California / Vegas in 12 days

Don't Miss San Fransisco. Forget LA... that's my opinion. Personally, I was miserable in LA.

There are loads of great places in and around SF for every type of person. Muir Woods if you are into hiking, Berkley - how can one describe it - just experience it, Coit Tower, JapanTown (Kabuki Springs Spa - an amazing Bath House) lots of great sushi! Cable Car rides, great views, if you like Theatre Berkley Rep is great and if you can "Beach Blanket Babylon" in the city http://www.beachblanketbabylon.com/ for a show they could only run in San Fran, with political spoofs n all.

When I was last there in October, there was construction on the Oakland-Bay Bridge. Not sure if that is still going on... but I could find out. You can also use BART to get around, but is much more limited than say NYC subway system. http://www.bart.gov/

Driving along the California Coast is a beautiful road trip and not a waste. Drive along Big Sur, maybe hit little coast towns for lunch/dinner. Monterey, Carmel - Santa Cruz for the board walk (the one in the 80's movie "Lost Boys") are lovely to stop in - if you like that sorta thing.

Southwest Air has inexpensive fares if you are pressed for time and want to see more city than road. Certainly, from Vegas... and perhaps from San Fran to Seattle. (I think Southwest only fly into/out of Oakland - across the bay - instead of SFO) http://www.southwest.com/

Good Luck & Enjoy!

Hi WstCoast:

Regarding your revised itinerary - you might reconsider spending 3 days in Vegas. Depends on what your interests are of course but you could probably add another day somewhere else instead where budget travel activities are more plentiful and varied.

Also, if you are going to San Diego primarily for the beach, you might consider visiting the beach in LA, and saving yourself another travel leg in the process. SD much more cozy than LA of course, but weather should be similar.

I also agree to skip Los Angeles. Unless you like rollercoasters and beaches. And San Diego is great if you are a zoo or wildlife lover and sea world. San Francisco is great and Seattle is even better and Vancouver, Canada 300kms north. The Grand Canyon isnt too far from Vegas (300kms)

[ Edit: Edited on 09-Feb-2010, at 14:19 by way2goeh ]