Itinerary and hotel help please

maggiem · 14 Feb 19, 12:12 PM

Hi all,

My OH and I are just in the process of booking for September / October. We are flying in and out of SFO (booked in BA sale) and have made a couple of bookings. Like others I am surprised at hotel costs. We need to book car hire too. So far the planning goes like this:

Day 1 We Flight LHR - SFO going to stay at airport for the night
Day 2 Th Drive to Yosemite - Yosemite Valley Lodge booked thanks to advice on here to book early!
Day 3 F Yosemite
Day 4 Sa Yosemite
Day 5 Su Yosemite to Furnace Creek - not sure whether Tioga Pass will be open end September?
Day 6 Mo Furnace Creek
Day 7 Tu Furnace Creek to GC South Rim Thunderbird Lodge booked - just only one other hotel available!
Day 7 We Grand Canyon
Day 9 Th Grand Canyon to Las Vegas via Hoover dam
Day 10 Fr Las Vegas
Day 11 Sa Las Vegas to Palm Springs
Day 12 Su Palm Springs
Day 13 Mo Palm Springs to San Diego
Day 14 Tu San Diego
Day 15 We San Diego
Day 16 Th San Diego to Santa Barbara
Day 17 Fr Santa Barbara to San Simeon or Pismo
Day 18 Sa wherever to San Francisco - drop off car
Day 19 Su SAN Francisco
Day 20 Mo San Francisco
Day 21 Tu San Francisco
Day 22 We SFO - LHR - arrive next day

Trying to do lots but this maybe too much and also a bit worried about some long driving days although we will both drive. I've read lots of trip reports but there is so much we'd like to see and do.

Any / all advice gratefully received. Many thanks for your time.

jdouds · 14 Feb 19, 07:31 PM

Hi all fairly good we have done all these places, main thing we would say is drop a day Palm Springs and add a day to your coast stop which most would agree has to be Monterey and make it a 2 night stop there. 17 mile drive,Carmel ,aquarium is super and a must do is whale watching a highlight for so many people. Monterey bay is where they film lots of whale etc for the TV programmes. Also if your into sport then pebble beach is a must for at least lunch behind the 18 green.

maggiem · 19 Feb 19, 08:10 PM

Thanks for the info.
I was just worried we are trying to cram too much in. Really useful to hear about Monterey too.

Now to try and book hotels! If anyone has any ideas about best ways to book Las Vegas I'd be grateful

jdouds · 19 Feb 19, 08:59 PM

Hi again have you considered airbnb, this has been our main accomodation on our last 2 trips. As for vegas we stayed in the signature suits at the MGM but again booked via airbnb. In San Fran stayed in a airbnb on chestnut st with free of st parking which is a great saving and was only a 10/15 min walk to pier area, oh and had a roof terrace with view to bridge.

jdouds · 19 Feb 19, 09:04 PM

For yosemite have a look at blue butterfly bb or yosemite view lodge, these are at El portal which is a few mins to park entrance. When you arrive do the valley floor tour, 2 hours, great for overview a little history and getting your bearings.

maggiem · 24 Feb 19, 03:43 PM

Thanks Jdouds - been away and missed these. I've booked Yosemite Valley Lodge. My OH is a bit funny about Airbnb. Think we have booked Marine club in SF but your apartment sounds lovely. We are going to get rid of the car when we get to SF. Need to start looking at booking the rest of the trip now. We like apartment type hotels but I am a bit surprised at the costs of these on the West coast!

jdouds · 24 Feb 19, 07:12 PM

Hi again airbnb not everyone taste but no matter where we go now it's at the front of our minds to look at as well as hotels. Hotel this weekend in London , 4 weeks time airbnb in dublin, just what ever suits our needs. We have stayed in 15 or so airbnb now and have had no problems.

AlexE · 7 Mar 19, 12:36 PM

Can highly recommend The Carriage House in Las Vegas. Very reasonably priced, no resort fees, no casino and a few minutes walk to the strip and the Miracle Mile Mall. We are staying there for our third visit in June.

We did a trip to the Canyon to do the Skywalk, yes a very long day and pickup was early but was at the hotel next door. Visited Hoover Dam on the way. Was a fantastic day.

JoS · 7 Mar 19, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by AlexE

Can highly recommend The Carriage House in Las Vegas. Very reasonably priced, no resort fees, no casino and a few minutes walk to the strip and the Miracle Mile Mall. We are staying there for our third visit in June.

We did a trip to the Canyon to do the Skywalk, yes a very long day and pickup was early but was at the hotel next door. Visited Hoover Dam on the way. Was a fantastic day.

I too love Carriage House. We have just stayed there for the third time as well

14 Feb 19, 12:12 PM	#1
	14 Feb 19, 12:12 PM maggiem Getting to know the DIBB
maggiem Getting to know the DIBB Join Date: Jul 08	Itinerary and hotel help please Hi all, My OH and I are just in the process of booking for September / October. We are flying in and out of SFO (booked in BA sale) and have made a couple of bookings. Like others I am surprised at hotel costs. We need to book car hire too. So far the planning goes like this: Day 1 We Flight LHR - SFO going to stay at airport for the night Day 2 Th Drive to Yosemite - Yosemite Valley Lodge booked thanks to advice on here to book early! Day 3 F Yosemite Day 4 Sa Yosemite Day 5 Su Yosemite to Furnace Creek - not sure whether Tioga Pass will be open end September? Day 6 Mo Furnace Creek Day 7 Tu Furnace Creek to GC South Rim Thunderbird Lodge booked - just only one other hotel available! Day 7 We Grand Canyon Day 9 Th Grand Canyon to Las Vegas via Hoover dam Day 10 Fr Las Vegas Day 11 Sa Las Vegas to Palm Springs Day 12 Su Palm Springs Day 13 Mo Palm Springs to San Diego Day 14 Tu San Diego Day 15 We San Diego Day 16 Th San Diego to Santa Barbara Day 17 Fr Santa Barbara to San Simeon or Pismo Day 18 Sa wherever to San Francisco - drop off car Day 19 Su SAN Francisco Day 20 Mo San Francisco Day 21 Tu San Francisco Day 22 We SFO - LHR - arrive next day Trying to do lots but this maybe too much and also a bit worried about some long driving days although we will both drive. I've read lots of trip reports but there is so much we'd like to see and do. Any / all advice gratefully received. Many thanks for your time.

19 Feb 19, 08:10 PM	#3
	19 Feb 19, 08:10 PM maggiem Getting to know the DIBB Thread Starter
maggiem Thread Starter Getting to know the DIBB Join Date: Jul 08	Thanks for the info. I was just worried we are trying to cram too much in. Really useful to hear about Monterey too. Now to try and book hotels! If anyone has any ideas about best ways to book Las Vegas I'd be grateful

24 Feb 19, 03:43 PM	#6
	24 Feb 19, 03:43 PM maggiem Getting to know the DIBB Thread Starter
maggiem Thread Starter Getting to know the DIBB Join Date: Jul 08	Thanks Jdouds - been away and missed these. I've booked Yosemite Valley Lodge. My OH is a bit funny about Airbnb. Think we have booked Marine club in SF but your apartment sounds lovely. We are going to get rid of the car when we get to SF. Need to start looking at booking the rest of the trip now. We like apartment type hotels but I am a bit surprised at the costs of these on the West coast!