West Coast (and NYC) Family Trip Summer 2014
 

Hi all,

I saw a few posts about trips to the west coast - but - I wanted your opinion on our plans:

First - we are a family of 5, my wife, myself, and 3 boys (17,14 & 9) - we are planning a west coast trip next summer (mid July to mid August) and started putting together some ideas, including some indicative budget...comments, and ideas are more than welcome!!!!

- We plan to arrive in SF and tour SF for 2 days (no car for now) - we plan to stay in some of the cheap hotels/motel in south SF - indicative budget (IB): $100 per night (p/n) and $100 for food per day (p/d) - I guess we need to add entry fees to museums and some travel budget for cable car ride, subway, etc...)

- 2 extra days staying in South SF - use them for: 1 day trip to Napa Valley Vineyards and 1 day trip to Yosemite Park - IB: car rental $75 p/d, motel $100 p/n, food $100 p/d

- 5th day - start driving south - destination San Luis Obispo - drive through Monterrey, Carmel and Big Sur - stay the night in SL - IB: car rental ($75 p/d), motel $100, food $100

- 6th day - drive from SL to LA - drive through Santa Barbara - IB: car $75, food $75, motel in south LA $150 p/n

- 5 days in LA:
- 2 days for LA sightseeing
- 1 day Universal Studios
- 2 days Disneyland and Disney adventure park
IB: car $75 p/d, food $100 p/d, hotel $150 p/n, parks entry fees ... A LOT! lol

- 12th day - LA to San Diego - slow drive through the coast line - IB: car $75, food $100, hotel in SD $110 p/n
- 6 days in SD:
- 1 day legoland
- 1 day Sea World
- 1 day SD Zoo
- 1 day SD safari
- 1 day city/harbor tour
- 1 day - relax and shopping :)
IB: car $75 p/d, food $100 p/d, hotel $110 p/n, parks entry fees ... again ... A LOT!

- day 19 - 1 day driving to Phoenix, AZ - IB: car $75, food $100, hotel in Phoenix $90

- day 20 - morning Phoenix sightseeing - afternoon - drive to Flagstaff - stay the night in Flagstaff - IB: car $75, food $100, hotel in Flagstaff $80 p/n

- day 21 - 1 day trip to Grand Canyon - IB: car $75, food $100, hotel $80 - entry fee (?)

- day 22 - 1 day drive - Flagstaff to Las Vegas... IB: car $75, food $100, hotel in Vegas (cheap motel) $85 p/n

- 3 days in Vegas - relax - shows - sightseeing - etc... - IB: car $75, food $100, hotel $85 p/n - we are returning the cat in Vegas

- 25th day - overnight flight from Vegas to NYC

- 4 days in NYC (been there...so..easier to plan) - IB: food $100, hotel $230 p/n

- day 30th...flight back home :)

Of course we need to add to the budget the gas for the car (I've estimated roughly that we will be driving 2300 miles, and we can probably manage 30 miles per gallon, and at a $3.5 p/gallon, we should be in the $250 for gas) , extras for museums, other entry fees, shopping, etc...also, the budget is indicative based on the prices I can find in the internet for now...food budget is general, there are days that we will probably spend more, and there are days that we'll probably spend less, motels with kitchens or microwaves will reduce our food expenditure :)

I understand that to visit the Yosemite Park and the Grand Canyon we need to make our reservations in advance.

Questions:
Is the above a reasonable plan? or is it too tight/loose?
Are there other places that we MUST see and we forgot?
Are there some of the places above not actually necessary?
Is the Indicative Budget (IB) reasonable?
Anything we've forgot?

Again, thanks in advance for any help/comments!!!

At first blush I think you have a significant problem with your budget,

$100 per day for food for 5 people - 2 of them being teenage boys (who can typically empty a ridge in about 5 minutes is simply not going to work. I don;t know how to do that with 3 meals and snacks even eating at home - never mind eating out (even if picnics).

As for rooms I will comment only on NYC - since I don;t travel at this price point so have no idea if your budget is doable in other places. In NYC you cannot put 5 people in one room - which means you have to get either 2 rooms or a suite - and doing that for $200 in NY is going to be practically impossible. It might be possible to find something in the suburbs and travel to and fro every day - in LIC or similar - but that is a mixed use area (auto body shops and warehouses among budget motels and very limited services - meaning you need to dine in Manhattan before heading back to the hotel. And I'm not sure even those places will be within your budget for so many people.

I really think you need to do some investigating and try to build a budget from scratch - but I suspect that you will need at least double what you have allocated.

Oh - and your gas budget isn;t realistic either - the price of gas is higher and you are unlikely to get that mileage from any vehicle big enough for 5 people plus luggage.

I'd suggest:

- Either Napa Valley OR Yosemite with just 2 days.
- Take time from San Diego and add it to the drive south to spend more time along the Central CA coast, one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
- Fly to Phoenix or even better, to Flagstaff. The drive is mind-numbing and long and the desert is unbearably hot in summer.
- Figure $4 a gallon for gas which it is now in N. CA.
- Summer in Las Vegas might be skipped in favor of more time in CA. Use the days you've planned to be in LV for more time in SFO or wine country/Yosemite.

Hi - thanks for the quick responses...

nytraveler - in NYC - there are plenty of 2 bedroom apartments for around $250 p/n in Manhattan...although - we are happy to stay in the NJ area for even less than that and travel to the city every day (been there, done that)
re food - we assume:
1. in most hotels/motels breakfast is included
2. driving days - sandwiches and snacks days :)
3. other days - if there is a kitchen in the hotel/motel (and there plenty that have), then cooked meals, grocery shopping...
if there is no kitchen - then we'll go over the $100 budget
still - we are not planning a fancy trip - it is more a sightseeing and theme parks trip (cheap acomodation and food)
Re the car - not the first time doing this kind of trips...drove much more than 2300 mile before in rental cars - so no worried about it...
Re the gas - I'll take the $4 mark for MmePerdu reply's :)

MmePerdu - thanks for the tips - the LV part was a big question mark - what we really want is the Grand Canyon - so, we'll re-think that part...
Same re Yosemite and Napa - we were not sure 1-day trips are enough - we'll make them 2-days trips and extend our stay in the area (instead of LV) - and we'll use the extra time to drive slower down the coast and have more stopovers between SF and LA.

Any more comments and replies are welcome :)

Glad to hear you are adding more time to the coastal drive. SLO is not my favorite town.
Your boys are probably too old to enjoy Legoland, it is really designed more for small children.
Disneyland is not in LA, but in Anaheim, next county over. I'd stay in Anaheim for your Disney days - plenty of fairly cheap motels within walking distance, some of which serve breakfast. This will enable you to get to the parks before opening, when it is less busy for the first few hours.
Have a nice trip.

>>we plan to stay in some of the cheap hotels/motel in south SF - indicative budget (IB): $100 per night (p/n) and $100 for food per day (p/d)<<

Sorry but ain't going to happen. First of all most 1 bdrm motels don't sleep 5 and those that do are well over $100. (And if you really mean South SF you will have a lot more transport costs) And I think your food budget is woefully low. Feeding 4 adults and a 9yo boy on $100 a day is tough.

>>nytraveler - in NYC - there are plenty of 2 bedroom apartments for around $250 p/n in Manhattan...although - we are happy to stay in the NJ area for even less than that and travel to the city every day (been there, done that)<<

Almost all rental flats in Manhattan are illegal. And if you stay in NJ then you again have expensive transport costs.

Legoland is for the under 7's - it is great fun for little ones and their grandparents - but you 9yo is just barely on the fringe of the demographic.

There is no way on earth a family of 5 can eat for $100 in the Disney parks and surrounding area unless every meal is fast food outside the parks. And even fast food will be close to $100 for lunch and dinner (and that assumes your motel provides a basic continental breakfast)

>>1. in most hotels/motels breakfast is included<<

At most low end motels 'Breakfast' consists of white bread and a toaster, pre-packaged pastry, cold cereal and instant coffee. Juice and bananas/oranges if you are lucky. Not full cooked breakfasts - not likely to satisfy satisfy the guys in your family.

>>3. other days - if there is a kitchen in the hotel/motel (and there plenty that have), then cooked meals, grocery shopping...<<

Again - not at many of the low end motels - microwaves at most. SF and the CA coast are gorgeous but they are not bargain/discount destinations. Especially in the summer.

Roadrunner2772 on Oct 5, 13 at 11:53am
nytraveler - in NYC - there are plenty of 2 bedroom apartments for around $250 p/n in Manhattan...

I don't think there are legal apartments anywhere near that price range, especially 2 bdrms.

I agree your budget is not possible. I'd cut down on the stops you make. And drop one or two theme parks.

The beauty of California is that it is a natural 'theme park'-- and it's FREE. There's so much to do outdoors, that it seems silly to waste money going to LegoLand and wandering around on asphalt. Shift that money into food/lodging. Visit free museums. The Getty Center and the Getty Villa are free, except for parking. Great views and architecture/art.

I might even suggest you drop the NYC section and just enjoy California. You don't mention where you are starting from?

Are those US dollar prices? If so, you need to double everything, minimum.

In nyc many short-term sublet apt listings are scams and most that are not are illegal. and trekking to and fro jersey will be probably expensive and time-consuming unless you stay in one of a few hotels with immediate access to path train - which would cost $25 per day to and fro, If you are further from transit the costs can go from $60 per day and up depending on if you have to use bus, train to boat or some combo.

And sorry - I don;t see how to feed adults on $30 per day each.

First - many motels and hotels (esp super budget ones- don;t have free breakfast. And most hotels/motels do not provide cooking facilities, esp at the very bottom of the price range - unless you specifically rent a suite with kitchenette - which won;t be anything like $100 per night.

And I'm not aware of rules everywhere - but in NYC - and I know some other places - the max number of people allowed per room is 4. To fit 5 you usually have to take a suite (and even the cheapest all-suiste budget properties are not $100 per night most places.

I really strongly suggest you look into this in more detail - not based on your assumptions but based on actual info from properties - to see what prices you will need to pay.

I really think you need to double your budget to be realistic - esp trying to feed 2 teen boys.

Hi all - I really appreciate your comments and concerns.

For those of commenting re Legoland - it is out - not planning to visit it.

Re food - we eat very (not to say "too") healthy the whole year round - so - vacations for us is time for McDonald's and Pizza...or some sandwiches for lunch prepared in the morning before heading out with some groceries shopping from the previous night. For breakfast we are more than happy with some cereals, milk, juice and coffee...so - are you saying that (again, assuming breakfast is included), 5 McDonald's meals and let's say 2 pizzas at night are more than $100?

Re accommodations, all the prices are from looking at "booking.com" and trying to book for the dates we are planning (and yes, most hotels/motels can accommodate 5 people in one room and have breakfast included - and more importantly there are still not sold out) - I trust "booking.com" for my hotels/motels bookings - shouldn't I?

Re NYC flats - same as above - prices are from "booking.com" for flats in Manhattan - are the flats in "booking.com" also illegal?


>>I might even suggest you drop the NYC section and just enjoy California. You don't mention where you are starting from?<<

Sorry - I forgot to write - we are arriving from Europe and our in/out flights are through NYC (it is cheaper to get the international flights to NYC and then domestic flights), that's why we thought opening that leg and stay in NYC for a few days, my wife and I have been there several times (and love it), so we want the kids to experience NYC as well.

Thanks again for your comments and concerns - I hope to keep getting more comments/concerns to be able to plan this trip properly and enjoy it :)

>>Re NYC flats - same as above - prices are from "booking.com" for flats in Manhattan - are the flats in "booking.com" also illegal?<<<<

Yes, that is right. They are probably illegal. Your changes of renting an illegal apt. in NYC for under 30 days is very high, no matter who you are using.

Can you post some of the hotels you are coming up with for each city? You also may want to try clicking thru to book some of those hotels and make sure there are no "catches" for that price and to get the price with taxes, which can add 15 to 30 % per night.

I'm afraid you've drastically underestimated costs. Over the last 2 summers I have done a similar trip with 5 people. Last summer we traveled to Las Vegas/Grand Canyon/Yosemite/San Francisco and this past summer we visited LA and San Diego.

I can't imagine finding lodging suitable for 5 people for $100 per night. Is that assuming a rollaway bed for the 5th person? Most hotel rooms are too small to accommodate an extra bed plus there is usually an extra fee for the bed. Taxes add a large chunk of money to the cost of the room. California and its' three largest cities have very high tax rates, especially for tourists (hotels, restaurants, and rental cars). We rented 2 hotel rooms but we would have anyway as our travelers are an extended 3 generation family.

You are a captive audience in the theme parks and food is pretty expensive. There is virtually no chance you can eat a meal inside the parks and buy extra drinks and snacks and keep to your $100/day food budget. We spent about $100/day inside the parks just on food and drinks, and we were mostly eating hamburgers and chicken strips.

I have to think that you'll want a nice meal occasionally also. Fast food, sandwiches and pizza get old after a few days.

The drive on the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to around Santa Barbara is gorgeous. Take your time and enjoy the scenery.

The drinking age in the US is 21. Are you boys going to enjoy a trip to Napa?

I agree to give Legoland a miss. The 9 year old will be the only one that enjoys it and if you spend that day at the beach relaxing you will have saved a lot of money.

Do take heed about renting an apartment in NYC. It's surprising that reputable booking agencies still advertise those illegal apartments. There are horror stories all over the internet about people showing up at their pre-paid apartments and find out it's a scam.

Please do list the hotels you are considering. For the prices you list my fear is they are either in a bad area, are in an industrial area or are far outside the city center.

I don;t know where you are seeing apts on booking.com - that is a HOTEL booking site, They do list a couple of apts condos that but the cheapest are about $300 per night and appear to be walk-ups - no telling what floor, near 125th St on the east side (a much better neighborhood than it used to be but not a prime tourist area).

Have not idea if these are legal or not. You can check by asking if they are charging you the city tax (about 18%) - if they do not they are not legal.

I think it's probably going to cost more than you are budgeting but the people who are saying you need to double it are not right either. Certainly many people would spend twice what you are proposing, and you would need to for even 'moderately nice' hotels and 'lower end' restaurant meals. But you have made it clear that you are OK with super budget hotels and eating take out pizza, two-litre sodas from the 7-11, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made in the hotel room with food you bought at the grocery store the night before. There is nothing wrong with this! Very doable. If it's more important to you to see places than to have nice hotels and sit-down meals then that is a perfectly valid way to travel. So ignore the people who say it's impossible to feed a family of five for $100/day.

HOWEVER, on some points they are right. First of all the hotel prices on the websites don't include tax so right there you are 5-10% more depending on the state. Most prices are for 4 people so not all of them will allow you to have a fifth. But I traveled with my three kids and we often put five people in a room - although maybe not as old as your kids are now. But do expect that at least some places are going to at least charge you extra if not require you to get two rooms. The mid priced chains (Comfort Inn, etc) include breakfast but the cheaper ones (Motel 6) don't. Microwaves/mini fridges are not that common in the cheaper ones so again, you need to check. Staying outside of cities will be cheaper so for example your Napa/Yosemite stays try to find someplace between SF and those destinations rather than returning to SF. Same for LA.

Las Vegas can be really cheap. A couple summers ago (at the start of a National Parks trip) I got a room for something like $35 a night. Takes some research on line to find deals. Since you are going past it, Las Vegas would be fun to look at but only for a day at most. You can walk around the casinos for free but shows are going to cost. I ended up spending almost nothing in two days in Las Vegas but I didn't drink or go to a show or eat in a 'nice' restaurant. And have no desire to go back but it was fun for two days while I was waiting for my traveling companion to fly in.

If you can find a car rental company that doesn't charge a HUGE drop off fee for picking up in one state and dropping in another please post it here!!!

I'm surprised to hear that anything listed on booking.com would be an illegal rental but I don't know that for a fact. I would definitely check before hand though. Most apt rentals in NYC are illegal so I'd be careful. Cheapest hotels would be the chains in Queens. Make sure they are walking distance from a subway stop. Not the ideal way to see NY but better than not seeing it at all.

Depending on how many national parks you want to see it might be cheaper to get an annual pass ($80) - you mention two parks I think. They are usually about $20 per car so if only doing two it would be cheaper to pay separately. You can check on the national park service website (assuming the government starts running again before next summer).

I certainly agree that you don't really need that many theme parks - even with kids that age. And as you said, they cost a LOT.

Agree that 3 days in Vegas is too much. Under 21s are not allowed in casinos at all (VERY strictly enforced)- and Vegas "shows" are very expensive - unless you mean the free attractions (fountains etc) outside the hotels.

If it were me with 3 kids I would drop it - since the kids will be really bored there.

Agree that 3 days in Vegas is too much. Under 21s are not allowed in casinos at all (VERY strictly enforced)- and Vegas "shows" are very expensive - unless you mean the free attractions (fountains etc) outside the hotels.

If it were me with 3 kids I would drop it - since the kids will be really bored there.

>>.so - are you saying that (again, assuming breakfast is included), 5 McDonald's meals and let's say 2 pizzas at night are more than $100?<<

Yes.

To meet your $100 . . . Say at McDonald's you spend only $25 for the 5 of you (doable IF you only eat the basic smaller burgers/drinks/fries -- but that isn't enough for most teenagers or grown men. Mostly you are talking super sized or higher priced items. And other chains like Carls Jr, In N Out, Burger King will cost a bit more..

That leaves you $75 for pizza etc. (and I'm only talking west coast - have no idea re NYC) OK - there are low end and nasty pizza chains where you can get a multi topping large pizza for $18-$12, but in good places count on $15-$20 for each pizza. Then salads - $2 to $5 each. Beer (cheaper by the pitcher than by the glass but w/ only two adults you'll likely do w/ glasses, soft drinks - you squeeze in just about $75. But that would have to be for every single day -- I'd go bat s&^t crazy w/ that every day for a month.

I'd truly nearly double your food estimates. Some days you'll spend a little less, and some days a LOT more. One good thing about the States - most places you do get free refills of soft drinks/coffee.

And before booking a place that calls itself 'South San Francisco' pass it by here . . . I'd be very leery.

oops that should read >>there are low end and nasty pizza chains where you can get a multi topping large pizza for $8-$12,<<

What about rental car drop off fee?