Evelyn29

Hi!

We are are a family of 5 (3 kids) from Germany and would like to spend 19 days in July in California/Utah/Arizona and we need some more help. We are interessted in nature (but not walk to much with our little boy - about 2h/day is enough), also in water - lake, river, fishing, sea (fish, whales ...) and also in cities. So we planned our route like this:

1- Flight to LA from Germany - get a car - Hotel near Airport

2- Drive to Sequoia - Night at Sequoia

3- Drive to Bakersfield or somewhere else on the way to Las Vegas

4- Drive to Las Vegas - Night in Las Vegas (Vadara Hotel oder Hilton Suites)

5- Las Vegas - Night in Las Vegas

6- Drive to Zion - Night Zion - Flanigan`s Inn

7- Zion

8- Drive to Page - Night Page - Hotel? (nice one near the lake)

9- Night Page

10- Night Page

11- Drive to Flagstaff - Night Flagstaff or Sedona

12- Drive Flagstaff - Lake Havasue - Hotel??

13- Drive Lake Havasue - Joshua Tree/Palm Springs - Night Palm Springs

14- Joshua Tree/Palm Springs - San Diego (Holiday home oder Hilton Downtown)

15- San Diego

16- San Diego

17- San Diego - LA - Hollywood, LA Kings Store - Hotel??

18- LA - Universal Studios

19- LA - Flight home


Now my questions.

- We are going on the second day to Sequoia - where should we stay for the first night - near Airport or should we drive already on the first day a littele bit out of LA?
- Where should we stop between Sequoia - Las Vegas? In Bakersfiled? I think is have way. But it seems to be an ugly city. Any other suggestions - Motel with nice pool or area around?
- Any suggestions for a nice hotel/motel in Page or around - as I told a pool and Lake/River... would be great for the kids.
- Where should we stop after Page in Sedona or Flagstaff?
- Where should we stop between Page and Joshua Tree (2 nights are ok). It would be great if there is a nice motel/hotel with a great pool or area (river, forest) near by, so the kids can have some fun after a long driving day. I don`t think a want to go via Oatman - I think the drive for the kids is to long. I was thinking about Lake Havasue - but i didn´t found a nice motel/hotel, so maybe somewhere else? Because of the kids a have to do a compromise between a senic drive and to got fast.
- In LA we just want to visit the Universal Studios and Walk of Fame and my son wants to got to the LA King store - should we book a hotel near the sea for a nice evening or near the studios?

Thanks a lot for helping us - it is our first time in the United States and we have so many questions, but with 3 kids this is not so easy and we want to have a nice holiday. I hope everything is unverstandable becauce ot my not so perfect english.

Evelyn

tomfuller

Why did you choose Sequoia/Kings Canyon over Yosemite?
My plan to avoid spending a night in Bakersfield: From LAX get the shuttle bus to Los Angeles Union Station. Take the Amtrak bus to Bakersfield which connects to a San Joaquin train north to Fresno.
Rent the car in Fresno (at the airport). Go and see either Sequoia or Yosemite.
Return to Fresno and either fly to Las Vegas or take the train back to Bakersfield with an Amtrak bus that goes though Barstow to get to Las Vegas.
Rent a big car in Las Vegas to cover the rest of your trip.
Return the car to Las Vegas and then fly back to San Diego or Los Angeles.

emalloy

I see that you are spending 3 nights in Page, but not visiting either Bryce or Grand Canyon both of which are places I would want to see more than Page.

jamie99

Joshua Tree and Palm Springs will both be VERY hot in July, as will Las Vegas just so you are aware, like 90-100+F hot.
Make sure you have a place with a pool.
How old are your children? Universal is geared more for tweens and teens and rides have height limits. Consider Disneyland instead or possibly Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park (near Disneyland) for a combo of kiddy rides and coasters.
In July I'd look into staying at the beach, maybe Sea View Inn in Manhattan Beach or Sea Shore in Santa Monica.

Evelyn29

Thanks a lot, yes Knott´s Berry Farm is an oppurtunity. My kids are 7,11 and 14 years. Maybe we will just drive with the car through Joshua. Yes you are right - 3 nights Page are to long (we don´t want to see GC but Bryce - but we decided also to skip because, we don´t want to make any more miles with the kids. My husband really wants to see the big Sequoias. But I think it will be a horror trip for my kids from LA - they don`t like very winding streets.
Thanks
Evelyn

tomfuller

My grandkids like Knott's better than Disneyland.
Since they live near Santa Clarita, their go to place is 6 Flags Magic Mountain.
You don't have to drive to or through Joshua Tree NP to see lots of Joshua trees. There are a lot of them in the Mojave National Preserve which you can drive through on the way to Las Vegas.

Evelyn29

Ah that is an good idea - so when we come from Sequoia you think we should take the way through Mojave. So it would be a better idea to stop first night after Sequoia in Barstow for a stop and than go through Mojave to Las Vegas?? But I think it will take much longer, what do you think?? Is it worth to take this way??

So if we dont go to Joshua - what would be the best way for us and our kids to go to San Diego from Page - another nice place between for an overnight stop?

Thanks
Evelyn