adehug

Hi you all. Were over in the states in July for 6 weeks...there are two adults and three children ......our itinery is pretty much set out as below as i have to be in the various places at the times due to work commintments but will have loads of free time to see the sights............can you good people recommend what to see and do in the various locations.....

Fly into LAX
Santa Monica for 7 nights...want to see LA as well

San Diego for 5 nights.....would like to go to Mexico just to say ive been there but is this recommended with kids....by the way their 13, 10, 7

Las Vegas for 4 nights

Salt Lake City 3 nights....my daughter would love to swim in the lake??

2 nights drive to

Seattle 4 nights here

Vancouver 3 nights

3 days to drive down the coast to

Sanfrancisco 5 nights

then we have a further 6 nights to drive back to LA ....

Phew a lot of mileage but it will be worth it!!

Any advice would be appreciated....the hotels are booked in the cities but would like particular info on where to make the overnight stops on our free nights that we have nothing booked.

Thanks

Adrian

Wales UK

tcreath

Hi!

I only have one comment. You mention spending 7 nights in Santa Monica (L.A.) and 5 nights in San Diego. I have been to both places on one trip and saw them both in 6 days (San Diego is only about a two hour car ride from L.A.). Honestly you could see most things you wanted to see in either city in 3-4 days. Of course that depends on exactly what you want to do, but when I was there I saw pretty much everything I wanted to see and still had time left over. If you have more whole-day activities planned (Sea World, Six Flags, etc) I could see where you would need the extra time. I know you have to be in certain locations because of work priorities but I just wanted to give my thoughts. I enjoyed visiting both places.

Sounds like you have quite a trip planned--should be lots of fun!

Tracy

BarbaraS

In Salt Lake if your daughter wants to swim in the Great Salt Lake, the best place to do it would be on Antelope Island. http://saltlakecity.about.com/cs/att...telopeisle.htm

July is hot in Salt Lake and you'd probably enjoy a trip up to our beautiful mountains. Park City is always fun, or Snowbird or Sundance.

Most people enjoy spending some time at Temple Square and This Is the Place Heritage Park would be fun for your daughter to learn about the pioneers. http://www.thisistheplace.org/

adehug

thank you both for your input....i am stuck with the schedule but i suppose the extra days will be spent on the beach ..... im know the kids would love that............especially when ill be stuck in work!!

Gretchen

Sounds like a wonderful trip and your kids will love it. The American west is a sight to behold. If you had just a little more time in Salt Lake you could go up to the Grand Tetons but in the absence of that please do go up in the mountains around SLC. And since you have so much time in San Diego do go down to Tiajuana. Be sure all your travel documents are in order.

adehug

Thanks once again .... cant wait

Patrick

From Salt Lake City, I'd head up to Sun Valley, Idaho (Ketchum) for a night there at the Lodge if possible, then across and up I-84 to Hood River, Oregon for your other night before heading on up to Seattle. That day would be about an 8 hour drive, but your other two days would be much shorter.

Your three nights between Vancouver and San Francisco offer a lot of options. A couple places to look at -- a night at the lodge at Crater Lake, Oregon, and/or a stay in Ashland, Oregon (a great theatre festival there, including outstanding Shakespeare in an outdoor Elizabethan theatre, and two other theatres as well. From Ashland it is about a 5 to 6 hour drive into San Francisco. Also a good half-way point between Vancouver and Ashland is Mount ST. Helens in Washington -- fascinating. It is about 6 hours from Vancouver and 6 hours to Ashland from there.