Honeymoon in the US - LA to Vegas via Pacific Coast Highway (help needed!)

[CHokKA]

Hello everyone

I'm getting married in June and we're just finalising our honeymoon to the US. We know we want to fly into LA, drive the pacific coast highway for a number of days, and then head over to Vegas. We're planning on staying in the US for 10 days, although we could easily extend this to 14 days if it works out better for us.

Now I know a few here have driven the PCH (Fox, I'm looking at you and your thread from before) so I was wondering if it is viable for me to try and do that and then head to Vegas to spend 4 nights there? Here are a few of the ideas I had:

We'd fly into LA, hire a convertible, and start the drive right away. I'm not sure if we'll be booking hotels along the way, or just driving until we find somewhere that we like and then trying our luck on the day. Is this a stupid idea? Would it be better for us to plan the route and then book the hotels along the way?

Is it viable to drive from LA, along the PCH, and then for us to head to Vegas? We're planning on arriving in LA on Wed 22nd June, and then we'd plan on being in Vegas from about the 26th / 27th June, ending our trip there if we do 10 days, and if not we'll extend the dates and add something else to the journey after leaving Vegas on the Friday 29th June. Will this be enough time to experience Vegas? We'd then fly out from LA so we'd head back there, although we could always take a flight out from Vegas instead, making it a bit easier logistically, but it bumps up the flight cost and the car rental, but hardly by much.

Another option would be to fly into LA, drive the route to San Diego, and then head to Vegas from there. It adds roughly a couple of hours onto the journey but I've heard that San Diego is an awesome place. Plus we'd be able to stop off at a few of the famous beaches from LA (Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach etc). Is this worth considering?

So what must I know to get my plan to work? Should we plan a proper route and book hotels along the way? Or go there and see how we feel once we're driving it? I quite like the idea of not being tied down, just drive to a place and if we decide we don't like it we can head off and find somewhere else. I just don't know what all the places are like along the way so I don't know what to expect in terms of hotels etc. I've checked many sites on the net but a lot of the information is specific to other peoples plans and mine differs slightly so I thought I'd ask those here that have been and done something similar.

Dates for staying in Vegas are flexible, but if you book from a Sunday night to a Thursday night, the hotels are significantly cheaper as they hammer you over the weekend period for staying there. I don't mind paying the extra, it is our honeymoon after all, but I was just playing around seeing what I can get out of the dates. We've been looking at staying at the Wynn or Encore, or perhaps somewhere equally as nice. I know there's a lot of accommodation off the strip but for our first visit there I think I'd like to stay in a proper strip resort to see what it is like. If we ever go back again, we'll stay off the strip

If you can't tell, I am really looking forward to it! It's just sorting out the details that is quite daunting. I'm getting there though!

 

[Vanilla]

Do a search for terms such as pacific highway and vegas and you'll find quite a few road trip threads. I'm heading out there in under a week

With only 4 days i'd do one of two things:

1.) Focus the time on one place. Maybe chill out in palm springs, supposed to be lovely.
2.) Drive up the pacific highway and check out malibu, santa barabara, etc and then double back.

Personally i'd just get a motel on the way. If you book in advance you have to be somewhere.

Thinking about it i'd say sod the cost of Vegas! get 14 days, spend 10 driving around CA (San Fran, Yosemite, Death Valley) and finish up in Vegas. It's pretty much what i'm doing in under a week

 

[sHo0sH]

Don't know too much about the logistics of driving etc, but I do work in the travel industry.

If you check out the American version of www.priceline.com you can get some amazing deals on hotels and flights in America. My mother lives out there and uses it all the time, and has paid less than I can buy for on many an occasion!

 

[CHokKA]

Do a search for terms such as pacific highway and vegas and you'll find quite a few road trip threads. I'm heading out there in under a week

With only 4 days i'd do one of two things:

1.) Focus the time on one place. Maybe chill out in palm springs, supposed to be lovely.
2.) Drive up the pacific highway and check out malibu, santa barabara, etc and then double back.

Personally i'd just get a motel on the way. If you book in advance you have to be somewhere.

Thinking about it i'd say sod the cost of Vegas! get 14 days, spend 10 driving around CA (San Fran, Yosemite, Death Valley) and finish up in Vegas. It's pretty much what i'm doing in under a week

Yeah I thought about Palm Springs, it always sounds nice whenever you read about it. I could very easily head up the highway and then double-back, we'd get to see a lot of awesome places and it would be a nice relaxing journey with some fantastic scenery.

I'm not sure I'd want to stay in a motel for a honeymoon, it doesn't really seem to fit too well, unless the motels are far better than the stereotypical ones that you see in the movies and TV shows.

The cost in Vegas isn't that great, and looking at the flights from London to LA, it doesn't actually cost a lot more to fly directly from Las Vegas back to London once the trip is over, so that is definitely an option.

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[-Ad-]

Been twice since October and just got back, so......

10 days isn't a bad amount of time to have and you are there at a good time of year, but try and squeeze a few more in.


Route
Put together a little route which is actually shortened version of the one we did over 2 weeks. I'm sure someone else will sort out a route up the PCH or I will do a version of our October trip. Although PCH is amazing, Mojave/Joshua Tree is similarly great!

Also book a Mustang convertible, say throough Hertz. But be aware that Hertz have 'Sebring or Similar = Mustang' on their site but the Mustang is actually a different group to the Sebring so they WILL try and charge you more. We got the additional amount down from $45 a day to $9 a day after much haggling and annoyance with them.

With this route you have 3 full days in Vegas and 1 afternoon/evening. Do a Grand Canyon Tour over a whole day (Plane - Helicopter - Coach - Plane back to Vegas) leaving you 2 full days to enjoy Vegas. 4 nights and 3.5 days = Perfect!

Day 0
When are you looking to fly into LAX, this will affect the route? We flew in with Air NZ (highly recommended) and get out of LAX circa 10pm thus stay at airport.


Day 1
Pickup car in the morning then drive to Laguna. It's an easy drive and you will be there for a nice lunch. Stroll around, go down to the beach, have some drinks and enjoy. In the evening there are many places to eat and we highly recommend Las Brisas.


Day 2
A few hours drive to San Diego, stop off at any 'Vista Point' as they provide great views and are normally stand out stops! Get to your Hotel in say the Gaslamp and then go out for a wonder, it's a lively place and you have 16 blocks or shops/restaurants/bars. The Mariott Gaslamp is excellent and the bar on the roof is well worth a visit (plus you get in easily as you are a guest).


Day 3
Look at a Hop On/Off bus tour and travel around seeing San Diego. Get off and maybe spend a few hours at the zoo. On the bus back stop off at little Italy for some coffee/wine then get off down by the coast/marina then walk back to the Gaslamp.


Day 4
Longish drive to Vegas, but if you share the driving it is easy enough. Plus is mostly I15 all the way there so nothing too strenuous. Maybe stop off at Calico Ghost Town just past Barstow for a wonder around as it is close to the freeway.

Arrive in Vegas, get settled at Hotel then wonder off to the strip.


Days 5-6
For hotels we highly recommend the Platinum and Rotty might be along shortly to back this up. One block back East of the strip, but this is from the centre of the strip (Bellagio/Flamingo/Ballys) so a 10 min walk. Massive 1000sq ft suites and very well priced. Or look at staying on the strip.

Enjoy Vegas, wonder around the hotels and strip, gamble, and just generally have a good time.

Restaurant picks:
Roys (along Flamingo past Platinum hotel). A must, rated top on trip advisor for a reason!!!! Perfection
Cheescake Factrory. Good food and the desserts are to die for.
Strip Burger. Opposite the Wynn on teh corner and a great place for a good Burger and Lunch. Cracking Margaritas!
Diablos. Nearer the MGM Grand end of the strip and good fun Mexican food.

One place you MUST go to is Mix Bar on the top floor of THE HOTEL @ Mandalay bay. Get up there and enjoy the view over the whole strip!


Day 7
Get to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on a day tour. I went with papillon and it cost us $380 each for a bus from hotel - boulder airport thena plane to south rim. Helicopter ride across canyon then a tour bus to the main viewing point for pics and chilling. Then back to airport, fly back to boulder and bus back to hotel.

Well worth doing the full works inc Helicopter, how many times are you going to go back? Fox has a better recommendation of company that seem cheaper so shall try and dig that out for you.

Also DO NOT get a tour with helicopter from Vegas, these DO NOT go to the Grand Canyon, just the West Rim on Indian grounds. A complete rip off and hundreds of miles from the actual South Rim of the Grand Canyon.


Day 8
Long drive but well worth it down the I5 then through Mojave. You shall see the delights of the desert, drive some nice roads, see the Sand Dunes. Then head through twenty nine palms and do the northern loop of teh Joshua Tree National Park. Stunning scenery and great roads, with the view from Keys Point allowing you to see the San Andreas fault and palm springs.

Then chill in palm springs before the drive back towards LA.


Day 9
Drive to SB and chillax in this awesome place. Maybe spend an additional day here!

Beach is nice and there are plenty of restaurants and bars on State Street. 'Sandbar' is our favourite with outdoor seating, great food and a menu full of amazing Margaritas you can create for very little money ($10).

We also drove North up the 154 past Lake Cachuma which was nice and stopped off at Cold Creek Tavern for lunch hidden away before the lake.


Day 10
Short hop to Santa Monica and look at the Georgian Hotel near the Beach.

Enjoy the shopping, eating and drinking around the corner, wonder down to the beach/pier or do the long walk to the crazy Venice Beach full of bums, hippies, shops and bodybuilders. Surreal experience.

Another must place to eat dinner is Bar Pintxo, the best Tapas my other half has had out of Spain and better than a lot there, great service and you can sit along the bar/service area and banter/watch the chef. Standout meal of the last trip!

Finally, the drive to the airport from Santa Monica is 15mins, so definately stay here rather than in LA on your final night.

Phew......................... now I need to do the PCH north route, through Yosemite and roudn to Vegas.

 

[CHokKA]

Thanks a bunch for the in-depth info -Ad-. I've read it all through and I will definitely be using some of your suggestions

 

[CHokKA]

Don't know too much about the logistics of driving etc, but I do work in the travel industry.

If you check out the American version of www.priceline.com you can get some amazing deals on hotels and flights in America. My mother lives out there and uses it all the time, and has paid less than I can buy for on many an occasion!

Thanks for the link. I had a look earlier but wasn't able to customise it to allow me to fly out from one airport and then fly back to the UK from another. There was a link for it but it did nothing when I tried. You have to go to the .co.uk version of the site as well.

 

[CHokKA]

Anyone been to Palm Springs or Joshua Tree? Joshua Tree seems like an interesting place.

Also, is it worth paying a visit to the Redwoods? The pictures of them are stunning!

 

[[TW]Fox]

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18227057&highlight=Mustang

My trip.

 

[sHo0sH]

Thanks for the link. I had a look earlier but wasn't able to customise it to allow me to fly out from one airport and then fly back to the UK from another. There was a link for it but it did nothing when I tried. You have to go to the .co.uk version of the site as well.

For flights like that you would need to try skyscanner.net

 

[[TW]Fox]

For flights like that you would need to try skyscanner.net or if you pm me I work in a place that can arrange those kind of flights and can offer a hand

Skyscanner wont do multi city - use Kayak instead.

I think canvassing for business on these forums is not permitted.

 

[CHokKA]

Hey [TW]Fox. Yeah I read about your trip. It is one of the reasons we've decided to drive the PCH. Can you answer my question about hotels please? Did you book then at stops or did you just find something nice when you got somewhere you liked? We are wondering whether it is viable to just find a hotel if we get to a place we feel like stopping at, rather than booking hotels beforehand. Would this work out alright?

 

[[TW]Fox]

I booked LA, San Diego and Vegas from the UK then booked everything else the day before I got there via the Laptop.

Your plan would probably work but I'm not sure you'd get the best rate.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

I have done a similar route and thoroughly enjoyed it although I found LA to be a bit of a dump.

Fox's thread is essential reading for such a trip and very informative.

 

[qqg3]

A tip for beaches and surrounding areas around LA, Santa Monica is clean and wonderful; Venice on the other hand I would just plain avoid these days.

There are the basic touristy things to do in LA, most of the city itself is unexciting. A top tip would be Griffith Observatory to see the sunset, good views out over the LA area.

 

[Rich_L]

Don't forget to check PCH is still intact

 

[-Ad-]

Thanks a bunch for the in-depth info -Ad-. I've read it all through and I will definitely be using some of your suggestions

My pleasure, will put together the alternative PCH route for you as well.

Could you extend your stay at all 10 days coul dbe tight if you look at San Fran?

Don't forget to check PCH is still intact

Really? !!!

 

[CHokKA]

Don't forget to check PCH is still intact

IMG

Hehe thanks Rich_L, I hadn't even considered that. So is Santa Barbara worth visiting? We were thinking of the well-known places like Santa Monica, San Diego, Malibu, Santa Barbara, and a few others too. We want to get as much out of it as possible, but don't really want to spend too much time driving. Would it be worth paying a visit to Beverley Hills just to see how the other half live?

 

[CHokKA]

My pleasure, will put together the alternative PCH route for you as well.

Could you extend your stay at all 10 days coul dbe tight if you look at San Fran?



Really? !!!

Yeah I think San Fran would be off the table unless we flew into there to begin with. It might be too much travelling to fly into LA, head up the coast to San Fran, and then back down again to be ready to go to Vegas. Unless it would be more worthwhile heading up the coast instead of down?

 

[-Ad-]

Yeah I think San Fran would be off the table unless we flew into there to begin with. It might be too much travelling to fly into LA, head up the coast to San Fran, and then back down again to be ready to go to Vegas. Unless it would be more worthwhile heading up the coast instead of down?

You have completely forgotten about Yosemite and Death Valley

Up at San Fran you can head across through Yosemite on Tioga Pass (120) and stop over somewhere like Bishop. Then you head through Death Valley the next day and end up in Vegas. The 2nd leg is a good 8hrs of driving, but well worth it and the the best part of the road trip (excluding the PCH). THink of it as an upside down triangle with LA at the South, San Fran at the West and Las Vegas at the East and your travelling routes roughly inbetween them. Check in Fox's thread to see the map he linked to of the Vegas-San Fran route, you can just do it in reverse.

I'll look at getting my write up for both trips done this afternoon as I'm having a photo editing day. Keep an eye out in the Motors section later this afternoon.