March Grand Canyon, Universal Studios and San Diego with Teens
 

Hi all,
I'm planning a family trip over our Spring Break. Our son is 15 and our daughter will be 12. I'd like to visit family in San Diego, but we have been there several times so I'm hoping to take part of the week to see some other areas as well. We live in Northern Wisconsin so we will most likely fly out of MSP. We'd like to visit the Grand Canyon, Universal Studios (for Harry Potter World,) and then finish with San Diego and North County beaches and family.
Here's what I've come up with:
Friday Fly to Las Vegas, stay Circus Circus or Golden Nugget or? We may check out Fremont St, Stratosphere, Fountains, etc. Nothing definite, husband and I have been to Las Vegas. We're not gamblers but will take in some of the spectacle.
Saturday – Hoover Dam tour, 4 hour Drive to Grand Canyon, lodging at Yavapai
Sunday – Hike, Jeep tour?
Monday – Return car to Las Vegas 4 hours, Fly to LA
Monday eve Los Angeles – Burbank area hotel?
Tues – Universal studios, then drive to Solana Beach, La Jolla or Oceanside - looking for a beachside hotel suite or vrbo. Family is in North County near Rancho Santa Fe.
Weds – Sat visit with family
Sat fly SAN or LAX to MSP, drive home.
I've never booked open ended flights like this. Am I missing something? I read Las Vegas is easier access/car rental to Grand Canyon. The drive to San Diego or Las Angeles is doable but also read a cheap flight to LA might work too. Rental cars are always a pain - I always feel like it's a bait and switch at the counter when you're trying to stay on budget.
Is this a good plan, or would it be more economical to try to book a round-trip with car rental? Currently one-way flights seem within our budget. How do you put together an itinerary like this - flights then car rentals, or do you recommend bundling it somehow? I've booked Yavapai - anything else I should book sooner than later? Any other recommendations?

It's a lot of moving around in one week but certainly doable.

Grand Canyon. Yavapai is just fine - it's less than 1/2 mile to the rim, set back in the pine forest. You have one full day to explore at the GC. In March, you should be prepared for winter weather - the south rim is at ~6000' elevation. I recommend with the full day you consider a 1/2 day hike down below the rim. You could do a 1.5 mi (3mi round trip) hike on either the Bright Angel Trail, or the S. Kaibab trail. The latter will get you further out into the canyon, while the former hugs the steep upper canyon walls for most of the first few miles. Either trail is a LOT of elevation change. 1000' down = 1000' climb back up., and the time it takes back up is ~2X what it took to go down. It's 5000' change down to the canyon floor/river level- that's an extreme hike, and not one you'd do in anyway.

For flights, you should fly into Burbank - not LAX. I believe southwest flies LAS to Burbank non-stop.

How do you book this?
Price out all of the different flights first - and in parallel see what cars will cost.
Once you are ok with the overall plan, then book your flights. They can be booked separately, or in one big multi-city itinerary if you choose (but you won't be able to book southwest flights with the online travel sites, only their website.

J62,

Thanks for the info on the trails. I think based on that, we will try S. Kaibab trail. We're accustomed to winter weather - as far north as we are in Wisconsin, at any time of year. ;) We will pack for every possibility as much as we are able. The altitude and elevation change will be the challenge for us flatlanders.
I'm debating about the Pink Jeep tour. I've seen it recommended for Sedona - is it a must do at the Grand Canyon? I can always use and extra $400 for something in San Diego depending on what family, cousins and kids decide they would like to do this trip. We've been to the zoo, Legoland, and the Safari park but my kids may not remember them. I was on a Jeep tour in Palm Springs and it was fun. Just not sure if these tours are more informative or entertaining than hiking, shuttling, and/or ranger info.
Thanks for the input on Burbank. Husband says it's not a big deal to drive the 8 hours vs. 4 hours to Las Vegas plus flight...I will have to weigh the pros and cons with flights and rental cars. I will look at the Southwest site too.
Vegas: I've changed my mind on Circus Circus. It sounds like it is a bit removed. I stayed at Bally's but it was a long time ago. Luxor or Treasure Island are possibilities. With only one night in Vegas, I'd love to be on the Strip.
California: I saw some good recommendations for hotels in La Jolla Shores. I originally wanted a kitchenette but I think with family nearby it's unlikely we will use it. I just don't want a 2-bed hotel room for 4 nights. With that long a stay it's nice to have a living area for the 4 of us.
Thanks again for the input!

Pink Jeep tour at GC - no. It won't get you near any of the actual canyon, which is all below the rim and the attraction there is THE canyon. Sedona it certainly makes sense sense they can take you on cool private lands that share the same rocky terrain features as the whole area.

You can virtually walk the S. Kaibab trail on google maps, street view if you want to check it out ahead of time. I'm sure there are also videos of the trail to be found on youtube.

It's a lot of moving for one week of spring break, but on the other hand, your kids are the right age for it. And, I'd rather see the canyon when it's not as hot out.

We drove from Los Angeles to see it years ago, stayed at Flagstaff, due to being broke. It wasn't a bad drive then. If your drop fees aren't bad, you could drive. But on the other hand, Las Vegas and Burbank are both easier airports to get in and out of. You will want to price the car with both itineraries.

One more thought--for the flight home, if you can't get San Diego Airport, see what you can do from Orange County. The flights are often competitive from there being Disneyland area. It's also way easier to get into and out of, and closer to San Diego.

Agree with J62, just check out flight and car rental prices in advance then make all of your reservations. Keep in mind that if you rent from one city and return in another city you will need to factor in drop off fees. Sounds like all of your flights will be open jaws which may or may not affect flight prices depending on the airline. As far as flying vs. driving from LAS to LAX or Burbank, it might actually take less time to drive considering check in etc. at the airport. Only you can make final determination on logistics after doing flight and rental car research.

As for Grand Canyon, forget about a jeep tour. It's unnecessary since you will have a rental car. The south rim is essentially a paved road running parallel to the rim with a series of pullouts with parking at each viewpoint and accesss to hiking trails into the canyon. You can either take your car or the park shuttle and stop at each viewpoint. Hiking a short distance down Kaibab trail is a good idea unless it has ice or snow in which case, stick to the viewpoints which are still a great experience.

Good advice from the folks here, no to the jeep at GC, the jeeps don't go below the rim like they do in Canyonlands . For Southwest, look at their "low fare calendar" if you have any flexibility. It shows the fare each day and they do not charge for the first 2 bags per person and all their fares are for the one leg of the trip you have booked.

Do also walk along the rim trail and a short way down Bright Angel too.

>Tues – Universal studios, then drive to Solana Beach, La Jolla or Oceanside - looking for a beachside hotel suite or vrbo. Family is in North County near Rancho Santa Fe.>

If you have family near Rancho Santa Fe I would stay in the Cardiff by the Sea & Encinitas beach community because it is closer.

Personally my favorite beach area is Carlsbad but that might be too far north to drive back and forth to RSF. However, we have stayed here and like this resort and the neighboring community.

http://www.carlsbadinn.com/

There doesn't seem to be much of a one-way drop fee for renting a car in Vegas and dropping off at LAX. I would opt to drive from Grand Canyon to LA rather than drop the car in Vegas, hop on a flight and rent another car in LA. You aren't saving much time by flying between Vegas and LA.

Southwest prices all their flights as one-way options so there's no price increase for open jaw flights.

Be prepared for icy/steep trails at the Grand Canyon. If it's warm enough, you'll just have to deal with some mud on the upper sections but if it's cold, you may want/need to rent hiking poles or buy traction devices for your shoes from the general store at Yavapai.