Hi

We are looking for inspiration!

We are spending some time in Las Vegas & Arizona in August and would like suggestions where we could travel after for appx 5 days for a relaxing beach part of our holiday. We don't mind up to a couple of hours flying - we'd like to keep this low so that we maximise our time.

Basically would be using this part of the hol as chill time before flying back so nice beaches, bars, restaurants, some culture/sightseeing.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Well all the people from Arizona come to San Diego in the summer so you could join them. We call them "Zonies" here. Really any beach area in So. California is an hour flight from Phoenix. I know from Phoenix to SD, Southwest has flights that leave every hour. You could also go to Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara, or a little further north to Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, etc. If you want to swim in the ocean, stay further south. If you want to see some beautiful scenery, do north. Santa Barbara might be a good compromise.

I agree that San Diego or Laguna Beach would be easy trips and good choices for restaurants, etc. Newport Beach is another option. For Laguna Beach or Newport Beach, you would fly into John Wayne Airport.

Besides California beaches, there is Mexico. Southern Arizonans enjoy San Carlos, Kino Bay, and the Cabos. It is hot in Mexico in August, however, and you do need a passport if you fly and enter thrugh an airport.

Thanks for all your ideas.

Mexico has got me thinking . . .
Playa Del Carmen appears to be somewhere that would be appeal to us but heard varying reports about the weather at the end of August.

Some say short rainstorms in the afternoon/evening which is fine but others mention hurricanes.

Any comments greatly appreciated.

The weather is better at the California beaches in August. The suggestions for Laguna, San Diego etc are all good and where many Arizona people go in August.

If you decide on Mexico then there are flights from PHX to Los Cabos, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta that are roughly 2 hours (Cabo) to 3 or so hours (Vallarta) so these are relatively close. But all are hot and humid in August and this is the peak hurricane season. You mention Playa del Carmen but this is much further and I don't think there are non-stops from PHX in August (maybe wrong on that, but it's probably a 5-6 hour flight if available).

Bill

It is so hot and humid along the coast in Mexico in August I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The water is too warm to swim in as you don't feel as if you cool off.

August is the start of the hurricane season.