Rough itinerary for West Coast trip

[mason1]

I’ve been working out a rough plan for a 2 week trip to the West Coast (can extend to 3 if in summer). I’d welcome some feedback on the plan so far.

Day 1 - 5 LA - to do Hollywood, Warner Bros etc. Probably stay Hollywood or Burbank
Day 5 - 8 Vegas. Use as a base for Hoover dam etc
Day 8 - 10 Grand Canyon and stay at Yavapai Lodge
Day 10 - 11 stay somewhere on route to LA - possibly Kingman
Day 11 - 14 LA, stay in Anaheim to do Disney.
Day 14 back home from LA

I would love to fit in Death Valley, but with 2 weeks I can’t see that happening (maybe with 3).

We don’t mind driving, but is there anything you’d do different?

Depending on what happens, we’re looking at either Easter or August (my prefer would be Easter due to temperatures). I’d like to say next year, but who knows!

[jdouds]

Yes first of go summer and do 3 weeks.
The west coast is much cooler than Orlando and has a dry heat.
Once you go inland then it get quite a bit warmer but nicer than Orlando stickiness

[jdouds]

Hi just taking in what you’re looking at , overall 8/9 days LA sounds way to much. There is so much to see and do that it would be good to spread you’re wings slightly further.Hoover dam is on route to Canyon. You have the option of of doing a loop to the south to include Palm Springs and San Diego.
Other option for 3 weeks fly to LA and do 2/3 days
Then head to Grand Canyon via Palm Springs 1 n
Remember this is a long drive.
Then head to Vegas via hoover dam. 3/4 days
From Vegas to Death Valley 1 n and onto Yosemite via tioga pass 2/3 n
San Fran 3 n
Monterey 2 n
Santa Barbara 1 n and then go and do your Disney fix

[KayLouise]

Sounds good to me. We are planning for May/June next year, booking as soon as BA release the flights.
Our rough plan is 5 nights LA for sightseeing and Universal. Then we are doing 4 nights in Palm Springs. Ending with 5 days in Anaheim for Disneyland.

My only concern with Easter would be how busy Disney would be with spring breakers.

[mason1]

Thanks for the feedback. Ideally we’d do 3 weeks in August, so I’ll have another play with the itinerary to incorporate Death Valley and take on board the comments 😁.

No idea what the flight prices will be like compared to Florida, but from what I’ve seen it’s cheaper to fly into LA (we only fly direct).

[jdouds]

Hi again LA is generally cheaper and usually choice of air lines. The big difference from Florida is accommodation prices which you will find usually more expensive. Travel times can also add up and remember the likes of LA area is 100 miles across.

[400ixl]

For a 2 week trip you are not trying to fit in too much which many do. To incorporate Death Valley, take a night off of your first LA stay and use that to make an overnight in Death Valley as part of your drive across to Vegas.

Go into DV from the west side at Olancha on the 190 and stop off at Darwin to see a proper near ghost mining town. Then continue down into DV though Panamint Springs and into the other sights.

[fiona88]

Looks like a logical plan, Yavapai lodge is a great location for the canyon, I'd probably stay there if we went back, loved the little burger bar/pub in there too

[TractorBoy]

Would definitely try and fit in a few days in Palm Springs and San Diego.

Have been to both several times and loved visiting both.

Both have had to be cancelled in June so very disappointed but we will go back that is for sure!

[Puddle5]

Days one to five I think are two long for LA, not a great place especially if you are doing Anaheim at the end. I would cut this down and add on somewhere else.

You drive past the Hoover Dam on the way to GC and it is well worth the stop. The drive from LA to GC is very long, lots of road works and long desert strips and will take you longer than you think.

We stayed at Flagstaff for one night on the way to the GC and it is a lovely place, wish we had spent more time there (stayed in the Little America Hotel -probably one of the best little hotels we have ever stayed in). We then drove in the East entrance of GC which I think was the best as we stopped at Desert View for our first view of the GC. It is well away from GC Village and it was brilliant! Great view of the Colorado river winding along the Canyon and as we were there early in the morning very quiet. Some of the viewing points near the village are manically busy!

We also stayed at Yavapai lodge and I was pleasantly surprised expecting it to be a lot more basic but it was comfortable clean and good location. We had deer wandering around a few times.

I did not like Kingman at all and wouldn't recommend staying there.

Hope you have a great holiday and for future plans look at Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. We loved the Grand Canyon but my favourite of all the places we visited by far was Bryce Canyon.