Which way?

[Jake71]

Originally Posted by Tweety1

Thank you for your advice! Car pool lanes? How do you know you can drive on these?

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We just went by the sign above the lane which said it was for cars with 2 or more people and we were 2 people so we used it. We did go on a couple of roads where the car pool lane was 3 or more so we couldn't use them, but that was only on one road I think.

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by Tweety1

I know and I am 'trying' to avoid short stops for this reason. So we are there for 20 nights and we start in SF with 3 nights(I'm no sure whether this should be 2 to allow time elsewhere but there is lots to do in SF aswell)
And the rest at the min im open to advice
We were going to drive the PCH but I'm no sure whether this will all be open and don't want to be stressing with diversions ect is it best just to drive some of the coast and then get on the Interstate?I also dont understand if some of it is closed do you have to back up on yourself? Or do you get to say a town like Monterey ect and I'm assuming there is another way to go avoiding the coast(this bit does confuse me slightly)
So we would like to go to
Monterey
Pismo?
Santa Barbara?
I know there are lots of places on the way too
La
Santa Monica
Marina del may(is this what it's called) ppl seem to post that it's lovely
Anaheim
San Diego
S Rim Grand Canyon(I have booked a lodge here). Op suggested via Palm Springs other via ghost town.
End up in Vegas(I know you love it here but a couple of nights would be enough)
It's so confusing and I want the most straight forward drive poss for DH as I dont want to be planning on places and because of the route I choose he's driving unnecessarily!
I would like to not be moving hotel every night so want to base myself somewhere so I get to see lots with minimal driving from the 'base'
So as you can see it's a bit of a mess but with all you experienced dibbers hopefully it will take shape
TIA

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12 stops in 20 days ? That’s a awful lot ..a lot of moving hotels and therefore not seeing a lot .

You say Santa Monica , Marina Del Rey and LA, but the first two are parts of LA, do do you want to stay in those places or just visit them for a few hours ?
I stopped in Fontana and Anaheim this year and still visited Huntingdon, Manhattan , Santa Monica and all the usual tourist areas around LA, plus places like Laurel Canyon , calabasas etc . You don’t need to stop in every place to see them .

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

12 stops in 20 days ? That’s a awful lot ..a lot of moving hotels and therefore not seeing a lot .

You say Santa Monica , Marina Del Rey and LA, but the first two are parts of LA, do do you want to stay in those places or just visit them for a few hours ?
I stopped in Fontana and Anaheim this year and still visited Huntingdon, Manhattan , Santa Monica and all the usual tourist areas around LA, plus places like Laurel Canyon , calabasas etc . You don’t need to stop in every place to see them .

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I want to find a base and then visit al, the nice surrounding areas but AK don't know where a good base would be. I don't really want to be changing hotel over and over but it's hard as what looks near isnt
Then it's the route to be as time effective as possible. I don't mind having a 1 night stop enroute to somewhere ie like if we were travelling to the GC that would be too far to travel in one day (travelling from LA area/SD - depending on best route)
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer

[jdouds]

Hi again been away a few days so update, San Diego to Palm Springs 2.4o hours, Palm Springs to vegas 4 1/2, 6 to grand canyon

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi again been away a few days so update, San Diego to Palm Springs 2.4o hours, Palm Springs to vegas 4 1/2, 6 to grand canyon

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Do you think this is my best route tho for the areas I want to cover?
TIA

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by Tweety1

I want to find a base and then visit al, the nice surrounding areas but AK don't know where a good base would be. I don't really want to be changing hotel over and over but it's hard as what looks near isnt
Then it's the route to be as time effective as possible. I don't mind having a 1 night stop enroute to somewhere ie like if we were travelling to the GC that would be too far to travel in one day (travelling from LA area/SD - depending on best route)
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer

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Any time..

Personally for LA if your wanting to do the usual tourist stuff and have time at a beach with the kids I'd pick Santa Monica for a base, it probably has the most to do for kids..

Or if your not fussed about the beach pick Burbank its pretty close to Universal/Warner/Hollywood.. i wouldn't stay in Hollywood if you paid me.

Btw Universal and Warner Bros are about 3 miles apart


It is hard distances can be vast and that's why we only do 3/4 places per trip and then we still do 2000 miles. We did something like 63 hrs in the car this year.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

Any time..

Personally for LA if your wanting to do the usual tourist stuff and have time at a beach with the kids I'd pick Santa Monica for a base, it probably has the most to do for kids..

Or if your not fussed about the beach pick Burbank its pretty close to Universal/Warner/Hollywood.. i wouldn't stay in Hollywood if you paid me.

Btw Universal and Warner Bros are about 3 miles apart



It is hard distances can be vast and that's why we only do 3/4 places per trip and then we still do 2000 miles. We did something like 63 hrs in the car this year.

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I'm sorry to keep asking but which route you take from PCH? Would you do SD first and then up the coast to Anaheim, LA,GC, Vegas of go to GC from SD?
Wow I know it will be a lot of driving! I feel so unprepared for this trip( I know I won't by the time we go)

[tinytots]

Originally Posted by Tweety1

Thank you
I'm trying to work out the best route as in do I go to San Diego first, Anaheim,then onto Vegas as looking at the map that looks the right thing to do(however I'm not the greatest when it comes to reading maps!)
LA really to say I've been!Im not sure about Universal as it's an added cost and we have been lots in Florida and from what I understand it's just a smaller version(please say if that's nots the case tho).
WB studio my older children are desperate to go however my youngest will only be 7(arghh why do they put a restriction on age?)I assume as they are working Studios but you know your own child and I know he wouldn't be a bother - do you know if there is any way round this?If not my other children can go in with their dad but what would I do whilst waiting for them? So that's all in LA so is it worth commuting from Anaheim or leaving Anaheim and staying nearer to LA to do the sights and then the next day travel to Vegas?
TIA

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In August, we drove down from Monterey. We only had an over night in LA, Hollywood area but that was perfect for us as it was ticking a box and getting photos for our DD. I wouldn't stay any longer in Hollywood but it worked perfectly for us and Loews hotel was fantastic. It also served as a good stopover. We had a private tour booked in LA which was great as we got everything done that we wanted to see in an afternoon. We stayed practically on the walk of fame so did all that area ourselves. We went to San Diego/Coronado from LA, then drove from there to Vegas. It was a long drive ( about 6/6.5 hours) but easy enough drive. So it would be quicker from Anaheim. We stopped for something to eat at Peggy Sues. Personally I wouldn't bother staying over in between LA Anaheim and Vegas. It's an easy enough drive, albeit quite boring at times.

[jdouds]

Hi again let's get back to basics, flights into San Fran and out of vegas, ?
So 3/4 days San Fran
2/3 Monterey
2 Santa Barbara
2/3 beach / LA
2/3 San Diego
2 Palm Springs
1/2 Grand Canyon
And then vegas
By doing this you won't double back on yourself and keeps the driving distances down. Hope this gives you some food for thought.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Hi again let's get back to basics, flights into San Fran and out of vegas, ?
So 3/4 days San Fran
2/3 Monterey
2 Santa Barbara
2/3 beach / LA
2/3 San Diego
2 Palm Springs
1/2 Grand Canyon
And then vegas
By doing this you won't double back on yourself and keeps the driving distances down. Hope this gives you some food for thought.

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Fabulous this is exactly the sort of thing I'm after as I wasn't sure where to fit SD in to make sure we weren't double backing on r selves.
We are doing Anaheim so I presume thud fits after LA.
Is S Barbara good? I was thinking a 1 night stop over or does it deserve 2?
I have booked a lodge on the S Rim at the Grand Canyon what is the realistic drive from PS to GC? Is it worth staying there
? I've read sunset/sunrise are must sees...
Would you drive from GC directly to Vegas or stop over somewhere
Thank you for your help