California self drive trip
 

My husband and my 15yr old daughter and I are planning a trip to California. We plan on flying into LA from New Zealand on the 26th December and stay for about 3 weeks. the first 5-6 days we plan on doing all the tourist things in LA and to spend 3 days at Disneyland. Will that be a busy time? or would we be better to leave that to later in the trip? We also want to go to San Diego, grand canyon, hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and then drive up the coast to San Francisco. We will fly out of San Francisco. Is three weeks enough time to do this? Will we need to pre book accommodation at this time of the year. Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated.

It will be hectic but doable. Yes you will need to pre-book accommodating in many places -- especially the Grand Canyon. The week between Xmas and New Years is VERY busy at DisneyLand and around New Years is VERY busy in Las Vegas.

It sounds like you haven't purchased your flights test - right? If so I'd try to reverse the order - fly into SFO and home from LAX. That way you'll be in Vegas and Anaheim in early/mid January which are MUCH less busy.

If spending 5-6 days in LA upon arrival on Dec. 26 and then driving to San Diego, that would put the rest of your trip beyond the crowded Christmas-New Year's holiday season. So the original starting point might be the best.

Oops -- I was mostly fixated on the Disney 'problem' and didn't notice that San Diego was <i>wedged</i> in there between LA/Anaheim and Vegas :)

Michael is right - for the trip order. But be prepared for HUGE crowds at Disneyland.

As always - go early and you will beat at least some of the crowds.

If you can make it after the kids are back in school (Jan. 5) Disneyland will be much less crowded.
Ir you're heading back to the coast right after Las Vegas, consider going through Death Valley. If you go from LV to Parhump and then in the the Park, you can see some of the highlights, then backtrack a bit to rejoin I-40 at Baker.
Adds a few hours, but it is something to think about.

Yes it will be crowded at Disneyland because the kids do not go back to school until Jan. 5-6 or so. If you buy a 3-day parkhopper online it comes with one Magic Morning where you get in an hour before opening time. Also Disneyland is in Anaheim, an hour south of LA so stay in LA area for your touring there, then move to Disneyland.

Thanks for your input. We have has a re think, and the plan which is a work in progress goes something like this.
Fly in to San Francisco 3 nights
Monterey 1 night
Hearst castle
Santa Barbara 1 night
across to las vegas via the edge of Death Valley, maybe stay a night some where on the way.
Las Vegas 2 nights.
Hoover dam, Grand Canyon 1 night.
I think we may need to spend a night some where between Grand Canyon and San Diego. Not sure where.
San Diego 4 nights.
Day trip to mexico.
Disneyland 3 nights.
LA 3 nights.
We are planning on spending about 24 nights in the US so this gives this room for change, or an extra day if we need it somewhere.
Any thoughts please.

Disney during that week between Xmas and New Years was a horrid idea. The change is better but seems to put you in Vegas for new years eve when the prices triple and many places have a 3 night minimum.

I'd tweak a bit more -- you definitely want to avoid Vegas over New Years.

I'd spend an additional night in Monterey or Carmel - if you only have one night there you'll have less than one day to see a LOT.

Then I'd head down the coast. Stop over a couple of places - lots of options, Cambria, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara. Then a few days in LA, arriving in Anaheim after New Years. Then San Diego (I would NOT do a day trip to Mexico -- the places you can get to and back in a day are not nice . . . at all). Then the Grand Canyon. Then Las Vegas. Then fly or drive back to LAX to fly out.

Agree. Add a day to Monterey and spend a little more time on the coast. Janis gives a good plan. Don't waste your time going to Mexico as a day trip. Your time is better spent in San Diego and this area of Mexico is not great and a dump. Disney and LV are best after the holidays. Disney is all your own on Tuesday thru Thursday.

Oh - meant to include --- the drive over to Las Vegas from the mid coast is looooong. dreary, and there is no place en route one would want to spend a night of their holiday.

That is why I suggested you proceed down the coast and then head to the GC and Vegas from southern California.

I'd also not do a daytrip to Mexico, the lines to get back into the US are LONG.
This itinerary is much nicer.
You can drive from GC to San Diego without stopping but if you want to stop, look into maybe Kingman or Lake Havasu.

I would not waste a day staying somewhere between the Grand Canyon and San Diego. It's doable in one day (9 hours) - even if it means most of the day on the road - but I like to get those drives over and done with and then be able to kick back the next day rather than worrying about more driving.

Moi - I like to leave at Oh Dark Thirty (you are really not missing any scenery on the drive) - and then stop about 3 hours later for a breakfast snack (top off the gas tank) - and then get out and stretch the legs at rest stops/etc every couple hours after that - and it doesn't seem like so long of a drive.

As for Mexico for a day trip - if you want to experience a bit of Mexico - you could consider driving down to the border (or even taking the trolley) and then walk across (have your passport with you).

And I wouldn't spend any time in Tijuana - but rather take a half hour+ cab ride to the Puerto Neuvo fishing village -or Los Arcos resort (both a bit beyond Rosarito - where you could also stop) - and it's not that expensive and it gives you a scenic drive along the coast.

But check more than one cab for a price.

when you get there - walk around a little and find a place to enjoy a nice Lobster lunch/or Chicken Taco soup - and then take a cab back and walk back across the border.

If you want to go to Mexico, make it a separate trip, for another time...what you see in Tijuana (and even the little towns just south of TJ) is not Mexico and it's not worth the hassle.

I'd skip Hearst Castle (which is just not, imo, all that), and I'd spend more than 3 nights in San Francisco, especially if that's where you're flying into and having to deal with jet lag, (but I'm admittedly biased!)

Big Hearst Castle fan here.

Do not go too to Mexico as a day trip. Your time is spent better elsewhere in San Diego.