First Trip California - Help

[Baymax2020]

Hi,
Planning trip for 2 adults and DS17 for July 2020.
We are thinking of flying direct to LAX - although we live close to MAN it seems cheaper to go from LHR. When would be the best time to book flights?

Planning to spend 3 days at Disney, so would need 4 nights accommodation
Then going to Vegas where we would like to spend a day doing the Grand Canyon tour
And then maybe back to the coast
We are planning on being away for 14 nights, please can anyone recommend the best way of doing this trip. E.g is it better going LA, then coast and then flying out of Vegas?

Thanks

[klr15]

No advice as haven’t been before, but your plan sounds similar to mine!

We are hoping to fly into LAX, do 3 nights around the marina Del Ray or Burbank area (undecided), then 4 nights in Anaheim and then move on to Vegas for the last week with a trip to the Grand Canyon in our Vegas stay.

We have picked Vegas last as we plan to have a bit of pool and relax time whilst there as we will have quite a long stay so plenty of chance to rest, plus we wouldn’t to “accidentally” spend all the spends in Vegas before heading to L.A, we want to do the others first and then we will know our budget for Vegas.

[kirkdalewdw]

are you planning on hiring a car ?

We do like to drive to Vegas from LA, it takes around 4 1/2 hours but there are places to stop. Once at Vegas, most strip hotels will have pick up's by the company's running the Grand Canyon tours, of course you can choose between a coach tour or flying tour. 3 days would be enough for Disney, again we tend to stay closer to Knotts Berry Farm as the hotels are cheaper and drive to Disney.

Can't comment on the beach as we tend to just do a day visit as we like to go to Six flags so tend to stay further north of LA, our up coming trip we are doing San Diego again, there are some wonderful beaches (Laguna beach) as you drive down Hwy 1

[jdouds]

Hi for us so much to see it would be a waste to not explore some more. San Fran ,yosemite , PCH, San Diego ,Palm Springs . Hope this gives some food for thought, if you need any info on any of these you know we will all help .

[jdouds]

Hi again?
Possibly
4 LA
3 Vegas
1 Death Valley
2 yosemit
2 San Fran
1 Santa barbera

Just an idea

[fiona88]

I think flying into one US airport and out of another is a good idea, we found it was actually cheaper to fly into SFO and out of LA than a round trip! Although this isn't always the case but not having to do a circular route can make better use of time regardless

Make sure that when you're pricing MAN Vs LHR you take into account the travel, accomodation, tiredness, parking fees, extra days off work etc, you might find the price difference cancels out especially against ease

[Northtim]

We fly MAN-LA with Virgin in a couple of weeks and when we booked in January it was much cheaper than flights out of LHR.

We aren't doing parks in LA but heading off on a road trip via Death Valley/Las Vegas/Grand Canyon & Monument Valley before resting on beach south of LA.

Our kids are 15/16 and like the exploring, although we will have a good few pool days along the way.