Hi,
This was my first trip with JY - I had a fantastic time!
We covered quite a distance, but it was so well organised and guided that the time spent between locations was not a problem at all.
Here are my impressions & tips:
- San Francisco
- What a fantastic city - shame we didn't spend more time here
- Recommend: Alcatraz (this gets booked up, so go to the Alcatraz tour website [Alcatraz Cruises ] and book well in advance (months or weeks before!). Those in my group who could not get places had to do the (far less exciting) boat trip round the harbour (and they where underneath the bridge and couldn't see it for fog!).
- Recommend: tram bus ride. Tip: buy tickets at seafront, BUT queues there can be 45 mins or worse. So walk 200 yards further up the track (ask a local) and get on at the first stop!
- Disappointments: Radisson Hotel has no restaurant so you eat next door in an Ihop diner.
- San Luis Obispo
- Just an overnight stop-off on the way to LA
- La Cuesta Motor Inn is modern and comfortable - but again no restaurant, so breakfast is served in reception!.
- Recommend: Restaurant opposite is good for the evening meal.
- Santa Barbara
- Fantastic restaurants and some good shops
- Sandy beach for those who want sun & tan etc.
- Recommend: Town hall visit is worthwhile - great views at the top!
- LA
- Airtel Plaza has great rooms, despite being next to a small airport! Eat here as restaurant fine and little else nearby.
- Trips to Hollywood Bowl, Warner Bros. etc. are excellent.
- Recommend: After Warner Bros. closes in early evening, stay on in adjacent shopping village. There are loads of excellent shops and restaurants here. Then get taxi back. 12 or so of us did this and had a most enjoyable dinner together at the Hard Rock Cafe to round off a super day.
- Long Beach & Palm Springs
- Nice clothes shops around harbour area at LB.
- Palm Springs: hotel is ok and swimming pool is most welcome!
- Evening trip to the local Casino is a must (just for all-you-can-eat meal and to get some gambling experience)
- Use taxis as evenings out are not in walking distance
- Aerial Tramway sounds great (but it was out of commission when we went!)
- Las Vegas
- Stratosphere Hotel is ok - but wait until you see the other hotels, wow!
- There's gambling at the Stratosphere.
- Recommend: This hotel DOES have it's own restaurant. It's an all-you-can-eat and the choice and quality is superb. Good value.
- Recommend: The light show at the 'old' strip is worth a visit.
- Recommend: walk the strip, don't take a taxi as traffic is bumper to bumper so it's quicker to walk!
- Recommend: Grand Canyon helicopter flights.
- Disappointment: was not that impressed by the short river trip in the canyon
There were over 40 of us on this trip - probably about 5-10 too many really. The tour guide was superb, very knowledgeable indeed and the coach driver was great too.
I would definitely recommend this trip.
You can view photos of my trip here: Photos from my trip
Hope this helps someone!
Cheers,
Greg
