Flights booked.. let the planning begin!

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

The detail is yet to come. All that is certain at the moment are flight in, flight home, San Francisco accommodation and Premier Inn at Heathrow. T5.

Everything else is fluid until booked.

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You know I’m only teasing you

We stayed at that PI a few weeks ago before flying to Corfu!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by KarenG

You know I’m only teasing you

We stayed at that PI a few weeks ago before flying to Corfu!

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I often wonder if I enjoy the planning as much as the execution!

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

Vegas 2 nights before driving out via the Hoover Dam to the GC South Rim, Yavapai Lodge.

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Sounds a great trip!

...and a thanks for flagging this place. I'm still formulating a West Coast/Florida or West Coast/Florida/New York combo trip for next July and August and had just taken a look at flights into Vegas instead of LA (since we will be using miles for upgraded flights, and there is availability a day or two earlier into LV).

I'd thought about maybe taking in the Grand Canyon if we take that option, but hadn't really considered what that might mean, but having checked this place out - it looks a great option!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Bozza

Sounds a great trip!

...and a thanks for flagging this place. I'm still formulating a West Coast/Florida or West Coast/Florida/New York combo trip for next July and August and had just taken a look at flights into Vegas instead of LA (since we will be using miles for upgraded flights, and there is availability a day or two earlier into LV).

I'd thought about maybe taking in the Grand Canyon if we take that option, but hadn't really considered what that might mean, but having checked this place out - it looks a great option!

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You are very welcome!

As you have no doubt figured, USA vacations are only limited by the imagination of the planner.

All internal one way flights are much the same price and the only thing that I really look into is regional airports as opposed to those that we all know the names of in order to cut distance. I also look at nearness to ultimate destination in the hope of minimising transit costs (metro, taxi, Uber, lyft etc). Of course with these regionals, there is not such a great choice of destinations etc, but I am only looking for the one!
Never forget Southwest Airlines either. They are a bit like Premier Inn… They use their own web site for availability and price.

Re the GC, it fitted in reasonably neatly with heading east then down to Tucson ( or from Tucson, up and West). I was determined to take in Winslow because I am daft like that. It is then a natural extension of that to take in the Hoover Dam and also Eldorado Canyon filming site as they are on the way and a ‘pop in’..

[KarenG]

I’m not sure I’d suggest this route for you CFB but we enjoyed driving along part of the old Rt 66 from Las Vegas to South Rim GC. A few interesting places on the way including Seligman which was the inspiration for Cars. My kids loved it

I highly recommend the Hoover Dam tour. Seeing the thing itself is very cool - it is massive! But the tour inside was fascinating

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

As you have no doubt figured, USA vacations are only limited by the imagination of the planner.

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Oh, absolutely, and as much as we love planning, we've tended to do a fair make-it-up-as-we-go-along on recent trips, most notably our previous West coast jaunt, where I was still booking hotels for our first few nights whilst I saw sitting in the airport hotel bar the night before our flight.

Whilst there we ditched the car and made a last minute decision to fly back up from the LA area to SFO, booking a flight the day before and I think I may have booked our San Francisco hotel in the Uber into the city.

Walking out of that hotel on the first morning, I noticed a hire car place across the street so booked a car for that same day whilst eating breakfast to head over to Sausalito and then to Muir Woods (also booked while eating my omelette!) which was a real highlight of the whole trip.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Bozza

Oh, absolutely, and as much as we love planning, we've tended to do a fair make-it-up-as-we-go-along on recent trips, most notably our previous West coast jaunt, where I was still booking hotels for our first few nights whilst I saw sitting in the airport hotel bar the night before our flight.

Whilst there we ditched the car and made a last minute decision to fly back up from the LA area to SFO, booking a flight the day before and I think I may have booked our San Francisco hotel in the Uber into the city.

Walking out of that hotel on the first morning, I noticed a hire car place across the street so booked a car for that same day whilst eating breakfast to head over to Sausalito and then to Muir Woods (also booked while eating my omelette!) which was a real highlight of the whole trip.

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What sort of prices were you getting on Hotels and Car Hires?

We are out of season and this may be an option .

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Originally Posted by KarenG

I’m not sure I’d suggest this route for you CFB but we enjoyed driving along part of the old Rt 66 from Las Vegas to South Rim GC. A few interesting places on the way including Seligman which was the inspiration for Cars. My kids loved it

I highly recommend the Hoover Dam tour. Seeing the thing itself is very cool - it is massive! But the tour inside was fascinating

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I second seligman it’s such a cool little town, lots of fab photo pics here too, & cool wee shops! Loved it!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by LOU LOU DISNEY

I second seligman it’s such a cool little town, lots of fab photo pics here too, & cool wee shops! Loved it!

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Seligman it is then! It looks real quirky and fun place to stop

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

What sort of prices were you getting on Hotels and Car Hires?

We are out of season and this may be an option .

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Trying to pick through emails...

Nine nights car hire upon arrival at SFO, Full-size - £411

First night at Courtyard by Marriott Palo Alto, Los Altos (so we could visit Silicon Valley spots such as Google and Apple on our first day) - £112 incl breakfast

One night Solvang - £153. This was an AirBnb in what turned out to be, I think, a Marriott timeshare resort - airbnb/rooms/21754871 - so was, essentially, a large flat with access to pool and other shared facilities. Great value for what we got.

Two nights Monterrey - can't find an email for this booking, I'm afraid. I can find bookings for the aquarium, whale-watching, Uber receipts and a Chipotle order but nothing for the hotel.

Five nights Hilton LA North Glendale - $860 (booked on Hotwire US, hence USD price) - this was a lovely hotel with a fantastic bar, nice pool area and, from I recall, we were offered breakfast for a small uncharge which we took and the breakfast was amazing.

Four nights at the Disneyland Hotel - $334 per night (those were the days!)

Two nights at a mate's flat at Hermosa Beach. This was the bargain stay - only cost me dinner, an evening out on the beers and a nice bottle of gin.

Long Beach to San Francisco flights, booked the day before with Jet Blue - $97 per person inclusive of one hold case each and seat reservations.

Four nights at Hilton San Francisco Union Square - $799 (again booked on Hotwire). Great hotel in good location. Got upgraded to some sort of junior suite.

Single day car hire in San Francisco from Alamo Union Square - $35 all-in.