hi
my self and my fiance are visiting for the first time, we are coming from Glasgow in Scotland ,this is what we have planned so feel free to offer suggestions.

1.fly into las vegas on august 20th and stay for three nights , its his birthday on 21st so some suggestion on a nice but not too expensive restaraunt are appreciated.

2. we hire a car for 7 days

3.we want to travel via six flags magic mountain(is it worth it)then up the cenrtal coast

4. we then have 5 days in san francisco staying at the andrews hotel. then fly home from SFO

i would like some info on where to stay arond six flags and on the coast plus any other suggestions to make my trip better.

p.s. i dont want it to be too expensive as it is already maybe $80 or less a
night
thanks again

You do not say where you will be staying in Las Vegas. Are you going to be downtown or on the strip? There are literally thousands of restaurants in Las Vegas. If I knew the are where you will be staying then a few recommendations could be made. You will not need your rental car until you leave Las Vegas.

Six Flags ( aka Magic Mountain ) is a large amusement park at Valencia, CA. It all depends on how much you like roller coasters and that sort of stuff. There are many motels/hotels in Santa Clarita/Valenica. I have no idea as to cost or availability during August. If you do decide to go to Magic Mountain then you can cut over to the coast from just north of Valencia.

I would allow 3 days for the trip from Las Vegas to San Francisco. This will alow you time to go up Hwy 1 through the Big Sur. You should take some time to stop to visit the Monterey and Carmel area on your way.

Your budget of $80 /nt is pretty bottom line however it is doable. I have some suggestions for you on that. First, when you enter California try to get a California discount travel magazine. I do not rember offhand the proper name but it is free and available in many places incuding Denny's, McDonalds, etc. It has hundreds of coupons and discounts for motels/hotels/ all over California. Most of the prices are well under $80. nt. I also suggest that you start looking at available accomodations on-line. There are many good websites that can assist you in finding out prices and availability. Yahoo and Travel Web are 2 good ones.

Unless crowded and expensive amusement parks with lots of thrill rides and entertainments are your main idea of fun, I'd skip Magic Mountain altogether. Don't get me wrong, I love the place; have been there three times and loved it. But there are twenty places between Las Vegas and SF I'd recommend over Magic Mountain. For starters, if you go to
www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/pricing
you'll find that your one day visit there will cost you $89 just for admission and parking (don't ask about their over-priced food costs).

Between LV and SF; you can also see Hiway One, Sequoia Nat Park, Yosemite Nat Park (must see!), Bodie State Park (best ghost town in US), Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake, several coast towns, and innumerable sights in the LA area.

I disagree with Paul's commentary.
I don't know what it's like to have grown up in Scotland (assuming you're a native) but if I'd never been to the American west, I would be curious about places that get lots of publicity like Las Vegas, Disneyland, Hollywood, Magic Mountain, etc. Having been to those places several times, they no longer pique my curiosity, but that's because I've seen them. I'm curious about Glasgow and Edinburgh and would love to visit, whereas you may well think them ordinary.
I think what Paul really means is, don't eliminate all the natural treasures in California from your itinerary just to pursue the manmade, better hyped sites. But by all means, indulge your curiosity.
The list of worthwhile things to see in California is extensive, but you'll be able to touch on many of them with your well-planned itinerary.
Personally, I think Highway 1, Lake Tahoe and the sights around SF Bay area are California's best destinations. See some giant redwoods, Big Sur, SF....would be great to work in Tahoe, Yosemite, Napa Valley wine country, etc but you can look forward to doing that on your next trip!
Tell us what your favorite type of food is and I'll offer some LV restaurant recommendations. SF as well.
Sounds like a really great trip.

thanks to every one who posted replies. i am staying in las vegas at the excalibur(but didnt want to mention it as very few people seem to like it)we like italian food, my fiance likes indian style curry things (i am not a fan).
i do have major plans to drive up highway 1 and we are big fans of white knuckle rides.
carol come to scotland you will love it i do, just bring a waterproof coat