jodmaree

Aussie family of 4 visiting US for the first time in April. Kids are 13 yrs (boy and girl). I have booked all accommodation up to and including San Fran as I know this is over your Spring break. We enjoy National parks and are fit and healthy but not interested in all day hikes. Happy to do between 5-10 km in a day but we don't have the appropriate hiking gear for huge or tough terrain walks. We have most of the trip planned out but keen to hear suggestions about what is worth stopping for along the way.
We are from Queensland in Australia and don't have a lot of warm gear so thinking it might be cheaper to buy at Shopping Outlets in Anaheim / Vegas before we hit the colder temperatures? We aren't big shoppers but will shop for bargain sports shoes and basic clothes.
Any recommendations regarding pre-paid sim to purchase in US with a reasonable amount of data?
I love taking photos so if there's advice on any must have shots along our path!!
As we will be eating out constantly, any suggestions for inexpensive, healthier diners or restaurant chains where we can get vegetables and salads with meals?

29 March - 1 April (3 days / nights LOS ANGELES) - Arrive in LA 6.00 am. Drop luggage at hotel. Hop on Hop off bus ticket for 2 days and Universal Studios for 1 day.
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1 - 4 April (4 days / nights ANAHEIM) - Pick up rental car, Drive to Anaheim - 3 days Disneyland & California Adventure park, Ice hockey game (Ducks vs Flames) on 4th. (Price for picking up car rental a few days earlier was just as cheap as paying for a shuttle transfer)

5 - 7 April (3 nights) Drive from Anaheim to LAS VEGAS Tropicana. Would like to see a Circ de Soile show but was advised to wait and purchase tickets once there. Any other shows must sees? Naturally will do the strip and check out Bellagio fountain etc. Can you just walk in to the fancy hotels and look around?

8-9 April (2 nights) Vegas to GRAND CANYON South Rim, Drive by Hoover Dam, not sure where to stop along Route 66? GC Helicopter flight booked for 9th!!! Have not decided on walks etc yet. Assuming the sunrise will be amazing!!

10 April (1 night) GC early start to MONUMENT VALLEY. Should I book tours before we get there given our small amount of time? Staying at the View here - can't wait!!

11 April (1 night) Monument to BRYCE NP via Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe bend, Bitter Springs lookout (I know I need to book Antelope Canyon - Upper or Lower??) Approx 2 hrs drive from Monument to Antelope so thinking I should book a late morning tour for maybe 11am if possible?

12-13 April (2 nights) Explore Bryce and Hoodoos until after lunchbefore driving to ZION NP. So many walks here - I know it's a short amount of time.

14 April (1 night) Leave Zion in the afternoon for one last night in LAS VEGAS. See anything we feel we missed the first time.

15 -17 April (3 nights) early start for big drive to YOSEMITE NP (Staying at Yosemite View Lodge) I was advised we will need to go via Bakersfield as the eastern entrance will still be snowed in. Your recommendations for walks with 2 whole days to spend here are appreciated. I understand the Mariposa Grove will be closed - if you know of any worthwhile alternatives for seeing the Sequoias without too much extra driving?

18-22 April (4 nights) Drive to SAN FRANCISCO (staying at The Wharf Inn).
Is there worthwhile stops along this drive or a recommended route?
We have booked Alcatraz, Hop on Hop off bus which includes walking tours of Chinatown, Barbary Coast, North Beach,Panoramic Night & Sausalito Trolley Tour. (All in a 48hr ticket so who knows if we'll fit all that in). We thought other options might be to hire bikes, visit Exploratorium, Science Museum........
We can stay here longer if we choose.

23 - 29 April Drive back down the coast to LA - no bookings have been made and no plans. If possible be in LA by evening of 26th to see some friends also travelling - Maybe do Lego Land with them on 27th.
Would like to enjoy some of the coastal towns on our way back. We had intended to drive via Big Sur but hear it is cut off due to storm damage.
Have booked tickets for a Dodgers vs Phillies game in LA on evening of 28 April. We aren't sure if we should head down to San Diego for a night with friends on 27th and see the Aircraft Carriers and Midway Museum on morning of 28th. Maybe squeezing too much in?

29 April See anything we missed in LA and head to LAX airport around 6.00 to drop hire car and check in. 10.30pm - Fly home to Australia

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

janisj

There really won't be any place to see Sequoias in the park but you can see them in Calaveras Big Trees state park if you head up hwy 49 after leaving Yosemite and the bonus is you can see some of the Calif Gold Rush country and also Columbia State Historic park before heading across to San Francisco.

Re driving TO Yosemite - From Bakersfield, you'll have to drive all the way up to Merced and take hwy 140 into the park (which is fine since you are staying in El Portal which is on 140) - both other highways into the park (120 and 41) are damaged/closed.

As for down the coast - you can go as far as Monterey/Carmel/Point Lobos and the very northern end of Big Sur -- then you'll have to back track through Monterey and go south on 101 until you come back to the coast south of Big Sur.

michelhuebeli

Wow, cool trip, welcome banana benders!

For very detailed advice about the San Francisco-to-Los Angeles stretch, look at this discussion:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...california.cfm

You may also get good hints from http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-in-oct.cfm

Buy warm-weather gear in Los Angeles/Anaheim at what’s called “Thrift Stores” or “Goodwill” stores - the same as your Sallies or Vinnies. They’re everywhere and won’t hurt the budget. Then donate things back at the end of the trip.

Where is your hotel in L.A.? L.A. is huge, spread out even more than Sydney, and very decentralized - areas vary hugely from one another. Off the cuff I’d suggest Santa Monica for you, but other locations might also be fine. Are you committed, or still flexible?

Not sure about spending so much time in Anaheim, but with the car you can always get away for a half-day if the soul-less place gets to you (I’ve spent about three dozen four-day weekends there over the years, due to tradeshows for work...).

Lots of good targets are in the area, within driving range, all the way down to San Diego and up into the hills, to Julian for the famous apple pies for example, or to Palomar Observatory (www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/visitor/).

Are you sure about that advice re. tix for Circ? Get a second opinion if it’s important to you.

Look up Sedona AZ for a night’s stay, sunrise with the red rocks being lit up is awesome, it’s a very special place.

If you want to drive the South Rim, I recommend going the long way around to the Desert View entrance on the east end. From Flagstaff you take 89 north and 64 west. Desert View has a restaurant, visitor center, amenities, and a lookout tower for great views and photo ops.

Then you drive west along the South Rim, stopping at every pullout because the views and colors and type of rock shapes keep changing, sometimes drastically. Then you end up at the “Village” where everybody piles in off the tour buses, and where you probably will board your chopper.

I have to stop now, but do look at the discussions I mentioned at the top.

Cheers for now

jodmaree

Thank you janisj Wow - thanks for the road information. Is there a website I should keep an eye on to know about road closures while we are travelling? Will absolutely look at the options for the Gold rush country on our way to SF. That also spelled out a plan for Big Sur too - it's tricky just looking at a map without some real knowledge of the situation.
michelhuebeli - so much info. I'll check out the discussion links too. We are staying at Loews Hollywood Hotel in LA - near the Chinese Theatre so hoping the location should be good! The hop on Hop off Bus has a stop just there which should also be convenient. We hope to spend time out at the beaches as well as touristy Hollywood sites. Anaheim will be 3 days in theme parks and the 4th was just for breathing space coming from LA and needing to pick up a few items before we start the main driving part of the trip. Will buy a SIM card, any extra clothes, pick up an esky (or cooler I think you say) to transport drinks, fruit, snacks etc.

emalloy

For the California part or the trip use:

http://dot.ca.gov

The quick map option will show the state with little road block signs - red/yellow/black kind of saw horses.

If you have an iPad, iPhone, android, smart phone, etc. you can download a free app called WAZE which (if you are in an area with service) will route you around closures, show where there is slow traffic, stops, as well as police, gas stations, food etc.

jamie99

Lego Land is not in LA but in Carlsbad, about a 40 minute drive north of San Diego. It is really geared more for the age 8 and under crowd unless your kids are Huge Lego fanatics.
San Diego is a lovely town with a world class zoo, but not sure if you have time to fit it into your trip.

janisj

>>Maybe do Lego Land with them on 27th.

ElendilPickle

Wow, sounds like a great trip!

www.nps.gov will give you current park conditions, so be sure to bookmark it.

I think three nights is one too many for Las Vegas, especially with kids. You can go into the casinos, but you can't stop on the casino floor when you have children with you. I would drop a night in Vegas and use it to visit San Diego.

Lee Ann

basingstoke2

jodmaree, you can also see sequoias in Nelder Grove which is not far from the Yosemite south entrance.

In Yosemite, the hike up to Sentinel Dome is neither long nor difficult and is very rewarding in terms of scenery along the way. Here is link to photos i took on that hike:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/basing...57622771908188

The trail may or may not be open at that time of year, so check with the ranger when you enter the park should you care to try it.

basingstoke2

Here are some photos of Nelder Grove as well.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/basing...57622768656992

janisj

>> you can also see sequoias in Nelder Grove which is not far from the Yosemite south entrance.

jodmaree

emalloy thanks for the traffic app tips - already downloaded the WAZE app.

Basingstoke2 - Sentinel Dome will be on the list of hikes for sure (your photos are great).

janisj - Tuolumne Grove is a little closer - how does it compare? Would it also be closed? I may need to consult with a Ranger when we arrive to find out currently accessible groves.

Yes Lego Land is a tough one. My son was a total Lego geek and is still interested in going so we will play that by ear.

Dayle

Jodmaree,

One important note regarding using GPS on. Cellphone. Dont reply solely on it in Utah or the National Park. Coverage is spotty and we have people get into serious trouble all the time. Following GPS when they should not! Have a real and detailed paper map as backup and ask Visitors Centers and locals about current road conditions and route recommendations.

Personally I would never spend 4 nts in Las Vegas at the expence of only getting 1 day in Zion!

Im going to look for the link to the story about the Boston family who nearly died this winter trying to drive their rental car out to the North Rim of the GC and following their GPS.

Dayle

Google Karen Klein found. Family was actually fron Pennsylvania.

janisj

>>Tuolumne Grove is a little closer - how does it compare?

jodmaree

Good to know about GPS Dayle. I am assured that the Alamo will be giving us detailed maps with our package (and I will do my homework). I don't think any of our route is too "off the beaten track". We are really only spending 2 days in Vegas. Intend to see a couple of matinee shows, maybe relax by the pool and enjoy the city lights and people watch a little. The night after Zion is really only a cheap sleep stop before the huge drive to Yosemite the next day. We have 9 days total in national parks - which will be sufficient for the 13 year olds. We have been conscious of maintaining a balance of activities to suit everyone.

janisj - yes - i'll wait and see how conditions are. Fingers crossed for great April temps. I was a little naive about "Spring" in the Yosemite area. No doubt it will be amazing regardless.

MichelleY

Another no vote for Legoland. 13 year olds will be bored after an hour and it is expensive for what you would get out of it.

jodmaree

Thanks MichelleY - I think we'll skip it as it seems unanimous.

mlgb

I would be surprised if Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point Road are open by April. Depends on the snow situation.

Keep an eye on the Yosemite Park website for Winter Road Closures.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wroads.htm

Why not shop at the outlets in Las Vegas instead of Thrift Stores?

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/las-vegas-north

jodmaree

thanks migb!!