kdemunk

Hello all. Once again I would like to enlist the help of experienced travellers please for our trip to USA in June. (Husband, myself and 4yold daughter) Little by little I am booking internal flights and accom and now am up to the part where we depart Yosemite NP (Curry Village)with hire car on Sunday June 13. Thanks Janisj and others for getting me this far!! Suggestions previously have been Monterey/ Carmel area for an overnight stop or 2. We will finally depart LAX very late on the eve of Tues June 22 to return to Australia. My thoughts are to stop at HoJos Anaheim either from the mon 14 or tues 15 for either 2 or 3 nights,maybe rather than stay in San Diego we could commute from Ho Jos to zoo and seaworld or San Diego perhaps for one night on Thur 17 then back to LA in an apartment on the miracle mile for 3 nights. So any suggestions now for fine tuning?? We may even stay longer at the apartment in LA and commute for day trips to San Diego perhaps.Thought it may be a refief to have a base of good size for a longer time at the end of our journey. Any thoughts on that first night after leaving Yosemite?? Monterey, Carmel or Cambria, Santa Barbara for an overnight?? Wow sorry this is a lot to take in! Please help

LCBoniti

I'm not quite clear on your plans after Yosemite. Are you headed over to the coast for 1-2 nights in Monterey/Carmel? If so, and you want an overnight on the way to L.A., Cambria would be a good stop on Hwy 1, Paso Robles if you stay on hwy 101.

However, since you say you are leaving Yosemite on the 13th, that does not fit in with being in Anaheim on the 14th or 15th. So, I'm thinking you are still unsure about the Carmel/Monterey stay. Could you clarify, please?

kdemunk

Yes sorry!! Certainly not certain of stops!! Definites are leaving Yosemite on the 13th and depart for Australia from LAX on 22nd very late (2310).It is the bits in the middle I am unsure of!! So that means where do we stay first night after Yosemite given the rest to follow. We would like budget accom too please. We do want to stay at leat a couple of nights at Hojos Anaheim and at least 3 in apartment at the end of trip in LA. Just deciding whether to add extra nights to these 2 locations and do day trips for example to San Diego rather than stay in San Diego. I really appreciate any help!!

MtnBreeze

It only takes 5 hours to get to southern California from Yosemite, but the drive down the coast is much prettier and takes a lot longer....if you can wait till the 15th to get to Anaheim..then got to Monterey, Cambria or Paso Robles....Budget motels are more likely at Monterey or Paso Robles than the other 2. Hope this helps....also Anaheim is about 3 hour drive to San Diego I think if that helps you plan anything.

kdemunk

OOh goodness!! Didn't realise San Diego was 3 hrs from Anaheim..2 would be fine but 3?? hmm maybe not for commuting hey! Thanks. Yes can certainly wait til 15th for Anaheim then do you think 17th and 18th in San Diego, 19th 20th 21st in LA???

sf7307

Although I wouldn't consider San Diego a good day trip from "Los Angeles", it also isn't 3 hours from Anaheim to San Diego except in the very worst of traffic. It's 86 miles from Disneyland to the San Diego Zoo, more like 1-1/2 hours.

kdemunk

oh ok thanks ..I thought that is what I had read for distance. I used to travel one and a half hours every day to work!! Maybe then we could stay at Hojos for a couple of extra nights and travel to the zoo etc>>

LCBoniti

Are you doing Disneyland and is that why you are staying in Anaheim? Or did you get a great room rate at HoJo's? I ask because Anaheim is not really a destination city otherwise and your time may be better spent in San Diego.

If you really want to stay in Anaheim, it is definitely drivable for day trips to San Diego but if you are doing both Sea World and the zoo, I would stay overnight in San Diego. It may not be that far, but it can feel like a long drive after a long day and to do it two days would be a bit much.

MomDDTravel

I echo the question on if you have to stay in Anaheim? I would not do that drive to San Diego two days in a row. I live in Southern California and go to school right by the hotel you are speaking of - traffic can be REALLY bad.

Anaheim and LA are pretty close - I am still confused on your timing. If you are going to stay in LA at the end of your trip for 3 days and are not planning on Disney I would stay in San Diego.


I spent the night in Cambria on Sat and it is a cute little town, but if you are staying in Montery I do not think I would stay in Cambria - perhaps Santa Barbara -

We drove from Orange County (southern) to Cambria, Cambria to Santa Barbara and than to Santa Monica.

kdemunk

Yes we are definitely going to Disneyland hence Hojos.
Maybe we may just go to SD zoo rather than Seaworld as well and then one night in Santa Barbara. Thank you so much for your input!!

LCBoniti

That sounds like a good plan. The zoo as a day trip from Anaheim is quite easy - we have done it many times from further north. And an overnight in Santa Barbara is a great idea.

MomDDTravel

I think you will really enjoy the day at the zoo. Santa Barbara is a beautiful town - and different than Carmel/Montery so I think you will like that as well.

For Disney - we have passes and have found that going early is the key - you can really get a lot done if you get up and get there when the park opens.