Dec 2014 family trip-need help with itinerary
 

We are a family of 4-2 adults and 2 teens. Well-travelled all over the world and am now planning a trip to Australia. I am trying to get all the tickets using United miles so that’s challenge number 1. But if we do, does this seem like a good plan? Dates will be over Christmas to New Years so end of December. We really just want to see all the major highlights and have some beach/rest time. Form all my research thus far, it does not seem like a good idea to visit Uluru/Ayers Rock since it will be very hot, so I took that out, but should I add in Melbourne or Brisbane? I don’t think we will ever get back out here so I want to see the major sights. So far, this is what I came up with.
Fly NYC to LAX, stay the night with a relative.
Next day-fly to Sydney (lose 1 day in travel)
1-Sydney-arrival day-walk around, harbor area
2-Sydney-Zoo, walk around
3-Sydney-day trip to Blue Mountains
4-Sydney-do I need an extra day (this would be Dec 25)
5-Fly to Cairns/Port Douglas?
6-GBR
7-Islands-boat tour
8-Daintree
9-Beach day
10-Fly back Cairns to NYC, if I get miles to work we would stop in Auckland for 22 hours, before making the next connecting flight.
11-have 2 days to recover

With only 9 days on the ground in Australia, you have planned the perfect trip--splitting your time equally between two destinations. Do not consider adding a 3rd destination.

Just one more thing--are you spending the night in LA because you want to see this relative or are you spending the night with the relative because you think a flight from NYC to Sydney is just too long? I have made the flight from the East Coast (DC) to Sydney a few times and once I thought it would be a good idea to overnight in LA. WRONG! It was just a big hassle dealing with getting from the airport to our hotel and then dealing with getting back the next day, going through TSA security yet again, etc. And I didn't feel any more refreshed when I reached Sydney than I did on the trips I made directly from DC--LAX--SYD, plus we lost a day that could have been spent in Australia. If you want to see the relative--enjoy your visit! If you just want an overnight stop--think twice.

Yes, from reading some other posts, I was thinking we spend one night and recover before taking a long flight. But I agree with you, it is a hassle as their house is at least 1 hour from the airport. Thanks.

I've done the NYC - SYD flight a few times & I wouldn't even think about breaking the trip in LAX.

Just get on, have dinner, read a book & after LAX, settle down for a sleep. You'll be in Sydney for breakfast.

Hello P67742, you would be looking at some nice places, but you will have to keep your fingers crossed with the weather at Cairns/Port Douglas/Daintree, as it is cyclone season then. Humid even when it isn't rainy, and it's also stinger season.

HOWEVER, it's such a beautiful part of Australia, we lived there for some years, just get advice from the local Tourist people as no year is ever the same, and things are a bit drier than usual at present.

Add to your list the train from Cairns to Kuranda. A very nice day trip.

Sydney, zoo is really good, go across by the ferry. And Blue Mountains are special, go by train, not by road. You could spend a few days there in absolute wilderness, but not in the time you have available. Also, take a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly, since you will probably be near the Opera House and the Rocks.
Christmas Day Dec 25 needs some planning, book accommodation ahead, restaurants need planning, don't even think of driving into or out of the city within those 48 hours, it's mayhem on the roads on these holiday days.

HOWEVER, again, Sydney is a diverse city, and has plenty of stuff going on that doesn't necessarily involve Christmas, you just have to do a bit of investigation before arriving.

Flying Sydney-Cairns is only 3hrs, and people are very friendly there, they will sort arrangements for you whatever happens with the weather.

Have a nice trip, and enjoy Australia.

Have you calculated the day lost outbound by crossing the date line? You get it back on your return, but it can mess up your dates if you are not wary.

I've done an even longer trip several times as we fly YYZ (Toronto) , then across Australia to PER. We've broken up the trip once overnight in Changi airport in Singapore, once in Hong Kong to visit our son, once on arrival in Perth for an overnight before heading the 3 hours south to where out daughter lives. It doesn't matter what way we do it, it is a long, long, exhausting trip. I can pretty much predict that at one point on the journey, usually on the way home, my temper will flare, I'm too exhausted to think straight, and I swear I will never do it again. But I always do.

I note your comment "I don't think we will ever get back out here". Well, you never know. Since you have teenage kids I expect you have many, many more years of travel ahead of you, and this visit to Oz may only whet your appetite.

You have been given some good suggestions and have the makings of a great trip. Happy travels!

thanks everyone. now just have to wait to get the flights to work

Port Douglas/Palm Cove/Trinity Beach/etc. nicer than Cairns, I think.

Two destinations sounds good - certainly no more.

Hi P667,

i agree that two places is the way to go, but i'm not sure that you've got them the right way round. I say this because when we were in Sydney the week before Christmas last year it was already busy, and we could see it getting busier every day, with Aussies arriving for the holidays as well as foreign tourists like us.

Of course, Port douglas will also be busy, but I suspect, not as bad a Sydney. Others here may of course know better than us, as I can only draw from my own limited experience.

I'm sure that your family would like PD - we loved it. It has a great holiday feel, is closer to Mossman and Daintree than Cairns and Palm Cove, and has loads of boats that go to the GBR.

have a great trip!

thanks. Ideally I would love to stay in Sydney for Dec 31 to see the NY Eve festivities and then head out but as I was looking at the flight pattern, it makes sense to go:
ewr-sydney
Cairns-Auckland-Ewr

Of course, still depends if this will work with miles. the flight that goes from ewr to cairns, stops in Honolulu and guam.

I should probably start a new thread as my topic heading is December, but I will try here first. So our plans changed and we are now thinking of doing this over Spring Break (March/April). I will still have the same number of days, but should I now consider adding Uluru in? Thanks.

My advice would be the same no matter if you were traveling in December or March/April. With only 9 days on the ground in Australia, I would recommend no more than 2 destinations. You would lose a great deal of time flying to/from Uluru--a minimum of 12 hours (a full day of sightseeing) when you factor in the flight times, the time getting to/from the airport and the time spent waiting in the airport.

I think you've got a great plan for Sydney and Cairns and the weather in both places should be better in March/April too.

perfect. thank you