Vegas, LA and San Fransisco

[DisneyPrincess]

Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice really. Im a hardcore Florida fanatic and were planning to get married there in 2014 but next year we have decided to visit the west coast as the other half wants to see Vegas (not that im complaining!)

We want to book a 3 centre in September when the flights are released for next August and would like any advice regarding booking, deals from companies, general do's and dont's and must see things in the three destinations above!

Also if anyone has been on this type of holiday before are there any travel companies you would particularly recommend (who are reasonable in price)?

Thanks for your help! [msnsmile2]

[SDJ]

We did that many years ago and just booked flights only arriving in LA and departing in San Francisco. We hired a car in LA and stopped off at various hotels when we arrived at our destinations that we had decided were 'must see'. I have to say, although it was a great holiday, it was also one of the most expensive, although we did stay at the top end hotels throughout the time.

Enjoy your planning.

Sandra

[florida4sun]

Book direct with the hotel, we had a large suit at Mandalay Bay fir $140 a night plus list of daily freebies which nearly equalled the nightly rate. Next time we go, it will be 4 nights in Vegas then drive to the Coast.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by DisneyPrincess
Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice really. Im a hardcore Florida fanatic and were planning to get married there in 2014 but next year we have decided to visit the west coast as the other half wants to see Vegas (not that im complaining!)

We want to book a 3 centre in September when the flights are released for next August and would like any advice regarding booking, deals from companies, general do's and dont's and must see things in the three destinations above!

Also if anyone has been on this type of holiday before are there any travel companies you would particularly recommend (who are reasonable in price)?

Thanks for your help! [msnsmile2]
[/quote]

[Jill]

Two years ago we did San Fran, Vegas and San Diego and booked it all ourselves. We stayed in the Paris hotel as it was roughly half way on the strip. We flew into San Fran and mostly used public transport apart from the day we drove down the coast to Monterrey Bay Aquarium. (You can do it by coach but our son was meeting with their jellyfish guy so had to get there for a set time). We flew to Vegas using Southwest as they have a decent free luggage allowance and then drove to San Diego and up to Los Angeles to fly home.

[Lyn]

Depends on how long you are going for. For me I would always book everything myself we have been twice and flew into one airport and out of another. I would say some of the places to see should definitely be San Fran, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Las Vegas. You coulld fly out of Las Vegas if this is all the time you have, or you could then drive to LA and/or San Diego. Makes me want to go again, happy planning, ask away, I know this site is for Florida but I think several of us has done The West Coast and will be able to help.

[Albert the Frog]

We did San Francisco for 4 days, then route 1 down the coast over a few days staying at motels en route-loved santa barbara-didn't go to the hearst mansion but wished we had-thought most of LA was a dump but went to muscle beach then over to anaheim.
Love Vegas-see one of the big headliners if you can-we saw celine dion (it was a few years ago) but the smaller shows are also very good-we flew to the grand canyon which is a must see -got a helicopter down to the colorado river then a boat down the river followed by lunch with some native americans-all booked on the strip-compare a few prices.
got to agree with above -book direct-we stayed at excalibur-one thing i would consider is staying in vegas mid week because the room rates rocket at weekends but are an absolute bargain in the week-eg a standard tower room is $50 per night midweek but $115 at weekend-and the rooms are first rate
Enjoy!

[autumnc]

We've done this a few times and have just got back a couple of days ago from a road trip along the California Coastline. You could fly into San Francisco and have a few days there then make your way down the coast to Los Angeles (or a little further south) then drive (or fly) across to Vegas and fly back to the UK from Vegas. Or you could do it the other way around and fly into LA then drive up the coast to San Francisco.

We flew from Orlando to LA last week and had a day driving around Beverley Hills and Belle Air, gawping at the rich and their fabulous homes, then drove to the coast and stayed at Venice Beach, we then headed north and stayed at Santa Barbara, Solvang, Pismo Beach, Monterey and finished in San Francisco. The 17 Mile Drive around Pebble Beach at Carmel/Monterey is absolutely beautiful and the coastline along The Big Sur is breathtaking.

I would do as the others have suggested and just get flights then book everything else direct. We usually just drive without a real plan and stop wherever takes our fancy. We've done this 3 times now and have seen some terrific places that we'd never have found if we'd had a 'plan'. You can do it as cheaply or as expensively as you like. Our hotels/motels last week ranged from $60 a night to $180 a night.

Good luck with your plans.

[DisneyPrincess]

Thanks for your replies everyone - i'll no doubt be back with plenty more questions! [msntongue]

[7165red]

Autumnc, we took the same trip several years ago and just loved it.

Disney Princess I would suggest you made reservations to tour Hearst Castel and take Tour 1 if you have never been there before. It is breathtaking and well worth seeing. You can get all the info re: tours if you google it.

[erowlands]

We fly out to Las Vegas in six weeks time,direct from Manchester to Vegas with virgin, we have four nights there,one night in the grand canyon area,then a virgin america flight from Vegas to San Fransisco for another 3 nights before another va flight to Orlando for two weeks to recover!
Great priceson virgin america flights and points as well!
On a countdown now, first time for us to go to the west coast.
Eric

[jeansusrentals]

We've been to Vegas many times - my Sister -in -law stays in San Francisco - so whenever we visit her we try and go to Vegas for 3 or 4 days. Last time we flew from there to Vegas, spent 3 nights then flew back to Los Angelos. From there we hired a car and came up the Pacific Highway back to San Francisco. Took our time and stayed 3 nights in different places. A must is Hearst Castle - it was fabulous as were all the other places - but the highlight had to be the Pacific highway - it was out of this world. Hope to do this the opposite way on our next visit and visit some more of the sights on the way down to Vegas.
Jean