Mexico cruise or Las Vegas roadtrip, in January?

[Laurino]

Hi everyone,

 

Looking for some advice. Have booked a return flight to LA in early January (2017) to mix it up a little, since we've been to Florida and the Caribbean a couple of winters. We have two weeks and will spend the first week in the LA area, Hollywood and Disneyland etc. For the second week we can't decide if we should take a HAL Mexico cruise from San Diego, or if we should do a road trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon or Palm Springs.

 

The difficulty lies in that the Mexico itinerary seems slightly boring with 3 sea days in one week and I don't know if Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta are worthwhile, but Cabo San Lucas seems nice. However Mexico would at least be warm, right? Going to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon in winter might be quite cold and we would be disappointed if LA also happens to be cold and we would get bad weather for 2 weeks. At least the deserts and canyons should be more bearable than in summer? Also all that driving and many places to visit is perhaps to busy for a winter getaway, the cruise would be a more relaxing after a week in LA. We also considered San Francisco instead of Las Vegas, but again with the weather in January that doesn't seem appropriate.

 

We're a couple in our 30s. If we went to Las Vegas, it wouldn't be to gamble and drink but rather for the shows, the hotels, the spectacle of it all and the nature in the vicinity. We really like HAL. If Mexico - we aren't that fond of beach life either really, but we love to cruise and we crave nicer weather during our boring winters in Northern Europe.

 

Also do you think we could catch our 3.15PM flight home from LAX the same day, if our ship arrives in San Diego at 7AM? Would a rental car be the best option in this scenario? Should we plan for expedited disembarkment?

 

Grateful for any advice.

/Henrik

[jasmith52]

I don't know if Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta are worthwhile, but Cabo San Lucas seems nice.

 

Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and very nice, Mazatlan is pretty urban but has great open air taxis that are a lot of fun.

 

However Mexico would at least be warm, right?

 

Weather in January is - Luck of the Draw. I took a trip in 2009 where it was quite chilly/windy/cold at sea during that time of year. The next week could be hot though.

 

One benefit of traveling in January is that you may see (from the ship) pods of whales migrating down the coast. I have seen them and it's pretty spectacular.

 

should do a road trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon or Palm Springs.

 

Your choice - Grand Canyon and Palm springs can be very nice. Some people (not me) think Las Vegas is all that. If you haven't seen Las Vegas, it's worth seeing at least once.

 

the Mexico itinerary seems slightly boring with 3 sea days in one week

 

I disagree. I have been on that cruise 9 times now and always have a great time. My suggestion is to consider taking either Princess or even Carnival or NCL rather than HAL. You may have to drive up to Los Angeles or Long Beach in that case. I find that the HAL cruises while having better rooms, great service and food, tend to have not so much to do on board and be rather staid/less-fun.

 

Also do you think we could catch our 3.15PM flight home from LAX the same day, if our ship arrives in San Diego at 7AM? Would a rental car be the best option in this scenario? Should we plan for expedited disembarkment?

 

Yes plan for early departure/expedited disembarkment. Rent a car from SAN airport. The drive to LAX will take around 2 hours (on the weekend) and you'll have beautiful views as you drive through Camp Pendleton. If you are leaving on a weekday add another hour or two to the commute. Even on a weekday you'll miss the morning and afternoon rush.

Edited August 22, 2016 by jasmith52

[CruiserBruce]

Well...as Flagstaff (South Rim, Grand Canyon)has a ski resort, and we have arrived in Flagstaff in the first week of April to a blizzard...I wouldn't be holding my breath for warm weather in the area in January. Phoenix and Tucson- at a much lower attitude than Flagstaff and the South Rim, will be warmer and drier...maybe mid 60s.

 

By the way, the North Rim of the Canyon will be closed- buried in snow. It is a thousand feet higher than the South Rim.

 

A little Google searching for weather history of LA, Vegas, etc, will get you the factual histories.

Edited August 22, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[Laurino]

Well...as Flagstaff (South Rim, Grand Canyon)has a ski resort, and we have arrived in Flagstaff in the first week of April to a blizzard...I wouldn't be holding my breath for warm weather in the area in January. Phoenix and Tucson- at a much lower attitude than Flagstaff and the South Rim, will be warmer and drier...maybe mid 60s.

 

By the way, the North Rim of the Canyon will be closed- buried in snow. It is a thousand feet higher than the South Rim.

 

A little Google searching for weather history of LA, Vegas, etc, will get you the factual histories.

 

Thank you Bruce, the weather doesn't sound very appealing. Yes I've checked the weather on Wikipedia and Wunderground, however facts and web sites can't tell me what the experience is like... so I'm looking for opinions/ recommendations and advice too :o

 

Btw I forgot to mention that it will be our first visit to the region.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Laurino

[Gardyloo]

Hi everyone,

 

Looking for some advice. Have booked a return flight to LA in early January (2017) to mix it up a little, since we've been to Florida and the Caribbean a couple of winters. We have two weeks and will spend the first week in the LA area, Hollywood and Disneyland etc. For the second week we can't decide if we should take a HAL Mexico cruise from San Diego, or if we should do a road trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon or Palm Springs.

 

The difficulty lies in that the Mexico itinerary seems slightly boring with 3 sea days in one week and I don't know if Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta are worthwhile, but Cabo San Lucas seems nice. However Mexico would at least be warm, right? Going to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon in winter might be quite cold and we would be disappointed if LA also happens to be cold and we would get bad weather for 2 weeks. At least the deserts and canyons should be more bearable than in summer? Also all that driving and many places to visit is perhaps to busy for a winter getaway, the cruise would be a more relaxing after a week in LA. We also considered San Francisco instead of Las Vegas, but again with the weather in January that doesn't seem appropriate.

 

We're a couple in our 30s. If we went to Las Vegas, it wouldn't be to gamble and drink but rather for the shows, the hotels, the spectacle of it all and the nature in the vicinity. We really like HAL. If Mexico - we aren't that fond of beach life either really, but we love to cruise and we crave nicer weather during our boring winters in Northern Europe.

 

Also do you think we could catch our 3.15PM flight home from LAX the same day, if our ship arrives in San Diego at 7AM? Would a rental car be the best option in this scenario? Should we plan for expedited disembarkment?

 

Grateful for any advice.

/Henrik

One thing to note is that the Pacific can have pretty big seas at that time of year.

 

To cruise or not to cruise is a choice you can make, with obvious advantages and disadvantages. A road trip is obviously a very different experience, but if you DID decide to hit the road, there are numerous choices of destinations you could pick that would offer some great experiences.

 

For example, you could do a big loop like this - https://goo.gl/maps/vZB4XxWxBB92 which sends you to Death Valley, then to Las Vegas, then back to Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs. Note the Grand Canyon is at very high altitude and prone to icy and/or snowy conditions in January.

 

Death Valley is justly famous for its impressive desolation, and while Joshua Tree isn't as well known as some national parks, its variety and proximity to Palm Springs is terrific. You can stay in Palm Springs with its many lodging and dining options, visit Joshua Tree as a day trip, ride the PS aerial tram up to what may well be snow on the ground, and feel like you're on another planet. The weather in PS/Joshua Tree in January is typically warm in the day and chilly at night (like deserts everywhere) and lodging in PS is quite inexpensive then.

 

Another wonderful mid-winter driving trip is along the coast. Not as warm as the desert of course, but far from cold. Here's a route - https://goo.gl/maps/V7qnwpvdzPn - that would take you north (via the fast but not especially scenic inland route) to the Monterey Peninsula then back along the Big Sur coast to the Hearst Castle, then back through gorgeous Santa Barbara to LA.

 

This would also let you experience some terrific scenery and wildlife, small to big. In Pacific Grove, a nice waterfront town next to Monterey, in January the migrating Monarch butterflies put on an amazing show. You can go whale watching from Monterey, visit Point Lobos for stunning scenery and more marine wildlife, then visit the big elephant seal rookery just north of the Hearst Castle turnoff. Back in Carmel (next to Monterey) you can visit the historic Spanish mission, but you also shouldn't miss the "Queen of the Missions" in Santa Barbara. This is also a fantastic route.

 

Here are some photos, all taken in January:

 

Joshua Tree -

 

 

Pacific Grove butterflies -

 

 

Big Sur coast -

 

 

Elephant seals, San Simeon -

 

 

Mission Santa Barbara -

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Palm Springs and Las Vegas will probably feel a few degrees warmer than the temperature in the winter. strange, but that's how it feels to me. but yes, it will get chilly at night.

 

Our rainy season, such as it is, in LA is between late October and March. supposedly last winter was to be a wetter one than normal, but the rain seemed to stay to the north.

 

We ended up doing several road trips to way up north (just below the Oregon border) to visit our daughter who did her freshmen year up north, and much of the state is very scenic (just not the I-5 between the grapevine and around Tracey). A couple of times we stayed with the 101 instead, even though that's the not quickest drive. Expect a lot of rain from SF on up.

[Laurino]

Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and very nice, Mazatlan is pretty urban but has great open air taxis that are a lot of fun.

Weather in January is - Luck of the Draw. I took a trip in 2009 where it was quite chilly/windy/cold at sea during that time of year. The next week could be hot though.

One benefit of traveling in January is that you may see (from the ship) pods of whales migrating down the coast. I have seen them and it's pretty spectacular.

Your choice - Grand Canyon and Palm springs can be very nice. Some people (not me) think Las Vegas is all that. If you haven't seen Las Vegas, it's worth seeing at least once.

I disagree. I have been on that cruise 9 times now and always have a great time. My suggestion is to consider taking either Princess or even Carnival or NCL rather than HAL. You may have to drive up to Los Angeles or Long Beach in that case. I find that the HAL cruises while having better rooms, great service and food, tend to have not so much to do on board and be rather staid/less-fun.

Yes plan for early departure/expedited disembarkment. Rent a car from SAN airport. The drive to LAX will take around 2 hours (on the weekend) and you'll have beautiful views as you drive through Camp Pendleton. If you are leaving on a weekday add another hour or two to the commute. Even on a weekday you'll miss the morning and afternoon rush.

 

Thanks for a great reply.

 

Even though the sea might be cold, it will be warm in the Mexican ports, right? Whales sound amazing.

 

We've been on 5 HAL cruises and it's our favorite line right now, so that won't be a problem. Have tried Princess and Celebrity also, but not NCL or Carnival. Anyway HAL and Carnival are the only ones with a fitting schedule (between 1-14 January). Now I don't think Carnival fits us, but C Miracle does depart from Long Beach (which would make the return easier than from San Diego) and does an overnight in Cabo instead of Mazatlan. Opinions on the C Miracle vs the Westerdam itinerary?

 

It sounds reassuring that we should make it to our flight. Yes it will be a Saturday morning.

 

/Henrik

[Laurino]

One thing to note is that the Pacific can have pretty big seas at that time of year.

To cruise or not to cruise is a choice you can make, with obvious advantages and disadvantages. A road trip is obviously a very different experience, but if you DID decide to hit the road, there are numerous choices of destinations you could pick that would offer some great experiences.

For example, you could do a big loop like this - https://goo.gl/maps/vZB4XxWxBB92 which sends you to Death Valley, then to Las Vegas, then back to Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs. Note the Grand Canyon is at very high altitude and prone to icy and/or snowy conditions in January.

Death Valley is justly famous for its impressive desolation, and while Joshua Tree isn't as well known as some national parks, its variety and proximity to Palm Springs is terrific. You can stay in Palm Springs with its many lodging and dining options, visit Joshua Tree as a day trip, ride the PS aerial tram up to what may well be snow on the ground, and feel like you're on another planet. The weather in PS/Joshua Tree in January is typically warm in the day and chilly at night (like deserts everywhere) and lodging in PS is quite inexpensive then.

Another wonderful mid-winter driving trip is along the coast. Not as warm as the desert of course, but far from cold. Here's a route - https://goo.gl/maps/V7qnwpvdzPn - that would take you north (via the fast but not especially scenic inland route) to the Monterey Peninsula then back along the Big Sur coast to the Hearst Castle, then back through gorgeous Santa Barbara to LA.

This would also let you experience some terrific scenery and wildlife, small to big. In Pacific Grove, a nice waterfront town next to Monterey, in January the migrating Monarch butterflies put on an amazing show. You can go whale watching from Monterey, visit Point Lobos for stunning scenery and more marine wildlife, then visit the big elephant seal rookery just north of the Hearst Castle turnoff. Back in Carmel (next to Monterey) you can visit the historic Spanish mission, but you also shouldn't miss the "Queen of the Missions" in Santa Barbara. This is also a fantastic route.

 

Thank you for the very nice reply. Great pictures! Those map tours are great suggestions. You're making it even harder to choose... throwing in the coast too... ;)

 

If we would head up North along the coast, wouldn't it be strange to skip San Francisco? And we'll have almost a whole week for the road trip. Actually I'd really like to see Yosemite, but it seems far away and again not so smart in winter, Death Valley and Joshua Tree seems better. The Las Vegas roundtrip you suggested, might be a serious contender.

 

/Henrik

[wilmingtech]

Henrik-

 

Lots of good suggestions here. We have been full time traveling for the last 3 years and have done many of these trips.

 

1. Las Vegas - It gets cold at night in January. And the highs can be in the 60s. Grand Canyon will most likely have snow. Careful with weather reports because it may say 68 degrees in the Grand Canyon but they are talking about the bottom of the canyon. Its an all day hike down if your in fantastic shape and a 2 day hike out. If you are visiting the South or North Rim there will be snow.

 

If you get off the strip My Charleston will be snowed in. Valley of fire is a must see if you are anywhere near the area. The strip is something to see but if you are not wiping your butt with dollar bills it can get expensive quick and gets old after about 48 hours.

 

Pace yourself.

 

2. Mexican Riviera - We did this trip this past February. It was way better than expected. Like many we thought Cabo would be the bomb and it would be booring in Mazatlan and Puerto V. But we loved Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta and thought Cabo was way too touristy. We loved this cruise and would do it again in a heartbeat and on NCL it was super cheap.

 

Locals say its usually dry and 70-90 every day in the winter. It might rain once or twice between Dec - March. The air is much cooler and because of the El nino last year it was cooler and wetter out on the Ocean. Its not the Caribbean. Pacific is much cooler and has a little more weather than the Atlantic.

 

3. Driving north on Rt 101 is amazing. We have done this trip from San Diego up to San Jose and South from WA state down to San Diego. Can't go wrong. It really is a must see. Highly suggest the drive. You won't be able to do a lot of the National Parks like Yosemite and Sequoia in the winter as they too will be snowed in. The coast is an amazing drive. Gotta see halfmoon bay and drive up to San Fran from there. Great ride.

 

Have fun.

 

-Sean

 

PS- 315 PM flight way easy to make if its the same day. No problem. Jump ship at 7 (walk off with luggage) Rent a car. Its a quick 2.5 /3 hour drive on a Sunday.

Edited August 23, 2016 by wilmingtech

[SadieN]

Another option... 4 days on land and a 10day MR cruise on Princess in January from Los Angeles . Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Loreto and La Paz. January one of the better times to go. Not too hot or humid.

 

As a native Angeleno I would LOVE two straight weeks of rain.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[wilmingtech]

3. Driving north on Rt 101 is amazing.

 

That's supposed to be Rt 1. Not 101.

 

-Sean

[Gardyloo]

If we would head up North along the coast, wouldn't it be strange to skip San Francisco? And we'll have almost a whole week for the road trip. Actually I'd really like to see Yosemite, but it seems far away and again not so smart in winter, Death Valley and Joshua Tree seems better. The Las Vegas roundtrip you suggested, might be a serious contender.

I didn't include SF in the coast trip because the inland drive up there is even longer and more boring than just going to Monterey. However, with a week you could easily fly up to SF (inexpensive) and drive one-way down the coast to LA. A timetable would be something like this:

 

Day 1 Fly to SF, day in SF

Day 2 Day in SF

Day 3 AM in SF, PM drive to Monterey

Day 4 Monterey area

Day 5 Monterey to San Simeon/Cambria

Day 6 Cambria to LA via Santa Barbara

Day 7 LA, depart

 

Map - https://goo.gl/maps/jxdjVvtGCRE2

Edited August 23, 2016 by Gardyloo

[Laurino]

Another option... 4 days on land and a 10day MR cruise on Princess in January from Los Angeles . Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Loreto and La Paz. January one of the better times to go. Not too hot or humid.

 

As a native Angeleno I would LOVE two straight weeks of rain.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

There doesn't seem to be any Princess or NCL cruises in the short time span of 1-14 January 2017, only HAL (7 days) and Carnival (7 and 4 days). Thank you anyway.

[Laurino]

Henrik-

Lots of good suggestions here. We have been full time traveling for the last 3 years and have done many of these trips.

1. Las Vegas - It gets cold at night in January. And the highs can be in the 60s. Grand Canyon will most likely have snow. Careful with weather reports because it may say 68 degrees in the Grand Canyon but they are talking about the bottom of the canyon. Its an all day hike down if your in fantastic shape and a 2 day hike out. If you are visiting the South or North Rim there will be snow.

If you get off the strip My Charleston will be snowed in. Valley of fire is a must see if you are anywhere near the area. The strip is something to see but if you are not wiping your butt with dollar bills it can get expensive quick and gets old after about 48 hours.

Pace yourself.

2. Mexican Riviera - We did this trip this past February. It was way better than expected. Like many we thought Cabo would be the bomb and it would be booring in Mazatlan and Puerto V. But we loved Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta and thought Cabo was way too touristy. We loved this cruise and would do it again in a heartbeat and on NCL it was super cheap.

Locals say its usually dry and 70-90 every day in the winter. It might rain once or twice between Dec - March. The air is much cooler and because of the El nino last year it was cooler and wetter out on the Ocean. Its not the Caribbean. Pacific is much cooler and has a little more weather than the Atlantic.

3. Driving north on Rt 101 is amazing. We have done this trip from San Diego up to San Jose and South from WA state down to San Diego. Can't go wrong. It really is a must see. Highly suggest the drive. You won't be able to do a lot of the National Parks like Yosemite and Sequoia in the winter as they too will be snowed in. The coast is an amazing drive. Gotta see halfmoon bay and drive up to San Fran from there. Great ride.

Have fun.

-Sean

PS- 315 PM flight way easy to make if its the same day. No problem. Jump ship at 7 (walk off with luggage) Rent a car. Its a quick 2.5 /3 hour drive on a Sunday.

 

OK great summary, thank you, difficult choices! It seems that only Grand Canyon is a bad idea, Las Vegas would be better paired with the deserts and Palm Springs.

 

/Henrik

Edited August 23, 2016 by Laurino

[Sequim88]

Another factor against Las Vegas and Grand Canyon, in addition to cool to cold temps, is wind. January can be very windy making the cold worse and requiring heavier clothing to be packed and carried around. At least on the coast or onboard a ship lighter layers would be sufficient as long as the top layer is waterproof.

[SadieN]

There doesn't seem to be any Princess or NCL cruises in the short time span of 1-14 January 2017, only HAL (7 days) and Carnival (7 and 4 days). Thank you anyway.

 

 

There's a 10 day Princess cruise leaving Jan 7. Seems to get back after your vacation?

 

 

Have you considered Death Valley?

Edited August 23, 2016 by SadieN

[jasmith52]

Henrik-

2. Mexican Riviera - We did this trip this past February. It was way better than expected. Like many we thought Cabo would be the bomb and it would be booring in Mazatlan and Puerto V. But we loved Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta and thought Cabo was way too touristy. We loved this cruise and would do it again in a heartbeat and on NCL it was super cheap.

 

Cabo has lots of fun stuff to do. You just have to get away from the port. We like to catch a water taxi to Medano Beach around the other side of the bay. We then often rent Jet Skis there. Then we'll usually walk over to the Pueblo Bonita Blanca resort for lunch at their beach-view restaurant (Cilantro's).

 

Then we often go next door to the very-large pool complex at the Pueblo Bonita Rose resort and hang out in a chair by the pool, listening to their music, drinking cocktails. They don't seem to mind as long as you buy lunch/ drinks etc. Then we'll catch a land-taxi back to the ship before it sails.

 

I've included a picture of the restaurant Cilantros at Medano beach and the Pool next door

Edited August 23, 2016 by jasmith52

[Laurino]

There's a 10 day Princess cruise leaving Jan 7. Seems to get back after your vacation?

 

Yes exactly.

[Gardyloo]

We have two weeks and will spend the first week in the LA area, Hollywood and Disneyland etc.

Coming back to your OP, I wanted to mention that with a week in the LA area to start, you could take a couple of those days and use them to drive up the coast, maybe as far as Morro Bay/Pismo Beach, then stop in the gorgeous wine country around Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley on the way back, then hit the desert in the second week.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Gardyloo

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Don't lump Las Vegas and Palm Springs/Palm Desert into one weather pattern just because both are deserts.

 

Las Vegas average high in January is 58°, Palm Springs/Palm Desert is 70°. 12 degrees is a big difference. A lot of Vegas hotels don't have a pool open in January.

 

A few days in Palm Springs/Palm Desert would be great. So would flying down to Puerto Vallarta instead of cruising down. I like PV better than the Cabos or Mazatlan.

 

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park (where El Tovar is) is nearly 7000' so snow is always a possibility.

[SadieN]

That's supposed to be Rt 1. Not 101.

 

-Sean

 

 

Going up the 101 north of San Francisco is amazing. There's a reason it's called the Lost Coast. But this route isn't practical for the OP.

 

 

***

Palm Springs is Low Desert. Las Vegas can almost be considered High Desert. There's a drastic change in elevation between the two.

Edited August 23, 2016 by SadieN

[Cruisin' Chick]

Going up the 101 north of San Francisco is amazing. There's a reason it's called the Lost Coast. But this route isn't practical for the OP.

 

 

***

Palm Springs is Low Desert. Las Vegas can almost be considered High Desert. There's a drastic change in elevation between the two.

 

there is a way of going up or down the 1 north of SF, but very twisting so if time is a problem, you may want to stick with the 101 or the 5. Last year, almost to the day, we came down the 101 (Redwood Hwy) from Humboldt county and veered to the 1 and stayed a night in Fort Bragg. You can also stay in Mendocino. Both are right on the coast. then we went back toward the 101 and eventually to the 5 to return to LA. the week before we did go up the 1 from santa cruz and curved around to SF to show our girl that city before heading back to the 101 (my and her first time on the golden gate bridge).

[Laurino]

Don't lump Las Vegas and Palm Springs/Palm Desert into one weather pattern just because both are deserts.

Las Vegas average high in January is 58°, Palm Springs/Palm Desert is 70°. 12 degrees is a big difference. A lot of Vegas hotels don't have a pool open in January.

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park (where El Tovar is) is nearly 7000' so snow is always a possibility.

 

Yes I think I understand the weather difference now. I meant Las Vegas and Palm Springs might be a better combo itinerary than Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. Partly because Las Vegas would be the main destination but a whole week in that area seems to much, partly because there's a big difference in driving distance and partly because we'll be needing at least an overnight anyway somewhere before heading back to LAX.

[SadieN]

Vegas and the Grand Canyon are a very common vacation combo.

Lots to do in Vegas without gambling.

 

Many times when I don't have a clue what to do in an area I'll look at package tours for highlights of the area. There are many tours doing a circle-- LA-Vegas-Grand Canyon etc

Edited August 24, 2016 by SadieN

[movingimages]

If you go to Vegas, see Beatles LOVE. It's fantastic!

Enjoy your trip.