West Coast - October 2022 - Solo Traveller

[seyre1972]

So, major birthday starting with a 5 this year. Have done the East Coast far too many times (work and leisure)

Never had chance to do the West Coast of the US - so thought why not.

This will be a solo trip as my wife can’t think of anything worse than a road trip. She may/may not fly out and join me for Las Vegas/Death Valley/San Francisco leg however)

Initial Itinerary as below

Flights booked via Virgin Miles/points but will be Delta tin. Car hire booked bu cancellable, and Seattle hotel booked - all the others yet to be booked nearer the date


Flight - October 11
LHR - Salt Lake City - Seattle (Virgin/Delta One)
3 nights Seattle (1/2 day Whale Watching around San Juan Islands)

Flight
Seattle - Las Vegas. (Delta One)
3 nights Vegas
Pick up hire car (booked via Avis. Either a convertible, or a medium SUV)

1 Night South Rim Grand Canyon (see sunset/sunrise)
1 Night Death Valley (again Sunset and Sunrise)


Dependent upon Yosemite Park Tioga road being open

1 night Mammoth Ski resort
2 nights Yosemite

1 night Pismo Beach

Big Sur Coastal Road
2 nights Monterey Bay (Sea Otter/Whale Watching)

3 Nights San Francisco (Bike Tour over Golden Gate Bridge/Sausalito and Ferry back. Alcatraz, Lombard Street/City tour in Love Bus (VW Camper)



If Yosemite Park Tioga road not open (east entrance)

Travel via Barstow/Route 66 (432 Miles ….
1 night Pismo Beach

Big Sur Coastal Road
2 nights Monterey Bay (Sea Otter/Whale Watching)

2 nights in Yosemite

3 Nights San Francisco (Bike Tour over Golden Gate Bridge/Sausalito and Ferry back. Alcatraz, Lombard Street/City tour in Love Bus (VW Camper)


Flight
San Francisco (SFO) - Salt Lake City (SLC) - London Heathrow LHR (Virgin/Delta One)


So plan not yet set in stone/adaptable.

[cornishfrogboy]

That looks a great itinerary.

Likewise, we are out there in October… perhaps we will be in the same Love Tour Bus!

[seyre1972]

- yes some of my iteinerary may well have been “borrowed” from yours (they do say “ Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery …’. Hope that’s ok ?

Likewise plan to stay in the Monterey Bay Inn based upon your comments on your itinerary ….

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by seyre1972

- yes some of my iteinerary may well have been “borrowed” from yours (they do say “ Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery …’. Hope that’s ok ?

Likewise plan to stay in the Monterey Bay Inn based upon your comments on your itinerary ….

See more...

You are very welcome, indeed.

The reason I post is to provide information to others,
The reason that I read, is to benefit from the information of others.

Monterey Bay Inn is not cheap, but then again, nothing in Monterey is. Our last stay was lovely and this time, we have paid a little more for an ‘Ocean Harbour View’.
We found our best price by going direct to their own site.

With the ‘Love Tour’ that I in fact booked last night, best price I found was $75pp with ‘Bay City Bike’. $4.50 booking fee gets added to that.

If you are aiming at Yavapai Lodge on the Grand Canyon rim, then ebookers came out best on my dates.

Pismo beach, it came down to a straight choice between the Madonna Inn, because we liked it before.. and Apple Tree farm on the recommendation of a friend.

If you go Madonna, then try and get in the main buildings, as opposed to the motel type single storey areas.

If you go Apple farm, then likewise. You don’t want the annex.

Hoping that helps you more!

[seyre1972]

Thank you - not far off like going into a proper travel agency and walking out with a fully booked itinerary …

While I won’t be going mad on hotels - sometimes you have to spend that bit extra for the location (ultimately you want somewhere clean/secure - as will be spending 2/3rds of it out of the room anyway)

For San Francisco I’ll be doing the Dylan’s bike tours that has been mentioned in quite a few other trip reports/itineraries.

Only 154 days to go !

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by seyre1972

Thank you - not far off like going into a proper travel agency and walking out with a fully booked itinerary …

While I won’t be going mad on hotels - sometimes you have to spend that bit extra for the location (ultimately you want somewhere clean/secure - as will be spending 2/3rds of it out of the room anyway)

For San Francisco I’ll be doing the Dylan’s bike tours that has been mentioned in quite a few other trip reports/itineraries.

Only 154 days to go !

See more...

Likewise, we are budget minded with Hotels… having said that, on occasion we will go a little more for something special.

A couple of weeks back in Niagara , we paid £182 for this! This is the view out of the window.