Accommodation for California trip sorted!

[Cyclospora]

24th July - 11th Aug 2008

Me, DH, DD(16) and DS(19)


24/07 - Fly Heathrow to LAX - PE

Stay in LAX Westin (Bargain price (£60) courtesy of Hotwire - infact hotel looks so nice that DH wants to fly to SFO at lunchtime instead of first thing in the morning!!)

25/07 - Fly to SFO with Virgin America ($49 each) - we couldn't get the sale prices to fly to SFO and home from LAX - worked out much cheaper this way

3 night stay at Holiday Inn Express and Suites Fishermans Wharf (also had about £100 off because of Hotwire) Just want to look around the city, bike the bridge etc. Not fussed on Alcatraz at the mo.

Pick up Dodge Durango (or similar!!) USRentacar

28/07 3 nights in Cedar Lodge, El portal, Yosemite. Had a problem booking hotel close to the park - in the end rang them direct and got a suite. Looking forward to doing a bit of walking and exploring beautiful countryside.

31/07 1 night in Monterey - Casa Munras. Hotwired this one too - not sure if I'd have chosen it myself - but had it much cheaper than normal price. Want to go to Cannery Row and good base to start drive down the coast

01/08 2 nights in a suite at Pismo Lighthouse Hotel and Suites, Pismo Beach. Had a bargain here using compare prices with Tripadvisor. Don't forget about taxes though. Never as good as the first quote you're given! Just beach days planned. Hope to see elephant seals on the journey too.

03/08 3 nights at the Hollywood Orchid Suites. This is the only one I'm not sure about. Had a good price for the suite but a bit concerned about the area as I know nothing apart from what I've seen in films!!! It's at the back of Mann's Chinese theater - and Hollywood and Highland shopping mall. I've been on Google maps and done streetview and it looks like it's by the delivery bay for the shopping mall!

Anyone know the area? How safe is the metro as apparently it's only 1 stop to Universal.

Think we might have needed another day here - want to go to Universal - is that all doable in 1 day or do you need 2? Want to do a bus tour and a walk around. Could possibly leave bus tour until Anaheim if we are pushed.

06/08 5 nights Hyatt Regency Orange County - booked a 2 bedroom suite. Looks a lovely hotel and hopefully a lovely way to finish off the holiday!

Disney.... and Disney.... Knotts Berry Farm ...and shopping at the Block. Possibly anything we didn't have time for in LA. We love coasters and are not sure if we can fit in 6 Flags Magic Mountain. Is it worth it? Looks great!

11/08 Fly back to Heathrow PE

:D

[highlander447]

Looks like a great trip

[Jools]

You've got a fantastic holiday planned there. :D We are hoping to bike the bridge in september.

We were in Hollywood in 2006 and had a look at Manns theatre. I wouldn't say we know the area at all, but we parked up in a lot behind Manns and I didn't feel unsafe. There is a lovely ice cream place near there - I think it was called Disney's Soda Fountain - mmm I had a fabulous milk shake in there.

We are also flying Virgin America. We are going from Vegas to San Francisco, and aslo San Francisco to LA. Like you were are only $49 each which is amazing value.

I'll be interested to hear all about your holiday when you return.

[LolUK]

Universal in LA can be done in a day as long as it isn't too crowded. As for Hollywood, I wouldn't spend that much time there after dark to be completely honest. It isn't the most pleasant of areas but no need to worry :)

[ju_itfc]

Hollywood is not a nice place. We only had 2 hours there on a city tour and that was time enough to look at the sights and get the hell out of there. I certainly wouldn't entertain the prospect of working around that area late at night.

I do know however that other people have really enjoyed Hollywood, so once again, it is purely a matter of personal taste and opinion.

The trip sounds great. Definitely bike the bridge, but consider the ferry home as that hill down to Sausalito is great fun, but coming back up it would be a real problem I think!!!

[LolUK]

US cities always amaze me how one side of a street is affluent, but the next block can be unpleasant. Hollywood is an example of this - the area north of West Sunset is not the nicest place at night, but below West Sunset (West Hollywood) area is a polar opposite.

[Cyclospora]

I've done all the research that I can and so far it seems that the place we are staying isn't too bad at all.

We are there for 3 nights - one could be at City Walk (but what's the Metro like at 10ish?) Another night might be to have a meal in the shopping Mall ;) (Method in my madness there!) and I've also noticed that Wicked is on in LA so we could get a taxi there on the 3rd night.

We will avoid the seedier parts hopefully but would still like to walk around, go on a bus tour and also go to Universal.

The kids are 19 and 16 and as one of DD(16)s favourite film is Pretty Woman - she might want to look for Vivienne! :pgig: :nonono:

[ju_itfc]

US cities always amaze me how one side of a street is affluent, but the next block can be unpleasant. Hollywood is an example of this - the area north of West Sunset is not the nicest place at night, but below West Sunset (West Hollywood) area is a polar opposite.

Never more true than in San Francisco, where Union Square meets the Tenderloin in just a few blocks.

We stayed in a Comfort Inn on Polk Street which borders the Tenderloin area and had no problems whatsoever (and the rooms were gorgeous), aside from a leisurely stroll down O'Farrell one afternoon which turned into dodgy central very quickly.

[swv]

We have just come back from a four night stay at the Orchid Suites and they are in a great location. Out the front door and 20 yds away is an entrance to the Mall. You must have a meal at the Grill at Hollywood which is upstairs in the Mall. The steaks are to die for. Also after you go through the entrance of the mall from the Orchid Suites and come out in the open then go to your left and theres a great view of the Hollywood Sign. One point is we say Orchid as in flower but every time we mentioned to cabbies where we were staying they pronounce it as Orchard as in fruit.
The suites were massive, the kitchen cupboards were a bit old fashioned but otherwise the place was great. We stayed on the 2nd floor overlooking the pool and there is free internet desk you can use on this floor right next to the lift. Never used the Metro so cant help there but ask away if you need anymore information on the Suites. :)

[Sarah84]

Sounds like a great trip planned and not long at all now till you go :D Look forward to reading all about the holiday when you return.

[force ten]

Sounds like you have got some trip planned there

We stayed at the holiday inn express in a mini suite for four nights last year, and it was a great hotel and very handy for the wharf or the cable car terminus to get up into the main shopping area

If you are going to ride the cable cars then buy a day pass not single tickets

[Rio]

You will like the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Anaheim. We stayed there for a month in August 2004, its a very nice hotel and it has 2 swimming pools which were never busy. Theres a Starbucks and a Pizza Hut in the hotel which is handy.
We were booked into a standard room, but as we stayed for a month, they gave us a 1 bedroom suite which was very nice and we overlooked the fountain out the front.
Across the road is Target and a 99c shop which sells everything. Its also close to the Red Robin restaurant and the Outback Steakhouse and at the back of the hotel is a lovely pizza restaurant.At the Hilton Hotel along the road, theres a fantastic chinese restaurant which is very different from the chow mein and sweet and sour places!!!
To get to Disney, they have a bus that runs every half hour to and from the park, from before the parks open till an hour after they close.The best thing is that its a free bus!!(or it was for us, we booked with Virgin!!)
If you need to know anything, just ask.
Love Rio

[Cyclospora]

Thanks everyone for all your advice!

You've also put my mind at rest about my choice of hotels - especially the Hollywood Orchid!

[Pedro]

Hi Annie

Looks an awesome itinerary. You will love the 'bike the bridge' experience. This is the company we hired from, right on Fisherman's Wharf: http://www.blazingsaddles.com/

We loved Monterey and especially Cannery Row. With hindsight would have allowed more time in the schedule.

I'm sure you will have a great time!!

Peter

[Jackie]

That all looks great, Annie

On the Yosemite bit, you just need to leave enough driving time: the distance into the valley is huge - we were driving about 40 miles each day.

And do I remember rightly that IHOP is attached to the Holiday Inn at fishermans wharf - always a good thing!