Many many California questions!

[smithlane]

My OH has just agreed to a California road trip holiday next summer, yay! We will have 3 weeks any time in the English summer hols but we will need to be back for GCSE results day.

So first up could anyone share with me how much they paid for return flights to LAX, we don't mind indirect if it saves us money

We would like to do Yosemite first, where would be best to stop for the night on the way from LAX? Looking on Google maps the drive will be too long to do in one go straight from landing.

If wanting to stay within Yosemite is it a must to book at 1 year out?

Has anyone stayed just outside of San Francisco in an Air BnB (my eyes are watering at the cost of San Fran hotels!) and will it doable to visit main sights in the city, we will have a car

Will the PCH be back open all the way down providing no more landslides occur?

At this time of the year is 2 days to visit both Disney parks enough?

I think that's it for now, be warned there will be many more questions to come

[daytonababe]

It’s 280 miles from LA to Yosemite
Personally I wouldn’t bank in going far that night , if you land mid afternoon as most English flights do it’ll be 5 ish before your in the car and that’s if immigration is quick . Which is then peak rush hour . Last year at that time I did 12 miles in 2.5 hrs because it’s gridlocked .

Somewhere like Bakersfield is 100 miles from LAX but it depends if your happy to drive that far jet lagged and with a big time difference . We would but my husband drives further than that daily .

[tinkerbelll]

With 3 weeks probably no need to rush to Yosemite and do this as part of a round trip.

For example
Night 1/2 PCH outside LA, can do this cheaply if sticking to the intersate eg Santa Maria
Monterey 2 nights
San Francisco 3 nights - we stayed Coventry Motor inn, basic but very clean and free parking
Yosemite 3 nights
Death Valley/Bishop? - 1 night
Las Vegas 3 nights
San Diego 4 night
Anaheim 4 nights

Just an idea for you. Or if wanting to start at yosemite would be best to fly into San Francisco and out of LAX but there are one way car hire charges then

[KarenG]

I'll help where I can!

We flew into SFO (direct, BA) £525 each (flew home direct from LAX) in school summer hols.

Driving was not enjoyable in San Francisco and parking, generally, VERY expensive, while public transport is excellent. So we picked the car up as we left San Francisco. I don't know about Airbnb there I'm sorry.

You're right not to try and drive straight to Yosemite after landing, that would be long and gruelling. You're right to try and book accommodation as early as you can there, it's reasonably limited so booking early will give the best choices.

What route are you thinking about? Three weeks will be amazing

Many people find two days at DL plenty. We had four days but repeated things!

[smithlane]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

It’s 280 miles from LA to Yosemite
Personally I wouldn’t bank in going far that night , if you land mid afternoon as most English flights do it’ll be 5 ish before your in the car and that’s if immigration is quick . Which is then peak rush hour . Last year at that time I did 12 miles in 2.5 hrs because it’s gridlocked .

Somewhere like Bakersfield is 100 miles from LAX but it depends if your happy to drive that far jet lagged and with a big time difference . We would but my husband drives further than that daily .

See more...

Thanks DB, would you suggest maybe a hotel close to the airport for the first night then drive straight to Yosemite first thing the next morning?

[smithlane]

Originally Posted by tinkerbelll

With 3 weeks probably no need to rush to Yosemite and do this as part of a round trip.

For example
Night 1/2 PCH outside LA, can do this cheaply if sticking to the intersate eg Santa Maria
Monterey 2 nights
San Francisco 3 nights - we stayed Coventry Motor inn, basic but very clean and free parking
Yosemite 3 nights
Death Valley/Bishop? - 1 night
Las Vegas 3 nights
San Diego 4 night
Anaheim 4 nights

Just an idea for you. Or if wanting to start at yosemite would be best to fly into San Francisco and out of LAX but there are one way car hire charges then

See more...

Ooh now you've given me more options
A very rough itinerary at the moment is
1 night LA area
3 nights Yosemite
2 nights San Francisco
3 nights Monterey (this trip has been inspired by watching Big Little Lies and partner wants to play golf at Pebble Beach)
1 night Cambria/Pismo/Santa Barbara
2-3 nights LA
3 nights Anaheim
5-6 nights San Diego

I would prefer to fly into SFO and out of LAX though, will have to see what the prices are like when they're released this summer

[smithlane]

Originally Posted by KarenG

I'll help where I can!

We flew into SFO (direct, BA) £525 each (flew home direct from LAX) in school summer hols.

Driving was not enjoyable in San Francisco and parking, generally, VERY expensive, while public transport is excellent. So we picked the car up as we left San Francisco. I don't know about Airbnb there I'm sorry.

You're right not to try and drive straight to Yosemite after landing, that would be long and gruelling. You're right to try and book accommodation as early as you can there, it's reasonably limited so booking early will give the best choices.

What route are you thinking about? Three weeks will be amazing

Many people find two days at DL plenty. We had four days but repeated things!

See more...

That's a great flight price, I would be more than happy with that! BA is our preferred carrier too
So if we flew into SFO we could do that first and save on car hire for the first 2 days then pick it up the morning we drive to Yosemite
Will be on the ball with booking Yosemite accommodation, its tricky though as the flights wont have been released at the 1 year mark
Do you know if they are cancellable?
We are very excited!

[berneslai]

You could do both Disney parks in 2 days but, depending on the crowds (have you checked the crowd calendar?), it may not be a particularly pleasurable experience. I always advocate three days just so you have a third day to pick up on any rides you couldn't get on during the first two.

[meboo]

How about flying & out of SFO - then you could do a few days acclimatising there before you pick up the car and loop down the Pacific highway and back up via Yosemite. Flights for us were cheaper to & from SFO. Back in 2016 we got flights into Vegas & back out from LAX for £500. Prices like this were not possible this year, hence SFO for us.

I have just booked in the Yosemite park for this Aug - Valley Lodge so, yes in advance, but not a year out.

We got an air bnb in San Fran - it was a Wyndham timeshare (Canterbury). It was just by Union Square. There are a few timeshare/vacation club properties so maybe have a look at VRBO

[Colette-S]

I’m in the middle of planning a similar trip for this summer. If you wish to start at Yosemite why don’t you think about flying into San Francisco rather than LA.