West Coast/Yosemite/Vegas - Itinerary Added

[Ariel88]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Ariel just be aware you might have to change your route come october with the possbility of tioga pass closing with snow. Somtimes dosnt close to later but you would need to keep an eye on it. LAST FEW YEARS NOV

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I’m aware the Tioga pass closes in the winter for snow. I’ve already checked dates for previous years and the earliest was 17th October in 2004. We’ll be there 8-10th so unless we’re incredibly unlucky i’m sure it will be fine. I do have a contingency plan in case that happens though!

[Ariel88]

Originally Posted by jdouds

Areil for the lenght of your trip you have a lot of stops. If you have done florida in the past i would almost say dont do disney and spend more time in the other areas

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We’re not planning on going back to the West Coast anytime soon so making the most of it. We also won’t be visiting WDW until 2021 so getting our Disney fix is important on this trip.

[Manc_Chris]

Originally Posted by Finser

Thanks Ariel, Yes we are still working on where to stop, I think Grand Canyon will just be a day trip from Vegas, two teenagers not really interested in a big hole (as they put it). We may stay one night in Yosemite on way, looking at accommodation as advised earlier in thread, so hope to have that sorted shortly. Car hire seems pricey, who can you recommend? As we both drive and have previously driven long road trips in US before, we don't mind putting in the miles on certain dates to get to where we need to be, but having three weeks instead of two, certainly helps!

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We’re picking a car up in Seattle, and need to drop it off at LAX before coming home. The one-way fees are eye-watering, but Andy at discount Florida car hire managed to get me a good deal - used him a couple of other times for car-hire and he’s very helpful. He actually advertises on the Dibb, and posts on the car hire forum. Give him a try.

[Ariel88]

Originally Posted by Finser

Thanks Ariel, Yes we are still working on where to stop, I think Grand Canyon will just be a day trip from Vegas, two teenagers not really interested in a big hole (as they put it). We may stay one night in Yosemite on way, looking at accommodation as advised earlier in thread, so hope to have that sorted shortly. Car hire seems pricey, who can you recommend? As we both drive and have previously driven long road trips in US before, we don't mind putting in the miles on certain dates to get to where we need to be, but having three weeks instead of two, certainly helps!

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We’ve booked our car hire through Alamo Brits who were reasonable for an intermediate car. There was no mention of a one way fee and I’ve double checked the small print to make sure. On the website it states there isn’t a one way fee between most locations in California but that it may vary by time of year and car type.

[MichelleT]

We're also going this summer for 3 weeks with two teenagers, our plan is :
San Fran x 3
Monterey x 2
Santa Barbara x 1
LA X 1
Anaheim x 3
San Diego x 6
Kingman x 1
Grand Canyon x 1
Las Vegas x 3

We have planned lots of stops but tried to keep driving times to max 4 hours. I've just been pricing up car hire and the cheapest we have found for a standard SUV is VA (Alamo) or Andy @ DCFH with Hertz. Neither have a drop off fee and only picking car up when leaving San Fran as a car is not needed in the city.
Happy planning

[Myakka17]

Originally Posted by MichelleT

We're also going this summer for 3 weeks with two teenagers, our plan is :
San Fran x 3
Monterey x 2
Santa Barbara x 1
LA X 1
Anaheim x 3
San Diego x 6
Kingman x 1
Grand Canyon x 1
Las Vegas x 3

We have planned lots of stops but tried to keep driving times to max 4 hours. I've just been pricing up car hire and the cheapest we have found for a standard SUV is VA (Alamo) or Andy @ DCFH with Hertz. Neither have a drop off fee and only picking car up when leaving San Fran as a car is not needed in the city.
Happy planning

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Having done similar last tear I'd drop a night in San D in lieu of an xtracstep night in San Fran. So much to do there we wished we'd had more nights there.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Finser

Hi all, new member here asking for some advise. We have just booked flights into and out of Oakland for July/August last big family holiday before eldest goes off to Uni! We have 21 days and our initial itinery was as follows

Oakland to Vegas (via Yosemite)- Week 1
Vegas to LA - Week 2
LA to San Fra - Week 3

We haven't booked accommodation yet, but we will for San Fra at end of Holiday (last 3 or 4 days) and perhaps first night near to Oakland. Is there anywhere else you would recommend we book sooner rather than later?

Thanks

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Ok, we've made some progress on the Itinerary which is now provisionally as follows.

Day 1 - Collect Car from Oakland and Drive to Modesto.
Day 2 - Drive from Modesto to a stop in Yosemite or Death Valley (still looking at present)
Day 3 - Yosemite/Death Valley to LV
Day 4 & 5 - Spend in Vegas
Day 6 - LV to San Diego
Day 7 & 8 - San Diego- on Day 8 drive to LA
Day 9 to day 16 - LA (Universal, Disney and Catching up with Family)
Day 17 -Carmel
Day 18 - Monterey
Day 19/20/21 - SF then Home

We have booked hotel in SF (but may change if a better deal comes along) and we have booked car, Andy at Discount Florida Car Hire worked wonders, a Standard SUV for approx. £560.00, so can't complain.

Next on the Agenda is to arrange accommodation where we can on Yosemite/DV, LV, San Diego and LA, any recommendations?

[Ariel88]

Originally Posted by Finser

Ok, we've made some progress on the Itinerary which is now provisionally as follows.

Day 1 - Collect Car from Oakland and Drive to Modesto.
Day 2 - Drive from Modesto to a stop in Yosemite or Death Valley (still looking at present)
Day 3 - Yosemite/Death Valley to LV
Day 4 & 5 - Spend in Vegas
Day 6 - LV to San Diego
Day 7 & 8 - San Diego- on Day 8 drive to LA
Day 9 to day 16 - LA (Universal, Disney and Catching up with Family)
Day 17 -Carmel
Day 18 - Monterey
Day 19/20/21 - SF then Home

We have booked hotel in SF (but may change if a better deal comes along) and we have booked car, Andy at Discount Florida Car Hire worked wonders, a Standard SUV for approx. £560.00, so can't complain.

Next on the Agenda is to arrange accommodation where we can on Yosemite/DV, LV, San Diego and LA, any recommendations?

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Are you looking to stay inside Yosemite or Death Valley National parks? Acccomodation within the parks are limited and are pretty pricey for what they are. We’re staying outside Mariposa which is about an hour’s drive to Yosemite Valley. It’s 2 1/2 hours away from Oakland Airport so may be a better stop than Modesto depending on how much driving you’re happy to do after a long flight. From there you could spend the day driving through Yosemite and stay at Lone Pine which is not far from the entrance to Death Valley. Alternatively you could stay in Yosemite Valley and drive through to Vegas but it’s already an 8ish hour drive without the detour through Death Valley.

[jdouds]

Hi again realise you are meeting family in LA so to give yourself more time would now Suggest you think of dropping San Diego . When you arrive would suggest you either drive to yosemite or as close as you are comfortable doing after your flight. Definately stay 2 night in park if possible. Drive to vegas via tioga pass 6 1/2 hours including stops. Would maybe consider a stop at Santa Barbara, LA to Carmel is a long drive with loads to see. Carmel and Monterey merge into each other so pick one place to stay and definately go whale watching

[Guest]

Once again, thank you for all of your suggestions, we have now looked ta Oakland to Mariposa and then next days, driving to Lone pine Via Tioga Pass, then Lone Pine to LV, accommodation is not bad pricewise and lots available at moment, so thank you Ariel and jdouds.

Jdouds, My wife and I would really like to see San Diego, so will keep that in, any recommendation for where to stay in Carmel/Monterey? Whale watching sounds superb, thanks.