Help with California road trip

Hey, flying out to California from the 1st May till the 18th May and need some help with planing our route?

LA - get there late, stay the night and leave in the morning

San Diego - 3 nights

Las Vegas - 4 nights

Death Valley 1 night

San Francisco - 3 nights

1 over night stop between san fran and LA

and then 1 night in LA before leaving.

This leaves us with 4 extra nights to fit in, where would be best?

[Neil]

We've just done a Cali road trip, and I would certainly spend at least another night on the drive between San Fran and LA. If you're driving highway one, which you really must, it took us almost 8 hours from leaving Monterey to arrive in Santa Barbara, it's slow going but also there is just so much to see you are always stopping. I would say staying in Santa Barbara is a must for at least a night.

For another location, how about some wine tasting in Napa Valley. We did this also and it was just amazing, expensive, but amazing.

If I were going, I would want to go to the Big Sur, the Ventana is a FANTASTIC hotel! (though there is an over 18 policy so if you taking children my post isn't very helpful )

I think 3 nights SF is a bit low, 4 or 5 is better, There is so much to do

Another vote for Napa (two nights, easy) and another night between San Francisco and LA. You can then relax and take in the Missions, Hearst Castle and the Madonna Inn....

If you can fit it in between San Diego and Las Vegas, would highly recommend Palm Springs for a night or two. Great place to chill out. There is a brilliant cable car journey (the car itself spins!) up to the top of the mountains and the scenery is breath taking.

Would absolutely recommend the Grand Canyon. We did the South Rim but we also went to Peach Springs where the Skywalk is (if you like heights!). We watched the sunset here and it is simply amazing. http://www.grandcanyonwest.com/skywalktour.php

And if you have a spare night and want to drive this far - Yosemite National Park is also worth the extra miles. Especially if the Tiago Pass is open (may be a little early if you are going in May). We stayed here and also in really cute cabins at Mono Lake (Google this place!). If you want links or suggestions to what we did, happy to share!

did this trip years ago but agree the Canyon is a MUST, San Simeon for Hearst Castle and Carmel are good stops....just cruise the PCH (highway 1)and take in the amazing views....oh did anyone mention the Hoover dam ?

If you can fit it in between San Diego and Las Vegas, would highly recommend Palm Springs for a night or two. Great place to chill out. There is a brilliant cable car journey (the car itself spins!) up to the top of the mountains and the scenery is breath taking.

We went on that cable car trip a few years back. Freaked me out totally. I kept thinking about power failing and being stuck half way up (or down) and then told myself off for being so silly.

The following day, that exact thing happened.... :0

A night in Mammoth Lakes is also well worth it, about 3 hours drive from Death Valley.

Thanks

Give a day overnight to go out from Vegas to south rim of grand canyon and back (you can get a bus tour from Vegas leaving 6am, getting one hour at the rim, and getting back about 12 midnight, so that shows how far it is, I'd not recommend it as a daytrip from vegas). West rim is doable, but not really the same thing (has skywalk). Alternative and quick way to west rim is by helicopter, but its a the bottom so no skywalk.

Between Vegas and SF, do at least one night in Yosemite, possibly two. I'd perhaps skip 1 night in Death Valley though not sure of the routing to go through it to Yosemite. Death Valley is ok for a day trip from Vegas (closer than West rim of Grand Canyon), but it its worth a few hours not an overnight stay...

As a nice trip to the Grand Canyon my Mrs H and I left Vegas early one morning and Drove to Williams AZ then caught the Grand Canyon Railway to the Gran Canyon for the day then spent the night in Williams before driving Route 66 from there to Las Vegas going through a small mining town called Oatman AZ.

Lake Tahoe CA is also worth a visit if you can spare a day or two.

Yountville in Napa is good for food! Nice little town. The Bardesonno hotel there is great.