Young couple-theme parks and Halloween,first time west coast ideas

[cameroon95]

Hi Guys,

As it it says on the title we have been to Orlando many many times before and looking to try the west coast for a change.

I am wondering what you would recommend for a couple who love goin on rides, horror or halloween themed attractions.

I literally have no clue where we should fly or start from.

I know that I want to do the following:

Universal
Halloween horror nights
Warner Bros
Yosmite
Alchatraz
Six Flags(both parks)
One Disney park
Knots farm

Suggestions on what else to do or events to visit would be appreciated.

Thank you!

[400ixl]

First of all, you are aware of the size of California and the distances between San Francisco and Yosemite in the north and LA towards the south.

By Six Flags when you say both parks do you mean Discovery Cove (North East of San Fran) and Magic Mountain (North LA), rather than the theme park and water park at Magic Mountain?

If So, then depending on the amount of time you have, something like:

Fly into San Francisco (2/3 Days) for Alcatraz and other San Fran sights
1 day in Vallejo for Six Flags
2/3 days in Yosemite
2/3 days driving down Pacific Coast Highway Stopping at Monterrey and Pismo
4 days in North LA for Six Flags, Universal, Warner Bros and Hollywood etc
4 days in Anaheim for Disney and Knotts Berry
1 Day to then fly out of LAX home

You are looking at 3 weeks just to get that done with little else.


If time is critical, and focus is purely what you have listed you could do:

Fly into San Fran and go straight to Six Flags
1 day six flags and drive to Yosemite at the end of the day
3 days Yosemite and drive back to San Fran in the afternoon of 3rd day
2 days San Fran for Alcatraz (recommend night tour) and fly to LA on the second day
3 days in North LA for Six Flags, Universal, Warner Bros and Hollywood etc
4 days in Anaheim for Disney and Knotts Berry Farm
1 Day to then fly out of LAX home

That could be done in 2 weeks but would be an exhausting 2 weeks and you would miss out on so much.

[landandword17]

How about staying in Southern California and focusing on theme parks only this time? Flights will usually be cheaper in and out of LAX.

[fiona88]

This is going to take some timing/planning as you want to make sure you're time in LA hits on with halloween horror nights.
You need to think about how many days you want in each park too, e.g. we only wanted to do 1 day in Universal, however, the day it's landed on in my plan is a Saturday and will be very busy, so I'm now allocating 2 mornings instead.
Research each place and see how many days you want at each one.
Then you have the driving time between LA and Disney - 2h+
SF and LA - 6h+
SF and Yosemite 4h+
Not including stops, LA traffic, finding parking etc.

1 night stays in any location mean you don't really get to see much, so wouldn't be able to fit a park day, so everywhere with a park needs a 2night stay minimum

I'd say fly into LA and out of SFO, then whether you do disney or univesal 1st depends on your flight date, horror nights seem to be scattered but usually Fri and Sun nights.
So, time your flight in so that you hit universal maybe on day 3, so you've adjusted to the time zone and can be ready to do the whole night.

e.g. fly out on friday, 4 nights LA/Burbank/Glendale area
6 flags day 1 as you'll be up early
universal + horror night Sunday
you'll need a lie in and do WB studio tour, hollywood sights etc
then after night 4, move to anaheim area 3 nights
KB Farm mid-move rather than wasting day just going to hotel
disneyland - 2 parks so maybe 2 days?
Drive either up PCH to San Fransisco - 7hours + so will want at least 1 overnight
i'd say 3 nights SFO for 2 full days
2 nights yosemite
1 night back at SFO so ready for flight

could drive Anaheim to Yosemite and cut out PCH, maybe stop around sequoia for a night, means no doubling back
Thats a packed 14 night trip and you'll probably hit a bit of a wall with all the theme parks and your non theme park days are mainly travel/packing or if nothing can be dropped then make it 3 weeks as 400ixl says, extend everywhere and make sure you do PCH so there's more time to take it in.

[fiona88]

I'll give you our itinerary as it might be some help if you're starting from scratch, this is 2 years in the making!

Sept 2019
Fly NCL - SFO (via LAX, virgin, didn't want to risk an EU change with Brexit)
Arrive late, 3 nights SFO Union Square
Alcatraz, Fishermans Wharf, Walt Disney Family Museum, bus tour/bike tour on cards
Pick up car 2:00 Travel to Yosemite, stay in hotel in Maripiosa 1 night so we don't need to navigate hairy roads possibly in the dark and get the views on the way in then 2 nights in Housekeeping camp concrete tent unit things
Drive late afternoon over to Monterey Bay, 2 nights there
Whale watching and + aquarium
Drive PCH to Santa Barbara 1 night in airstream caravan
Malibu/Santa Monica/La Brea Tar pits
5 nights anaheim area for 4 days disney (Galaxies Edge is my main concern)
2 nights Universal
Fly From LA, late flight so still get morning in park

Thats 16 nights, and could easily use 1 day in SF allocation for 6 flags and the other for alcatraz, then mess about with anaheim/LA time to fit in KB farm/6flags/wb tour