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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 8:55:53 PM   
DarkSteven


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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 9:09:00 PM   
AnimusRex


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quote:

ORIGINAL: barelynangel
I know your initial instinct is to pile as much as you can into the week or two and see as much as you can. But that is a serious way to NOT enjoy a vacation because all you will be doing is running running running. What i would do is pick 1 or 2 things to do in a week and do them. Disneyland itself should take you a day or so to fully enjoy.


This.

Camp Pendleton is still at least an hour or two away from Disneyland; March/ April is getting warm enough for the beaches. So Disneyland/ Sea World/ beaches would fill up any vacation, and empty any wallet.

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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 9:57:43 PM   
peppermint


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quote:

I have looked into a one way trip RV - which at this point seems my best bet. I can visit family along the way, and have a more casual trip without all the rushing around. Plus there are several RV campsites along the route I'dbe traveling. After looking at hote/flight/car rental prices, the RV seems the better bet. Except for one thing. I've never actually driven one.


Go to a used RV sales place, say you are looking to buy, and test drive one.  The time to find out you can't handle one is BEFORE you plunk down good money to rent one.  I know a few people who have bought an RV only to find out they are afraid to drive it.  Sad to return an unused RV to the lot to sell it as a used item that was technically never used.  I'm a full time RVer so I know what I'm talking about.  Find out how large the one you are thinking of renting is, and try to find a similarly sized used one. 

RV's are wider than cars so you actually have to pay attention to where you are in the lane at all times.  They take lots longer to stop.  If you rent one also get a navigational device such as a TomTom.  They will let you knew ahead of time if a highway is going to drop a lane and give you plenty of time to merge into another lane if need be. 

You will need good luck to be able to rent one without a credit card.  Most if not all require one as do rental car companies. 

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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 10:50:10 PM   
TheHeretic


Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline 		Late March might be springtime in SoCal, but it is still winter across the Rocky Mountains.  If you've never driven an RV before, I would strongly discourage that being a first trip.  Driving one on our freeways isn't going to be any fun either.  Also, flights to Las Vegas are easy to get.  You could rent a car there and likely get a better deal on the mini-van/SUV you'll need for that many people and their luggage (you are going to need a credit card) and do the 4 hour drive to LA.  The desert is actually pretty at that time of year.

Figure 2 days for Disneyland.  If you only have two days for amusement parks around LA, spend them both there at the two parks.  Do not, under any circumstances miss Soaring Over California at the California Adventure park.  Request the front row.  It is also possible to buy a two park ticket good for any two days within a two week period. 

I hope you have a great trip!

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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:11:33 PM   
GreedyTop


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Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		dreamer.. the debit card/car rental thing may depend on the company...  Enterprise wouldnt. 

Winnie...  if you're starting from Pendleton, work your way up the coast to Santa Cruz... I *think* the boardwalk is still there...  and ya GOTTA see the Madonna Inn.

Pea Soup Anderson's :  YUM!

Solvang is cool, too

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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:17:22 PM   
CalifChick


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From: California
Status: offline 		Before you book a car with a rental agency, you will want to call them, and ask them if you can rent with a debit card.  I had a problem last summer with an agency in Florida, and thank goodness someone was traveling with me that had a credit card, instead of a debit card that could be used as a credit card (yeah... don't ask).

However, the trip before that, to Phoenix, no problem on the rental car.  I've never had a problem with hotels or any other venue.

It is often cheaper to rent a car for 7 days than it is to rent for 4, 5, or 6 days... but you do have to keep it the full 7 days.  Try to return it a day early and it costs you more (yeah, I know, makes no sense).  So you'll want to rent for 7 days or 14 days.  For instance, right now on Travelocity, if you search for a car rental for 13 days and 23 hours, it is about $300-$500 per week for a vehicle that seats a minimum of five people.  If you search for 14 days, it drops to $175 per week for an intermediate size SUV (Enterprise Rental Car).

If you can borrow a GPS device (or if you already have one), it would be better than renting one.  On the last two trips, it was going to cost $10 per day to rent a GPS... that's $140 for two weeks, and you can buy one for cheaper than that.

Cali


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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:35:50 PM   
ThatDamnedPanda


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quote:

ORIGINAL: CalifChick

Before you book a car with a rental agency, you will want to call them, and ask them if you can rent with a debit card.  I had a problem last summer with an agency in Florida, and thank goodness someone was traveling with me that had a credit card, instead of a debit card that could be used as a credit card (yeah... don't ask).



Yes, and keep in mind that it not only varies from company to company - it can actually vary from franchise to franchise. For example, one Enterprise franchise may take debit cards, and another won't, so you really need to confirm with the specific location from which you're picking up the car. Don't count on the company's 1-800 info line for the correct information, because they're not always accurate, and if they give you the wrong information you'll be standing there with a card in your hand but no car keys.

If you're in the LA area, with kids, I'd highly recommend the Griffith Observatory  - I'm an astronomy and science buff, and that's possibly the best planetarium I've ever seen. It's just magical. There's also a small amusement park on the pier in Santa Monica, which kids might enjoy as part of a people-watching afternoon on the beach. Studio tours are fun too, but can get a little boring for small kids. The Universal tour is supposed to be a magnificent experience, but I've never taken that one. If you go, count on a whole day. Tickets can be spendy (70 or 80 bucks face, if I recall correctly), but you can get 'em for half that on Craig's List. Warner Brothers has a good tour, also, but not as much of an extravaganza as the Universal tour. It's much shorter and more low-key, though, and a lot cheaper.


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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:40:00 PM   
SDFemDom4cuck


Posts: 2809
Joined: 5/23/2005
From: P'burgh PA
Status: offline 		Winsome Camp Pendleton is north of San Diego a bit and closer to Carlsbad and Legoland.

I sent you an email with some more info.

Enterprise will take a Debit card but they will ask for a deposit  in advance. Many other rental agencies will not take any thing but a credit card. Ask in advance. Personally I've used Enterprise for years and love them! Wouldn't use any other and they should be able to arrange an RV rental for you.


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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:50:27 PM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		how could I forget Griffith??  GAH!!

Universal USED to be great, but some of the attractions got cut off for private parties, and there was that fire a few years ago that fried a few of the attractions, IIRC.. i.e. King Kong...

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Profile   Post #: 29
RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:50:36 PM   
ThatDaveGuy69


Posts: 978
Joined: 6/22/2007
Status: offline 		My 2-cents worth on driving:
If you're not a long distance driver, ie used to 4+ hrs at a time, I would not recommend a cross-country road trip. I've driven to Burning Man and back (twice!) from Chicago. It was 16 hrs from Chicago to Denver and another 16 hrs from Denver to the Event (near Reno). I did it alone and stopped only for food & gas. I spent 2 days and nights in Denver on each leg of the trip and that was driving a minivan at 70mph(+). But I absolutely love to drive and would do it again without hesitation.

Having an RV means driving slower, usually not above 65, putting more mental effort into your driving, and needing someone else to watch the youngest. And RV's are not typically known for their stellar gas mileage. As already mentioned, you can't just park it any old place. You will, at various points along your trip, need to find a campground or RV park that can service the holding tank. RV'ing is a lot of work but can also be very rewarding. Lots of people do the Route 66 trip and plan their stops to take in the sites they most want to see. RV America does 1-way rentals for that sort of trip. After that much together time on the road you'll probably want to fly home!

BTW: We did Disney in FL 3yrs ago and our son was miserable most of the time - he was 4.

Did you say you have 6ppl in your group? I think I would fly, get a comfortable rental, and stay in hotels that are close to the sites you want to see. Like any such endevour, it's all about the planning!

Best of luck - I hope it's a memorable trip for all the right reasons :)

~Dave




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RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:52:22 PM   
WyldHrt


Posts: 6412
Joined: 6/5/2008
Status: offline 		The Enterprise here took my debit card, no problem. The deposit was, IIRC, about $200, which was returned promptly after I turned the car in. They even upgraded me for free and gave me a discount on the rate. Definitely check with the actual office you plan to rent from. 

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Profile   Post #: 31
RE: California Vacation - 1/25/2010 11:57:57 PM   
CalifChick


Posts: 10717
Joined: 10/28/2007
From: California
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda

Yes, and keep in mind that it not only varies from company to company - it can actually vary from franchise to franchise. For example, one Enterprise franchise may take debit cards, and another won't, so you really need to confirm with the specific location from which you're picking up the car. Don't count on the company's 1-800 info line for the correct information, because they're not always accurate, and if they give you the wrong information you'll be standing there with a card in your hand but no car keys.



I'm pretty sure that's exactly what happened to me in Florida.  It wasn't Enterprise, it was another national chain, and I had gotten a stupendous rate by scouring the internet for discounts.  Before I reserved, I called the national number.  Yet standing there in Florida, the lady at the counter just kept saying, "you must be mistaken, we don't do that, try (whoever) at the next rental counter."  Yeah, like I would have gotten the same rate for a minivan if I was a walkup customer at the next counter...  NOT.   

Luckily Hib saved the day.  Hibbie is my hero.  


Cali




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AKA "The Undisputed Goddess of Sarcasm", "Big Bad Cali" and "Yum Bum". Advisor to the Subbie Mafia, founding member of the W.A.C. and the Judgmental Bitches Brigade, member of the Clan of the Scarlet O'Hair-a's and Team Troll

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RE: California Vacation - 1/28/2010 1:32:05 AM   
BeachMystress


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From: Naples Island- Long Beach CA - Southern California
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quote:

ORIGINAL: WinsomeDefiance

I believe it is Camp Pendleton in San Diego.  I remember going to the Sequoia National Park when I was a child.  Thanks for reminding me!  Definitely a place I'll want to take my kids too. 


Camp Pendleton is in Oceanside.


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RE: California Vacation - 1/28/2010 1:38:03 AM   
WyldHrt


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Status: offline 		Actually, Camp Pendleton is 50 square miles and is bordered by many cities/ towns.
Beach is pretty much correct though, as the main entrance to the Base is located in Oceanside. 

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Profile   Post #: 34
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