Help with California trip please?

[DisneyTexan]

Except the rental car is the place for luggage...

True, but if you are checked into a hotel and the rental car has been valet parked or parking is a hassle, then Uber / Lyft becomes a good option for days when you aren't moving between hotels.

 

[oakleycat]

I agree with StageTek's itinerary being best. The Tar Pits, Peterson and CA Science Center can all be done in anywhere from an hour to all day, depending on your level of interest. Last time I took my kids to each (boys 12 and 15) we spent about 2 hours each at the Tar Pits and Peterson, and split a day between CA Science Center and the Natural History Museum and wandering exposition park (Colleseum, Rose Garden, etc). If your kids are interested in Instagrammable moments stay at the Loews and then in the evening you can hit classics like the Walk of Fame, Chinese Theatre or places like the Funko Pop store or Selfie Museum (all on Hollywood Blvd). Take your Hollywood sign pics from Hollywood & Highland bridge and skip the observatory if no one is really interested. Since you have a car, hit the Farmer's Market/Grove in the morning, do the WB Tour and drive to Anaheim.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I agree with StageTek's itinerary being best. The Tar Pits, Peterson and CA Science Center can all be done in anywhere from an hour to all day, depending on your level of interest. Last time I took my kids to each (boys 12 and 15) we spent about 2 hours each at the Tar Pits and Peterson, and split a day between CA Science Center and the Natural History Museum and wandering exposition park (Colleseum, Rose Garden, etc). If your kids are interested in Instagrammable moments stay at the Loews and then in the evening you can hit classics like the Walk of Fame, Chinese Theatre or places like the Funko Pop store or Selfie Museum (all on Hollywood Blvd). Take your Hollywood sign pics from Hollywood & Highland bridge and skip the observatory if no one is really interested. Since you have a car, hit the Farmer's Market/Grove in the morning, do the WB Tour and drive to Anaheim.

Thank you! It looks like the Selfie Museum is currently closed, but my younger DD would be all over that if it reopens!

 

[China Expat]

Some of these are quick stops and close by one another...

California Science Center-other direction from Burbank, can be traffic heavy. We enjoy this museum and the adjacent rose garden.
Peterson Auto Museum (maybe?)and Tar Pits Museum-across the street from each other, doable.

Quick stops at Farmer's Market and Walk of Fame, girls would probably like to drive down Rodeo Drive:
WB Studio Tour (Sunday morning?) Need 3 hours for this tour, and then drive 15 minutes over the ridge to Hollywood sign viewing park, then drive either to Hollywood Blvd or through Rodeo Drive. We love the Warner Bros studio tour..do not miss!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Some of these are quick stops and close by one another...

California Science Center-other direction from Burbank, can be traffic heavy. We enjoy this museum and the adjacent rose garden.
Peterson Auto Museum (maybe?)and Tar Pits Museum-across the street from each other, doable.

Quick stops at Farmer's Market and Walk of Fame, girls would probably like to drive down Rodeo Drive:
WB Studio Tour (Sunday morning?) Need 3 hours for this tour, and then drive 15 minutes over the ridge to Hollywood sign viewing park, then drive either to Hollywood Blvd or through Rodeo Drive. We love the Warner Bros studio tour..do not miss!

Thank you!

 

[bennifer]

Hi! I'm in the beginning stages of planning a CA trip for May 2022. Our group is me, DH, DD22 and her boyfriend, and DD18 and a friend. We will only have a week because DD22 doesn't have a lot of vacation yet.

Here are my early thoughts:

Fly to LAX Saturday (May 14 maybe, but I'm not sure yet)
LA Saturday and Sunday (we will arrive from NC in the morning Saturday)
We would like to see:

La Brea Tar Pits
Griffith Observatory
Hollywood sign
California Science Center
Peterson Auto Museum (maybe?)
Quick stops at Farmer's Market and Walk of Fame, girls would probably like to drive down Rodeo Drive
WB Studio Tour (Sunday morning?)

Disneyland Monday-Wednesday (drive to Anaheim Sunday night)

Wednesday night/Thursday morning? - drive to San Diego

I'd like to see the seals and sea lions at La Jolla. I'm not sure what else we will do around San Diego yet. I'd love to go to the Zoo but I don't know if the group would like to do that. I think DH will want to see the Midway and eat good food. I'm sure we will be ready to relax after DLR.

Fly out of San Diego Saturday morning.

1. Does this plan look doable? Did I allocate enough time to LA or should I add a day and take it off somewhere else? The kids have never been to California and I don't know when we will be back, so I'm trying to hit the highlights as best I can.
2. I have seen the Universal Hilton and the Loews at Hollywood and Highland mentioned, as well as the Garland, maybe? We will probably book three rooms. Is one hotel better than the other for our LA activities, or do you have a different suggestion? We don't plan to go to Universal but it's hard to judge how long it will take to get from place to place.
3. Would an AirBNB be a good choice for San Diego or should I just book three hotel rooms somewhere?
4. With six people, I was thinking we would rent a car at LAX and drop it off at San Diego. That's probably the most expensive option, but otherwise I think we would be taking double taxis/Ubers everywhere. I know we won't need it at DLR though, so I'm not sure what to do.

We are open to any suggestions of where to go, where to stay and what to eat. Thank you so much for your help!

I'm in the throes of planning an epic California trip so I don't have anything to add except beware of reading these for suggestions. My trip started as a long weekend drive up Highway One and has slowly evolved to a 16 day trip (The fact that 2020 is when the original trip was going to be and it was postponed until 2022 'helped' that, too). For instance - I didn't even know about the Farmers Market or the Endeavor at the Science Center. I guess I need to look at my trip yet again.

 

[cruisehopeful]

You already got a lot of great feedback, but since I've been collecting quotes, going to share my input. I recommend going with whatever @StageTek says, though.

La Brea Tar Pits
Griffith Observatory
Hollywood sign
California Science Center
Peterson Auto Museum (maybe?)
Quick stops at Farmer's Market and Walk of Fame, girls would probably like to drive down Rodeo Drive
WB Studio Tour (Sunday morning?)

That's a lot in 2 days and not even because of distance, but because of how much time you are going to be stuck and in traffic and looking for parking. I would prioritize your top 2 things for each day and then keep the rest as backup for if you have extra time and energy.

Does this plan look doable? Did I allocate enough time to LA or should I add a day and take it off somewhere else? The kids have never been to California and I don't know when we will be back, so I'm trying to hit the highlights as best I can.

If you are very attached to everything in your LA plans, I would definitely add a day.

I have seen the Universal Hilton and the Loews at Hollywood and Highland mentioned, as well as the Garland, maybe?

To me, the benefit of US Hilton is location for US. I don't think I would stay there if I wasn't visiting US. It's been decades since I stayed at Garland, and I didn't like it at all, but that was decades ago. I haven't seen Lowes, but there are some great Youtube videos of it and the area around it.

Would an AirBNB be a good choice for San Diego or should I just book three hotel rooms somewhere?

Air BNB is a great choice. There are lots of beachfront locations in Carlsbad and Oceanside. Those might be too far from the center of San Diego for you, but there will certainly be a lot of others closer to metro SD.

4. With six people, I was thinking we would rent a car at LAX and drop it off at San Diego. That's probably the most expensive option, but otherwise I think we would be taking double taxis/Ubers everywhere. I know we won't need it at DLR though, so I'm not sure what to do.

checked Costco and a weekly minivan rental is about $800 - that's not terrible. I'll keep checking once we figure out our dates for sure.

I think that rental price is excellent based on what other people have been paying that I know. Since you don't need it for Disneyland, could you do 2 shorter rentals? Or, even maybe even take the train from Disneyland area to San Diego and then only rent a car down there if you feel like you need one.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I'm in the throes of planning an epic California trip so I don't have anything to add except beware of reading these for suggestions. My trip started as a long weekend drive up Highway One and has slowly evolved to a 16 day trip (The fact that 2020 is when the original trip was going to be and it was postponed until 2022 'helped' that, too). For instance - I didn't even know about the Farmers Market or the Endeavor at the Science Center. I guess I need to look at my trip yet again.

Hahaha - sorry about that!

I wish we could do 16 days- maybe I'll fly the kids home and DH and I can stay an extra week

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

You already got a lot of great feedback, but since I've been collecting quotes, going to share my input. I recommend going with whatever @StageTek says, though.

That's a lot in 2 days and not even because of distance, but because of how much time you are going to be stuck and in traffic and looking for parking. I would prioritize your top 2 things for each day and then keep the rest as backup for if you have extra time and energy.
If you are very attached to everything in your LA plans, I would definitely add a day.
To me, the benefit of US Hilton is location for US. I don't think I would stay there if I wasn't visiting US. It's been decades since I stayed at Garland, and I didn't like it at all, but that was decades ago. I haven't seen Lowes, but there are some great Youtube videos of it and the area around it.
Air BNB is a great choice. There are lots of beachfront locations in Carlsbad and Oceanside. Those might be too far from the center of San Diego for you, but there will certainly be a lot of others closer to metro SD.

I think that rental price is excellent based on what other people have been paying that I know. Since you don't need it for Disneyland, could you do 2 shorter rentals? Or, even maybe even take the train from Disneyland area to San Diego and then only rent a car down there if you feel like you need one.

Thank you! I have no real concept of LA traffic except that it is terrible, but hearing that it takes 40-80 minutes to get from one place to another just in LA is eye-opening. I think your idea of picking the top 2 each day is a good one - I'm going to ask everyone if they are more interested in LA or San Diego and what they would like to do. They might have completely different ideas of what a trip to California should include than I think they do.

 

[DisneyTexan]

I have no real concept of LA traffic except that it is terrible, but hearing that it takes 40-80 minutes to get from one place to another just in LA is eye-opening.

You can use Google maps to get an estimate of the time required between two points. Input the date of travel and the time of day, and it will provide a map and estimated travel time.

 

[StageTek]

And my rule-of-thumb is to add 25/30% to what Google Maps tells you.

It tells me that the drive time from my home to my work is 8 to 12 minutes depending on the time of day. I have made it in 8 at 4AM for a stupid early call. 12 is generous and can happen. But most of the time it's closer to 20.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Glad you've already ruled out Venice Beach and Hollywood Blvd. Both are increasingly grungy and disappointing.

The tar pits are interesting but don't devote much time to it. There are great places to eat within walking distance. If you like art at all, the art museum next door is far more interesting.

Is everyone in your group over 18? If so I would definitely try to get tickets to a show taping. Jimmy Kimmel is the best because it's filmed in real time. IOW - we have attended tapings of sit-coms in the past and they re-stage and re-shoot scenes multiple times. That can go well, or that can go poorly depending on the crew and the show. It gets dull fast. The late night shows are an hour - period. I found it fascinating.

Waze to get around...

autoslash.com for the best rental car prices.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Glad you've already ruled out Venice Beach and Hollywood Blvd. Both are increasingly grungy and disappointing.

The tar pits are interesting but don't devote much time to it. There are great places to eat within walking distance. If you like art at all, the art museum next door is far more interesting.

Is everyone in your group over 18? If so I would definitely try to get tickets to a show taping. Jimmy Kimmel is the best because it's filmed in real time. IOW - we have attended tapings of sit-coms in the past and they re-stage and re-shoot scenes multiple times. That can go well, or that can go poorly depending on the crew and the show. It gets dull fast. The late night shows are an hour - period. I found it fascinating.

Waze to get around...

autoslash.com for the best rental car prices.

Ooh - a taping would be fun! We are all over 18 (some of us are WAY over 18 )

 

[AgentMama]

We love San Diego, so if you can fit it in, I definitely would

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

It sounds like SD isn’t a “must do” part of your trip, so I’d definitely second the idea of bypassing it completely. Adding in drive time, transferring hotels, packing and unpacking, and you’ve used up 5 hours of your available time. San Diego is great to visit, and there are lots of must see places, but a week isn’t a lot of time.

There’s TONS of stuff to see and do in/around the LA area - more than enough for a week trip, especially if you’re doing an amusement park or two. In addition to seeing the sites, take some time to unwind - do a museum and then a really good lunch/dinner at one of the splurge worthy restaurants.

It really depends on how you spend you’re time though. The thought of just spending two hours at the Peterson or the Science Center would drive me nuts. On the other hand, my wife often is happy to think “I’ve seen pictures on the internet, so I don’t really need to visit”.