West Coast America Road Trip
This was pre-kids and on a fairly low-ish budget back then. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to do all the sights along the way – but we weren’t too fussed on where we stayed – as long as it was clean and had car parking.
Part of the experience I wanted to capture was spending the night in a motel which we just happen to come across. I wouldn’t do that again. Not only do we have kids, but I’m far too organised and love a plan. I also love luxury and comfort!
We flew direct with Virgin Atlantic into LOS ANGELES and picked up our SUV at the airport ready for our road trip. My husband did 99% of the driving whilst I read the map! Our SUV didn’t have a Sat Nav so it was all down to me and my map reading skills to navigate us around America.
Los Angeles is a monster of a city. The traffic is chaotic, and some roads have eight lanes – just to prewarn you.
We visited Santa Monica Beach, and Venice Beach which is a buzzing beach town known for its street performers and funky shops. Muscle Beach is also here, where the fitness fanatics use the outdoor gym, and you can sit and watch!
We included all the typical tourist sights which everyone should when they visit LA including Rodeo Drive (so many expensive shops!), Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios. My top 3 attractions in no particular order would be:
Hollywood Sign – anyone can see it from certain points of the City but by walking up the Hills enables you to have a great view of the city as well as seeing the sign. There are different walking routes so be sure to check before you go.
The second attraction would be the Celebrity Homes Hollywood Tour. The route took a couple of hours or so and drove us through Beverley Hills, Hollywood Hills and Mulholland Drive where we spotted some beautiful celebrity millionaire mansions. One can dream!
The third ‘attraction’ I highly recommend, which I arranged for a surprise for my husband was tickets to see a LA Dodgers Baseball game. It was an evening game and we sat drinking beer and munching on a ‘Dodger Dog’ and Garlic Fries. Great night!
3 nights was enough for us in Los Angeles and we felt we saw everything we wanted to see.
Next stop was SAN DIEGO. The drive is 120miles south from LA so around 2 hours.
We ate at the notorious Hard Rock Café, visited San Diego Zoo and spent hours exploring Balboa Park. After such a hectic and busy stay in LA and knowing where next stop was; we slowed down in San Diego and chilled out. One highlight was driving over Coronado Bridge onto Coronado Island. The beach is breath-taking there, we saw the iconic Hotel del Coronado from the 1950s film Some Like it Hot.
Next stop was LAS VEGAS. This is about 340miles from San Diego and takes around 5hrs or so. We had already decided we were going to stop over for the night but hadn’t decided where and hadn’t booked anywhere. We ended up stopping near Bullhead City, Arizona for the night. Here we found a roadside motel with free parking and a swimming pool - where we took a dip after the drive before eating Steak and Ribs at Black Bear Diner.
The following morning, we made the final 100 miles to Vegas. I had booked us a Spa Suite at the Montecarlo Hotel for 4 nights. We had a large jacuzzi bath in our bedroom, right next to the window overlooking the strip. Perfect!
We got lucky in the Casinos, saw the dancing fountains outside The Bellagio, had a gondola ride at The Venetian, watched the fantastic ‘Mystere’ Cirque De Soleil at Treasure Island, braved the roller coaster ride at the top of the Strat Hotel, and simply strolled up and down the Strip taking in all the sights. You name it we did it!
However, the absolute highlight and a must for everyone is the Grand Canyon Overnight Stay and Helicopter Tour. We were picked up in a taxi from our Hotel and taken to the Helicopter. We flew over Hoover Dam and Bypass Bridge before descending into the Grand Canyon for a night at a ranch with our own en-suite wooden cabin. After dinner and beers enjoying the panoramic views, we had a horseback ride up the mountains along the Grand Canyon rim to watch the sunset. Then we had a campfire, S’mores and live cowboy entertainment under the twinkling Arizona stars! In the morning, breakfast was included before climbing back into the helicopter which took us back over the Strip before returning to our hotel.
This was a real bucket list experience and a must for anyone going to Las Vegas. Non-stop but amazing 4 nights, and memories we’ll remember forever!
After American pancakes for brunch at IHOP, we were heading for SAN FRANCISCO. We went up Route 95, slightly longer route but we wanted an overnight stopover at LAKE TAHOE on the way. This was a long but scenic drive; 460 miles so took about 7hrs.
Lake Tahoe is known for its winter sports, summer outdoor activities, and scenery enjoyed throughout the year. We were there to get a bed for the night and soak up the scenic views! We arrived at San Francisco the following day for our remaining 4 nights, its 200miles from Lake Tahoe and took us about 3.5hrs. Seeing the iconic Golden Gate Bridge was a magical moment.
I loved the culture here and felt it was a completely different vibe than the other places we’d been to. If you have a car, you must drive down Lombard St, one of America’s crookedest streets.
My top 3 highlights of San Francisco were:
Alcatraz -We bought the tickets prior to going to guarantee availability. After a 15min ferry ride, it was a guided tour around the prison where you could take as many photos as you wanted. I found it quite eerie but fascinating!
Fisherman’s Wharf – Its full of tourism and has the usual tacky shops with souvenirs but you must visit the various eateries’ and order Clam Chowder. Delicious!
Cable Cars – Unbeatable views on the city’s busiest streets. Its inexpensive and lots of fun. The best ride, if you’re able to, is to stand and hang on to the pole. You get an unobstructed view (unlike the people you're standing in front of), feel the wind in your hair, and can appreciate how close you are to the other traffic on the street. But hold on tight!
If you are planning a road trip anytime soon, please get in touch with me. I'd love to help you plan your adventure and book a memorable trip of a lifetime like we had!
