What to do with 3 weeks on the west coast USA?|163166

We are heading to the USA for 3 weeks. We plan to spend 1 at Disneyland and would like suggestions as to what to do for the other 2. We have been to Las Vegas and Santa Monica (neither of which we wish to see again) and to the Grand Canyon which we loved.

Do what we are going to do- take a cruise from los angeles to mexico and visit cabo, mazatlan and I forget the other city- it_s 7 days and not that expensive-- you get the best of both worlds- you see and play on the islands for a day each and get to go back to your boat to eat _regular food_. just a thought...I went through the same thing, I didn_t want to do the hollywood house and star chasing scene and couldn_t think of much more unless you have kids and want to see the San Diego Zoo....that_s to die for

Here are my favorite places in California:

1. Yosemite National Park in Northern California. This is the most beautiful place. It_s huge granite mountains, forests, and large waterfalls are awesome.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/


2. San Diego is just 90-120 minutes south of Disneyland. This is a beautiful city with lots of things to do. They have Sea World, a great zoo, the Wild Animal Park, beautiful beaches. You can enjoy kayaking through the La Jolla caves, hiking, biking, wine tasting, and more.
http://www.sandiego-romantics.com


3. California is known for its wines and there are wine regions throughout California. Napa is the most famous area, but there are great wineries along the Central Coast of California (a beautiful uncrowded area), in the Sierra Foothills, and in the Central Valley as well.
http://www.cheers2wine.com.

3 weeks? You_ll never find anything to do to fill 3 weeks.
May I suggest you get away from the tourist traps and see the countryside.
If you are going to be here around the end of March, go to the desert and see the wildflowers in bloom.

You might want to rethink a full week at Disneyland. Our Disney parks are much smaller than Disneyworld. Two days and you_ll have seen everything in both parks. Here are some quick ideas for the rest of your trip, assuming you want to stick to driving and not flying from one state to the next:

1. Palm Springs
2. San Diego
3. Orange County coastline (Laguna Beach, Balboa Park)
4. San Francisco

How about driving up the coast and back? Hit San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.

your wishes

Depends what time of year you are going to be visiting and what you like to do. Breckenridge, Colorado has some great skiing and anywhere in Colorado has great hiking. Sea World in San Diego, California. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Lake Havasu in either California or Arizona is a lot of fun... but really hot in the summer time.
Let me know what you like to do and what time of year you will be around and I can give you some more suggestions.

I think that you can do Disney in about 3 days, and use the other 3 days for things in LA (see my guide below).

I think a few days in San Diego would be good, too. For the ultimate San Diego guide, check out Local Wally, the master of San Diego Travel: www.localwally.com.

Yosemite National Park is NOT to be missed. How did you miss it last time? No worries, you can correct a great injustice by visiting this time.

San Francisco and the wine country is a great place to spwnd a week. Napa Valley, just north of SF is a great area just about any time of year.

Here_s my LA guide:

There are literally hundreds of things to do here in LA. Here is my top ten list:

Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can��t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once)

Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park.

Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Mann_s Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. I have also added the Hollywood _ Highland complex to my top ten list�� it has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory, unlike the Chinese, which was essentially gutted and turned into a multiplex.

Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.

Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best. Here you_ll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore. Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it_s a short bike ride from:

Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and _Three_s Company_ come immediately to mind). After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach.

(Since you already did Santa Monica Beach, check out Huntington Beach, which is quite a bit nicer and less _gritty_. SM is more _LA_, and HB is more _OC_.

Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Downtown Santa Monica_s shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.

Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world_s most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars_ posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the _Sunset Strip_ on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods. Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone_s for Fish.

Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she_s been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price.

Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, and then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner. It is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping _The Price is Right_. You might even get in.

Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.

Getty Museum - The Getty_s architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you_ll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free.

Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It_s very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the tonight show. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.

Places to eat:
In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.
Pink��s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. Might see a celebrity.
Tommy��s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. Original location at Beverly _ Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.
Canter��s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly _ Melrose. Near CBS, might spot a celebrity.
Phillippe��s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station, Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it��s hot.
The Pantry: Corner of Figueroa and 9th, downtown. Huge portions, they never close, (I NEVER eat there after dark), GREAT steak and eggs.

Places to Stay:
In Hollywood, I recommend the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland, the Best Western Sunset Plaza, or the Hollywood Roosevelt.
In Anaheim, I recommend the HoJo Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney��s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience. If you don_t need to stay by the park, then stay at the Doubletree on Harbor, or even the one in Orange on Chapman.
In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.

Places to Shop:
South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa
Fashion Island, Newport Beach
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
Brea Mall, Brea
Citadel Outlets, Commerce
Beverly Center, Los Angeles
The Block at Orange, Orange
Ontario Mills, Ontario

there is universal studios, magic mountain, sea world, you can see tv shows taped live if you are into that sort of thing. www.tvtickets.com. Stop by Venice beach. Head down to Palm Springs, they have plenty of plays in Los Angeles. There is Lake Havasu, AZ it always nice. Camping in Big Bear, the list can go on and on....

definitely drive to San Diego, stopping at Balboa on the way (maybe staying overnight in Newport Beach). There_s alot of stuff to do in San Diego (zoo, Sea World, etc), but make sure you have at least a meal at the Del Coronado Hotel, and maybe visit Old Town. ... If you_re able to fly to San Francisco for a weekend, that_d be great too! And then, you should rent a car there, visit Sausalito, and drive through the Napa/Sonoma Valley for wine tasting... San Diego _ San Francisco are much nicer places to visit than LA