USA Itinerary for Family of 5, Thoughts?

[legseleven]

Care to comment on our itinerary for our family of 5 (kids aged 7, 9 and 11) trip September/October next year? Not sure about Chicago and if we should instead do 3 extra nights exploring California.

Hawaii - 6 nights
Los Angeles - 3 nights
Anaheim: Disneyland - 4 nights
Chicago - 3 nights
New York City - 6 nights

Thanks.

 

[opusman]

You could also go up to Niagara falls?

 

[RooFlyer]

Unless there is a particular reason to go to Chicago, trade it for more time in California. Say, San Francisco.

Do you mind driving? Head to Yousemite from either SF or LA. I'd also crib a day - or two - from LAX/Disney land to do this.

 

[kookaburra75]

Care to comment on our itinerary for our family of 5 (kids aged 7, 9 and 11) trip September/October next year? Not sure about Chicago and if we should instead do 3 extra nights exploring California.
Hawaii - 6 nights
Los Angeles - 3 nights
Anaheim: Disneyland - 4 nights
Chicago - 3 nights
New York City - 6 nights
Thanks.

If you're not sure about Chicago I would suggest drop it off the the list and add in San Diego. You can catch the train from Anaheim to San Diego, and than back to Los Angeles (Pacific Surfliner).

Also, trim a day from Disneyland, 1 day in each of the Disneyland's is heaps - 2 days/3 nights. If you stay up to the north of Los Angeles, say West Hollywood or even Santa Monica (do a Bay Watch impersonation in front of your kids), you are close to Hollywood Blvd, Universal studios (good rides and back stage tours) and La Brea Tar Pits.

 

[Denali]

Im a no for Chicago.

When doing Disney, I think rest days (or half days) are needed to prevent meltdowns.

Recent thread that might help: QF WP’s do Disneyland (LA), Seattle and beyond

 

[leadman]

i would keep Chicago in. its a great city and also a great comparison between LA and NYC. Just alone to catch the EL is worth going there. Great food (read steaks) and the architecture is very different. It does somewhat get you off the tourist trail and after Anaheim you will need it, especially if you do 4 nights (one afternoon was enough for me!).

(and writing this from Reno, one city i suggest you don't want to put on your itinerary.)

 

[Hvr]

I agree, leave Chicago in.

The Art Institute is a whole day for children for all ages.

Navy Pier has heaps of great stuff. There are boat cruises from here that show a different side of Chicago. I'd recommend the architect's tour.

Wrigley Field, even from the outside on game day has lots to see. (It's on the Blue Line from the airport).

Watch Ferris Bueller's day off for more great ideas.

Lots of great parks and walking areas as well.

For the adults, in the evening go to Buddy Guy's Legends. It's great, the music is awesome and you never know who you'll see. Sussana Hoffs was there the night I visited.

Oh and deep pan pizza is so Chicago.

Finally Chicago is the home of Garrett Popcorn. Well worth lining up for to get it fresh and hot.

 

[leadman]

Agreed, and just walking around the city, its great. I do like the riverwalk and crossing the bridges which you see in so many movies. The french market is good too.

 

[offshore171]

I’d suggest Seattle over Chicago. Also 4 nights in Anaheim is excessive.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re Chicago, I looked at it from the point of view of whether the OP ( and kids) would want to see another big US city, or go for a bit of variety, such as Yousemite.

Chicago would also mean another big airport hassle

 

[harvyk]

I guess it depends on your kids, but I agree with the others that 4 Disneyland days is perhaps a day too long. Speaking from experience Disneyland ceases being the happiest place on earth the second kids decide they've had enough.

I'm expecting Hawaii is the relaxing part? I'd be adding in a day or two of nothing in a couple of other places. IME rest days are vital when traveling with kids.

Of course you know your family better than anyone. Just my 2c

 

[Quickstatus]

Kids 7,9,11 won’t be able to do Disneyland 4 days in a row.
3 days possible but must include an afternoon nap. This is because of the night time shows. Or just do 3 afternoons after lunch.
(Personal experience)

 

[Dr Ralph]

There's some big distances between those places. Have you factored this in? So you say for example:

'Hawaii - 6 nights
Los Angeles - 3 nights'

But if this includes travel time you really wont have that many days/nights in each place. I'd estimate depending upon where you are staying that the Hawaii to Los Angeles flights/transit to hotels/dealing with US TSA, could easily add up to 8+ hours. If this type of information is included in your schedule then you've just lot a lot of time. Do this each time you move to a new location and the time mounts up very quickly.


I've been to the US many times. Almost all of those times I'm glad that I did fewer places but spent more time in each of them.

 

[Quickstatus]

Assuming you are doing an itinerary in the order you posted,

Please consider Washington DC.
Book ahead 6months if you want a White House your.

Chicago is good too but with kids I’d go Washington DC - Smithsonian especially.

Consider as with my previous post. 1 full day off (not travelling) every 3 days. It’s a holiday . Veg out time is important

 

[tombob]

Grand Canyon

 

[Straubs]

I like your itinerary and can see it's an American taster. However, I third (fourth?) the suggestion you might be spending too much time in Anaheim, especially given you're apportioning it separately to LA. What about at least swapping it for a Tijuana or San Diego day trip? Or visit Venice Beach? Or a studio lot tour? Just some thoughts. You will have a ball!

 

[legseleven]

HI, sorry for the delay in response. We've gone back and forth over our itinerary and as we are funding the flights with points it was touch and go before we were lucky enough to score 5 x Classic Awards on our chosen fly out date for PER-SYD-HNL to start our trip. Hawaii is not new for us but we all love it especially the kids so we're set to start there.

We've dropped off Chicago and decided to spend that time in California. Never hired a car in the US and a bit apprehensive so would appreciate any feedback on our revised itinerary to avoid extremely heavy traffic areas.

So with our revised itinerary will have 11 nights in California before we head to NYC for 5 nights.

Fly from HNL to LAX (with points) - 2 nights in LA.
Shuttle/uber to Anaheim early evening - 4 nights (3 full days) at Disneyland (allowing for afternoon rest time then go back).
Pacific Surfliner to San Diego - ?? nights.
Hire car to San Francisco - ?? nights.

Confused about time spent in San Diego/San Francisco. Are we attempting too many places? Stick with San Diego or San Francisco only?

No direct or suitable flights using points from San Diego, but direct flights available from San Francisco if that helps.

Thanks!

 

[leadman]

Staying in California like you are thinking i think you will have to plan and do things a bit ad hoc. My sister and husband recently visited me in Reno and just hired a car and drove around from LAX up to SFO, Lake Tahoe, Reno then back to San Diego. Their planning went out the window once they started driving planning a day or two ahead and thoroughly enjoyed it. It might also give you a little bit of flexibility on Anaheim as you have read many here think is a bit long.

 

[Scash]

Wow that’s a busy itinerary once you hit the mainland. I would have done the stopover in HNL on the way home to have a rest from all the travelling and break up the flight from NYC to PER. Can’t comment on San Diego as haven’t been but loved San Fran (although this was without kids).

 

[laffer]

That's a lot of travel. You might need to plan some downtime. I've heard San Diego is good for kids with the excellent zoo, SeaWorld and Naval facility. I'm looking at it doing it myself with a 6 year old.