Liberty3l

We (two people) are travelling to an Acapella contest in LAs Vegas in October starting 3rd October this year leaving Sydney Australia.

Can anybody please advise if the choices for our itinerary below is sound and will be practical:

1/ Fly to Vegas 3rd October stay 8 nights
2/ Hire Car and drive to Yosemite stay 2 nights.
3/ Drive to Sacramento stay 2 nights
4/ Drive to Sausalito stay 1 night
5/ Drive to San Francisco stay 5 nights
6/ Drive to Carmel stay 1 night
7/ Drive to Monterey 2 nights.
8 Drive to LA night fly home.

Also accommodation recommendations would be most welcome. Medium cost.

Thanks

emalloy

Carmel and Monterey are just a few minutes apart and I would want to spend some time driving down the coast rather than three nights in that area. Maybe two nights in that area and one farther down, maybe Cambria area before you drive to LA for the drive home.

If you have time to do things other than the contest while in Vegas, look into visiting Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam etc.

nytraveler

Sorry - but medium cost means nothing. We often have people here who say reasonable, won't break the bank or not too expensive. And when questioned they can come up with very different amounts - often is the strictly budget range.

So for useful recos you really need to provide a specific amount in $ per night.

janisj

Do you have friends in the Sacramento area? If not, I'd skip it<red>*</red> and add 1 night to Yosemite (it is a VERY long drive from Vegas to YNP so 2 nights will only give you one day) and add one more night on the coast between Carmel and Los Angeles. Or to shorten the drives, add one night enroute from LV to Yosemite. Either way it will take 3 nights total

Also -- stay in SF and do Sausalito as a day trip by ferry. Packing an moving from Sausalito makes little sense since they are directly across the Golden Gate from each other.

And stay 3 nights in ONE place (Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove) since they are all contiguous and no need to shift.

(<red>*</red> I live near Sacramento and there actually is a lot to see/do in the area but not w/ the 'wow factor' of Yosemite, SF, or the coast so use that time more scenic places)

jamie99

1. Drop Sacramento, or at least one night there and add it to in between Las Vegas and Yosemite (you DO have lodging reserved don't you? As places there book up to one year in advance, you cannot just "rock on up"). Maybe stay in Lone Pine or Bishop. It is a very long drive, yes we know people from Oz are used to driving long distances but the terrain is a bit different in the Sierra Nevada mountains en route to Yosemite.
2. As stated, Monterey and Carmel are right next to one another, stay in one or the other for two nights.
3. Stay one more night in Cambria or Pismo Beach, Monterey to LA is too far without another overnight.
4. Why no time in LA, 2nd largest city in the US? There is a LOT more to see than the usual Hollywood stuff.
5. What is your lodging budget per night in USD?

Liberty3l

Thanks Jamie.

Do you have lodging recommendations for the places you have mentioned particularly Yosemite.

Budget is open for $100-$150USD but not strict if reasonable accommodation is recommended.

BigRuss

>

What does that mean? You're happy to go higher in price or lower?

Las Vegas has about 15 of the 25 largest hotels in the world (used to be 18 of the top 21), depending upon which oil magnate has opened his latest luxury hotel in Macao or Dubai, so just check it out, look at the map of the Strip and downtown, and determine where you need to be viz. your competition. There are numerous price points within a few blocks of each other.

That said, your budget of $100-150 is a bit tight. That's $130-190AUD and you know full well that you can get bugger-all for that money in Sydney or Melbourne or even Yulara. Vegas is an attraction in the desert, so it's functionally akin to Yulara (which exists solely for Uluru tourism) in that no one would go there but for the fact that it exists. LA, San Francisco and the Pacific Coast Highway area you're targeting are not cheap. San Francisco is the most expensive city in the country - you can't get anything better than a hovel for 130AUD in Sydney, you won't surpass a dump for $100 in San Fran. Carmel and Monterrey are pretty, and they're also high-end locales. Know this, look around but be ready to adjust.

november_moon

I agree with the others. Skip Sacramento unless you have people to visit there - add a night to Yosemite - visit Sausalito as a day trip by ferry or bike from SF - no need to stay in Monterey and Carmel, pick one or the other - definitely add a night between Monterey and LA.

For lodging:

Yosemite - Try Curry Village tent cabins. They are in your budget - these are rustic with shared bath, but they are right in the middle of Yosemite Valley, so the location cannot be beat.

SF - Try Priceline for a better rate. October is popular for conventions, so rooms may be scarce, but give it a go. Also try motels along Lombard St - good public transportation, but outside the city center a bit, so you have lower prices.

Monterey - With your budget, the only ocean-front lodging that I can think of in the area is Borgs in Pacific Grove. It is basic, but the location is excellent. Otherwise, consider the motels on Munras Avenue, near downtown Monterey. I don't think you'll find much in Carmel for your budget.

Between Monterey and LA - the towns of Cambria, Morro Bay, Cayucos, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, and Avila Beach are the usual suspects. You will probably have the best luck with lodging in your budget in Morro Bay, Cayucos, and SLO - maybe Pismo Beach too.

jamie99

In Monterey as stated try the motels on Munras Avenue, your budget is really low. we stayed in a 2 star there a long time ago when almost everything was booked out due to a race at the Laguna Seca raceway. Can't remember the name. In Cambria we stayed at Sand Pebbles Inn, probably above your budget also. Morro Bay is likely to be your best option between Monterey and LA.
In LA I have seen Magic Castle and Coral Sands recommended or maybe Motel 6 in Hollywood for about $100 plus 15% room tax (never forget the room tax, it is not included in the prices).

Liberty3l

OK, Got it. Should increase my budget. Can I rephrase by asking best value for money accommodation that may be best for us up to $350 AUD.
Also thinking that drive to Yosemite in one day may be too much.

Are there any suggested stopovers?

jamie99

Maybe try Lone Pine or Bishop? 350AUD is just under 260USD so much better. Most important do you have lodging booked in Yosemite yet?

clarkgriswold

The Platinum Hotel in Las Vegas might be a good choice, $190 plus tax for a kitchen suite that has a king bed plus a sofa bed. It's one of the quieter hotels as there's no casino and it's about a mile from the MGM where I think your event is held. Super 8 motel on Koval Lane is clean and updated if you want something closer to your $100 budget.

Columbus Motor Inn in San Francisco has a great location and includes parking in their room rates. (careful other hotels will charge $30-60 per night to park your car).

Villa Franca Inn or Lone Oak Lodge in Monterey is clean and easy on the budget. For something just a bit nicer, weeknight rates at the Merritt House Inn look good that week.

clarkgriswold

What time is your flight out of Los Angeles? I think you've been advised that one-day to drive from Monterey to L.A for an evening flight is not advisable. But even coming from say, Cambria, you'll want to avoid approaching Los Angeles from the north anytime between 4:30pm and maybe 8pm.

janisj

If you haven't yet booked in Yosemite Valley -- try immediately. If you can get in (Yosemite Lodge or Curry Village) great -- but more likely they are booked up. So then, book at Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal (closest property to the Valley). Then -- keep trying for Yosemite Lodge and IF you are successful, you can cancel at Yosemite View.

Liberty3l

Have been checking the accommodation in Yosemite which is very expensive and scarce and am thinking of flying straight to San Fran fro Vegas and giving Yosemite the miss.
This will give me more time in San Fran and take out the long desert drive from Vegas.
Any thoughts from fellow fodorians?

clarkgriswold

yes that's probably a better plan. Do you have any days free in Las Vegas? If so, a day drive to Zion National Park is an idea. Beautiful. An overnight would be better but its a 2.5 hour drive each way so you could do it in one day and it is worth the drive.
For shorter day trips go to Red Rock Canyon (25 mins drive) and to Valley of Fire (50 mins) and to Hoover Dam/Lake Mead .