Just booked California! Any advice?!

[yetanothernewusername1]

Hi! Just booked 3 weeks in California, we're flying to Las Vegas direct spending 2 nights in a hotel before driving to our villa in la Quinta, CA.
Definitely want to do San Diego zoo and universal. Is there any where you can recommend? Did Disney in Florida last year so not bothering this time. Which of the national parks are worth going to?
What should we do in the 2 days we have in Vegas?
Thanks!

Thank OP, I'm considering Thomas cook - how long was the flight though, the ones I've seen were 15 hours?!

(from Manchester - not really an option as we live 4 hours from there, London would be better)

Watching this now - we just booked flights for next August too. Yey!

We've also booked an air b&b near San Diego for the first week. It comes with a pool so looking to visit local sights and chill by the pool. We have 11 and 8 year old DS with us.

Then to Las Vegas for three nights, staying at The Venetian shamelessly excited about it! Last four days undecided, looking to visit Universal for one day, see the Hollywood sign and general mooching in and around the area.

Brilliant! All this is being noted! I'm perhaps looking at splitting my time there between two villas but tbh my villa is amazing and so expensive even for basic nearer LA. Honestly though I couldn't care less if I didn't get there....I'll go back I'm sure and can head that neck of the woods on that adventure! Just happy to be off work with minute chance of rain!
@hudyerwheesht we didn't want to change anywhere so direct it's cheaper to vegas. I think there are some direct flights to LA from Manchester but seems random the days they fly.
11 hours there 10 back 🙈 last time I went to US I forgot to book following day off and had to face work with jet lag! Remembered to do it this year!
I am very tempted to go to San Francisco over LA at the moment but swaying towards that being an adult only trip one day in the future as seems loads to do there!

It's also much much cheaper to fly from Heathrow to Los Angeles direct too @hudyerwheesht....roughly 350 each and around 11hrs

Thanks OP.

@Helipad - do you know about how hot it will apparently be? As well as it being mentioned on this thread, I started another re choosing an airline and I've had lots of warnings from posters about the heat in August.

To be fair re the heat it's only inland and Vegas that will be really hot.

The coast wasn't, that was nice. And Hollywood/LA/Universal and Disney wasn't too hot either.

Up north towards San Francisco and Monterey was a lot cooler. We needed hoodies and jumpers.

@hudyerwheesht I'd expect it to be 40-45 degrees in August it's very hot....this year in may was around 36 where I'm going....
That said it's dry heat and I cope so so much better in that than humidity like Orlando....at least your body can actually sweat!!

Oh I love a good California thread!

We've flown to both LA and Vegas with Thomas Cook and they were great, you get meals, have to pay extra for drinks but soooo much cheaper than any other airline we saw.

We are going to San Francisco in May, this time with BA, We're going around Whit week (the kids will miss 3 days of school) and it was only £315 each for the flights. It felt like a sign that they were that cheap...Though had I realised how expensive accomodation was I may have thought differently!

Anyway, we are do SF, Yosemite, Monterey then Mountain View. Squeezing a lot in to 10 days but I'm on a YOLO thing so it's worth it!

Wow @Curlybrunette sounds fab! Yes accommodation is expensive....we've paid 2500 for 19 nights in a villa, in the desert lol so not even touristy area....LA was ridiculous!
I've decided to do San Francisco and the stuff further north on a separate holiday cuz as much as we love the driving we don't wanna be doing it all holiday!!
Just hoping Trump puts his toys back in his pram pronto! This shutdown doesn't look much fun!

I know, whatever is the shutdown all about.

On our last day in LA we went to Long Beach, it was beautiful I'd love to go there again.

I know what you mean about the driving, I don't particularly like long car journeys, the longest we'll do this time is to Yosemite which should be less than 4 hours.

Have an amazing trip

Sorry to hijack the thread, but we have also booked 16 nights at the end of July/ Landing in San Francisco, 3 nights possibly then planning on a night in Monteray or maybe Lake Tahoe and then 2 nights in Yosemite.

We really want to drive to Las Vegas and see the Grand Canyon. We have two teens aged 14 and 16 who want to do the parks, so going to LA at the end of the trip and have 4-5 days there. Hoping to share the driving between DH and I.

I would also appreciate any advice - haven't finalised our itinerary or booked any hotels yet. So excited - I did this trip as a child in the eighties and have always wanted to go back!

The Grand Canyon will be busy so book a hotel near there if you want to stay there. The queues to get in can be huge apparently in the summer. Personally the heat would kill me! It’s much better to visit in April. However, it’s awesome.

We never went to theme parks and always found great things to see and do. North of SF is lovely and you don’t mention Big Sur or anything on Highway 1. That’s a shame as it’s laid back California at its best! I would stay somewhere with a beach rather than charge over to LV. In the summer I think it’s hortibly hot - would you really enjoy it? There is a lot to see and do in LA and I would cut down the driving and stay in California.

In SF, stay near a trolley car stop and don’t stay in Fishermans Wharf. It’s the end of the trolley car line and it’s a bit kiss me quick.

We stayed in Santa Monica near LA and that’s nicer than many areas in and around LA. If you want the theme parks, stay near them. Carmel is much nicer then Monterey. Check if the whales are there in July - not sure. Carmel has a great beach.

OP we lived in the Mojave Desert for two years and my first two DC were born out there but I'm not clear what month you're travelling in? Is it you going in August or another poster? We travelled throughout California in our patches of time off so happy to give advice but I'd be far more inclined to drive in May than I would be in the heat of August, even given that it is dry heat. Palm Desert is very quiet in the summer (I used to go frequently to Palm Desert), although that can be quite nice. A few things close down in the Desert in the mid summer though - that can be when repairs and maintenance are done, so worth checking ahead for particular attractions. Route 1 is fabulous but there have been landfalls and some of Big Sur isn't accessible at the moment. I'd think about flying from Palm Springs to Sam Franciso for a couple of days instead. Carmel beaches are beautiful and that area around Carmel is wonderful to explore, also worth visiting at least some of the missions along the coast if you do decide to drive. The coast is a completely different climate in the summer and a welcome break from the heat. But it definitely helps to have a lovely villa with pool!

San Franciso!

If you plan on staying in the national parks or the other cities places get booked up FAST.

Get good insurance as some of our trip had to be cancelled due to forest fires.

Highlights-
Malibu
Santa Monica 3rd street in the late afternoon/eve
Monterey and the Carmel valley
The drive from LA to Monterey and big sur.
Alcatraz
SAN Diego zoo- go as soon as it opens as by lunch time it is too hot to do anything
The dream inn Santa Cruz
Surfing in San Diego 🙌🏻

Misses
SAN Fran- dirty, lots of homeless people felt quite ropey
Santa Monica beach- see above. Go father along the coast much nicer- topanga or Malibu

There are a lot of homeless people in towns along the California coast. Clearly if you don't have a home, you're better off in a temperate climate. I saw a seriously ugly incident between the local police and an elderly homeless man in Ventura - utterly shameful and something I won't ever forget.

That's really helpful @goodbyestranger thank you....we fly out on 18th May so hoping more comfortable than August!!
Looking at flights to San Fran from Palm Springs is nearly 1000 for four of us so not doable unfortunately! We may stay north if we come back so we can see things then.
Quiet sounds good to me!! I'd be quite happy on a desert island on my own lol with a socially demanding job I'm happy to not see a soul 😁.
So far it's looking like LA on a couple of occasions, maybe stay overnight, same with San Diego....I've seen some premier outlets fairly close so I'm happy 😃.
Keep the tips coming please and thanks to those so far 😁

We've booked all our accommodation now and the itinerary is as follows:

7 nights in Sand Diego, found a fab air b&b with a pool in Normal Heights

3 nights in Las Vegas, staying at the Venetian

4 nights in Santa Monica, hotel right on the beach (near 3rd street)

I wanted to do and see so much more but we are hoping to go back and explore Yosemite, San Fran, Monterey then. But this is it now, we want to chill and mooch a bit as well as visit more hectic Las Vegas and see some (family friendly) shows. Can't wait!

I've come back to say I have another day trip in mind whilst in California!!
Wanting to cross the border at Tijuana, Mexico.
Plan is to park (about 2.5hrs away from us) and walk the pedestrian route to the city....I've read lots of dos and don't so hopefully prepared!
Anyone done this?

Yes here is some great advice. Crack open a bottle and congratulate yourself for being able to go on a holiday like that!

Sounds amazing, you enjoy it xx

Will there be Trumps wall in the way?

@BubblesBuddy oh god yes forgot about trumps wall 🙈 surely though entry points will remain? He can't shut people in and out entirely surely?
I will have to look into this further!

Keep an eye on Trump's government shutdown/s as the national parks usually close down or rely on the limited goodwill of locals. Be aware that their websites will not be current because there is no staff to update them. Also the facilities are mostly shut - that means no food/water or restrooms are open. I'm not sure about availability of gas.

The weather has been atrocious in California and there's more forecast and many highways and roads have been damaged - keep informed by reading the daily online newspapers such as LA Times, Desert Sun, and news and weather channels. It's snowed in Las Vegas this week!

Maybe check out TripAdvisor too for current news just before you go.
Sorry, didn't want to be doom and gloom.

California is a fabulous place to live and visit. The people are lovely. I'd go back in a heartbeat and there is so much to see.

Especially loved Santa Monica and Palm Springs.
Palm Springs Stay in one of the small motels. Do a trip of the old Hollywood stars' homes. Lovely boutiques/shopping. A guided trip with a local up the arroyo and into the Indian Desert. Palm Springs Ariel tramway to the top of Mount San Jacinto. PS Art Museum. Palm Springs Air Museum (they will be flying their B-52 on 27 May). Great food.

LA Getty Centre, Griffith observatory. Downtown. Malibu beach.