How do I split 10 nights in California?

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by PumpkinCupcake

Haha, I would say you're right, and I hope you are! We're supposed to be going in almost two months, and I've accepted it wont happen now. I'm not going to reschedule until I can see that it's going to be okay for sure, as I don't think I can deal with having to reschedule a third time

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By next year covid19 will be a distant memory... I’m going to stay positive. I know what you mean about rescheduling. I will be gutted to reschedule again too. I’m going o crack on planning and booking... whilst trying to limit my risk IF the worst happened... it won’t 😀

[400ixl]

Originally Posted by Milpston

I am thinking of maybe dropping the 4th night in Anaheim to make room for a short San Diego stay. I like the idea of the PCH but think the driving will just be too much for the kids. Whilst there are a few things I’d like to see in San Fran I think it would bore our youngest two silly.

The current plan will be to fly into Vegas and home from LAX... I think.

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Good choice, I would leave Northern California for a different visit as well.

I would look at starting in Las Vegas, then down to San Diego, up to Anaheim and finally a few days in North LA before flying home out of LAX.

Things to consider travel wise are:
Driving between Las Vegas and San Diego will pretty much take a day out of your itinerary.
Driving between San Diego and Anaheim is only 2-3 hours but realistically is half a day. You could use the afternoon / evening to spend some time looking around the Disney village. Or get up and crack on and get 2/3 of a day inside the parks. You need 2-3 days in the parks really
Driving between Anaheim and north LA can be 2 hours, but does then leave you plenty of time to do things in the Hollywood area that day, leaving Universal for the following day.
If you have a later flight out of LAX then you could spend a few hours on the coast on your final day doing Santa Monica, Venice Beach etc.

How long you want in Vegas and San Diego really depend on your priorities and what you want to do there. You could easily lose a week in each.

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by 400ixl

Good choice, I would leave Northern California for a different visit as well.

I would look at starting in Las Vegas, then down to San Diego, up to Anaheim and finally a few days in North LA before flying home out of LAX.

Things to consider travel wise are:
Driving between Las Vegas and San Diego will pretty much take a day out of your itinerary.
Driving between San Diego and Anaheim is only 2-3 hours but realistically is half a day. You could use the afternoon / evening to spend some time looking around the Disney village. Or get up and crack on and get 2/3 of a day inside the parks. You need 2-3 days in the parks really
Driving between Anaheim and north LA can be 2 hours, but does then leave you plenty of time to do things in the Hollywood area that day, leaving Universal for the following day.
If you have a later flight out of LAX then you could spend a few hours on the coast on your final day doing Santa Monica, Venice Beach etc.

How long you want in Vegas and San Diego really depend on your priorities and what you want to do there. You could easily lose a week in each.

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That’s really helpful. Thank you. I was thinking 4 nights in Vegas with the last being an early night so we head off to Anaheim and be in the Disney parks for say 11 ish? Going straight to San Diego I hadn’t really considered but may be a plan as I’m sure we wouldn’t be able to get into any accommodation until 4ish anyway ... LOTS to think about!

[400ixl]

It takes a minimum of 4 hours to get from Las Vegas to Anaheim, often 6+

A long drive (up at 5am to be in the park for 11am (at best)) to to then be hyper busy in a park for 10+ hours would be a lot for the kids. To then be up early again the next morning for a repeat of a long day.

You would then be driving south to San Diego and then back north past Anaheim to get to Hollywood.

If you head Straight to SD you can have a more relaxed day and evening.

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by 400ixl

It takes a minimum of 4 hours to get from Las Vegas to Anaheim, often 6+

A long drive (up at 5am to be in the park for 11am (at best)) to to then be hyper busy in a park for 10+ hours would be a lot for the kids. To then be up early again the next morning for a repeat of a long day.

You would then be driving south to San Diego and then back north past Anaheim to get to Hollywood.

If you head Straight to SD you can have a more relaxed day and evening.

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That is a fair point.
If I do Anaheim first I will arrive Monday morning. If I do San Diego it would mean my days at Disneyland would be over a weekend when it is likely to be busier. Lots of pros and cons to weigh up!

[jdouds]

Originally Posted by LizzyBear

San Diego isn't a hugely long drive from Anaheim, we drove there and back in a day. The zoo is amazing, would definitely recommend for kids and there is Seaworld there too.
Hollywood was my least favourite place we stayed in in California, it was fun to see the sights but I would agree 6 nights is probably too many. I'd say 4 LA area/2 San Diego or 3/3 would be good.

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Hi has it moved. It’s 89 miles approx.

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi has it moved. It’s 89 miles approx.

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I wouldn’t say that’s a huge drive either. It’s actually closer than what Clearwater is to Kissimmee in Florida and plenty do that as a day trip... dependent on traffic obvs.

[jdouds]

Originally Posted by PumpkinCupcake

I love San Diego, and I think it would be fun to do with kids because of the zoo and the safari park and it's not too far of a drive.

Our 'plans' (because who knows when we'll get to do this trip!) are to fly into San Francisco for 3 nights, then 1 night in napa valley, 2 nights in Yosemite, 1 night in Monterey, 1 night in Cambria, 2 nights in LA, 2 nights in Palm Springs, and then 2 nights in Anaheim for Disney.

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Hi for your trip I would suggest a drive to napa , it’s not far and use the other night perhaps for another night in Monterey. Lots to do in Monterey, you would probably arrive late morning . 17 mile dr, aquarium , Carmel , pebble beach, the coast line is great, and please if you can go whale watching, fantastic.

[Milpston]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi for your trip I would suggest a drive to napa , it’s not far and use the other night perhaps for another night in Monterey. Lots to do in Monterey, you would probably arrive late morning . 17 mile dr, aquarium , Carmel , pebble beach, the coast line is great, and please if you can go whale watching, fantastic.

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We would love to do whale watching. It’s definitely on the wife’s bucket list. I was hoping to stay 3-4 nights minimum in each location to limit the travelling fight our youngest 2 so I just don’t think we will realistically be able to fit it in to 10 nights in Socal.

Out of interest for anyone who has done Universal Hollywood Would one day be enough or would we need 2 to do it justice?

[LizzyBear]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi has it moved. It’s 89 miles approx.

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Only takes 1.5 hours though which to me isn't too bad, I'd drive that long for a day trip in the UK.
Regarding Universal I found 1 day enough, though not sure if there has been a lot extra added since 2008.