nausette141

With air fares very high to Rome, Italy, from New York, I'm now needing to switch a vacation in late June for 7 days to celebrate my son's 21st birthday. Don't want the Carribbean or Mexico (been to both). Any thoughts on combining San Francisco with a trip to Hawaii? Too ambitious? Other thoughts? Maybe the California coast? Don't know if it's enough to be that "wow".
Thanks!

Placename

With only 7 days from Rome, as I understand your post, I would stick to California or Hawaii. Hawaii is another 5 hour flight, plus a bit more jetlag.

I don't see how you can combine SF with Hawaii for only 7 days.

Placename

OOPs. I see you are traveling from NY, not Rome.

Still, for only 7 nights I would do either Hawaii or California, but not try to do both. There are some more direct flights from NY to Hawaii, search for them on www.kayak.com

nausette141

Thanks so much. It's very frustrating trying to plan a "memory" trip. Now considering San Francisco to Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. So many possibilities. I need to decide quickly and am locked into 6/23 - 6/30. Thanks for your help!

tomfuller

Would it make more sense to fly to Las Vegas first and rent the car to see the Grand Canyon and then fly from LV to San Francisco? You would not "need" a rental car if you did not want to see anything outside the city. Fly home from San Francisco.

Tomsd

One nice trip would be to fly into SF - and after a couple days - drive from SF to Yosemite (4 hrs) - spend a couple of days there - and then to Las Vegas - which might interest your son the most of all.

From Yo - you can go over the beautiful Tioga pass and down 395 and then through Death Valley to Vegas. http://www.yosemitehikes.com/tioga-r...tioga-road.htm

If you stated early from the floor of the Yo Valley - and maybe had breakfast at Tuolumne Meadows, and you could be in Vegas by mid-afternoon or so.

Or -you spend one night in the Valley Floor another in the Tuoluumne Lodge. http://www.yosemitepark.com/accommod...dowslodge.aspx

From Vegas - you could drive over to the GC - 5? hours - or take a one day tour from LV.

Suggest you ask your son how the options sound to him?

Placename

You must get reservations in Yosemite if you plan on staying there. Tuolumne Meadows Tented Camp (aka Tuolumne Lodge) is canvas sided tents with camp beds. There are no hotel rooms. Despite this, it fills up a year in advance. I seriously doubt you would be able to find a vacancy there in late June.

janisj

I'd think airfares to CA/HI and back to NY would cost as much or more than to Italy.

What are your exact dates How 'late' is late? The US Open is in SF from June 11 - 17 and it will be VERY difficult to find hotel rooms (ask me how I know this and why I'm staying in a cheap motel in Millbrae ) If you aren't traveling until after the 17th -you should be OK

7 days is not very long for SF/LV and the Grand Canyon. Plus Vegas will be very VERY hot (like 110F+)

I'd think about a 5 days in San Diego, and 2 in Vegas (if you must). Or maybe a week split between San Francisco and Monterey.

Yosemite would be great -- but getting rooms will be very difficult.

Or -- just go to Hawaii. You really can't go to HI and CA in just a week. You'd lose the best part of 3.5 days just flying.

sf7307

Sorry, OT - Janis, how long will you be here?

Tomsd

You can usually find reservations in Yo - standby of sorts at Curry Village if nothing else, or stay outside the park entrances - either before you come into Tioga Pass (along 395 if must be)- or outside the northern entrance out of the Valley Floor. Here is some info for Lodging in beautiful Yo.

http://www.nationalparkreservations....FQcJRQod8DqkCg

And even though the US Open will be in SF - there are a lot of hotel rooms there - and around the Bay Area, but it's a good point - which means all the more - google ahead and check on reservations no matter where you are going.

janisj

sf7307: Do you mean for the Open? I'm staying the Wed/Thurs/Fri nights. Only booked Open Tickets for Thurs/Fri. A GTG maybe ??

Tomsd: "And even though the US Open will be in SF - there are a lot of hotel rooms there - and around the Bay Area,"

Of course there are LOTS of hotel rooms --but most of them are already booked and the ones that aren't are going for full rack rate -- $498 at the Hyatt for instance . . . You can trust me on that.

Tomsd

janis: Sorry - but this "Doubting Thomas" rarely trusts anyone. Just how many people do you think are coming into SF for the US Open? And how many hotel rooms are there in the greater SF Bay area?

Tomsd

BTW - I believe the info request was for late June - so it may be a moot point anyway.

janisj

"BTW - I believe the info request was for late June - so it may be a moot point anyway"

Uh - yeah. That's why asked 'How late is late?'

"Just how many people do you think are coming into SF for the US Open?"

Lots . . .

But then you never seem to believe anything Northern Californians say