I think it's time to start planning!

[liz-paul]

So with less than 5 months to go I think I better be a bit organised about our trip! My plan is to have a few 'must do's' in the plan and a selection of possibilities so that we can have a mixture of pre-planned and spontaneous activities depending how we feel at the time.

Plans so far are:
1 night - hotel at LAX. Do nothing except eat/sleep.

5 nights/5 full days/possibly a half day in Glendale. Staying in the Embassy suites (this is booked, non refundable). Whilst here our must do's are Universal studios, Warner Bros tour, spending time with my brother and some sightseeing. Possible things are: Six flags, California science center and some shopping. And probably lots and lots of other stuff too! It will also be 4th July during this time, any suggestions for what to do that day? Although my brother will try to wrangle us an invite to his friends if they're going there this year so that might solve that issue.

3 nights/2 full days/possibly 1 or 2 half days in an airbnb in Joshua Tree. We want to visit the NP, do some stargazing and go to the Palm Springs Aerial tramway. Probably also visit the town (no idea how big it is!) and maybe pioneertown too... Anything else in the area that we should consider? Or anything between Glendale/Joshua Tree for the day we drive over?

We then have 2 nights with no accommodation booked. Have been thinking of coming back to South of LA e.g. Long Beach/Huntington Beach type areas. But we're not tied to this plan and the things that made it a good plan are not as relevant as they were. I'm also currently wondering about adding these 2 extra nights to San Diego. Any other suggestions? Disneyland is out as it's too much money.

4 nights/3 full days/ 1 partial day (the day we go home) and possibly another half day in San Diego. Staying in the handlery hotel (booked, non refundable). Must do's: The zoo, USS midway & Balboa park. Other things we're looking at: kayak rental, whale watching/other boat trip.

Other things we'd like to do but haven't figured out where yet include: a water park (pretty much a must do), some shopping, some general sightseeing in each place we're at, more theme parks (maybe), some nature/natural beauty, lots of eating!, some sort of VR experience/activity, the beach (seems crazy to go to California and not see at least 1 beach!).

So I guess I'm looking for anyone else's must do/see suggestions for the places we're going and also people suggestions for what to do with our spare 2 nights (and why?). It probably needs to be somewhere within the triangle of LA, JT and SD.

Thanks

[400ixl]

There is a water park right next door as part of Six flags Magic Mountain. There aren't really that many to choose from in SoCAL

[liz-paul]

I've got that as a possible. The only other ones I have found are: knotts Berry water park and raging Waters in San Dimas (has the bonus of being the waterpark from Bill and Ted 😁 ) which are both in the LA area, or aquatica near san Diego.