[tonymc]

Here we go again! Following our Florida escapades in August, we were keen to have another non-Disney holiday next year.

The plans were originally somewhat up in the air, as DD was starting University this year and may have been working at Camp America in summer 2017. However, she decided not to pursue the Camp America option, so that left us with the "maybe" option.

With Alex's course being in Film & TV Production, she mentioned she would like the chance to visit one of the film studios, so it really was a foregone conclusion that we would be heading for the West Coast.

Having previously visited in 2013, we were keen not to revisit previous locations, but visit some new places, and so a few evenings of looking around the various websites led us to the "must dos" being LA/Hollywood, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, San Francisco and Yosemite - a tall order to fit into 16 days!

A bonus was that Alex won't return to University until the end of September, so gives us the option of travelling outside the peak holiday season.

The first step was booking flights. Always a tricky one this, as nowadays any mention of economy is usually greeted with a stony silence as both ladies have now become accustomed to the luxuries of PE/Business Class Travel.

Following our bargain VA U/C flights last year which meant we freed up our VA Miles and Avios, I ended up managing to book BA flights outbound MAN-LHR-LAX in Club World for 31st August using Avios. A few weeks later, I booked the direct SFO-MAN flight using VA Miles in Upper Class on 15th September, so the ladies have another year travelling in the style they have become accustomed!

Now having our "timeframe", it became apparent that we wouldn't be able to fit everything in we had planned, so our current plan is:

31/08 Arrival in LAX
31/08-07/09: 7 nights probably in Santa Monica or Long Beach, and using the Metro Rail service to get downtown. Probably booking a studio tour for Alex, and a visit to Hollywood.
07/09: Fly from LAX to Prescott, then rental car for the 2 hour drive to Grand Canyon. Overnight at Grand Canyon Village.
08/09: Mid-afternoon drive from GC to Las Vegas, calling at the Hoover Dam. 4 nights in Vegas.
09/09-11/09: Full days in Vegas
12/09: Early flight Vegas to SFO, remaining time to 15/09 in San Francisco.
15/09: Flight back to UK

So unfortunately it means we will be dropping Yosemite from our plans, but maybe another time.

And so far, that's all we have booked. I have been looking at accommodation for the various locations, with the possibility of renting a condo in Santa Monica/Venice Beach/Long Beach area, a lodge at the Grand Canyon Village to maximise our short time there, and various hotels for Vegas and San Francisco.

I've also signed up to Groupon for LA, Vegas and San Franciso for any hotel or trip bargains that may crop up, so looks like an interesting few months of planning to come