qqcq6s59

Hello

I will be visiting San Diego for a business visit after a week of work, I have 5 days left for travel.
I am wondering between three options
1. Spend all 5 days in San diego and around
2. Spend 1 day in SD and plan a trip to Grand canyon and back
3. Plan a raod trip to GC through Las vegas

For GC I am thinking of hiring a car and driving, of course I will be driving alone but I cannot manage.

Any help appreciated.

jedivader

Grand Canyon is an awesome sight if you have never seen it, but it is a long drive from Las Vegas. San Diego is also a long drive from Las Vegas. When my wife and I did the GC, we flew into Phoenix, and that was 3.5 hours to drive.

Not sure if I could spend 5 days just around SD alone.

emalloy

If it is not winter and you have never been to GC, then I would plan on that and fly back home from either Phoenix or Vegas. Or look for an inexpensive flight from San Diego to Las Vegas and rent a car there (often less expensive esp. for one)

Otherwise, I would drive up the coast hwy and fly home from San Francisco.

jedivader

How far are you willing to drive alone?

I would imagine hiring a driver would be expensive.

You could stay in CA and split your time between SD and LA areas.

qqcq6s59

Thanks for your reply,
This is the first time to US.
ok I will give only 1 day for SD. Two days in LA and two days in GC is it doable, or am I rushing too much

qqcq6s59

Just to add I can drive 6hrs at a stretch, I do it in my country at least. Thats why I was wondering whether I can rent a car and drive through.

I am traveling in this month 25/6. Sudden travel so last minute plans. Unfortunately I am flying out of San-diego on 30/6. So I have to comeback to SD.

I will research options for flying to LA and renting a car for GC trip from there.

jedivader

If GC is a must, I would try to get a cheap flight from SD to Phoenix and drive from there to GC.

LA area is just an option if you decide not to leave SD, otherwise I would skip LA.

sludick

I think that if 6hrs at a stretch is your limit, I wouldn't plan on GC. Personally, I think there is plenty in and around San Diego for 5 days. Balboa Park with its museums, the zoo, Safari Park - all good for a day apiece. Then there is Coronado Island and San Diego. You could visit Temecula wine country or the regions closer to San Diego.

And then of course there is Los Angeles with it various attractions. Just traveling from San Diego to Los Angeles and back in a day can take 6 hours, given traffic.

sludick

Sorry - meant Coronado Island and La Jolla.

jedivader

All depends on your personal factors. I like to cram as much as I can into a trip, with the thought that I might not get back there again.

Are you more into landscapes, cities, art, culture, history, Americana? All these are factors. I personally do not spend much time in cities, I prefer the smaller towns and outdoor adventures.

If you wanted to fly to Las Vegas, you can do many things there besides gamble. There is the strip and old Vegas of course, but there is also Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, and Valley of Fire. Also Death Valley if you want to drive a bit further.

MikePinTucson

I would fly from San Diego to Phoenix, rent a car and drive to the Grand Canyon, also spending a couple of days in Sedona. Driving even from Los Angeles, you spend almost two whole days on the road.

When you decide which night (s) you want for the Grand Canyon, start checking the websites for lodging. There are always cancellations. Also call every day, because cancellations don't always make it to the websites.

For 5 of the lodges: http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

For Yavapai Lodge: http://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/yavapai-lodge

jedivader

We stayed outside the park, I think the GC Inn. It has been a while, so not sure. I just know that we stayed outside the park and just drove in to do what we wanted. Not a long drive and it was cheaper outside the park.

If you drive from PHX, you can stop in Flagstaff for a bit as well as the mentioned Sedona. Of course all depends on the amount of time. Monument Valley is 2.5 hours from the park too.

ltt

i'd be happy to stay around san diego and do some day trips spend a day travelling up the coast to laguna beach, 1/2 a day in la jolla, 1/2 day on coronado, if disneyland interests you, you could do an overnight in anaheim, an overnight on catalina island if you want some time on the water. i have little interest in LA so i wouldn't do that.
regarding the grand canyon, i'd check where you could get accommodations. it will be too late to get a place on the rim which is where i'd want to stay if i was making the trip. with only 5 days, it's a long ways to go as you'd have to fly to vegas or pheonix, rent a car, drive for several hours two different day and then fly back to san diego. or you could drive from san diego and do an overnight in lake havasu, 2 nights at the grand canyon and drive back to san diego, with an overnight somewhere.

MikePinTucson

It will not be too late to find lodging inside the park because cancellations happen VERY frequently. People book rooms close to a year in advance and often don't cancel until a few days before, when they can't make the trip. Keep calling, because staying inside the park and being able to walk to the rim in just a few minutes beats staying outside the park. I would never stay outside the park if I could possibly get lodging inside.

Interesting that Itt says driving from Phoenix or Las Vegas would mean driving several hours on two different days, then suggests driving from San Diego to the GC. It is about 3 1/2 hours drive from Phoenix to the GC (2 hours to Sedona), but over 9 hours drive from / to San Diego. Even breaking it up and stopping overnight someplace you really don't care to visit, that is 4 days of driving over 4 hours a day compared with two days of driving 3 1/2 hours maximum each day.

ltt

just to confirm...i was not encouraging the drive from san diego to the grand canyon...just giving the information on IF they chose to do it.

HappyTrvlr

We love San Diefo, so much to do and see plus wonderful weather.

elizzie4000

qqcq6s59 - How much time will you have for sightseeing the week you're working? Where are you staying?

It would help to know so we can help maximize what you can see during that week. Then if are able to see a lot while here then maybe consider traveling somewhere else.

If you anticipate not seeing much then I would encourage you to stay around Southern California and see all that we have to offer in San diego as well as a drive up the coast.

There really is a lot to see and do. But, like I said, if we are able to help you see some of these sights then may you could move on to somewhere else for 2 or 3 days

qqcq6s59

Hello
Thanks for everyone support, I really appreciate it.

Dear elizzie4000
please find my current final plan let me know what you think.
19~ 24-05 - Grand Hyatt,SD -Conference/Biz activity
25~ 26-05 - Hotel TBD (some B&B/Bckpk) - SD sight Seeing.
27-05 --> Chkout, Drive to Grand Canyon through Las Vegas/Hoover dam (I am an engineer )
27-05 Night - Stay at Tusayan/Flagstaff (TBD)
28-05 - Tusayan/Flagstaff (TBD)
29-05 - Chk out Drive to San Diego
29-05 Night - San Diego
30-05 - Leave San Diego

from 25-29 I have not booked hotels, I keeping it flexible and checking the GC lodges so that I can plan with flexibility.

Budget is flexible too, but I would like to stay at a Backpacker place not just because of budget also since I can meet many people and if possible I will share my ride to GC just for company.

I have traveled other countries alone as a backpacker in the past though recently not, so can get comfortable anywhere, only problem would be my suitcase, can I leave somewhere like luggage storage.
let me know your feedback, Thanks again to all

qqcq6s59

Dear elizzie4000
Just to add:
19th reach and hopefully 20th Rest
21st-23rd biz end with dinner so I can not do any sight seeing.
24th - hopefully free after 2:00PM.

elizzie4000

These are at the beach so would be a change from staying downtown

http://www.beachbungalowhostel.com/

http://www.californiahostel.com/

http://californiadreamshostel.com/prova/

With a car this location is fine. But, if you can get into one of the beach ones I'd like that location better. But, this one isn't too far from the beach.
http://sandiegohostels.org/point-lom...ct-directions/

Downtown Little Itay
http://www.ithhostels.com/san-diego-adventure-hostel/

Near the Zoo
http://www.ithhostels.com/san-diego-zoo-hostel/


Downtown
http://www.usahostels.com/locations/...go/directions/
http://www.luckydshostel.com/