Hello Fodor's Experts,
Planning to CA visit (my dream) from Sept 1-9 (with spouse and 3yrs old son - from Buffalo,ny).
Tentative plan is :
1. Reach San fransisco on aug 31 night, take a city tour on sept 1.
2. Move to Pasedena on sept 1 night (have a friend there)
3. Sept 2 - rest
4. Sept 3 - LA hollywood (bus from Pasedena and return by even)
5. Sept 4- Universal studio (bus from Pasedena and return by night)
6. Sept 5 - leave by noon to LV (by car), spend night in LV hotel
7. Sept 6 - return and rest
8. Sept 7 - Sea world
9. Sept 8 - disney park
10. sept 9 - LA beach, rest and return late night (or early next morning)

flight deal : from Buf - SFO - LAX - BUF = $365 per person.

Do you think, this is a fair deal on travel?
Any suggestions/inputs on my plan are appreciated
Thanks in advance

That's a pretty busy schedule.

I would leave Las Vegas out. There's nothing there for a three year old, and it will still be very, very hot.

I'll assume you are aware that Sea World is just under a two hour drive from Pasadena. Interstate 5S can be very backed up on weekends-all the way to San Juan Capistrano sometimes, but more usually from Oceanside. This can add a lot of time to your drive. During the week you'll have rush your traffic to contend with. So, leave Pasadena early and return after 7pm. I know I'm sounding negative, but I'm not trying to put you off the idea, really. You might consider staying in San Diego one night, doing Sea World one day and the Zoo the other day. Your son would like the Zoo.

While you're in Pasadena, don't miss the Huntington Library and Gardens (and art museum). If you go on the first Thursday of the month, entrance is free.

Thanks Barbara for the tips.As you suggested,I can leave early for sea world (as would have been taking rest in previous day).
LV strip will be for me
Btw,
any suggestions on SF hotel (economical) to stay?? ( Planning to take 5 hrs city tour)

I don't understand the SFO - San Francisco - part of the trip.

Is there nothing from BUF to LAX?

SFO is for downtown and mainly golden gate. We have to do it on the way to LAX. Making a trip from pasedena to SFO (to and fro), will either cost us money(flight) or time (bus).
So, planning to start with it and take a evening flight to LAX and then travel to pasedena (bus) for night rest.
Hope, I am clear...

Your trip sounds too busy. Too many cities in too short a time-- one day in S.F., one day in Las Vegas, going all the way to Sea World and Disney the next day-- whew! Your 3-year old might be more happy playing on the beach than being in the car and bus that much.

I'd allow time in LA for Malibu or Zuma beaches, Westwood, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills/BelAir, Sunset Boulevard. . ..

The Hollywood area isn't scenic. You probably don't want an entire day there, plus a return visit the next day. I'd combine the Hollywood/Universal studio tour into one day.
>-

You need to pick a destination. Not sure why you are even bothering w/San Francisco or Las Vegas based on the time you will spend there, versus the time it will take you to get there...or get there & back. You'll spend, literally 30-40% of your time traveling & I'm not even counting the flights out & back. If you do that, it is more like 50%.

Honestly --- I would save SF for another trip another day. It's at least a 5 hour from SF to Pasadena and possibly much more with traffic. And you have planned that for an evening after you have taken a 5 hour city tour.

California is just too large to see so much in such a short time. Don't discount the jet lag factor either - I'm in PA and when I fly to the west coast, I'm ready for bed at 8 pm.

Having traveled many times with children, I think your agenda is too ambitious.

If you really want to go to Vegas, is it possible to do it either first or last, rather than in the middle? Though I agree with another poster, Vegas with a 3 year old is the last thing I'd want to do - I know you want to experience it, but if you want to go to the casinos, your spouse will have to babysit.

I understand wanting to just see a little of this and a little of that --- but traveling with a child makes it very difficult to travel that way.

I have to report that going to California was a dream of mine too - and I ended up breaking it into 3 trips in 3 years; one SF, one LA/Orange County and one San Diego. There's just too much to see covering too many miles.

One issue I did not see mentioned--
Sept. 1,2,3 is Labor Day weekend one of the biggest summer holidays and LOTS of traffic-- and lots of people... Also be sure to reserve a place to stay on 31st. NOW .

I would like to mention, couple of more inputs, (which went into my planning) :
1. I am planning disney on saturday, as I heard ,they have laser show and fireworks only on w/end. Correct me, if I this is wrong.
2.I agree, I am planning to cover lot many things, here and there, so planned SF on the way to LA from buffalo, thats on first w/end. I will travel from SF to LAX by flight and not by bus (1 hr 20min - USD 70)

3. SO, that left me to go to LV only on week day. I am plannign to start by noon (from pasedena by car), reach LV hotel and take a good nap , prepare for night walk on strip and go to back to hotel, say by 2AM, take rest, travel back to pasedena by noon or so and take rest.

Will this help us/child, to get relaxed and charged for disney and sea world?

Will that help? Not much.

Seriously, drop Las Vegas or Sea World or Disneyland, or San Francisco, or something.
>-

Several people have said this is difficult itinerary - REALLY difficult. But you seem to be set on doing it this way, and not changing anything. In that case I really think you are mostly on your own.

Not trying to be rude - but the folks answering you live in CA and we know how far things are and how long things take.

I completely agree with all you. Its not that,I am fixed on my plan, just trying to cover as best as can.(as I don't have any plans to have 2nd trip to CA, in near future), also, being in east coast, first timer to CA, this will cost me a lot.
So,trying to my best to see the beatiful CA

Sorry, bond, I did miss the part that you were flying from SFO to LAX, I just read "move to Pasadena" and thought you intended to drive.

Still a busy itinerary.

Have a wonderful vacation.

Btw, a basic Q (may be silly):
I am planning to come back to Buf on 10th sept morning, but my family may stay back few days there (in pasedena), and come back later (this way, they will get a chance to visit disney and sea world, if I drop that from my list
Now, the Q is how to book this online, I see that its either round trip or multi route.
Do I have to book twice, once for me and second time for family??
Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Disneyland's calendar is not showing fireworks after July. They are showing Fantasmic (laser show), you can check it yourself for specific dates.

Click on the date for specific events. I don't think September is updated yet. But if you are after Labor Day, there will be fewer people and also less chance of fireworks/and or Fantasmic.

Bond, if your route and dates are not identical to your family's, then yes you would have to go through the booking procedure twice. At least on any of the airline websites I have used. Are you booking thru an airline or through Expedia or a similiar site?

With everything else being equal, I would book through an airline rather than a site such as Expedia (my own opinion based on problems I've had in the past when the airlines changed flights and times).

mlgb :
I just "googled" disney site.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/sep07...sttimeout=1000
Per this , there is illimination and laser show on 8th sept at around 9PM.
Am I right?

Bond - that is Florida, not Anaheim.

Check "disneyland" not disney world.

swaymock : Only difference between mine and family's travel date will on on return travel from LAX to BUF.
they will travel after say, couple of weeks.
So,iternary will be same, except the change in last travel (from LAX to BUF).