The most popular trip here!
San Francisco-LA-Vegas appears to be the most popular route here. We get scads of questions about it. And it seems like it would be the type of trip you're looking for. You might review some of these discussions for ideas.
Since it sounds like you're into the bar/clubbing scene, I agree that Vegas is hard to beat. LA and San Francisco are both pretty well known for this as well. But this is not my area of expertise....I tend to be a camper/hiker myself...so you'll have to find hints for hot spots from someone else. :)
You should be aware that you can't drive rental cars into Mexico. Your best bet is to drive to the border and either walk over or take a bus.
July weather should be great. It's a lovely month.
Personally, I wouldn't bother with the plane trip to NYC. Unless, of course, this would be a huge highlight of your trip. Is the hassle of another flight and the time it takes worth it to hit the bright lights of the Big Apple? You decide. With two weeks, it wouldn't be my choice.
Vancouver is too far to go on this trip, imho.
The thrill of wind in your hair!
If you get a convertible, you will need to pay a premium for it. Personally, I think it would be worth it. I caravanned through Utah/Arizona/New Mexico with some friends and one of them had a convertible. Oh, how I envied her! Some tips: while it may increase your fuel consumption, she often had the air-conditioning running with the top down for the cool breeze because the air can be quite hot. And she wore a big brimmed, straw hat. You don't want to get sunburned. Also use sunscreen liberally. There were times when the heat or the intensity of the sun got to be too much and she put the roof up but she had it down more often than not. Go for it if you can afford it!
My best trips have been ones where off-the-beaten-path, serendipitous finds are mixed up with touristy activities. Of course, I'm a fan of the tacky tourist trap. Don't knock 'em. There's something appealing about them. So you might enjoy a trip to see what a Mexican border town is and a few of those other tourist "traps" you'll see here and there along your trip.
Happy planning and let us know how we can help further.
I don't think its possible anywhere
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Larrison
Second, most rental cars in the US have a clause that they can't be taken out of the US. You can get this waived, but it may cost money and definitely isn't part of the standard contract.
Larrison, are you aware of any company that will give permission to take a car into Mexico? I know some companies will give permission to drive a rental car into Canada, but I've never heard of any company allowing their cars into Mexico under any circumstances.
The Las Vegas Marriage Industry
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bucknaked
we are also thinking of getting hitched while we are there, any places you can recommend? have heard of the Chapel Of Love
I have been to several wedding chapels here in the Las Vegas valley. There are so many options for venues here it is pretty incredible. I was at one yesterday that really appealed to me. It's brand new and situated in the middle of a cactus nursery -- so many possibilities for photos and has an "out-there" feeling. Another one I like is the chapel at Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas -- you can also get married in a free-fall ceremony from a plane, underwater at Lake Mead. The one at the Bellagio is very elegant. We are going to publish an article about the choices we know about -- that list is already at 265 and growing....
Mark
Lines vary...but there are smart ways to do Disney
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bucknaked
how busy will these theme parks be in July/August? not interested if they are like 1 hour lines to get on something
any one know if we will be striking any holidays end of July?
I've been to Disneyland several times during holiday weekends as that was the only time we could get away to get there and I have NEVER spent an hour in line for any ride. One way to do this is to get to Disney an hour before it officially opens. The Main Street area is open then. Figure out which of the more popular rides you want to go on first (Magic Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Indiana Jones come to mind), and situate yourself at the ropes so you can race there as soon as the ropes are dropped.
As soon as you're done doing those popular rides in the early morning, you will want to switch to the types of rides that are quicker loading. Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion are two rides that are very fast loading and the line moves very fast. By the time you've done these, the park will be packed. So it's a good time for a lunch break. Some people like to go back to their hotel for a rest at this time. I prefer to hang around until the afternoon parade. With all the people watching the parade, the lines have a bit of a lull. If I need a rest, I'll go back to the hotel after the parade is over.
Enjoy the night-time show and then, after the show is over, go back to some of your favorite rides. So many people leave the park after the show that it's pretty easy to squeeze in numerous rides during this time. We rode Splash Mountain 3 (or was it 4?) times in a row. The last two times they didn't even make us get out of our boat and get in line because we were the ONLY ones there. Fun.
Of course, if you're not real ride/amusement park people, this might not be worth it to you. I'm a ride freak so, to me, it's worth it.
The FastPass option works really well to save time, too. The last time we went, we didn't understand how they work so we didn't use it. We will next time.
There are so many hotels in Anaheim that reasonably-priced ones are easy to find. For example, the Anaheim Plaza & Suites, the hotel that we have stayed at each time we've gone, is $69/night right now for rooms in July and August of 2008. It's just across the street from the main entrance so it's a very short walk into the park.