How to Plan a Road Trip to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Napa valley and Redwoods: Introduction

 We had a road trip from Houston to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Napa valley and Redwoods/ Nov 17 to Dec 4, 2022 in son's car, Here are a few highlight pics

LAS VEGAS

Holiday card made of flowers

LOS ANGELES

HOLLYWOOD sign 

Santa Monica Beach, California

Getty Center, Los Angeles

Highway 1, California

Napa valley vineyards

Redwoods National Park

WHAT TO SEE?

Our goal was to enjoy the fabulous holiday decor in Vegas [5 nights], then drive into California, Los Angeles 2 nights, experience the scenic beauty of Napa valley vineyards with base in Petaluma 2 nights, then onward north to Redwoods National Park with base in Crescent City 2 nights.

Drive from Houston to Vegas took 2 days , same for coming back home

WHEN TO GO?

Son used the Thanksgiving holidays and we got out of Vegas on Thanksgiving Thursday. We were able to enjoy the special Christmas decor in all Vegas hotels without facing the crowds.

Everywhere the weather was cool/cold and pleasant ... the country had been having very bad snow storms , so we were thankful for the good weather at our locations.

LOGISTICS

We booked the bases on the drive only as we neared the city. We had a rough idea of how much distance to cover each day and had in mind some possible bases but did not put pressure on ourselves by advance booking. In fact we arrived a day early in Vegas on Saturday evening instead of Sunday morning as planned and booked that night stay off the strip.

Vegas hotels are expensive on weekends ie Friday, Saturday, better to time the stay during week days as we did. 

Also seeing the Christmas decor just before the crowd started pouring in was a good idea

ITINERARY

Day 1 Nov 17: Drive Houston to Ozona

Stay Hillcrest Inn & Suites, Ozona, Texas

Day 2, ,Nov 18: Drive to Benson

STAY Copper Stay Inn, Benson, Arizona

Day 3 ,Nov 19: Reached Vegas by evening

STAY Thunderbird Boutique Hotel, 1 night

Day 4 ,Nov 20: Thunderbird checkout, parked at Strat, Bellagio, Mirage, Venetian

STAY The STRAT 4 nights

Day 5, ,Nov 21:Vegas: Bellagio conservatory, conference halls,, Aria, Cosmopolitan, Planet Hollywood, Paris Paris

Day 6, Nov 22:Vegas: Bellagio conservatory, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay

Day 7 Nov 23 Vegas Wynn, Encore, Treasure Island, Excalibur, NY NY, MGM, Tropicana, Circus Circus

Day 8 Nov 24: Drive from Vegas to LA, Check in,  LA Hollywood sign

STAY: Holly Park Motel near LAX, Inglewood, 2 nights

 Day 9 Nov 25 LA Santa Monica Beach, Getty Center

Day 10  Nov 26 Drive to Petaluma

STAY Quality Inn, Petaluma, 2 nights

Day 11  Nov 27 Napa valley and Sonoma drive

Day 12  Nov 28 Drive from Petaluma to Crescent City

STAY Lighthouse Inn 2 nights

Day 13 Nov 29 Redwood National Park

Day 14  Nov 30 Drive back home Houston

STAY Motel 6, Santa Nella, California

Day 15 Dec 1 Drive

STAY Motel 6, Tuscan downtown

Day 16 Dec 2 Drive

STAY Hillcrest Inn and Suites, Ozona

Day 17 Dec 3 Saturday Back home in Houston [with time to rest on Sunday before staring the office routine]

Report continues here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2023/02/road-trip-to-las-vegas-los-angeles-napa.html