If you do plan a trip to Las Vegas and the parks you could even visit the Grand Canyon. Just make sure with all those areas for a driving trip that you watch weather-many of those areas get snow in winter, so spring or fall might be better. But that is for the future, anyway.

I agree that while long Beach/Naples is nice, since you seem to be really planning to use San Diego as the place where you focus your beach/relaxing time I wouldn't bother spending too much time going to Venice or Long Beach. Since you will be driving you could always stop in Long Beach or Laguna Beach ( a lovely little beach town with art galleries, etc) for a lunch break on your way down to San Diego.

Yes that is for the future. And I agree for that second potential trip I will try to go in late winter or early spring . The best time of the year for visting desert areas.

And you are right the San Diego Segment of my trip is already resererved for relaxing at the Beach. San Francisco and Los Angeles is more for the other things to do like the cultural stuff. But visting Laguna Beach on the way to San Diego would be possible. I have seen pictures and it looks lovely. Seeing such small beach town could be a interesting experience.

San Juan Capistrano another interesting town for an hour on the way.

Thanks for the advice. That is true. San Juan Capistrano seems to be really nice town with a very interesting history. Worth a short visit for sure.

This is my favorite $1 fish taco place along the way, at the Valero Gas Station. It is kind of hard to make that left turn as you are heading south on the The San Diego Freeway though.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...alifornia.html

Perhaps. But I think Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara, Carmel, Monterey, and Pacific Grove, are far, far, far more interesting coastal towns.

Stu Dudley

maitaitom
Re: the Academy Museum...

Where do you think they went wrong? Who do you think their target audience was--Hollywood? Locals? Tourists? Or did they not have one?

Now that travel is back up, I'll be checking your posts because I remember you having so much good info. I don't remember if you have an actual website?