I don't think we're in Kansas any more - a power trip through Disneyland and California

[shoreline99 137]

No, I spared you photos of the hippies. And believe me there were plenty hanging around there, even though the 60's were 40 some odd years ago.

It's hard to say with regard to time. I think overall the trip length was fine. We had three college visits and an entire day with family, which took at least two days out of the trip total, so if we hadn't done that we would have done other things.

To recap our timing:

Fri PM arrive LAX -> Anaheim -> walk around DTD

Sat-Sun DCA/DL

Mon Drive through LA, Santa Monica Pier, drive up the 1 to Santa Barbara

Tuesday Santa Barbara, drive up to SLO (you could have easily driven up to San Simeon and stopped there overnight). I ended up working that afternoon and evening anyway while the family enjoyed the hotel and checked out the area.

Wednesday SLO, drive up the 1 to Monterey, walk around Cannery Row

Thursday Monterey Aquarium (half a day was definitely enough there), Big Basin (would have liked to spend more time there to hike the trails), drive to SFO

Fri-Sat SFO

Sun AM depart SFO

We could have spent an extra day touring in SFO (which we had the time for anyway but spent it with family). We would have liked to spend a little more time at Alcatraz and also wanted to check out the Walt Disney Family Museum, which is in SF as well. There are other places we wanted to see along the way but didn't get to, like the Getty museum in LA and Venice Beach, and the Hearst Castle. We also didn't get to swim in the pacific, but that was more a factor of the weather than time.

We could have spent another day in DL, but other than Mr. Toad and the Subs we didn't feel like we missed anything critical there. Maybe a half day if we had gotten in earlier on Friday would have been enough.

[bhall 115]

They're probably the same hippies I saw there when I lived in Petaluma during the summer of 1991

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[shoreline99 137]

On June 29, 2016 at 11:40 AM, bhall said:

They're probably the same hippies I saw there when I lived in Petaluma during the summer of 1991

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Probably. And it's entirely possible that they haven't bathed since then, too. 

[dvccamper 32]

I just wanted to come back and say thank you for your trip report and your advice. We saw so much of what you did on our recent trip and different things would come to mind.  Unfortunately we couldn't get tickets to Alcatraz. The whole time we were in SF it was foggy (it would never lift all day), windy and about 58 degrees. So my pictures of the Golden Gate bridge look much different than yours! We opted not to walk across it but drove instead, just to say we could, plus we had lunch in Sausalito, which was lovely.

We hit LA, Disneyland, Sequoia, Yosemite, San Francisco, Monterey and Big Sur.  I have to say Yosemite was absolutely breathtaking, so glad we got to experience it.  But it was very crowded and I have to say that for that reason alone Sequoia National Park was my favorite.  Seeing those 2000 year old trees was very humbling. Plus we saw a bear there which my kids were thrilled with.

Also we did Disneyland and CA in 2 days and hit pretty much everything we wanted to.  It was hectic but manageable as the parks were so close.

Thanks again!

[shoreline99 137]

On 7/18/2016 at 7:48 PM, dvccamper said:

I just wanted to come back and say thank you for your trip report and your advice. We saw so much of what you did on our recent trip and different things would come to mind.  Unfortunately we couldn't get tickets to Alcatraz. The whole time we were in SF it was foggy (it would never lift all day), windy and about 58 degrees. So my pictures of the Golden Gate bridge look much different than yours! We opted not to walk across it but drove instead, just to say we could, plus we had lunch in Sausalito, which was lovely.

We hit LA, Disneyland, Sequoia, Yosemite, San Francisco, Monterey and Big Sur.  I have to say Yosemite was absolutely breathtaking, so glad we got to experience it.  But it was very crowded and I have to say that for that reason alone Sequoia National Park was my favorite.  Seeing those 2000 year old trees was very humbling. Plus we saw a bear there which my kids were thrilled with.

Also we did Disneyland and CA in 2 days and hit pretty much everything we wanted to.  It was hectic but manageable as the parks were so close.

Thanks again!

Hi - glad it was helpful!

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on DL and California - did you drive up the coast as well? What did you think of Monterey and Big Sur? We were not impressed by LA, although we didn't get to see Venice Beach or some of the other touristy places. USC was nice, but the area around it was not so great.

I've been to Yosemite and thought being at Big Basin was more impressive as well because of the lack of people. I agree about it being a very humbling experience, too, especially when you see the rings in that section and realize how old those trees really are. Crazy.

Love to hear about your trip!

[dvccamper 32]

21 minutes ago, shoreline99 said:

Hi - glad it was helpful!

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on DL and California - did you drive up the coast as well? What did you think of Monterey and Big Sur? We were not impressed by LA, although we didn't get to see Venice Beach or some of the other touristy places. USC was nice, but the area around it was not so great.

I've been to Yosemite and thought being at Big Basin was more impressive as well because of the lack of people. I agree about it being a very humbling experience, too, especially when you see the rings in that section and realize how old those trees really are. Crazy.

Love to hear about your trip!

As far as Disneyland goes, we liked it. But I think because we are so much more familiar with WDW we kind of prefer that. Well, at least the kids and I do.  My husband really liked the fact that the parks were so close and thought that was such a huge advantage over WDW. He HATES the WDW transportation.

We loved Indiana Jones, Pirates, Space Mountain and Thunder Mt. My kids really preferred CA over Disneyland.  They loved that Screaming rollercoaster and Mickey's Fun Wheel or whatever it's called. Carsland did not disappoint either.  But both parks were crowded and pretty hot. At WDW we know how to avoid the lines and get the most out of our time.  We were a little out of our element which was a little unnerving for a control freak like me, ha! 

We despised the traffic in LA, I don't think I would ever return.  We did the Warner Brothers Tour in Burbank which was really fun. The kids loved seeing the old Friends set and we got to see the sets for Ellen and Big Bang Theory. Then we took a drive over to Santa Monica Pier, which I think you had visited also.  Very touristy, glad we saw it but I really wouldn't rush back.  They had all those people on the beach balancing, like contortionists. Kind of weird...

We didn't drive up the coast as we left Anaheim and went northeast to Sequoia, then up to Yosemite, then over to the coast. We stayed in Half Moon Bay (family there) and did day trips from there, SF, Monterey, etc.  So we did drive down the coast all the way to Big Sur.  And what can you say except that the drive was beautiful!  I love that they have so many turnoffs so you can just stop and get pictures.  We did 17 mile drive which was pretty, stopping at Pebble Beach.  My husband picked up a scorecard there.  He would love to golf there...a little out of our price range!

Yosemite and Sequoia were definitely the highlights of the trip. We spent a night in Curry Village on the Valley floor, then the next night at the Awahnee (I'm using the old names).  Talk about two ends of the spectrum!  But I was talking to a woman from CA who visits Yosemite occasionally. She said Zion rivals Yosemite in beauty but without the crowds.  I think the next family trip we're considering would be Zion and Bryce Canyons, and the Grand Canyon.  We'll see, have to start saving!.

When I'm home later I'll try and post a few pics.

 

[shoreline99 137]

Sounds like you had a great trip! Thanks for sharing!