PlutoTheDog89
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
Hey all - first off, thanks for all the help on these forums. I haven't had the chance to answer all (or most) of you since life has gotten a bit busy, but... I took a lot of your recommendations into consideration. This is our first Cali trip and me, my mom, and my sister will be driving down PCH. I think I have a pretty solid itinerary down pat, but would love to hear what you all think:
Quick caveat: My sister and I are in our 30s and my mom is 65. It's a bucket list trip. We always did Disney World for Christmas. The plan was to take a break, and now especially after my dad passed, we plan on seeing new and exciting places. We're not really hikers, we will try and do the beach (even if it means sitting in our hoodies). We'll arrive on 12/23 and stay through 1/3.
Monday, December 23rd
- Fly from JFK to SFO; Arrive in SFO ~1:45pm. Pick-up the rental car and head to hotel
~4pm: Check-in at Holiday Inn Express Fisherman's Wharf
- Walk the piers and get dinner at the Ferry Building (?) Open to recommendations here
- Sleep moderately early (will try and stick to an Eastern schedule as long as we can during the trip so we can get up early.
Tuesday, December 24th
- Head to Golden Gate Bridge area: GG Bridge Park, Japanese Tea Garden, Chrissy Field, etc.
- Lunch -
- Lombard Street, Painted Ladies, Chinatown
- Dinner in Mission (burritos)
Wednesday, December 25th
- Wake u early; check out and start our drive
- Stop in Santa Cruz; see the pier and area; see the Sea Lions
- Stop for lunch in Monterey (thinking Rosine's but may go seafood route); See Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf
- Drive through Big Sur - stop to get some photos
- Head to Cambria - after a long day of driving, we'll probably head to bed early
Thursday, December 26th
- Hearst Castle in the AM
- See the Sea Lions in Cambria
- Head to Madonna Inn
- Tour SLO a little bit
- Stop in Solvang
- Head to Santa Barbara: Dinner and ice cream
Friday, December 27th
- Breakfast in Santa Barbara
- Drive to Malibu - see Malibu
- Drive to Santa Monica - I am concerned about having an SUV full of luggage, so playing with this idea
- Drive to Beverly Hills & see Rodeo Drive - Not as concerned here. Doubt anyone in Beverly Hills will want our stuff
- Check in in LA thinking of staying in Universal City - maybe Sheraton? Open to recommendations here. Would rather not stay near Walk of Fame and in the middle of all the chaos. Garland is a little out of the way
- Dinner at In-N-Out
- Go check out CIty Walk?
Saturday, December 28th
- Early morning at Griffith Observatory
- Head to Hollywood: Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater
- Lunch at Farmer's Market
- Tour the Grove area
- Head to DTLA: Bradbury Building, Last Bookstore, coffee at Ace Hotel rooftop
- Dinner at Giusado's
- Back to hotel at night
Sunday, December 29th
- Check-out - store luggage?
- Breakfast at & Waffle
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour
- Drive to Anaheim
- Dinner at Trader Sam's?
- Check out decorations at Grand Californian
Monday, December 30th
- Disneyland/California Adventure
- Dinner at Blue Bayou?
I know it's gonna be crowded...
Tuesday, December 31st
- Disneyland/California Adventure
I know it's gonna be really, really crowded...
Wednesday, January 1st
- Drive to San Diego
- Stop at La Jolla
- Open afternoon: Beach or exploring Gaslamp District
- Ferry to Coronado
- Dinner in Coronado
- Back to hotel
Thursday, January 2nd
- SD Zoo
- Balboa Park
- Dinner
Friday, January 3rd
- Open Day
- Fly home at 10:15pm PST
Questions
- Any tips for road tripping down PCH outside the obvious? I'm super concerned traveling and making stops with luggage. We've done it down I-95 in the past (NY to Florida)
- Would love some recommendations for food in SD
- Would love hotel recommendations in LA and SD
- Does the itinerary make sense?
Quick caveat: My sister and I are in our 30s and my mom is 65. It's a bucket list trip. We always did Disney World for Christmas. The plan was to take a break, and now especially after my dad passed, we plan on seeing new and exciting places. We're not really hikers, we will try and do the beach (even if it means sitting in our hoodies). We'll arrive on 12/23 and stay through 1/3.
Monday, December 23rd
- Fly from JFK to SFO; Arrive in SFO ~1:45pm. Pick-up the rental car and head to hotel
~4pm: Check-in at Holiday Inn Express Fisherman's Wharf
- Walk the piers and get dinner at the Ferry Building (?) Open to recommendations here
- Sleep moderately early (will try and stick to an Eastern schedule as long as we can during the trip so we can get up early.
Tuesday, December 24th
- Head to Golden Gate Bridge area: GG Bridge Park, Japanese Tea Garden, Chrissy Field, etc.
- Lunch -
- Lombard Street, Painted Ladies, Chinatown
- Dinner in Mission (burritos)
Wednesday, December 25th
- Wake u early; check out and start our drive
- Stop in Santa Cruz; see the pier and area; see the Sea Lions
- Stop for lunch in Monterey (thinking Rosine's but may go seafood route); See Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf
- Drive through Big Sur - stop to get some photos
- Head to Cambria - after a long day of driving, we'll probably head to bed early
Thursday, December 26th
- Hearst Castle in the AM
- See the Sea Lions in Cambria
- Head to Madonna Inn
- Tour SLO a little bit
- Stop in Solvang
- Head to Santa Barbara: Dinner and ice cream
Friday, December 27th
- Breakfast in Santa Barbara
- Drive to Malibu - see Malibu
- Drive to Santa Monica - I am concerned about having an SUV full of luggage, so playing with this idea
- Drive to Beverly Hills & see Rodeo Drive - Not as concerned here. Doubt anyone in Beverly Hills will want our stuff
- Check in in LA thinking of staying in Universal City - maybe Sheraton? Open to recommendations here. Would rather not stay near Walk of Fame and in the middle of all the chaos. Garland is a little out of the way
- Dinner at In-N-Out
- Go check out CIty Walk?
Saturday, December 28th
- Early morning at Griffith Observatory
- Head to Hollywood: Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater
- Lunch at Farmer's Market
- Tour the Grove area
- Head to DTLA: Bradbury Building, Last Bookstore, coffee at Ace Hotel rooftop
- Dinner at Giusado's
- Back to hotel at night
Sunday, December 29th
- Check-out - store luggage?
- Breakfast at & Waffle
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour
- Drive to Anaheim
- Dinner at Trader Sam's?
- Check out decorations at Grand Californian
Monday, December 30th
- Disneyland/California Adventure
- Dinner at Blue Bayou?
I know it's gonna be crowded...
Tuesday, December 31st
- Disneyland/California Adventure
I know it's gonna be really, really crowded...
Wednesday, January 1st
- Drive to San Diego
- Stop at La Jolla
- Open afternoon: Beach or exploring Gaslamp District
- Ferry to Coronado
- Dinner in Coronado
- Back to hotel
Thursday, January 2nd
- SD Zoo
- Balboa Park
- Dinner
Friday, January 3rd
- Open Day
- Fly home at 10:15pm PST
Questions
- Any tips for road tripping down PCH outside the obvious? I'm super concerned traveling and making stops with luggage. We've done it down I-95 in the past (NY to Florida)
- Would love some recommendations for food in SD
- Would love hotel recommendations in LA and SD
- Does the itinerary make sense?