3-week itinerary California
 

I am planning a trip to California for around 3 weeks in July 2014 with my family (including 7 year old child), and came up with the following itinerary so far:

Day 1: Flight from Amsterdam to San Francisco
Day 2: San Francisco
Day 3: San Francisco
Day 4: Drive to Yosemite NP early morning (4 hr drive) – check in hotel early afternoon
Day 5: Yosemite: Yosemite Valley
Day 6: Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows
Day 7: Yosemite: Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove
Day 8: Drive to Monterey early morning (4 hour drive). Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium / Cannery Row / 17 Mile Drive. Spend the night in Carmel
Day 9: Drive via Big Sur and San Simeon (visit Hearst Castle) to Cambria. Spend the night in Cambria
Day 10: Drive to Los Angeles (what to visit on the way?). Check in hotel in Los Angeles
Day 11: Los Angeles
Day 12: Visit Disney World
Day 13: Visit Legoland
Day 14: Beach
Day 15: Drive to Las Vegas early morning (4 hour drive). Check into hotel
Day 16: Las Vegas
Day 17: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon NP (4 hour drive).
Stay in El Tovar for 2 nights?
Walk along part of Rim Trail
Day 18: Grand Canyon
Bright Angel Trail hike
Day 19: Drive to Bryce Canyon (5 hour drive).
Stay at Bryce Canyon Lodge for 1 night?
Day 20: Bryce Canyon
Sunrise at Bryce Point
Navajo Trail/Queen's Garden hike
Drive to Zion – Stay in Zion Lodge for 2 nights
Day 21: Zion NP
Riverside Walk/Narrows hike from bottom up
Day 22: Zion NP
Angel's Landing hike
Drive to Las Vegas (2.5 hours)
Stay 1 night in Las Vegas
Day 23: Flight from Las Vegas to Amsterdam

Any feedback / advice would be very welcome!

I don't know much about southern so cannot comment on that part.

I like Point Lobos State Park near Carmel and the hike to McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur. And one night at Bryce would be fine.

I would stay at Yosemite Valley at 4,000 feet elevation before going to Tuolumne Meadows at 8,000 feet. Give your lungs a chance to acclimate a bit.

it sounds alright. just to clarify, it's Disneyland in California (Disney world is in Florida). One consideration, most people spend about 3 dsys between Disneyland and California Adventure (right next to each other - 3 day pass is available). Assuming you are staying in Anaheim, LEGOLAND is quite a ways south - anywhere from 1 1/2 - 2 hours. if you want to cut out driving that distance, why not just go to Disneyland for 2 days and skip LEGOLAND. for Yosemite and Bryce, you need to make reservation asap. It's also best to try to be in Vegas between Sunday and Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday night rates jump a lot. I'm sure in the next year you'll refine it some.

For a stop between Cambria and LA, Santa Barbara has a lot to offer. Lots of restaurants, beaches, historic Mission, wine tasting rooms, etc.

Are you staying in Los Angeles and doing a day trip to Disneyland followed by a day trip to LEGOLAND from L.A., or are you going to stay somewhere like Laguna Beach for those two/three nights? If staying in L.A. for a few days, I would do the relaxing beach day between the two day trips instead of two trafficky day trips back to back.

Also you don't want to drive to Las Vegas early morning unless it's a Sat or Sunday, traffic between Los Angeles and Victorville will be rough until 10am.

I agree with more days at Disneyland, stay in Anaheim (Disneyland is not in LA). Many folks buy a 3 day park hopper, if you buy it online it comes with one Magic Morning when you can enter the park an hour before it officially opens.

Skip Legoland and spend an extra day or two in Disneyland.

Thanks a lot for your comments. Would you say the national parks (especially Grand Canyon, Bryce & Zion) are too ambitious with a 7 year old child?

Okay, I'll go for 3 days to Disleyland/California Adventure and stay 3 nights in Anaheim. I suppose it is easier then to skip my relaxing beach day, and drive from Anaheim to Las Vegas? Instead I could consider to spend 2 nights at the beach on day 10 & 11 and from there take a day trip to LA (rather than staying in a hotel in the center of LA). What do you think about this idea? Any tips on the nicest beach near LA? Thanks.

Here is the updated itinerary. What do you think?

Sat. 5 July: Flight from Amsterdam to San Francisco
Sun. 6 July: San Francisco
Mon. 7 July: San Francisco
Tue. 8 July: Drive to Yosemite NP early morning (4 hr drive)
Wed. 9 July: Yosemite: Yosemite Valley
Thu. 10 July: Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows
Fri. 11 July: Yosemite: Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove
Sat. 12 July: Drive to Monterey early morning (4 hour drive). Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium and/or Point Lobos State Park. Spend the night in Carmel.
Sun. 13 July: Drive to Cambria. On the way, drive through Big Sur, stop at Piedras Blancas for the elephant seals, and visit Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Spend the night in Cambria.
Mon. 14 July: Drive to Los Angeles (visit Santa Barbara on the way). Drive Pacific Coast hw via Malibu to Santa Monica. Stay 2 nights in a hotel at the beach.
Tue. 15 July: Day trip to Los Angeles
Wed. 16 July: Visit Disneyland / California Adventure. Stay 3 nights in Anaheim.
Thu. 17 July: Visit Disneyland / California Adventure.
Fri. 18 July: Visit Disneyland / California Adventure.
Sat. 19 July: Drive to Las Vegas early morning (4 hour drive). Stay 2 nights in Las Vegas.
Sun. 20 July: Las Vegas
Mon. 21 July: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon NP (4 hour drive). Walk along part of Rim Trail. Stay in El Tovar hotel for 2 nights.
Tue. 22 July: Grand Canyon: Bright Angel Trail hike (not suitable for children?). Catch the California Condor nature talk with the ranger.
Wed. 23 July: Drive to Bryce Canyon (5 hour drive). On the way, visit Page (and rent a motor boat for an hour to see the canyon from the bottom up) and Red Canyon. In Bryce, stay at Bryce Canyon Lodge for 1 night.
Thu. 24 July: Bryce Canyon: Sunrise at Bryce Point, Navajo Trail/Queen's Garden hike. Drive to Zion. Between Bryce and Zion take the one hour trail roundtrip to Canyon Overlook just before Zion Mt, Carmel tunnel. In Zion, stay Zion Lodge for 2 nights
Fri. 25 July: Zion NP: Riverside Walk/Narrows hike from bottom up
Sat. 26 July: Zion NP: Angel's Landing hike (not suitable for children?). Drive to Las Vegas (2.5 hours). Maybe visit Valley of Fire SP between Zion and Las Vegas and also Red Rock just west of Las Vegas.
Sun. 27 July: Flight from Las Vegas to Amsterdam

>>Sat. 12 July: Drive to Monterey early morning (4 hour drive). Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium and/or Point Lobos State Park. Spend the night in Carmel.
<<<<

Impossible !!!!

How can you fit in a tough 4-5 hr drive, followed by a 3 hr Aquarium visit, plus a 3 hr Pt Lobos visit in one day. You may also want to visit some of the other "wonders" in that area - like Carmel Beach, wander through Carmel shops, Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove, etc. IMO, Carmel/Monterey is a 2-3 night/1 1/2 to 2 1/2 day visit - not a 1/3 day visit like you have planned.

PLUS - there is usually a 2 night minimum stay at Carmel hotels on a weekend in the middle of high-tourist season.

>>Sun. 13 July: Drive to Cambria. On the way, drive through Big Sur, stop at Piedras Blancas for the elephant seals, and visit Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Spend the night in Cambria<<

Again - impossible - unless you want to spend most of 2 days riding in a car. This is the middle of tourist season. Lines will be long at Hearst Castle - and you will want to linger along the beautiful Big Sur coast for many hours visiting the redwoods, Nepenthe, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Pfeiffer beach, etc. Make this a 2 day trip - stopping at Big Sur for the night (we like Big Sur Lodge).

Las Vegas was 110 degrees last week. I would not want a 7 YO or even me to have to endure those temps. What is a 7 YO going to do in Vegas (I'm not a fan of LV). I can't imagine staying inside in an AC hotel for 2-3 days. It will be hot in the National Parks also.

Stu Dudley


Stu Dudley

With a child, you might find a night at Asilomar more fun than Carmel. Lots of room for a kid to run around, perhaps see deer, go out to the beach. Meals are served camp-style in the large dining hall. Reserve way in advance, and don't expect luxury.

At that time of year, I would prefer more time on the coast. It will be hot in Zion.

I think your new plan sounds better. Adding more time to Disneyland for your child is a good idea. Maybe take a day off Yosemite and add it to the Monterey, Carmel, Cambria portion. At Bryce, a mule ride down the canyon may be more fun for your child. We did this and loved it. Not sure about all the hiking in the parks for your child. You may need to scale back on some of that. As far as Las Vegas; everyone should see it at least once, plus it works in well with you plans to see the GC, Bryce and Zion.

Here is a link to a report from Shane in Australia from several years ago. It gives good information and may help you plan some of your trip.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...lden-state.cfm

I was reading the whole thread before posting butvsawca HUGE red flag - which stu Dudley go to first.

There is no way on earth you can travel from Yosemite to Monterey and manage the aquarium and 17 mile drive w/ only one overnight. You have listed two days worth of sites and have less than 1/2 a day to see/do them.

That plus the almost universal two night minimum on summer weekends in the Carmel area. You definitely need to stay two nights! Most of the rest of your plan (with the added days in Anaheim) looks reasonable.

Re legoland - it is fun but with the similar parks you can visit in Europe / UK you might find better use of your time if you drop it.

Santa Barbara is really beautiful ... so I'd stay there at least a day. I agree that while you're in the Los Angeles area you'd like to stay at the beach ... and I'd suggest the Main Street area (something like SeaShoreMotel.com which is good for families - low budget) or a mile north (in Santa Monica) we have plenty of hi end properties on the beach.

I'm curious.

Why would you come all the way over to the US and spend 3 days at Disneyland, when Disneyland Paris is only 3 1/2 to 4 3/4 hrs away from Amsterdam by Thalys/TGV?

Stu Dudley

Ties - when you are in Orange County - do try to get outside of Anaheim - go down to Laguna Beach... enjoy the actual coast. I see you are traveling with a 7 year old so I get the Disneyland but since you will have a car - enjoy.

If budget permits - try to stay AT a Disney property - you can some perks - extra park hours etc. - We love the California Grand, then Disneyland Hotel and then the Paradise Pier. Paradise Pier has a fun water slide.

Jeeze - was typing on my mini iPad and and didn't see the oopsie should have said >> . . . posting but saw a HUGE red flag - which stu Dudley got to first.<<.

Wow, thank you all for the useful tips. I have tried to take all advice on board, and came up with the following new plan:

Sat. 5 July: Flight from Amsterdam to San Francisco
Sun. 6 July: San Francisco (recover from jetlag)
Mon. 7 July: San Francisco (sightseeing)
Tue. 8 July: San Francisco (sightseeing)
Wed. 9 July: Drive to Yosemite NP early morning (4 hr drive). Visit Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove?
Thu. 10 July: Yosemite: Yosemite Valley
Fri. 11 July: Yosemite: Tuolumne Meadows
Sat. 12 July: Drive to Monterey early morning (4 hour drive). Relax in the Monterey area (Carmel Beach, wander through Carmel shops, Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove) and spend 2 nights in Monterey, Carmel, or Pacific Grove.
Sun. 13 July: Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium and/or Point Lobos State Park.
Mon. 14 July: Drive to Cambria. On the way, drive through Big Sur and stop at Piedras Blancas for the elephant seals. Spend the night in Cambria.
Tue. 15 July: Drive to Los Angeles (visit Santa Barbara on the way). Stay 2 nights in a hotel at the beach (relax rest of the afternoon).
Wed. 16 July: Los Angeles
Thu. 17 July: Visit Legoland. Stay 3 nights in Anaheim.
Fri. 18 July: Visit Disneyland / California Adventure.
Sat. 19 July: Visit Disneyland / California Adventure
Sun. 20 July: Drive to Las Vegas early morning (4 hour drive). Stay 2 nights in Las Vegas (hotel with pool).
Mon. 21 July: Las Vegas
Tue. 22 July: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon NP (4 hour drive). Stay in El Tovar hotel for 2 nights.
Wed. 23 July: Grand Canyon: Bright Angel Trail hike (up to 1.5 mile rest house) and/or follow Junior Ranger program. Catch the California Condor nature talk with the ranger. Kaibab?
Thu. 24 July: Drive to Bryce Canyon (5 hour drive). Take the more scenic drive on 89A, past Marble Canyon and the Vermillion Cliffs, rather than the route through Page. Stop at the old highway bridge over Marble Canyon, now a pedestrian walkway. In Bryce, stay at Bryce Canyon Lodge for 1 night.
Fri. 25 July: Bryce Canyon: Sunrise at Bryce Point, Navajo Trail/Queen's Garden hike (take a mule ride down the canyon). Drive to Zion. Between Bryce and Zion take the one hour trail roundtrip to Canyon Overlook just before Zion Mt, Carmel tunnel. In Zion, stay Zion Lodge for 2 nights
Sat. 26 July: Zion NP: Riverside Walk/Narrows hike from bottom up
Sun. 27 July: Drive to Las Vegas (2.5 hours). Maybe visit Red Rock just west of Las Vegas. Stay 1 night in Vegas.
Mon. 28 July: Flight from Las Vegas to Amsterdam

How about we skip the day in Vegas on 21 July, and add it towards the end, so we have one more day to 'relax' before the flight back?

I have no specific plans for LA yet, but I suppose I have a bit more time to think about this. Main thing now is wait for flights to become available and then book hotels in the national parks.