yupikgal
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2007
I have appreciated the Disboards ever since I discovered them back in 2003, at that time we were planning our trip to WDW...now I humbly ask for your help again, this time to Southern California. Actually, part of the trip will be up the coast a bit towards Hearst Castle. We went to Southern California last year, but didn't stay quite as long, and did Anaheim/Vegas/Garden Grove. Anyway, here's my tentative plan right now. I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and if you stayed at a fabulous hotel in any of the areas, please let me know! We don't need fancy, but no motel 6's either. Clean and safe is good!
Thursday, May 26: Fly from Anchorage, Alaska to John Wayne Airport, Anaheim. We get there about 930a. I was thinking about us heading straight down to San Diego on Amtrak, so taking a shuttle to the train station and then taking their noon train, that would get us there about 2p. I just reserved the Dana Inn for 4 nights, we've never stayed there and it sounds like it might work for us, based on Trip Advisor reviews, location, water sports, promixity to public transportation, etc.. I haven't ruled out other options though, we don't normally rent a car, so we rely on public transportation/tours, etc. and this one is close to Seaworld and they have a shuttle, and the lady at the reservaton dept said there is a bus that takes you to the trolley that is near the area.
Friday, May 26-Monday, May 29th: San Diego, relaxing, playing, eating, little bit of sightseeing, although nothing major, we were there in 2009, and did the Old Town trolley tour, which took us to downtown, Old Town, Coronado..we stayed at the Best Western Island Palms on Shelter Island, it was a lovely hotel, but I think it's a bit isolated for us this time around.
Monday, May 30-June 4: Take Amtrak back up to Anaheim, then I'm thinking we will do Disney for the next 5 days, assuming (hoping) they will have the "buy 3, get 2 free" deal again. We normally stay at the Fairfield, but I'm open to other suggestions within walking distance, although we are kind of partial to the Fairfield, it's nothing spectacular, but we mainly use it to shower and sleep anyway. Walking distance is most important to us...
June 5: Booked (not paid yet) Amtrak to San Luis Obispo via Santa Barbara. We take a train to Santa Barbara, where we switch to their bus, which works, because they do checked luggage all the way. At first I considered going to Paso Robles instead, but they don't have checked baggage, and we are going to have ours with us every step of the way. It's just less of a hassle having the checked bag option. Not sure where to stay in San Luis Obispo, so please give me suggestions and reviews? We will get there about 2p, so we should have time after we check into our hotel to do a little sightseeing and then have dinner...I wonder if we should rent a car on our own to drive around the area and to Hearst Castle the next day or go with a tour package? Our return bus/train is on June 7.
June7: Back to the Anaheim area about 6p, not sure where we will stay, haven't thought ahead this far, but we'll have to take a taxi, and I'm thinking maybe the same place we stayed before in Garden Grove, we liked the spaciousness of the rooms and the free breakfast at the Embassy Suites South.
June 7-9: We will basically have 2 days left after we return from the coastline/wine country area..we may want to do Universal Studios one day, and then just maybe relax by a pool the day before we leave, which is on the 10th.
June 10: Head back to Alaska, we don't leave until noon, so we can have breakfast and then head to the airport for our long journey home...
What do you think? Any ideas or things I haven't thought about? Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance, a diehard California/Disney fan, Kelly
Thursday, May 26: Fly from Anchorage, Alaska to John Wayne Airport, Anaheim. We get there about 930a. I was thinking about us heading straight down to San Diego on Amtrak, so taking a shuttle to the train station and then taking their noon train, that would get us there about 2p. I just reserved the Dana Inn for 4 nights, we've never stayed there and it sounds like it might work for us, based on Trip Advisor reviews, location, water sports, promixity to public transportation, etc.. I haven't ruled out other options though, we don't normally rent a car, so we rely on public transportation/tours, etc. and this one is close to Seaworld and they have a shuttle, and the lady at the reservaton dept said there is a bus that takes you to the trolley that is near the area.
Friday, May 26-Monday, May 29th: San Diego, relaxing, playing, eating, little bit of sightseeing, although nothing major, we were there in 2009, and did the Old Town trolley tour, which took us to downtown, Old Town, Coronado..we stayed at the Best Western Island Palms on Shelter Island, it was a lovely hotel, but I think it's a bit isolated for us this time around.
Monday, May 30-June 4: Take Amtrak back up to Anaheim, then I'm thinking we will do Disney for the next 5 days, assuming (hoping) they will have the "buy 3, get 2 free" deal again. We normally stay at the Fairfield, but I'm open to other suggestions within walking distance, although we are kind of partial to the Fairfield, it's nothing spectacular, but we mainly use it to shower and sleep anyway. Walking distance is most important to us...
June 5: Booked (not paid yet) Amtrak to San Luis Obispo via Santa Barbara. We take a train to Santa Barbara, where we switch to their bus, which works, because they do checked luggage all the way. At first I considered going to Paso Robles instead, but they don't have checked baggage, and we are going to have ours with us every step of the way. It's just less of a hassle having the checked bag option. Not sure where to stay in San Luis Obispo, so please give me suggestions and reviews? We will get there about 2p, so we should have time after we check into our hotel to do a little sightseeing and then have dinner...I wonder if we should rent a car on our own to drive around the area and to Hearst Castle the next day or go with a tour package? Our return bus/train is on June 7.
June7: Back to the Anaheim area about 6p, not sure where we will stay, haven't thought ahead this far, but we'll have to take a taxi, and I'm thinking maybe the same place we stayed before in Garden Grove, we liked the spaciousness of the rooms and the free breakfast at the Embassy Suites South.
June 7-9: We will basically have 2 days left after we return from the coastline/wine country area..we may want to do Universal Studios one day, and then just maybe relax by a pool the day before we leave, which is on the 10th.
June 10: Head back to Alaska, we don't leave until noon, so we can have breakfast and then head to the airport for our long journey home...
What do you think? Any ideas or things I haven't thought about? Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance, a diehard California/Disney fan, Kelly
Kelly
