Kiwi-travel Los Angeles to Florida Return

[Southwest Dave]

Hi Stephen,

So now I’m planning to hire a car from LA airport and return same place. Now I need to find out what’s there to see,

That sounds like a decent plan ! Here are some links to some of our favorite threads in the West. You will find many more by using the search button but to give you a start a very popular and incredibly scenic and diverse route would look something like this LA > Grand canyon > Vegas > Death valley > Yosemite [via Tioga pass] > San Francisco > LA taking a couple of nights down the amazing Pacific coast highway. That would be well suited to an 11 day trip to get an overview of these great locations.

[stephenb465]

I thought of flying to Florida at first, but it was cheaper to Fly to Los Angeles, have booked and paid.

I'm sure there is plenty for me to see and do around LA and a bit further out. My number one option was the drive to Florida, but after doing some research and feed back from this forum, I'm having to think of other options.

Flights I have found so far from Florida to LA, all with a stop over and I loss a day at the airports.

Now with only 12 days in America, every day counts.

But still have given up on the idea about driving to Florida, it's just the flight, haven't found a direct flight from Florida to LA yet.

[stephenb465]

thanks for the tip SouthWestDave,

[glc]

I looked on southwest.com and they have quite a few 1 stop flights from Tampa to LAX - you won't lose much time, they are all same day flights. Remember you gain 3 hours with the time zone change.

[stephenb465]

Thanks glc, the flights fit in really well with my arrival and exit ticket, so I have options

Option one: drive LA to Florida, 10 days

Option two stay in LA area for 10 days

With option ONE, I would drive LA-Grand Canyon- New Mexico- Dallas-New Oreans-Alabama-Mississippi (maybe)
The above are only place I’ve seen on the map or heard about. So is 10 days enough to see that general path?

So what I’m asking is, 4 days you can drive across to Florida in a rush, so 10 days would be comfortable and am I correct to say that there is a lot to see along the way?

Stephen

[glc]

You can see quite a bit in 10 days. You would only have to maintain about a 300 mile a day average.

[Southwest Dave]

So what I’m asking is, 4 days you can drive across to Florida in a rush, so 10 days would be comfortable and am I correct to say that there is a lot to see along the way?

Yes, there is plenty to see along the way but this is the time you need to get the map out and look for things that interest you and research them and check your budget, as only you can decide which of these options to take. To cross the country other than in a "mad dash" is 5-6 full days so you have time for some sight seeing along the way if that's the route you decide to go.

[stephenb465]

Thanks Dave for the advice,

Other trips I have done, I have purchase traveling books and maps to help me plan, However, I only decided to do this trip just over a week back and planning is a bit difficult for me at the moment, I’m at work at the moment in Papua New Guinea in the high lands on a Gold mine site, the internet speed is very slow and I have no access to maps/books.

I fly back home a day before I’m due to Fly to America, I’m planning to purchase/hire and GPS for the car and find a shop and purchase a road map once I get to Los Angeles.

I’m not lazy at doing research, infact I like it, but I haven’t got the resources at the moment.
I’m interested in seeing what makes America, drive past little towns, avoid the major H/ways if I can, and see some of the country side of America.

What I want to do is visit the biggest Shopping centre in Los Angeles on day one of my arrival, (shopping list from my family) buy food, water for the trip. Drive a couple of hours to get out of the city, and I’m planning monument valley & Grand canyon is my starting point.

Address for Shopping centre so I can type in GPS would be handy anyone?

From there, I’m heading to Florida (10days drive)

So my plan was to find out major sights to see “very American stuff” and navigate using these points with the assistance of tourist information centers each day.
4-6 hours drive each day and the rest is sight seeing, and special events, i.e. Your American foot ball would be great to see, one of those big shows where you have monster trucks destroying everything. Half day bush walks and a little relaxing.

Stephen

[glc]

Sorry to say, but you will not be here during American football season. Before renting a GPS, compare rental prices to purchase prices. You can buy a basic serviceable GPS in the $100 range.

I personally wouldn't shop anywhere near LAX. If you are planning on driving a couple hours you would have an easier time doing your shopping that way, perhaps out in the Ontario area. There is a large mall (Ontario Mills) right at the I-10/I-15 interchange. Take I-105 east out of LAX to I-605 north to I-10 east.

[stephenb465]

Thanks glc

According to the google map Ontario Mills is about 58miles, so an hour and a half drive. that will get me started for the first day and somewhere about there I'll find some accommodation.

will do more research over the next couple of days :)

Stephen