California Two Centre stay

[jpgreagsby]

Hi all. We are looking at booking our first holiday since 2019, and was looking at an alternative this time to Florida so looking at a trip to California. We still want to do Disney and Universal, so was planning for a week near Hollywood and Anaheim, but also want a week in the sun, ideally near the coast. Can anyone recommend the best places to stay for both areas please? Will likely look for villas or AirBnBs for both stays. We are 2 adults and 2 kids (well, oldest will be 18, youngest is 14). Thanks all

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by jpgreagsby

Hi all. We are looking at booking our first holiday since 2019, and was looking at an alternative this time to Florida so looking at a trip to California. We still want to do Disney and Universal, so was planning for a week near Hollywood and Anaheim, but also want a week in the sun, ideally near the coast. Can anyone recommend the best places to stay for both areas please? Will likely look for villas or AirBnBs for both stays. We are 2 adults and 2 kids (well, oldest will be 18, youngest is 14). Thanks all

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I have been doing a 2 location stay in LA and Anaheim for almost 10 years.

I stay in either Hollywood / Burbank / Downtown LA or Santa Monica for the LA tourist stuff and then move to Anaheim for Disney.

Hollywood , Downtown LA and Burbank are inland, Santa Monica is on the coast. Santa Monica is what you see on TV and in movies when they show a beach in LA, you will recognize the pier and outdoor arcade games. Santa Monica beach is also where the original Baywatch was filmed.

Villas are not really a thing for the type of holiday you want to do.

Universal and Disney are not near each other, they are about an hours drive apart.

Universal is in Burbank and Disneyland is in Anaheim. So you will do one in each location. You will go to Universal when you stay at either Burbank, Hollywood or Santa Monica and then transfer to Anaheim for the Disney part of your holiday.

I have stayed in AirBnB in both Hollywood and Pasadena. I would recommend both but they might not be the best size wise for your family.

You are most likely best to look at hotels with suites for something comparable to the Orlando villas.

Or you can just go with a regular hotel and get 2 rooms.

I have updated the Anaheim Hotel section on the Dibb
Guide book section which will give you an idea of the differences between hotels at WDW and Disneyland

I would advise against short term lets Airbnb in Anaheim, as the city council has very strict rules which in effect bans them. I have read horror stories of people turning up to a place in Anaheim and being told to say they are family of the host as its an illegal rental or people even getting to Anaheim and the property not existing.

[jpgreagsby]

Thank you very much for this. Like the idea of staying down near Burbank and then Anaheim for Disney. We were looking for somewhere a bit further north for the other week, maybe even up towards Monterey as we may look to spend a day or 2 driving the PCH down to LA?

[Bad Pink Tink]

Originally Posted by jpgreagsby

Thank you very much for this. Like the idea of staying down near Burbank and then Anaheim for Disney. We were looking for somewhere a bit further north for the other week, maybe even up towards Monterey as we may look to spend a day or 2 driving the PCH down to LA?

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For that would need 3 locations. First time people from UK and Ireland really underestimate the sheer size of the LA area. People used to Orlando and the easy transfer between Universal and Disney properties get a shock when they come to LA.

cornishfrogboy would be the best to ask about Monterey and driving PCH.

Just so you get the right idea about size and location, I have put a red box over Universal Studios in Burbank, Disneyland in Anaheim, LAX Airport, Santa Monica and Hollywood

[KarenG]

Are you favouring a California two centre or a LA two centre?

If for one of your centres you are after a beach and lots of things to do I would like to suggest San Diego.

Two hours south of Disneyland by car and a train also exists (have not used it personally).

Although I’ve visited California quite a few times (and we usually have a car for at least part of the trip) I have shamefully never done the PCH. It would be a shame to miss San Francisco if you did that, though

[Princess Alison]

I'd recommend Santa Monica area - the beach is lovely and it's got a real village feel. Then Anaheim for Disney - there are lots of hotels literally outside the main Disney entrance and restaurants etc.

[kateb78]

How about Anaheim and San Diego? Maybe a bit further than you wanted but it’s such a great place with plenty of beaches and lots to see and do.

[megaflyer]

Malibu is a wonderful restful place to stay by the most famous cove and beach but only for a couple of days - Ventura is kinda neat place too and has wonderful whale watching trips available if that’s your thing (and reasonable hotels like Embassy Suites Mandalay Bay where one room (suite) had 2 rooms and 2 bathrooms, on the beach free breakfast and free evening reception (drinks and snacks)

[cornishfrogboy]

Hi.

I would look at it this way…

For me, the absolute jewel in the Crown must be the PCH. We went there in 2018 specifically for this, but were thwarted by a mud slide that blocked it for 18 months. We ended up having to bypass the most important bit, between Monterey and San Simeon.
We were within a fortnight of going in March of 2020 and specifically for this.. and we all know what happened then.
Likewise cancelled August 2020
Likewise cancelled August 2021.
Now going in Oct 2022.

I believe it important to get a feel for what is on offer and then with this knowledge, set an achievable plan. The area is vast and you will need to ‘cherrypick’.

Key airports are SFO, LAX and San Diego. Whatever you decide, into one and out of another will be £500- £550 roughly from LHR.

Here is a suggestion. I do single thread trip reports. That makes them an easy read, plus I tend to stick to the experience, rather than the food and the selfies. I try to use pictures as much as words and very few selfies. Hopefully this makes them useful to others for research.

Have a look at the link California N to South linked in my signature. That will give you a general ‘feel’ of what is extant between SFO and San Diego. You might like some bits and not others. That is a start.

Next have a look at the 2022 pretrip link. This covers bits missed (It goes elsewhere, Nevada Arizona as well as starting and ending in California).

Next go into the California pre trip section of the dibb and you will find my 3 cancellations also. They all start with the word CANCELLED.

By the time you have read all of the above, I hope that you will hopefully have a feel for timings, distances and options, some good, some you will not rate. Some you may never have heard of. Each trip even covers Hotel bookings (I research these endlessly) .
Researching is a hobby of mine and a lot of planning went into each trip.

When you have a read, hopefully the four of you will have that realistic plan. Then you can ask more questions.

If looking LA and South, particularly San Diego, ‘Aims’ is a gold mine of info as she lives there.

‘Megaflyer’ is very helpful and has done pretty much the lot.

Hoping that this helps as a start point from which to build a great vacation.

[jdouds]

Hi west coast is great. Now I’ll throw a spanner, if you really want Disney I’d go to Florida. On the west coast there is so much to see and do we would be inclined to not bother with LA. Others will say they could spend 10 days there. As a compromise 2/4 days Disney /universal and the go explore. Coast rd, whale watching, white water rafting, Yosemite, walk up vernal falls ,San Fran ,Disney museum,Alcatraz,cycle over the bridge. This is just to give you some food for thought on some things you may not have thought of