Fairly flexible West Coast driving itinerary, love your input.
 

We will be arriving into LAX (from 2 weeks on the East Coast) at 5pm on a Thurs. We will have a hire car to pick up. Then we will start our West Coast driving 'adventure'. We thought we would head to Santa Barbara first then spend 5-6 nights getting to San Francisco, have 2-3 nights there. We will then spend 2 nights in the Napa region before 3 nights in Yosemite, then 2 nights 'on the road' to get to Vegas for 4 nights. We will then have 5 days/4nights to get back to LAX for an 11pm flight home.

My questions are, we're thinking an airport hotel (probably use Priceline) for the night we arrive into LAX, so we will be a bit fresher for the couple of hours drive to S/Barbara, (where I will have accommodation booked, love suggestion for an inn/B&B type of place, even outside of Santa Barbara) or do you think we would be better 'just heading' off ?
Can you see any problem not having any other accommodation booked until San Fran?

I thought we may not book San Fran 'till we are only a day or so away, not sure when we will arrive there, like to 'play it by ear'. thoughts?

I will book Napa, again would love suggestions, inns etc. Just want to go for scenic drives, eat good food and drink 'great wine' :-)

Should we have a night between Napa and Yosemite? I see its a 4 hour drive, which seems quite 'do-able'?

Yosemite is booked for 3 nights, then we will head to Vegas.

Any help or suggestions are greatfully received. Hope its not too vague? We are fit 45 yr olds, fairly well traveled and don't need 5* hotels, but do 'need' 4-5* quality accommodation, ie smaller inns/B&B's.

ps. DH just had an idea. Maybe we 'do' collect the car on arrival into LAX and stay somewhere a short/easy drive from the airport (Marina Del Ray, Santa Monica, Malibu???) where we can maybe have a nice dinner that night and head off in the morning. Airport hotels are pretty boring place unless you 'have' to be there.

What do you think?

I personally would consider booking rooms in advance. I assume you plan to get to San Francisco via highway 1 and these motels can be full during the summer. Most hotels/motels allow cancellation before 4pm same day of arrival so you can always cancel if needed.

When do you plan on doing this? It might make a big differene in room availablity.

I think 5-6 nights from LA to SF is too much time. I guess you don't want to see anything in the LA, Orange County, or San Diego area?

Between Napa and Yosemite is Sacramento, where the Gold Rush started, some historic sites there. Then Lake Tahoe. Take the "back road" down Highway 395 from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite via Bodie State Park (Ghost Town), Mono Lake. I think you can google Highway 395 to find the sights.

Between Yosemite and Vegas is Death Valley National Park.
Vegas for 4 nights is too long for me. I suggest you look into Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon National Parks, Monument Valley, etc.

www.nps.org for National Parks and National Monument historic sites.

What do you plan to DO with 5-6 nights from LA to SF (I also think that's 2 days too many, but it obviously depends on what you want to do -- serious hiking or just looking at the views from the road, for example? Two Hearst Castle tours, or just one, or none?). Will you have seen LA before you head out? I guess I would spend 2 days in LA, then 4 days up the coast, then SF.

And I agree, when this trip is is a critical factor. In summer, many of the hotels on the coast, at least those nearer to Carmel and Monterey, have a 2-night minimum.

I assume by your post that you are arriving just before Easter...its school Spring vacation these two weeks around Easter. So that is a factor for hotels. I think all that time in Santa Barbara is a waste. So much to see elsewhere. I'd spend two nights there MAX. Then one day driving up #1...staying in Carmel/Monterrey for two nights...then up to SF and Napa (or better yet, Healdsburg in Sonoma county).then the rest of your trip. I also agree all that time in Vegas is too much unless you are into gambling and shows. There is so much beauty just beyond LV... The Grand canyon, Monument Valley, or Bryce and Zion... What ever you do, enjoy our State.

We went last year at this time we flew into San Diego did priceline and stayed in La Jolla very nice hotel. we stayed 2 nights and then drove up the pacific coast to LA stayed at Redondo beach also priceline for 2 nights at the marina rented bikes one day across from the hotel and rode down the boardwalk. Nice. We then took the PCH all the way to San Fransisco stayed in San Louis Obispi wonderful little college town and in Moneray we did price line all the way as we didn't know where we would be stoppping it was great hope you got a convertible it is worth the extra. We saw the elephant seals and went to Muir Woods in San Fransisco they are awesome. This year we are going from Seattle to San Fransisco going this Friday really looking forward to it enjoy your trip Jen

sorry, knew I would forget something. This will be mid Oct (15th). The reason we thought about not booking is that we don't really know how long 'we' will take to get to San fran. and may spend more nights there. We have been to LA twice before, so no real need/desire to spend more time there. (we are using points so we have to fly into LAX)

As for what we will 'do' on the PCH just want to sight see (eat yummy food) definately Hearst Castle, San Simeon, Carmel, Monteray etc. If we end up with extra days in San Fran....Great.

Vegas is for Shows (hopefully bette midler)eating out and maybe a day trip out of Vegas. We have been to the Grand Canyon before but thought we would drive there after Vegas, then back to LA.

What are your thoughts on DH idea for the first night? Somewhere a 'shortish' drive from LAX to have a nice walk (long flight from Aus) and dinner.

Thanks as always

On the first night, you could stay somewhere just south of the airport (Manattan, Hermosa or Redondo Beach) -- good restaurants, walking all along the beach. Or go north to Santa Monica or Malibu. I definitely wouldn't stay at the airport unless you were doing so in order to not pick up your rental car that night. The beach areas are really close.

Thanks sf7307, I think your right. We like the thought of Malibu........any restaurant/hotel suggestions?

Sorry, I don't, I've never stayed there! Someone will chime in to help, I'm sure.

aussiedreamer, I like your instinct, and think you will enjoy an unhurried trip up the PCH. Can tell you that our favorite place to stay in Santa Barbara is Harbor View Inn, right across the street from the beach and a block from the pier.
www.harborviewinnsb.com
La Super Rica Taqueria was Julia Child's favorite when she was still alive living in SB. 622 Milpas, looks like a shack, and you may drive by it before you find it. Tremendous tacos and enchiladas and good mexican food.
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...ra/D43652.html
Another good place to eat in SB is out on the yacht club wharf, Brophy Bros, 119 Harbor WAy. Very active. If you can't get a table, you can get served lunch/dinner at the very congenial bar.
Up the coast is a favorite place of many, Moonstone Beach, inthe neat little town of Cambria. Lots of motels and the famous Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill.
http://www.visitcambriacalifornia.co...one_beach.html
We have stayed at several places there, and they all have their own personal charm. Lots of hiking and other outdoor activities.
Hope this helps. In Oct, may not be so crowded, but SB and Moonstone are always popular, so advance booking may be advisable.
Have fun!

Forgot to mention Santa Monica after leave the airport. There is a great little B&B just up from the beach, Channel House Inn. They have bicycles you can use on the trail along the beach.
http://www.channelroadinn.com/

Have a ball.

BillJ............'your tops', thank you so much. I had a look at Malibu accommodation and was leaning to Santa Monica, we did go to the Peir there about 10 years ago.......but not for very long. The Channel Road Inn looks lovely.

fantastic, thank you.