Arizona/California Road Trip Oct/Nov 2009

[Tiggernut]

I've decided to do a pre-tip report for our trip in October/November. As you can see from my sig I did a trip report for our 2006 trip and really enjoyed doing it. As our planning is 99% done now I thought I'd let people know all about it...

The Cast...

Me (Jacqui) 44 when we go (boo hoo - I hate writing that!). Loves food (too much!), San Francisco and all things Disney (especially Tigger!)

DH (Mark) 42 (my toyboy! )Loves American sport - especially NFL, Yosemite and National Parks, Pancakes and American Beer (although not together!).

DD (Gemma) will be 9 when we go. Loves Mermaids, HSM, Riding the Cable Cars and hot dogs!

Here we all are at Epcot in 2007 - sorry this is the most recent photo I've got access to at the moment!


The Planning...

After having two wonderful trips to Florida in 2007 and 2008 we decided to have a change and return to California in 2009. We actually started discussing this before we went to Florida last December but really got into planning mode in January.

The Flights...

When we first started planning we saw a great deal on BA flights (who we went with in 2006) but couldn't really afford to book them at the time as we were still paying off the December trip to Florida. Sadly this meant by the time we were ready to book the prices had risen considerably. Thinking there might be some sales on during various bank holidays - Easter, May Day, Whitsun - we kept hanging on but no luck so in June Mark found a great deal flying indirect with USAirways via Philly. It was over £300 cheaper than direct with BA and whilst we prefer direct it was just too good an offer to pass up.

We looked at various different options - into LAX and out of SFO or vice versa - but eventually we booked to fly into Phoenix (to be close to the Grand Canyon) and out of San Francisco.

Our plane...



Doing San Francisco last was a bit of a change for us. This will be our 4th trip to the West coast - twice as a couple in 1995 and 1997 and our first 'family' trip with Gemma in 2006 - and we have always flown into SFO and done SF first. However it made sense to do the southern bits first and then move northwards.

We wanted to do the Grand Canyon as the last time we went -1995 - was the first (and only so far) time in history that the park was closed due to industrial action by the Park Rangers. We'd driven all the way from LA to Williams (about 6 hours on the road) and when we got up the following morning they announced on the news that the park would be closed! We headed over there and did some of the view points but as we left each one the Park staff were clsing them so it was a bizarre race to get to see as much as possible before we got thrown out!

Grand Canyon Closed Nov 19 1995

Anyway we decided to return this year so we could see the bits we hadn't seen last time and take our time seeing the bits we DID see before!

Anyway my lunch time is over now so I'll have to do some more later... watch this space... :pop:

[ali-s]

Oooh! it's dangerous me reading your pre trippies- you put ideas in my head ( last years' California trip was partly down to you ) we are intending to go back to Orlando next year , if that changes I'll be blaming you

[mrsdtob]

Great start, I loved San Francisco to and would love to go back, looking forward to your next installment

[Cyclospora]

Originally Posted by ali-s

Oooh! it's dangerous me reading your pre trippies- you put ideas in my head ( last years' California trip was partly down to you ) we are intending to go back to Orlando next year , if that changes I'll be blaming you

See more...

SNAP!

but the thing is we have planned NY, Phoenix, GC, LV and San Diego for next year! Can't wait to read this trippie - really enjoyed your last one and gained loads of tips from it.

[Sarah84]

Great start, sounds like a fab trip you have planned

[Tiggernut]

Next installment...

Actually its a prelude to booking the flights but I was trying to do stuff from memory at work in my lunch hour... so anyhoo...

Prior to booking the flights we'd been lucky enough to get tickets to see the Bucs V Pats NFL game at Wembley so our flight would need to be on the Monday (26th October) as the game is on the Sunday. Just after finding out we'd got the NFL tickets, Mark had an email from Travelodge about their cheap rooms - and we managed to get the one at Heathrow for £9 on the Saturday night (before the NFL game) and £19 on the Sunday night. Even with breakfasts for 2 both days (kids eat free!) the whole lot came to £52 total! Very pleased with that!

Travelodge Heathrow Central



So we've now booked NFL tickets for Wembley, Travelodge at Heathrow and flights with USairways to Phoenix via Philly (return from SFO via Philly)... hope you're all keeping up so far!

The San Francisco Hotel...

As those of you who have priced these things up will know, San Francisco is an expensive place to stay so we decided to look for accomodation there first so that we could budget our other accomodation round what we'd paid there if you see what I mean. Our main criteria was that it needed to be on or very near Fishermans Wharf as we love this area.

When we went in 2006 we got a great deal at the Wharf Inn but their prices seem to have rocketed since then. During that trip we had breakfast most mornings at the IHOP underneath the Radisson and our DD fell in love with the Dolphin statues outside...but more of that later.

We looked at most of the usual places but we were really struggling. Someone on the Dibb said they'd got a great deal through Hotwire so we decided to see what was on offer. We were offered a 3* on Fishermans Wharf for $73 a night...I looked at the hotels in that area that met the criteria/amenities listed and worked out that the only one to have EVERYTHING they said on Hotwire was the Radisson which would have been our first choice if the budget wasn't tight. So we went for it and I was right! So that was our first choice hotel for $340 inc tax! Dead chuffed with this and our DD is really excited to be at the hotel with the dolphins!

The Radisson Main Entrance - with Gemma's Dolphins...



The Car Hire...

Next we decided to look at car hire. We had a look at a niumber of car hire firms but the best deal was with USRentacar who we've used four out of the last 5 years and have been very happy with. When we first started discussing this trip (whilst we were in Florida last December) we said we'd love to have a 'Canyonero' (for those Simpson's fans amongst you!) otherwise known as a 4x4. USRentacar were doing a 'Sports Utility - Jeep Cherokee or similar' from Dollar for less than £400 for 2 weeks.

We decided that we didn't need the car whilst in the city so decided to book an Intermediate car to get us back to the airport on our last day. The plan is to go to the 49ers V Chicago Bears NFL game on the Thursday night and stay near the airport before flying home the next morning.

The difficulty was that the only drop offs IN the city was in the Union Square area which is a bit of a pain. Anyway Mark found out there is a Dollar franchise at the Ramada hotel in Fishermans Wharf - literally round the corner rom the Radisson - and he rings the guy at USRentacar who gets in touch with the manager there and arranges for us to drop off the Canyonero there and pick up our intermediate car 4 days later from the same place...result! Gold star for him!

Canyonero - o o... Canyonero!



What we actually HOPE to get...



... although you CAN see the similarity!


So that's the car hire sorted... next installment - the rest of the hotels...

[tracyh]

You must be getting excited like us now, looking forward to reading more of your plans.

[Tiggernut]

The Rest of the Hotels…

We did quite a lot of chopping and changing around our itinerary before we settled in the one we’ve gone with. The order in which we booked our hotels therefore was actually quite random. However I will explain our itinerary first and then tell you where we are stopping.

At one point we were going to visit Death Valley and then drive up the right hand side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, across Tioga Pass and into Yosemite that way. However going the time of year we are it is risky whether the pass will be open and we didn’t fancy the 300+ mile detour so sadly Death Valley will have to wait for another trip. So then we decided to go to the Grand Canyon first and then head over to Los Angeles to do Disneyland in time for Halloween. We identified places to stop en route and chose to stay in Williams for a couple of nights – doing Sedona and The Red Rock Canyon on the way – do the Grand Canyon and then stop at Twenty Nine Palms, do the Joshua Tree National Park and the head to LA from there. After Anaheim we are going up to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (staying a night in Three Rivers) and then staying at Oakhurst. We are then going into Yosemite and spending the day there, staying overnight at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The following day is another Yosemite day – hopefully with a ride up to Mono Lake if the road is open – and then a night in Mariposa.

We had already booked our San Francisco hotel – see previous post – so we had one night left to fill. Ironically it is our 17th Wedding Anniversary so we wanted somewhere a bit special. Firstly we thought about going over to Monterey (I actually asked for hotel advice there if anyone remembers!) but it is a long journey fro Yosemite to there which we didn’t really want to do. So after looking at various options we decided to book a hotel north of the Golden Gate Bridge in a place called San Rafael and we probably going to have a ride down into Sausilito for a meal and watch the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge. Finally, after our 5 nights on Fishermans Wharf we are staying in a hotel near the airport and going to see my beloved San Francisco 49ers on the night before we fly home.

So these are the hotels we have booked…

In Phoenix we are staying at The Best Western Inn of Tempe which has shuttles to the hotel and a Denny’s in the car park. Since our second trip to Florida in 1993 (we didn’t discover it until then!) Denny’s has always been our first stop for breakfast any time we’re in the USA so finding a hotel next to one was ideal! We don’t pick up our car until the following morning so having a shuttle is really useful too.

Best Western Inn of Tempe




The following morning we are heading out towards the Grand Canyon and decided to stay in Williams. After seeing the Motel 6 West in Williams recommended by a couple of people on here – and checking out the reports on Trip Advisor too – we decided to go for that as it was a) cheap and b) well placed for what we wanted to do.

Motel 6 West, Williams




We are spending two nights here so that we can spend as long as possible in the Grand Canyon area. Our intention is to get up with the birds, have some breakfast and then get to the Grand Canyon as early as possible. We will then spend the whole day seeing as much as we can before heading back to Williams at nightfall for our second night there.

The following morning we are going to drive a bit of Route 66 in and around Williams and Seligman. Then we are heading to Twenty Nine Palms for a nights stay there at the Motel 6.

Motel 6, Twenty Nine Palms



The next morning we are going for a tour round the Joshua Tree National Park before heading over to Anaheim in time to have a bit of a rest before going to Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party at DCA. We are staying at the Howard Johnson where Mark got some sort of special rate so it works out reasonably cheap. It seems to be popular with some of the American visitors (from another website!) so we’ll have to see. Our DD Gemma is really looking forward to the Kid’s Water Playground bit.

HoJo’s, Anaheim



The Pirate’s Cove Playground, HoJo’s, Anaheim




Whilst in Anaheim we are spending the Saturday (Halloween) visiting our friends Steve and Jackie who live in LA and Gemma is going Trick or Treating in a real LA neighbourhood with their little girl….I think this is the bit she’s looking forward to the most! On the Sunday we are going down to San Diego and Gemma and I are going to Sea World while Mark (my DH) and Steve go to the NFL game. On the Monday we are doing Disneyland!

The following day we start our trek northwards and are staying in the Buckeye Tree Lodge at Three Rivers close to Sequoia National Park that night. We are very much looking forward to staying here as the hotel is right on the banks of the river and the views round and about look fantastic.

Buckeye Tree Lodge, Three Rivers



The next morning is another early start to get into Sequoia NP as early as possible and do both there and Kings Canyon before heading north again to Oakhurst for a night at the Best Western Yosemite Gateway.

Best Western Yosemite Gateway, Oakhurst


Yet another early start the next day to head into Yosemite. We are trying to do 2 full days here and include a trip up to Tuluomme Meadows (if the Tioga Pass is open), Glacier Point (likewise if it’s open) and to hire bikes and ride round the valley floor. We have booked a night in Yosemite Lodge at the Falls so we can be right there in the middle of the action to get as much time in the park as possible.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls



After another full day we are staying the night in Mariposa at the Mariposa Lodge. We stayed here when we went in 2006 and it was a lovely hotel so it was our first thought when we were looking to stay in the area again.

Mariposa Lodge, Mariposa



The next morning we are heading over to the San Francisco area for the last bit of our trip (boo hoo!). As I said earlier this particular night was a hard one to choose what to do. We settled on staying in the San Rafael area so that we can do the part north of the Golden Gate Bridge where we need a car as we are giving up our hire car once we get into the city. The Four Points by Sheraton got some great reviews on trip advisor and the rate was good so we chose that one…

Four Points by Sheraton, San Rafael



The next day we are going to do our favourite trip up the Marin Headlands for some wonderful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city beyond and to have a drive down Lombard St before going to our hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf (see my earlier post about the hotel there). We are handing in our Canyonero at the dollar desk at the Ramada (just round the corner from our hotel) and the rest of the time in San Francisco we are going to use the cable cars and public transport. We’re intending to do Alcatraz, Alamo Square, Union Square and possibly (if I’m feeling fit!) hire a bike and rided over to Sausilito and get the ferry back.

On the Thursday (our last day….waaaaaa!) we are picking up another hire car and we have a booking at the Vagabond Inn close to the airport. Again we stayed here on our previous trip and it was very good. That evening we are going to see the 49ers play at Candlestick Park….yay!

Vagabond Inn, Burlingame



The next morning we head home from SFO…hopefully having had a wonderful trip!

It’s only less than 5 weeks to go now so I’m counting down the minutes and seconds. I won’t promise to do a trip report as I haven’t done last year’s Florida one yet but I will make sure I let you all know how it goes. Good luck to anyone else planning to go to Californa….I’m KNOW you’ll have a wonderful trip!

Jacqui x

[Tiggernut]

So there we have it... all my planning and what we've booked. Hope you've enjoyed reading it. Roll on 24th October...