California/Nevada/Utah/Arizona & Wedding Pre-Trippie

[tracyh]

I've never done a pre-trip report as such before, I've done a trip plan on a much smaller scale and I've decided to go the whole hog with photos of hotels and attractions etc and a full plan report. I've read lots of other peoples pre-trippies and trippies though and love reading them, so I'm giving it a shot.

The cast is myself... Tracy 32 (33 when travelling) and my partner Iain 39 (40 when travelling). We plan to get married in Las Vegas and it will be very low key, about time though as we've been together for nearly 12 years now!



We fly from Heathrow on Sunday 4th October 2009 with Virgin Atlantic, to San Francisco. We decided to treat ourselves and we're flying premium economy for the first time. Sheer luxury! Our return flight is Sunday 25th October from San Francisco to Heathrow, PE again! So we have 3 weeks of travelling and sunshine to look forward to.

We are now travelling to Heathrow on Friday evening after work, rather than at 'stupid o'clock' on Saturday morning! We are staying because I managed to get a room at Travelodge Heathrow Airport for £24 for 1 night!



We are travelling to London on Saturday 3rd October and staying overnight at Pinewood Hotel in Slough. We plan to travel early and leave our luggage at the hotel, then we can spend the day at Thorpe Park. The hotel looks great and I think that we've got a good deal, £165 for one night bed & breakfast, car parking for 3 weeks and return taxi transfers to Heathrow.

Pinewood Hotel




Thorpe park

Then on Sunday morning we'll take a taxi ride to Heathrow for 3 weeks of pure bliss and our VA flight to San Francisco. I've chosen the right handside of the plane to sit, is this is apparently the best view when landing at SF airport.



This is where we'll collect our car, we have decided on a smaller SUV due to the luggage capacity. We like the RAV 4 SUV, hired through Netflights it costs less than Thrifty... I looked a while ago and it was £437 inc insurance from 3rd to 22nd October as we won't need it the last few days in San Francisco.

****The same car has been hired through Dollar, via Netflights.**** I have my wipes ready, as I've heard that they can be dirty!



RAV 4 SUV

These are the places that we will be visiting over the 3 weeks...

Hotel Charlotte, Groveland , CA
Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite National Park, CA
Bill's Gamblin Hall & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Lulu's Sleep Ezze Motel, Lake Powell, AZ
Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins, Grand Canyon, AZ
America's Best Value Inn, Kingman, AZ
Travelodge, Palm Springs, CA
Good Nite Inn, Buena Park, CA
Hilton Garden Inn Six Flags, Valencia, CA
Marina Beach Motel, Santa Barbara, CA
Mariposa Inn & Suites, Monterey, CA
Mayflower Hotel, San Francisco

[tracyh]

We are due to land at San Francisco at 14.20 on Sunday 4th October, hopefully our flight will be on time as we're driving straight out to Hotel Charlotte in Groveland. The town is just outside of Yosemite National Park, we decided to stay outside of the park for the first night then travel in first thing the next morning. Groveland looks a lovely little town though, a taste of the real America!

Hotel Charlotte

Groveland

We will probably eat at the hotel when we arrive as it does have a restaurant, then visit the "Iron Door Saloon" (oldest bar in California apparently!) for a couple of beers. Groveland does seem to be a one street town and something from out of a Western. Truly fabulous!

Breakfast was included in the cost of the hotel, which was $108 for 1 night. Thought it was a bit of a waste to spend nearly double that amount on 1 extra night in Yosemite, as we'd arrive too late to do anything. Also didn't fancy the idea of driving through the park in the dark, as it's a possibility.

We will partake in our first American breakfast of the holiday the next morning, then buy some drinks and a few snacks. Not too much though, as we would need to put it in a special 'bear box' in the park if we're not eating it straight away. Then off we go to Yosemite National Park... to Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. I know we can't check in, but we should hopefully be able to drop our luggage off then we can explore the park. We need to plan where we are walking in the park, I'm actually a little nervous about seeing any bears...this is the reason that we're in a hotel and not one of the camp grounds which are cheaper!

El Capitan

We are not going to attempt to climb El Capitan, we would just like to trek through the park on an official (populated!) trail. I have done some research and I believe that the waterfall will be dry at this time of year, still don't regret visiting at this time of year though. It would be too hot and busy in the height of summer.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Our room at Yosemite Lodge cost us $198.69 for 1 night and doesn't include breakfast, but there is a restaurant where we can buy meals. The next morning we can afford another few hours sightseeing, then we will be on the road again to our next destination... Las Vegas...

... ...

[Sarah84]

Sounds like a great trip you have planned, Groveland does look a lovely little town. Look forward to reading more

[tracyh]

On our way to Las Vegas we plan to visit Bodie Ghost Town, we're not clear of the directions yet but want to visit one ghost town on our trip and we've chosen Bodie. We will also plan our route to travel through Death Valley if possible, or at least some of it. This is the most part of our day and we will have a long journey ahead of us, but this is a big part of our trip... cruising the open roads and seeing the "real" America!

Bodie Ghost Town

Death Valley

We (Iain) will be driving just short of 400 miles today and this is the longest drive of the trip, which should take us 7 to 8 hours without any stops. So I doubt we will be doing much when we arrive in Vegas, one thing that we will do straight away though is find the County Clerks office and collect our marriage license... it shuts at 12am. But if we're too tired we will collect it the next morning.

We can't wait to see the following sight when entering Las Vegas, which Iain has tattoo'd on his back...



I believe that you can pull over by the sign (depending on spaces) to take photographs. Really hope that there's spaces!



Yes he has a back dedicated to Las Vegas and we haven't even been yet, but we know that we already love it!

We will obviously head straight to our hotel, which is Bill's Gamblin Hall & Casino. It's in a fabulous location close to the Bellagio and the Paris hotel but a fraction of the price. This hotel isn't booked/paid for yet and neither are the rest of the hotels from here on. But we have chose hotels according to our budget, which is as little as possible! But all of the hotels do get good reviews on tripadvisor and I think that this trip is going to be quite an experience just for the hotels alone. We're planning to stay at some real characters...I think this is the best way to describe them!

Bill's Gamblin Hall & Casino

We are staying at this hotel for 5 nights.

If anybody knows about the "Big Elvis" show in Vegas, it is held at Bill's. We will definately be watching!

Whilst in Vegas our plans are to ride up the Stratosphere and I have (maybe foolishly!) promised Iain that I will ride the Big Shot. I'm also contemplating eating at the Top of the World Restaurant as our meal after we are married, it's still in the thinking stages yet though.

We will also be partaking in the obvious... gambling! We'll be visiting hotels and casino's and we want to see the Lion Habitat at the MGM, Bellagio Fountains from the ground and from the Eiffel Tower, ride the Venician gondolas, shopping including the M&M's store and possibly a helicopter ride over the strip. This depends on how much money we have to spare once everything is paid up. There will be more aswell I'm sure, but these are the main things for now.

The 2nd full day in Vegas we plan to get married, but I haven't actually booked anything yet. I know I need to hurry up, but I didn't want to book the wedding venue before we have our hotels booked as we need to be sure of the date. It will be very low key, just the 2 of us infact! Low key and low budget at a wedding chapel, I have no preference as yet but hopefully we'll find one on the strip. If the strip chapels are fully booked I'm not worried... we'll find another one I'm sure!

I'm going to book a package including photographs and a witness, not too bothered about flowers or any other optional extras. We want it to be casual and relaxed, therefore I'm not wearing a wedding dress and Iain plans to wear shorts! I will wear a dress though and I will make Iain wear a shirt, even if it is casual!

After the ceremony we will have a meal at possibly The Stratosphere restaurant that I mentioned earlier, then we would like to take in a show. A Cirque Du Soleil show is our first choice, hopefully the new Chris Angel show and it would be nice to be serenaded on the gondalas at The Venecian on our wedding day. I can't wait actually, I have an image of a perfect relaxed day in my head! I think I may book us a limo for travelling from the hotel to the chapel and on to our next location.

The only other places that we plan to eat at the moment are hotel buffets, we have nothing else in mind yet and would like some suggestions...bearing in mind that fancy restaurants and a la carte menu's are not us! I have also found another restaurant, which is ranked number 1 of 1665 Vegas restaurants on tripadvisor. It looks good, fabulous no frills home cooked meals and affordable prices. The reviews are outstanding, but it is off the strip and a return taxi trip is apparently around $80 but as we have a car and Iain doesn't drink we will make our own way there to "Off The Strip - Just Real Food".

So we have 5 nights altogether in Vegas and this and San Francisco are what we are mostly looking forward to.

Next stop... Grand Canyon...

I have edited to say that I managed to forget all about the Hoover Dam, we will either take a trip here (driving ourselves) whilst staying in Vegas or on the way to our next location. There is no way that we would miss the Hoover Dam!

Hoover Dam

[tracyh]

Originally Posted by Sarah84

Sounds like a great trip you have planned, Groveland does look a lovely little town. Look forward to reading more

See more...

I've was actually reading your pre-trippie when I decided to do one myself Sarah, so we have you to thank!

[tracyh]

Okay so today should be Sunday 11th October and the next stop is Bashful Bob's Motel at Lake Powell/Page and it's advertised at $39 for the night, I said we we're on a budget! It's a pretty mixed bag of hotel prices actually and originally we had more expensive hotels planned, but with the drop in the dollar rate and the fact that we have 3 weeks of hotels to pay for and decided to travel Virgin PE...we have had to cut back with some of the hotels.

Bashful Bob's

Lake Powell's hotel is now Lulu's Sleep Ezze Motel, I changed the hotel because of reviews on tripadvisor.



Not much to do at Lake Powell really other than the Lake I think! It's just a stopover to the Grand Canyon really, but we do want to see Lake Powell.


Lake Powell

You can swim in the lake and it a true natural wonder, a place of beauty.

After our night at Bashful Bob's we (Iain!) will be driving on to the Grand Canyon and spending the night at Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins, at the South Rim. You can take a mule ride from the hotel if you wish, but we don't plan to do this. We will explore on foot, but mostly I'm looking forward to relaxing here and taking in the views. Hopefully we will catch a sunset and/or a sunrise. I'm sure that I would have bought my red wine supplies by now and I'm picturing myself watching a sunset whilst enjoying a glass or 2!

Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins

Grand Canyon South Rim

Breakfast isn't included at this hotel, but there is a restaurant and apparently dining reservations should be made at least a couple of months in advance...I need to remember this. A lodge with bathroom/shower room should cost around $90 for the night.

Next stop is Kingman, Arizona and more amazing sights on the journey...

[tracyh]

Okay I really need to leave the house now, I am supposed to go out and buy something for dinner tonight. We won't be eating at this rate!

I will continue later...

[Guest]

We did something similar in 98 when we sneaked off to LV to get married. Now with kids we are thinking of recreating the journey without too many long stints of driving. We did LA - SF - San Diego -LV- SF. Could do without the LA bit and try to get out of doing Disney but started putting the plan in my mind for summer 2010, if only to make sure we get the Yosemite accommodation that we want. We loved LV and hope the kids do to.

[tracyh]

I decided against leaving the house... thought I'd wait until Iain gets up (he's been working not lazy!). It's so sunny and nice I thought we should go out to eat, I don't want to put the oven on because it's warm here. That's my excuse anyway!

We will be driving along a section of Route 66 on our trip from Grand Canyon to our next stop, which is Kingman Arizona.

Section of Route 66

Kingman

Here we will be staying at America's Best Value Inn for 1 night, which should cost around $40. Another cheapo, but again it gets good reviews on tripadvisor. It may be cheap but it does have free breakfast, internet facilities, free parking, tv, pool and laundry facilities so we're happy about the price. We'll make the most of the cheaper locations when possible, as some are understandably more expensive especially in the cities.

America's Best Value Inn, Kingman

The only thing that we plan to do here is visit Oatman, to see the Oatman Burro's (like donkeys). I believe they're a big tourist attraction and we don't want to miss them. I'm going to be careful around them though, as they do pester you for food.




I've found this "American diner" in Kingman, whilst browsing photos on google. It could be interesting to try it out!

Mr D'z Route 66 Diner

Another relaxing night in Kingman I think, it will probably be spend making use of the laundry facilities and using the pool as long as it's open/warm enough. Hopefully it will be.

Then next morning it's on to Palm Springs, California...

[tracyh]

Okay so no doubt we'll have more amazing scenery on the next leg of the journey, Kingman to Palm Springs and back into California. Our hotel choice for the night is Travelodge and should cost $65 before tax. Another bargain that has the same facilities as the last hotel, free breakfast, free parking, internet access, tv, laundry facilities, pool.

Travelodge, Palm Springs

Again there's only one thing that we plan to do in Palm Springs and that's Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. There's a restaurant at the top and we'll either eat here or find somewhere nice in Palm Springs. Both if we're in time for lunch once up the tramway.

I think that by now we will be craving a trip to a Walmart aswell, there should be one in Palm Springs so we will be searching it out. But we do have a sat nav with American maps, so this shouldn't be a problem. Maybe a visit to the mall aswell, I don't think that there's anything else to do really.

Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs.

Another short but sweet section and next it's on to Buena Park, California...