Ok I just checked, it says they take reservations for parties of 5 or more. So I was half right although it wounds have helped me last November as the were only 2 of us!

Stu gives good advice, but with a 7 year old in the mix, too much scenery will get boring for your son. The San Diego area also has SeaWorld, which may be fun for your son to see the whales, dolphins etc. I also think the North Rim GC may work in better with Zion and Bryce.

That should say it WOULDN'T have helped me... Arghhhhh this apple keyboard.

We drove by Nepenthe about two weeks ago and boy were there a lot of cars parked along the road. We did not have time to wait so kept on driving o ajulia Pfeiffer Burns park. So it will probqbly involve a wait if you go there on a summer weekend. Only you can decide if you have time for it.

A couple years ago we did have lunch outside and thought it was much nicer than eating inside.

Big Sur Lodge is actually inside Pfeiffer State Park, which also has lots of campground sites. Also lots of redwood trees. There is a nice swimming pool at Big Sur Lodge. When you pass the guard booth to enter the park to check in, they will give you something to scotch-tape to your windshield. This allows free access to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along with Pfeiffer State Park (plus - some other sites I think). However, it does not allow free access to Pfeiffer beach - which is not a State Park (it is US government for some reason). Pfeiffer Beach is also hard to find. Get specific instruction from the Big Sur Lodge on how to locate the minor downhill road (yellow sign) to access Pfeiffer Beach (it is close to the Big Sur Lodge). Pfeiffer beach is often very windy & foggy - but it is a very scenic cove/beach. Big Sur Lodge and Big Sur village itself is somewhat inland - so it is not nearly as foggy as sites directly on the coast (like Nepenthe) so you can drive/walk through the redwoods at Pfeiffer State Park (lots of picnic benches).

We took the Carmel 17 mile drive last April for the first time in perhaps 15 years - and it was really enjoyable - better than I remembered.

Here is a post I did regarding things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

>> Nepenthe ..... We did not have time to wait so kept on driving

>>

Hey Stu - happy anniversary to you and Mrs. Dudley. We're celebrating our 40th in late August!

Here's my mini-trip report about a day trip we took down that way a few years ago. In it, I give very specific directions for finding the way to Pfeiffer Beach (which also has purple sand, which your son might get a kick out of).

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...t-part-way.cfm

Stu, how about this:

- 2 nights in Monterey (Aquarium, Cannery Row, 17 Mile, etc.)
- 2 nights in Big Sur Lodge (Point Lobos, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Hearst Castle)
- 1 night in Santa Barbara (replacing Cambria)
- 3 nights in Anaheim; from Santa Barbara we would drive to Hollywood to see the Hollywood sign, maybe check out the Hall of Fame, and have a quick lunch. I don't see what else would interest me in LA, so why stay 2 nights in Santa Monica? From Hollywood we would drive to Anaheim where we stay the night. Next morning we do Disney (2 days) and we skip Legoland alltogether because we can always go to the one in Denmark.
- The next day we drive from Anaheim to Vegas as planned. I still wonder if we should not drive straight to Grand Canyon with an overnight stop in Kingman, and add 2 nights in Vegas towards the end of the holiday.

Shanti, Enzian,

Let's say I drive from Anaheim to Grand Canyon North Rim, with an overnight stay in Kingman. This means we arrive at North Rim around noon. Would you have any suggestions for accommodation at North Rim? Would you stay there for 2 nights, so we effectively have 1.5 days in the North Rim? Is that not too much, since we are with a child and will only be doing a bit of hiking?
Next morning we would go to Bryce, which is still 5.5 hours driving from North Rim. So with some stops, I'd say we arrive at the Bryce Lodge late afternoon and we can't do much else on that day.
Next day we can see the sunrise at Bryce Point, and do the Navajo Trail/Queen's Garden hike (or alternatively follow one of the Junior Ranger Programs). Would you then stay another night in Bryce and leave to Zion the next morning, or drive Zion late afternoon?
I suppose if we leave early morning to Zion (and take the one hour trail round trip to Canyon Overlook just before Zion Mt, Carmel tunnel on the way), we can only need to stay 1 night in Zion. If we leave late afternoon to Zion, I guess we need 2 nights. In Zion, would a full day (or 2 half days) be sufficient to do the Riverside Walk/Narrows hike from bottom up (or alternatively the Junior Ranger Program)?
In terms of accommodation, would you also recommend Bryce Canyon Lodge and Zion Lodge, or do you know about more affordable accommodation (inside the parks)?

Thank you very much.

I think Bryce is so small that one night would be fine for visiting there especially with your time limits. Zion is also nice but it will be very hot that time of year so one full day would be plenty for me. And I'd like two nights at the North Rim especially after you've had to drive so much and will be driving again after you leave.

I haven't stayed inside Zion but ate at the lodge and it looked so nice. I'd definitely consider staying there the next time I go there. There's limited lodging at the North Rim so try to make a reservation as early as possible - I don't know how far in advance they accept reservations. It's a long drive from any lodging outside the park.

I'll let the LA experts critique the Santa Barbara/Hollywood/Anaheim portion - but that sounds like a lot of driving and a long day - especially if you'll be there on a week day with all the commute traffic.

Hearst Castle is perhaps longer than I would want to drive as a day-trip from Big Sur. Instead get an early start your last morning in Big Sur & visit it on the way to Santa Barbara. I think you might want to reserve a tour ahead of time - if that's possible.

I've never been on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon - but when doing my research for our trip there 2 1/2 years ago, my guidebooks said that the best stuff was better viewable from the south rim. Plus, when looking north from the south rim, the sun would be mostly behind you. Just the opposite looking south from the north rim - sun will be in your face & views not as good.

We spent 1 night/1 full day in Zion & that was fine. Two nights in Grand Canyon too - and that worked well. We did not hike into the canyon - just walked/drove along the rim.

Stu Dudley

I don't understand why people are advising you to drive to Big Sur and then back up to Point Lobos. Combine your time at Point Lobos with you time in Monterey and Carmel, now that you've added the extra night and don't back track!

It is a beautiful and pleasant drive from Big Sur to Santa Barbara and I would highly recommend that for your next stay over night. ( Cambria and Morro Bay is beautiful but nothing for kids except the elephant seals ( which are viewed from a lookout and may keep you busy for 30 minutes to an hour.)

Santa Barbara is beautiful, has a wonderfulbus where for 25 cents you can ride all over town, a beautiful courthouse lawn perfect for a picnic, many spanish style adobes and historical buildings, a childrens zoo that is incredible ( has baby giraffes right now!) a gorgeous beach etc... very family friendly with lots of wonderful restaurants.

You can reserve the Hearst Castle tour online , we have done this both times.

>>I don't understand why people are advising you to drive to Big Sur and then back up to Point Lobos.

In terms of accommodation, would you also recommend Bryce Canyon Lodge and Zion Lodge, or do you know about more affordable accommodation (inside the parks)?

Those are the only in park lodging options. Otherwise for Zion, there are a lot of options in the town of Springdale but you'll need to take a shuttle into the park at the time of year. For Bryce, there are accommodations in Bryce Canyon City just outside the entrance to the park

Kingman

That's where we stopped for the night on our "southwest" trip 2 1/2 years ago. A big nothing - really poor. In fact, we planned to return to Kingman for a night at the end of our trip. Mid-trip, we decided to go elsewhere (we ended up in Zion). Kingman has a Route 66 museum, and an "old section" of town which we couldn't find. When we asked the hotel clerk where it was, she said "you must have blinked". We went back, and AnytownUSA's old section is better. There are some hoaky ghost towns around - but I think a European would really find the Route 66 museum and the ghost towns of very little interest.

However, there aren't many other places to stay in that regions. Also, our San Francisco Chronicle's weather section has the hottest & coldest spots un the US (outside of Calif, Hawaii, and Alaska) listed each day. Often, Kingman is the hottest.

Stu Dudley

Let's say I drive from Anaheim to Grand Canyon North Rim, with an overnight stay in Kingman.

Or you could change the order and drive from Anaheim to Zion in one day.

I agree with Patty, stay in Zion if you decide to drive from Anaheim, before heading to the North Rim.

During my 2 days in the Monterey/Carmel area I have plenty of other things to do, so I will visit Point Lobos after my 2nd night in Monterey on the way to the Big Sur lodge. The next day I have a full day in Big Sur, stay for a 2nd night in the Big Sur lodge (even though it is quite expensive, but I prefer 2-night stays in hotels), and leave for Santa Barbara in the morning.

With regard to Grand Canyon, I decided to go for the South Rim after all. The plan is now:

1. Drive Anaheim to Las Vegas only
2. Drive Las Vegas to GCNP South Rim, via Hoover Dam
3. See sunset - it can be outstanding
4. See sunrise - ditto
5. Explore South Rim, stay second night
6. Drive via Marble Canyon to Bryce Canyon/Tropic
7. Perhaps go via Page / Lake Powell if road is repaired
8. Overnight Bryce, see BCNP all day, second night at/near Bryce
9. Head for Zion NP really early (just after sunrise)
10. Go through the tunnel for the stunning scenery
11. Have all day in Zion NP, overnight in Springdale
12. Head for Las Vegas via Valley of Fire SP

I realize some people have advised 1 night in Bryce and 2 nights in Zion, but I think after the long drive from Grand Canyon to Bryce, it will be quite relaxing having a 2 night stay and take it easy the following day.

I am a bit concerned about two long drives (Anaheim-LV & LV-Grand Canyon) two days in a row with a child, but I'm not sure how 'relaxing' an extra day in Las Vegas would be.

So I am really happy about the first part of my trip (San Francisco, Yosemite, Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur) and the last part of my trip (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion), but I need to LA experts for the in between part.

My family put in a special request for an additional day in Universal Studios Park, in addition to the 2 days in Disney/California Adventure. Coming from Santa Barbara, we could see Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Sign and Hall of Fame in the afternoon, and spend the night somewhere in Hollywood. Then next day to Universal Studios. Should I then stay another night in Hollywood and drive to Disney the next morning (and only check in my Anaheim hotel in the evening), or drive from Universal Studios to Anaheim, check in the hotel in the evening, and go from there to Disney in the morning? What is better from a logistics point of view? Also, I am trying to avoid too many 1 night hotel stays during my holiday.