4 week family trip ideas
 

Hi
we are visiting the US from South Africa for the first time in June/July 2015, for a month (long planned dream trip!) . We're a family of 4 (Mom, Dad, 12 year old girl and 9 year old boy). We'd love to see some of the 'big' sights, experience a bit of nature, and have some 'experiences' to remember.

Our provisional itinerary looks as follows:
20 June - arrive in NY in the afternoon from South Africa.
20 - 27 June - New York (booked, timeshare hotel). No car - will use train /taxi etc.

Week in NY. Perhaps a day trip or 2 from NY via Train? Any suggestions?
We're also considering buying the NY Pass for 5 days? But I'm not sure if it'll be worthwhile, given that its Summer vacation and most of the attractions will be very busy, so we may end up only doing a few of the 'included' attractions?

27 June check out.
27 June to 1st July - Itinerary free. Any suggestions for these 5 days? We will be travelling by train, or could rent a car if better.
We're thinking Washington DC and Philadelphia areas over Boston area, especially with kids? And maybe a night or 2 in a smaller / countryside town nearby?

1st or 2nd July - fly to West Coast. Not sure yet where to. Collect car rental from airport.
2nd to 8th July -- still deciding. 8th-15th July - booked (timeshare resort) - Oxnard, near Ventura (closest we could get to LA!) 15th July -18th July - still deciding.
+- 19th July we need to start making our way home :-(

So we have 6 days from 2-7 July, and 4 days from 15-18 July, still free.
I have in mind to use the 6 days (2-7 July) for a road trip to Las Vegas (2 nights), perhaps a Death Valley day trip from Las Vegas (?? insane??), Grand Canyon (not sure if we can fit that in) and visit Joshua Tree NP. Although that is most probably fartoo much.

Whilst in Oxnard we'll visit all the LA attractions! Any suggestions here? Perhaps San Diego or is it not feasible for a day trip?

We then plan to use the last 4 days to drive Coastal H'way from Oxnard to SF (+- 2 days with an overnight en route) and finish the trip in SF (2-3 days)? Yosemite would have been great but perhaps a dream too far?

As you can see, we're trying to do a lot, but it is our first ever trip to the US!

Thanks for any suggestions or improvements!

Just time for one quick comment re the CA bits right now:

San Diego isn't really a day trip from Oxnard. It is a 3.5 hour drive each way if you don't hit traffic . . . and you almost ALWAYS hit traffic somewhere along the route.

Maybe consider flying from the East Coast to San Diego, stay three nights and see all the sites you can squeeze in. Then maybe a few nights in Orange County or Santa Monica/Manhattan Beach area. Use that time to visit the OC beaches, Disney (really needs two full days), Knotts Berry Farm, etc. Then up to Oxnard. Use that base to visit sites in the northern LA Basin (Universal, Getty, Malibu, Hollywood, etc) and Santa Barbara.

I would NOT go to Death Valley in June.

A couple of notes:

Agree to avoid the desert in summer - there are plenty of natural wonders to see without subjecting kids to areas where it's just too hot to leave the car.

Like the idea to fly into SD and sightsee there for a few days before heading north.

In NYC you should NOT get any passes - it's practically impossible to get to enough places to make them pay - and their "no lines" benefit is illusory - few places have lines. The one thing you should get in advance is tickets to the Statue of Liberty - tickets to the crown sell out months in advance. Go to the website of the National Park Service and get tickets as soon as your dates are solidified. Since this activity takes about 5 hours better to go for the first ferry of the day.

Also if you want tickets to any hit broadway shows you should start looking for options about 5 or 6 months in advance. For older shows go to broadwaybox.com about 3 months out to get a good choice of discount tickets.

I'd go to Washington D.C. for those 4-5 days after NYC. Spend a few days in DC and possibly a couple days in Virginia. Shenandoah National Park is beautiful and there are lots of small towns to choose from for an overnight or two.

I would fly to Phoenix after that. Drive up to Sedona for a night or two, then continue on to the Grand Canyon for an overnight. Head to Las Vegas if you must (it's not super kid friendly) and make your way over to Oxnard eventually. You CAN go to Death Valley - we have had a couple threads recently where people asked about going in August (the hottest month of the year) and were told it was too dangerous to get out of their car (ridiculous advice). Both people reported back and said they went anyway and it was great. You'd want to drive through early in the day before it gets really hot but it is definitely doable.

I know you have a timeshare in Oxnard but I'd seriously consider staying elsewhere to explore LA. You can plan on a lot of driving and traffic if you try to make day trips from Oxnard into LA.

Lastly, you will be visiting over the 4th of July holiday weekend. Expect anywhere to be busier than normal that entire weekend.

The cheapest car rentals are in Las Vegas. Fly to Las Vegas. Drive up the "Strip" so that you can say you've seen it. Drive through Boulder City and stay at the Hacienda hotel/casino which is 2 miles from Hoover Dam. The next day you have a good head start on your way to see the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
See either Joshua Tree or Death Valley but not both. You could also drive through the Mojave National Preserve and see lots of Joshua trees.
Return the car to Las Vegas and fly toward home from there.

Agree with avoiding the desert, it will be HOT there, over 100F. Try and spend two nights driving Highway 1, so many things to see there, maybe one night Pismo Beach and one night Monterey.
San Diego is a very nice town if you can fit it in, but agree, it is not a daytrip.

<<Whilst in Oxnard we'll visit all the LA attractions! Any suggestions here? Perhaps San Diego or is it not feasible for a day trip? >>

Not feasible to do a day trip to San Diego from Oxnard.

I, too, would not go to the desert in June. I went to Death Valley the past April and it was already in the 90's. Very hot.

Please don't go to Vegas to just get a cheaper car rental . . . Besides since you are visiting from Overseas you can get discounted, all-inclusive car hires than cover insurance, and one-way drop off fees. Much better/cheaper than most Americans can get.

Using Oxnard as a base for sightseeing in Los Angeles is not a good idea. For one thing, there are 60 miles of busy highways between the two cities. (Oxnard is a good base if you want to visit Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Ojai.)

Also, San Diego requires more than a day trip even if you stay in Los Angeles rather than Oxnard. If you want to go to the famous zoo, SeaWorld, or some other attraction you will need to spend at least one night there. Two nights would be better.

On the west coast, I would focus attention on Los Angeles (a movie studio, Disney World, etc.), Highway 1 between LA and San Francisco, the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, San Francisco, and national parks: Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and Zion (rather than Joshua Tree). (Others on this forum may urge you to not go to Death Valley during the summer, but we've been there in the summer several times with no problems.)

Las Vegas in a loathsome place in many ways, but it is also fascinating. Your children's eyes will pop. Valley of fire, near Las Vegas, makes a memorable day trip, and Zion National Park (160 miles east of Las Vegas) is a spectacularly beautiful place.

The Grand Canyon is often visited as a day trip from Las Vegas, but, in my opinion, it is better not to go to the Grand Canyon if you can't spend at least one night there. On a day trip you will spend five hours driving there, peek over the edge with hundreds of other day-trippers, and then spend five hours driving back.

To see as much as you can in the time you have, you will have to stay in places much closer to the sights you want to see. That will probably require that you compromise on the quality and spaciousness of your lodging.

If you consult California and Arizona guidebooks (such as those published by Fodor's), you will be able to make much better decisions about how to maximize the use of your time here.

HTtY

PS At the time you are traveling, you can go or leave Yosemite via Tioga Pass on highways that connect Death Valley and Las Vegas to that park.

>>To see as much as you can in the time you have, you will have to stay in places much closer to the sights you want to see.<<

My guess is that really isn't possible since they apparently have a tome share trade. These usually aren't changeable. So they will have to make the best of things. Which is why I suggested what I did.

Is Oxnard an easy commute to LA - no. Perfect - far from it. But for exploring the northern half of the LA area it will have to do.

I would try to maybe see Nantucket/Cape Cod while you are in the MA area.

On the CA side of things, I would definitely recommend Disneyland while you are in the LA area. It will be busy the time of year you will be in CA, but I think it would be fun for the kids and parents as well. However, it I quite expensive. Ages 10+ it is $265 for a 3 day hopper pass, which will be necessary to visit both parks and see everything there. You could do the 3 day, 1 park per day pass, which is cheaper. Still over $200 though.

The desert will be hot during that time of year. 110+ degrees. The Grand Canyon is grand. So, if it is something that you can't live without seeing, then you should see it. Just take lots of water and wear super cool clothes.

I would agree with flying into San Diego. It is a fun town. They have a Maritime Museum right near the airport. That could be fun for the kids. Also, the San Diego zoo is awesome!! If you want to venture out a little farther, there is the San Diego Wild Animal park. That is fun too. I haven't been there for a few years though. So, I am not sure how much it has changed. However, you could always look up more information about it online http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/. You are from South Africa, so I don't know if you have actually been on real safaris or not. But, it is a fun option.

I just did the HWY 1 trip from SF to Santa Barbara. It was beautiful. However, it is a LONG drive. With some stops along the way it took about 12 hours. I would recommend only going that route if you are going to be staying the night along the way. It is very windy and on the edge of cliffs in some spots, so if that doesn't appeal to you, I would just take HWY 101.

Also, you may want to expect fog on the coast in the morning/early afternoon time that time of year. It is known as "June Gloom".

There is so much to see and do in CA. It is really an awesome state....I might be a little biased though ;-)

oops . . . That should say >>they apparently have a time share trade. <<

Utah has superb parks of international fame. Zion being the most visited. Books. The most comprehensive, with driving instructions, is this one
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COBH45M

Next is South Rim Grand Canyon - there are airplane tours from Las Vegas . Caution: Some go to the West Rim which NOT the real Grand Canyon, but have an interesting extend glass viewing area - Google: Grand Canyon Skywalk. If on a budget, there are bus tours there from LV

Thanks everyone for the replies, I really do appreciate your efforts!

Based on above, I think we may re-look at our itinerary as follows:

East Coast:
New York 7 days:
- thanks for the tips regarding the NY pass. For the 4 of us, its approx $ 700 for a 5 day pass, so its quite a big decision!

Washington DC 3 days, followed by a day or 2 near Shenandoah Nat. Park, scenic little town for accommodation.
- Would you suggest a car rental from Washington DC then rather than public transport?

West Coast:
Fly into San Diego for 3 days 2-4 July. Car rental at airport.
- Any suggestions for a good place to enjoy Independence Day celebrations there?
- we're considering Coronado or La Jolla to base ourselves at?

- 5 July, drive to Las Vegas (just to say we were there!) via the desert route, past Anza-Borrego Desert, the Salton Sea, Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave Park, with overnight en route very close to Joshua Tree.
Arrive Las Vegas late 6 July.
Las Vegas 7 July.

- I think we may not have enough time to make it to the Grand Canyon - I agree, it warrants at least an overnight visit (unless we give up a day in LA which may be an option).
- we have requested a more central timeshare location, but am not too optimistic given that its peak vacation time.

8 -15 July - LA.
Disney is - unfortunately - a must for the kids, despite the crowds and waiting lines.
- I'm also consideirng

(Sorry accidentally posted too early...)

I'm also considering
- Knott's Berry Farm
- Malibu Beach, Huntington Beach and Santa Monica beach
- Day trip to Hollywood, Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive (again - just to say 'been there' !), Walk of Fame etc.


15 July - 2 day trip along coastal Highway to San Francisco.
- Is Hearst Castle really worth it, not sure I'll appreciate all the excesses. I think the beauty and nature of the area may be more appealing.

I like the idea of an airplane tour from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, that could be a worthwhile and memorable extravagance!

San Francisco +- 3 days
- I've heard Alcatraz tour by night is quite special.

- Having read more on this forum and on the internet, I think we may cut LA to 5 full days, and spend the extra days in and around the Grand Canyon area and surrounding parks. I hadn't realized the vast number of options in the area! (P.S. I have a valid excuse, I have ordered my guidebooks but am still waiting for them to arrive!)
- controversial question - would it be best to cut our time on the East Coast by 2 days and add this onto our California/Arizona time?

Just make sure the airplane goes to Grand Canyon South Rim and not tourist trap Grand Canyon West (all the helicopter tours go to West Rim).

Depends on what is of most interest to you.

I am prejudiced FOR the east coast - think NYC and DC are incredible places - and enjoy that far more than some other places and shuold not be cut short.

The parks in the west are also wonderful - but only you know what is of most interest to you and your family. IMHO LA is pretty much a waste of time - love SD, SF and farther up the coast from LA - but think the city itself needs no more than a 2 days.

Ref:
West Coast:
Fly into San Diego for 3 days 2-4 July. Car rental at airport.
- Any suggestions for a good place to enjoy Independence Day celebrations there?
- we're considering Coronado or La Jolla to base ourselves at?

Old Town San Diego (230 acres (93 ha) is historic and an excellent place to have Mexican Food. It was first settled by Spain (1789), Mexico and then Mormon military during the Mexican American War - tour their visitor booth. Else - see http://www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com/

Of course you can drive to the Mexican border, park, walk across the border and take a cab (ask price first) to downtown Tijuana. Sometimes, they have inner-drug wars, but I've never been affected. But.....

Vaga

Thanks for the extra suggestions Jamie, NY traveler and Vaga!

OK , now looks like:
NY 20-27 June (7 nights)

Washington or Boston area 27 June to 1 July (4 nights)
1 July : Fly East Coast to Las Vegas
1 July - 3 July: Las Vegas (2 nights)
3 July - 5 July: Grand Canyon NP (Maswik Lodge) (2 nights)
5 July drive towards San Diego: (overnight en route) (1 night)
6 July - 8 July: (San Diego) (2 nights)
8 July (pm) drive to Oxnard
8 July - 15 July : (Oxnard) (7 nights
15 July - 17 July (Coastal drive to SF with 1 or 2 nights overnight en route)
Arrive early 17 July in SF
17-19 July SF (2 nights)

Unfortunately I'm unable to change Oxnard to a more central location in LA.
Any improvement suggestions for above new itinerary?
Thanks!

Mostly looks fine.

I'd re-think this bit though. >>5 July drive towards San Diego: (overnight en route) (1 night)<<

Yes it is a long drive, about 8 hours to San Diego. But if it was me I press through and get to SD that evening. Otherwise w/ just 2 night in SD you'll end up w/ about 1.5 days there. Staying in SD the night of the 5th will give you just a little more time in the area.

What you'd actually have is:

Washington or Boston area 27 June to 30 June
1 July - 2 July: Las Vegas
3 July - 4 July: Grand Canyon NP (Maswik Lodge) (2 nights)
5 July drive to San Diego
5 July - 7 July: (San Diego)
8 July - 14 July : (Oxnard)
15 July - 16 July (Coastal drive to SF)
17-19 July SF (2 nights)

Thank you Janis. Yes SD is very short on my itinerary - in fact, we were considering an extra day in San Diego by going to LA / Oxnard a day later.
We're not so keen on an 8 hour drive from Grand Canyon with 2 kids in the back hence the idea to break the trip!
We had considered travelling from GC via Sedona to overnight, and then to San Diego the next day - would you consider Sedona a good overnight stop (we'd have the better part of a day in Sedona). Or are there better options for the GC-S-Diego route?

Are we also seriously short changing San Francisco by only giving it 2 1/2 days?

>>would you consider Sedona a good overnight stop<<

Not really. Sedona to SD is a 7 hour drive so you aren't saving almost anything.

There are things to see enroute to SD . . . but they are all desert and it will be BLOODY hot. If it was me, I'd bite the bullet and just have this one Gawd Awful driving day to make the rest on my trip better.

Leave the GC very early AM, have lunch along I-40 or in Barstow (an armpit about 5 hours from the GC) Then you are only 2.5-3 hours from SD

Thanks Janis. I had thought Sedona would be a good day outing? But based on above, perhaps a 'grin-and-bear-it' approach and drive straight through to SD may be the better option!

Thank you everyone for your inputs!

Hi alexcactus,

In June/July 2010, we had a fantastic trip to the West Coast and Nevada. Our kids were a similar age to yours at that time.

I kept a diary along the way that I posted here as an almost live blog. Here is a link to it..

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


Here is a link to our planning thread..

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...west-coast.cfm

Hopefully some of this may be useful to you.

Thanks so much shanek! really appreciated, I will be sure to read it.

I would skip Hearst Castle if excess turns you off. It was more of an oddity to me than anything.

Years ago we would typically take a month for travel with our three children. In our case it was camping and sightseeing mostly. By the way, a few years ago wife and I spent three weeks in South Africa while son was teaching Un. of Wits.

As to your plans, I can see you might want to do too much and so wear yourselves out. One important thing is consulting with the 9 and 12 year olds. What do they really want to see? Don't let them shrug their shoulders.

The U. S. is such a big country. Living in Boston I'd hate to have you miss our history and beauty of Cape Cod or Maine coast but surely NYC and DC are important as destinations.

Grand Canyon is indeed wonderful and does need an overnight. And other places might be Zion Nat'l Pk and Yellowstone Nat'l Pk if possible. Don't much see Sedona or Las Vegas as places. West Coast? San Francisco more than LA or San Diego.

Too bad you are missing the whole Midwest U. S. where we come from. This would be caves and rivers to paddle and beaches on lakes but also in cities wonderful zoos, museums, etc. The whole thing is what you REALLY want to see, and I do mean the kids, too!

The question of travel, i.e., car rental after being on the East Coast is a challenge.

Thanks Ozarksbill, I appreciate your suggestions. I hope South Africa was good to you? Regarding the Midwest, my dream is to spend a year in an RV traveling with the family across the USA, so perhaps one day...

We're quite limited in our itinerary in that we're using timeshare exchange for much of our trip due to accommodation costs (and weak rand-dollar exchange rates!) But we are also planning to give up a few nights in the timeshare resorts.

So at this stage we're planning as below:
20-27 June New York (TIMESHARE), and perhaps a day trip or 2 from NY.
27 June fly to San Diego
27 June - 2 July Escondido (TIMESHARE Welk Resort)- visit San Diego, Joshua Tree NP & Disneyland
2 July - 4 July - Las Vegas (yes I know I know...but its just gotta be done at least once, surely?!)
4-5 July Grand Canyon (overnight @ Bright Angel Lodge)
5-6 July - drive to San Francisco - scenic route preferred?
7-9 July San Francisco
9-10 July - coastal drive to Oxnard, overnight en route
10 July - 15 July Oxnard (TIMESHARE) - visit LA, Santa Barbara etc
15 July fly to Washington DC
15-18 July Washington DC and surrounds
18 July - Amtrak to New York
19 July - fly home

I know its a lot to cram in, and we're not doing justice to Northern California and the north East, but its just a heck of a challenge to fit it all in with time and budget restraints!

Jayne1973 I appreciate your input re Hearst Castle, if time wasn't a problem then perhaps we'd slot it in but would rather enjoy natural scenery of the Coast.

You keep saying timeshare in NYC - and that isn;t something I was aware that we even had here. Can you share exactly where this timeshare is?

If not in Manhattan it could be a major problem in terms of taking big chunks of time out of your sightseeing - and involving a lot of expensive trains to and fro the city.

Hi nytraveler
I was actually also surprised at the timeshare availability, its called Manhattan Club near Carnegie Hall. Its a hotel and timeshare. From what I can see its quite well located (better than the ones in California).

I appreciate your budget and time issues--so much to do, so little time (and money!). I think you are working toward a wonderful trip, though. A few comments on your new itinerary:

New York--fabulous that you will have 7 days there--it's a great city for both adults and kids. You mentioned early on that you would like to do a day trip or two and visit a smaller town. I suggest taking NJ Transit from Penn Station to Princeton, New Jersey, for a lovely day trip. The train ride is about an hour. Get off at Princeton Junction, which connects with the Dinky, a 5-minute, single-car train, into Princeton. You can explore the beautiful campus of one of the top U.S. universities, and enjoy the small town vibe too. http://www.princeton.edu/main/visiting/region/

Disneyland--smart to visit from Escondido rather than Oxnard, but you should still factor in the very heavy traffic you will encounter during rush hours. Best to leave Escondido as early as you can (say, 6 a.m.) to avoid the worst. You can eat a great breakfast in Anaheim and be at the park when it opens. Check the Disneyland website for tips on visiting. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/des...ns/disneyland/

Oxnard--not a the best place to stay on the southern coast but I understand your limitations, and you can spend your time in northern LA (again, try as hard as you can to avoid the lengthy rush hours) and Santa Barbara/San Ynez Valley. Be sure to spend some time in the little town of Carpinteria, on the coast between Oxnard and Santa Barbara. It's very local--not famous, but a nice little town with a cool local vibe and a good beach.

San Francisco--sad that you will have only two days in this wonderful city, since it could easily keep you busy for a week. But it's worth the trip anyway. Since you will have a car (which you don't need here but it doesn't make sense to drop it off and pick up another when you leave), look into staying at one of the motels along Lombard Street, which are less expensive than downtown hotels (many are recommended by posters on this forum). Or perhaps consider a VRBO rental in a real neighborhood, Noe Valley, where I live--friends just stayed at this one, and they loved it. Sleeps 3, but you could undoubtedly squeeze 2 kids in. http://www.vrbo.com/385262

Washington, DC -- great place to visit, but be aware that mid-July will be hot and HUMID, which detracts from one's enjoyment of the city. However, you can escape the worst of the weather in the awesome museums (most of which are free, and many of which your kids will love). Best prices in DC hotels are on the weekends, though.

Anyway, you should have a great trip! Welcome to the United States.

Yes nyt there are timeshares in manhattan (and central London for that matter).

It surprises folks to,learn this but they've been around for years. Hard to get into . . .

Yes, that's a great location - very central and easy to get to any major sight.

For day trips I would probably do one up the Hudson by train - there are a host of choices from state parks to the West Point Military Academy, famous mansions and historic houses. Also there are trips by boat )but limited - check may only be available on the weekend)

The Hamptons are fantastic - but one day is not enough. If you want an old fashioned day at the beach you can do Coney Island - be sure to eat at Nathan's.

Hearst Castle - impressive, but just another rich man's palace.

Consider something very different?
Visit President Ronald Reagan's library on the way to SF.
http://www.reaganfoundation.org/

We have visited: Reagan, Truman, Ford, Ike, Johnson, Clinton, Bush I. All interesting with Ike # 1.

Driving to SF. Highway 1, Big Sur, is a must-do drive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1


Vaga

Thank you aprillilacs, janis, nytraveler and Rvvagabond for the additional suggestions and the warm welcome to the US!

Princeton does seem like a great day trip from NY, as does West Point academy. I will do more reading on this.

I have updated our planned agenda YET AGAIN to take into account all the tips and suggestions on this forum and elsewhere, particularly to spend more time in SF. This new plan allows us 7 nights NY, 4 nights San Diego area, 1 night in Death Valley, 2 nights in Vegas, 4 nights in SF, 2 days on the coastal route, 6 nights in Oxnard (LA area) and 3 nights in Washington DC, without too much driving with restless kids in the back!

20-27 June New York
Sat 27 June - fly to San Diego (Escondido)
Sat 27 June - Wed 1 July Escondido
Wed 1 July - Thurs 2 July - Furnace Creek, DV
Thurs 2 July - Sat 4 July - Las Vegas
Sat 4 July (pm) - FLY Vegas to SF
4 July - 8 July SF
8 - 9 July - drive via coastal h'way Monterey, Carmel etc (overnight)
9 July - 15 July Oxnard (LA)
15 July fly to Wash. D.C.
15-18 July Wash. DC

Any suggestions regarding my new line of thought will be GREATLY appreciated - this forum has been so very helpful!

Apart from Union and Lombard St in SF, is Presidio area also worth considering (Travelodge around $190 per night)?

I know a lot of people on the forum are anti-DV in Summer, but others feel its still a worthwhile overnight trip? Or am I absolutely crazy to do this?

Why did Death Valley get back into your itinerary?? I think most everyone gave a loud NO vote to this. I usually keep an eye on the temps in various places in Calif, and they can reach 120 degrees there in July. People have been stranded in their cars on back roads, and have died from the extreme heat. I know - you'll plan to take precautions - but that's probably what the people who died planned to do too!!!.

Here are my ideas for the San Francisco Bay Area
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

DV is marvelous . . . I LOVE DV. But NOT in the middle of July. It will be too hot to do anything during the day. Very early morning is it -- otherwise you will be inside air conditioning.

Can I make a completely different suggestion . . . drive from Escondido to Las Vegas, 2 nights. Then VERY early in the AM drive <u>through</u> DV just to see it in your air conditioned car, and up hwy 395 through the mountains. Then over Tioga Pass into Yosemite and stay 2 nights in Yosemite Valley. This is a looong/beautiful drive so you could break it in Bishop or Lone Pine. Then after YNP, on to SF and the Travelodge . . .

As for the Travelodge in SF . . . as long as it is the one at the western end of Lombard Street right outside the Presidio it is absolutely fine. (There is another Travelodge farther up Lombard that isn't nearly as nice). The rooms have all been refurbished and the Presidio is a terrific place to explore/amazing views. But the main reason to stay there is the free parking.

>>Apart from Union and Lombard St in SF<<

There is absolutely nothing interesting to see on Lombard St - except perhaps a KFC. Mostly ugly commerce. It is a busy street as it's the main access to the Golden Gate Bridge & points north. Chestnut St is nice, and it is a short drive/walk to Crissy Field & Fort Point. If the surf is up there will be surfers at Ft Point. Rent bikes at Fisherman's Wharf, ride along the bay next to the sand (not on the paved inland road) along Crissy field, visit Ft Point, ride the bikes over the GG bridge to Ft Baker, then into Sausalito. Take the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf.

LV will be extremely hot too - perhaps reaching 110. What do your kids plan on doing there? I've never visited it in the summer - but many on this forum say that most people don't go outside and enjoy the swimming pools because of the heat. If LV is a MUST SEE for you - I would follow Janisj's suggestion about a "drive-through" DV visit. I'm betting that after the heat in LV, you are not going to welcome even higher temps in DV. We were there 3 years ago in March and it was in the 90s then & we were overly hot. I also bet that if you do overnight in LV & DV and then drive the Tioga pass and into Yosemite Valley - you're gonna wish that you had spent your DV & LV days in Yosemite instead.

Also, if you plan on visiting Disneyland from Oxnard - I would "forget it". On a work day, budget 2 1/2 hrs to get there (could be longer) and same to get back. I was raised near Disneyland in the 50s & 6os and I remember long lines then for rides/events in Disneyland. Friends who go there now have witnessed 2 hr lines at peak times. Spending 80& of a day on LA freeways and standing in lines is not my idea of a vacation.

in the 70s I worked in Carlsbad in San Diego County for 4 years and lived in Laguna Beach while doing so. Some co-workers lived in Escondito. I always though it was mainly a bedroom community - and not a place to visit. Why don't you stay in San Diego or La Jolla, or someplace along the coast closer to SD?

Stu Dudley