LA and San Francisco this summer

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!!! So helpful. One last question. Any good and reliable car hire places in LA that you can recommend? We have done this trip a few times and used most car companies.(Herts, Enterprise, Dollar, alamo) They where all reliable and good. We booked them all online.My only tip is be careful with Dollar! They added extra charges on. we said we would return the car at 2pm we turned up at 3pm and they charged us a whole extra day rental. Granted we said we would be there by 2pm but I just for it was a little harsh!. Enjoy your trip

We stayed in LA last year had a fab time. http://hotelamarano.com in Burbank, 10 mins frm Universal and downtown hollywood. great hotel, perfect location for Hollywood. We Went to LA Lakers game and the atmosphere alone was well worth it. Our kids had a fantastic time, very friendly and you are also able to walk round and look at the history of the game, would recommend it. We also were lucky enough to see Rihanna/Eminem concert at the Rosebowl stadium. If you stay in Anaheim then check out Cheesefactory restaurant ?. We went to Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Anaheim, San Diego, also drove (4hr) to Las Vegas, stayed at the venetian. then drove back to LA. Definately would recommend Universal Studios, kids met transformers and minions ☺️ and it wasn't busy busy. I also recommend the bus tour, you'll find out lots of interesting facts and it also lets you see places you may not otherwise get the chance to see. We drove ourselves to the Griffith Observatory and for me the view was spectacular of the whole of LA and Hollywood sign etc. Have a great time.

Last summer we stayed in San Fransisco then drove to LA, spent 5 days, then drove back to LA. In SF there is plenty to do with the kids. They will love it! Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the the Exploratorium, were the highlights for our kids. We drove down to LA through Highway 1. We stopped for three nights, each in a different town. Carmel- Carmel Valley Ranch San Luis Obispo- Apple Farms Inn Santa Barbara - Cheshire Cat Inn We stayed at one of the W hotels -not W Hollywood. It was a perfect location to drive around to different destinations. We did Universal Studios, and I would advise to pay for the fast track tickets as you end up saving so much time and actually enjoying the park as well. The best part is the shopping in the outlets! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

A great area for a holiday. You will have loads of fun. To add on to what others have said: In LA we stayed at the Redbury which was a great location to visit most places (we had a car so drove around ourselves). It is a funky hotel, and the walk of fame is right outside. We went down to Venice beach for an afternoon, and rented bikes. We stayed one night in Anaheim and did Disney and California Adventure in one day - it was a long day, and all we wanted to do at the end of it was put our feet up. From SF do a wine tour (they pick you up so you can sample the w*ne and not have to worry about driving). It is a great city to walk around and stop and sit at the various outdoor cafes (especially in the Italian section). Tour of Alcatraz is a must (book online beforehand). Cycle the Golden Gate Bridge. The California Academy of Sciences is a very interesting place to spend a morning with children. Go early morning on a hike to see the giant Redwoods (we went to Muir woods - go early morning and beat the crowds. There are different trails so you pick one according to how far you want to walk). One thing to remember about SF is that it can be cold in the mornings and misty. Layers of clothing work well and a bag to carry the discarded ones as the day progresses. Lots of good places to eat in SF, however, be prepared for queues. Lots of seafood. Crab House at Pier 39 is good, and you can see the seals. In Vegas, we found that the Vdara is a good place to stay with children. All rooms are suites (with washer/drier - so handy) and it is one of the hotels that does not have a casino and no smoking. It is however right next to the Aria so you do not miss out (1 min walk). Book some shows before you go. Definitely do the helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunset. There are 2 outlet malls which always seem to have sales over the Summer - I could be wrong but the sales tax in Nevada is lower than in California, so best to do your shopping in Vegas. Remember, children cannot stop on the gaming floors, so you have to make sure they are always walking when you are going through to restaurants/shows. One of the casinos had an aquarium next to the tables and our children stopped for a look, we were asked to 'keep walking'. There are lots of exhibitions the children may enjoy (have a look in time out). Lots of famous chefs have restaurants in Vegas, so an abundance of good places to eat. There is a restaurant on the other side of the road from the Bellagio fountains (I cannot remember the name) where you can sit outside and people watch and have a good view of the fountains. A few driving around tips - try and book one of the people carriers. So much more space for the children in the back and lots of space for bags (after all that shopping). Not all the cars we booked came with sat navs. We have a Garmin from Carrefour that we preloaded with maps and used it no issues. The drive to or from LA can end up being long if there are accidents, so make sure you have a full tank of fuel, snacks in the car and stop for bathroom breaks as often as you can. We ended up stationary for almost 3 hours due to an accident further up the freeway and were so grateful no one was complaining they needed the bathroom and we had enough snacks, books, preloaded ipad movies to pass the time. You can pre-buy US sim cards and have them delivered to your first hotel (do not forget to alert the hotel). We have used black wireless and found their services good. Have a great holiday.

A Day in LA is a great tour. Raul is excellent if you are lucky enough to have him as your guide. http://www.adayinlatours.com/ Do not recommend downtown LA as a place to stay - look at Santa Monica, Marnia Del Rey

I visited LA for the first time last summer and stayed in the main tourist spots; Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Highly recommend doing a private half day tour where you are picked up by the driver in an escalade (or similar) and driven around Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills hot spots. You can tailor the tour to suit your own likes. We used a company a local friend recommended Jimmy 3107203809 (US mobile). I think the cost was about USD150/person which included drinks and snacks stocked up in the car. If you are sporty then take an afternoon out and hit Ranyon Canyon, great exercise and views of the Hollywood sign too (though our tour drive took us right in front of the sign for pictures). Santa Monica and Venice Beach are great fun - hire bikes and ride along the beach front paths. I did most of my shopping (which was ALOT) at the outlet mall ( can't recall the name but its huge and about a 25 min drive out of Beverly Hills). Very easy to find. Macys was also my other fav shopping spot, soooo many summer sales!

You will have the best holiday ever! We did this exact trip last summer. Highly recommend going to Carmel on the drive down as it is stunning. If you'd consider a vineyard tour - I know you have kids with you, but you only drink wine at the end. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND - Hahn Wines - the lady who runs it is phenomenally good! LA - Santa Monica IMHO is the best place to stay, easy to walk around, and also a great mall. I would definitely do Universal Studio's it is SO good! Do it part of a tour around LA! Sorry just a few things off the top of my head