say. I like a couple of days there (not a hater at all - although two days is my limit) but it's a bizarre place to see. Have dinner at a buffet and see a show, but the kids can't go most places, and the casino decor is much less fun than it used to be.

Please don't helicopter to the Grand Canyon! You only see the East Rim which just isn't as good. Staying at the rim and seeing sunset and sunrise is just unforgettable and well worth doing, but you need to book accommodation WELL in advance. It's all owned by the National Parks and very limited.

Death Valley isn't particularly interesting at all. Monument Valley on the other hand is fabulous, but in the other direction, east beyond other national parks. Personally I would do some stuff in San Fran and then head east for National Parks (Yosemite is great but if you cluster the others you'll see more in the time you have) and then come back to a couple of days in Santa Barbara and then back, but I appreciate I'm not a teenager and it all depends how outdoorsy you all are.

PeridotCricket · 05/11/2018 08:03

ferrier I’ve been to LV three times and after the first tine if I’d never gone again I’d have been happy. But it worked out I’ve been back twice. As a jumping off 0lac3 fo4 GC and a convenient stop but I was with different people each time....

The teenagers liked going to see the Venice and the Eiffel Tower. We went to hoover dam and the Area 51 museum. Had a fantastic steak on top of a hotel with a zipwire tha5 they still talk about. They went to a rifle range (.??!). Tenn and pellet ace, cirque so so dull. Ate some great food and did a bit of sitting round a pool.

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 08:27

Eiffel Tower is over with in 10/15 mins. Bellagio fountains don't run if it's too windy and you have to be 18 for a shooting range.

How did pp take teenagers to a rifle range?

To go anywhere as a family with teenagers in Las Vegas it is sort of limited. They are not allowed beside you if you want to play the slots in the hotel casino for example so you'd have to take turns or they'd just be stuck in their room.

It's somewhere to go once you are all adults or go back on your own without the kids at some point. Unless they like looking at hotels, I think teenagers would be pretty bored in Las Vegas

And unless they like long drives. I would try and skip some of the driving. Surely you need the air con on constantly in that heat so you can't even put the window down for long as it's warm air getting into the car.

Bizarre some of these answers!

PeridotCricket · 05/11/2018 08:34

18 and 19 to rifle range, me and younger one went shopping (she likes shopping) I didn’t go or really approve of the rifle range. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the place, but I’m just saying that we managed to fill three days with teenagers who weren’t old enough to drink, obviously, and it was ok. Yes OPs kids too young for rifle range, but there’s jeep desert trips and things , if that’s your thing...

Hoover dam is excellent.

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 08:34

If it's a family trip will teenagers not be moaning that they are bored and hot on long long car journeys and have to stop to eat and use the bathroom?

Universal is worth it as there is nothing close to it in the uk. Have you checked out trip advisor. Probably loads to go through on it but at the same time if it's a one off trip try to pick the things that you really really want to see and will all enjoy the most. Not just what everyone else says you must do.

People always go on about holidays being amazing to other people, even my ex used to lol and I'm thinking what you complained about the heat non stop.

Lv is full of hen party types and college kids and tourists and people selling stuff on the street.

It's not like your teenagers could just go walk up and down the strip themselves on a afternoon like they could say in Blackpool. It's massive and it wouldn't be safe for them alone

bruffin · 05/11/2018 08:50

My dc liked Death Valley and found the information centre.
We did Grand Canyon by staying in Flagstaff overnight. Driving to Grand Canyon airport. Flight over grand canyon to Paige , then a tour if the Antelope slot Canyons and finally a boat trip on the Colorado river through the canyon. It was an amazing day.
We then drove the next day and stayed overnight at the North rim Lodge for sunset and sunrise.
Was worth seeing Las Vegas for a day, was there 2 nights
We had 3 nights in Yosemite, 4 nights in San Francisco. 2 nights LA and 3 nights San Diego Everywhere else were single nights

qal · 05/11/2018 16:36

I would recommend more than 1 day at Disney. There are 2 separate parks, soon to be a 3rd. The coastal route down from Sf to LA is very pretty. Santa Cruz for surfing. Monterey is good, esp the aquarium, though poss not for teenagers. We loved San Diego - not too far from L.A.. There is a great zoo, aircraft carrier and fab beaches. Also, Joshua Tree national park was a great experience. We visited Calico ghost town, near Barstow, then Mono Lake which is amazing, and then Mammoth Lakes. While there we went on a gentle hike to Devil's Postpile which was well worth it.

PoptartPoptart · 05/11/2018 18:16

I disagree that there is nothing to do in Vegas for teens.
All the hotels are huge and unique, lots to see and fun to have a look around.
The Bellagio Fountains, Paris Eiffel Tower, Rollercoaster outside New York New York, The view and rides at the top of the Stratesphere, the Forum shops in Caesars Palace, the swimming pools, lots of amazing places to eat.
It’s a surreal place and not to be taken too seriously, a bit like a theme park as someone else said.
In my view it’s worth seeing.

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 19:27

Any wind and the Bellagio fountains don't run. Eiffle Tower takes 15mins it's nothing like the real thing cos Vegas isnt like Paris and not very pretty to look at from above and the ny rollercoaster depending how busy, 10mins and not every teenager likes heights.

At least at universal you can do so so much more. The rides are more like a movie experience

Disneyland is very childish they might not be too impressed even if they have never been to any other Disneyland before the rides are aimed at children apart from one or Two which are meant to be scary but aren't.

You don't see very many American children in Vegas for a good reason. don't think I've ever seen any there

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 19:32

And you can only swim at your own hotel unless it's partnered with another hotel but it's a fair walk between all the hotels

Unless you are child free Vegas is very over rated.

And also try to time the trip to factor in jet lag. Ie don't plan too much on the first few days until everyone has adjusted

bruffin · 05/11/2018 19:33

We preferred Warner bros to Universal.

bruffin · 05/11/2018 19:37

Our travel agent made the mistake of putting us Anaheim next to Disney, when everything we actually wanted to do was the otherside of LA. Although Disney fireworks were amazing. They set off all the car alarms in the hotel car park.

mumto2babyboys · 05/11/2018 19:59

Really a studio tour over a theme park. Each to their own

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