Palm Springs to Dana Point - where to stay on route??
 

Hi

We are travelling from palm springs to dana point next April, however we have a spare night to stop over somewhere. Where would people suggest? We will have a car. Would you spend a night in San Diego? Or somewhere else inland?

We are planning in using our week at Dana point was a base to visit both LA and San Diego?

Thanks for your help!!

Pasadena. You could visit The Huntington Museum, Gardens and Library, tour Gamble House (a Greene and Greene design), visit the Norton Simon Museum and go to Old Town for dining and shopping, and also in Pasadena check out Gold Class Cinemas for a movie in a super comfy setting. If it is the second Sunday of the month you could attend the giant Rose Bowl Flea Market. If you are traveling with kids, check out KidSpace, LA Zoo, Gene Autry Western Museum, Travel Town. If you are looking for outdoor activities, you could ... go hiking in the nearby foothills or climb Mt. Hollywood, go horseback riding in Griffith Park, visit Descanso Gardens or the LA Arboretum, take in an outdoor concert at The Greek or the Hollywood Bowl. From Pasadena, you are also close to downtown activities such as museums, Disney Music Hall, Chinatown, Angel's Flight, and LA Live among other things. It is also relatively close (certainly closer than Dana Point) to Universal Studios and Hollywood (Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood and Highland shopping and dining complex, El Capitan and Grauman's Chinese Theater). I have other posts making the case for Pasadena if you find any of the above interesting.

Other stops....
Mission Inn in Riverside
An overnight in Santa Monica (for the Pier, shopping, beaches)
Anaheim for close park accessibility

Temecula is another option, visit wineries and the historic center. Also closer to Dana Point and not as much out of your way as Pasadena, although Pasadena area does have a lot to offer.

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

I probably should have said we will be spending two nights in LA before heading to Palm Springs (I have just put a post out asking where to base ourselves in LA)

Given we will have come from LA, would you still suggest going back there for our spare night inbetween? Or would you suggest somewhere nearer San Diego?

Thanks!

Also, we are a party of 6 adults (4 mid 20s and 2 mid 50s)

Riverside and Temecula both sound like nice stopovers between Palm Springs and Dana Point. Grab a nice dinner, and in Riverside do a little shopping/antique hunting and in Temecula do a little wine tasting (and/or enjoy a hot air balloon ride).

Pasadena would be nice, but with just one night you would not really see much of what any place has to offer. Since you only have two days on arrival, you might want to use this as a 3rd day to see Los Angeles, basing yourselves on the east side (ie Hollywood) instead of the west side for this overnight. Or, you could stay in Burbank, north of Hollywood, take a tour of the Warner Brothers Studio ($45pp) and a bus ride down into Hollywood.

I wouldn't plan on more than maybe one day trip up from Dana Point to see more of Los Angeles. The traffic is pretty dreadful in between.

Thanks!!

Where is good to visit from Dana Point? Is is possible to visit San Diego?

Are certain times of the day better for traffic?