Need trip planning help! Western Canada to Vegas/Anaheim..

Thanks for your help, I appreciate your suggestions. I have been to CA before (by plane), but have never been to LV, I can't see spending much time there but would like to at least see the strip, ditto the other locales, even though I realize they would be very quick. We need to get to CA to visit family, and really want to spend a few days at Disneyland with the kids. Other than that our route/destinations are quite flexible. :)

As usual, Ken (4runnerguy), has good info and I agree - do OR Coast SB! I also agree with him that you are overloading the trip - kinda like 5 pounds of poop in a 3 pound sack as they kinda say. You can saw you have been to those places but you really have not SEEN them; just thru the windshield.

You would spend the whole time on the OR Coast and not get bored; we love it there (been there 4 - 5 times) and will be there - God willing - for another nearly a month next year.

And not sure why Lost Wages (Las Vegas). Don't get me wrong, there are things to do there (we hike and maybe a show (but not always due to expense) - stay at Oasis) but we live reasonably close to there and can easily combine it with things and are generally not on a time schedule.

No matter what you decide, be safe and enjoy. And we are here to help.

Good point about the roadside pullouts..I thought there'd be an advantage to not being on the ocean side, but I see what you mean. How much time would it save to take I-15 both ways, and save Oregon for another trip?

If at all possible, I'd reverse the trip direction. Southbound on the Oregon Coast is our preference. You're on the ocean side of the road and it's easier to get in and out of the numerous scenic pullouts.

You do have a lot planned for a two week trip. You'll do a lot of driving to see Oregon, LV, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Santa Barbara and Disneyland. I'm guessing a 4000+ mile round trip and parts of this trip (esp. the OR coast) isn't fast driving. If two weeks is your limit, I think I'd skip Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam for this trip.

The higher elevations thru mountain passes are the only intermittent worry that is short lived during April should snow conditions arise for Southern Nevada or Southern California...

March and early April is windy season for the deserts with sometimes nasty duststorms, which can also bring rain once in a while...but other days in between it is perfect weather in the deserts.

I would say the only concern for after the first week of April while in Las Vegas is the daytime temperatures can reach the lower 90's F or lower 30's C while clear...unless these hotter temperatures are bothersome, an umbrella to carry around for shade and-or a redneck air conditioner (water spray bottle) is great to have for a deterrent during the afternoon days which worked for me while outdoors.

Anaheim is pretty much coastal weather that is practically perfect temperature wise.

March travel can be hassle free thru the passes and higher elevations on certain western routes as long as the jet streams behave, then again it's a crapshoot of course.

Although Disneyland is usually a pretty busy place year round, I would try to get that visit over with before late May at the latest because of the Memorial Day Weekend which kicks off summer thru Labor Day Weekend, as many kids are out of school by then and gets even more crowded.

Mid March to mid May would be the timeframe I would be shooting for a trip like this, but weighing the options between putting up with early on potential road condition delays or later on in the desert dealing with blistering heat.

We stay as Sam's Town in LV. Off strip but has a free full size tour bus to take you to strip or downtown.

http://www.samstownlv.com/stay/rv-park

I've been in snowstorms in the mountains in every month of the year. Stuff happens. Being Canadian, 3Ducks, I'm sure you can identify!

Thanks, that's what we're aiming for. Friends of ours were stuck in a blizzard south of Salt Lake City in April within the last few years, but we'll take our chances. :D

April is a good time for that trip.

I think 2 weeks or so. Hoping to get to LV in 2 days...1 overnight in Utah somewhere. A few days at Disney, another in SB, then 1 night stops up the Oregon Coast. Does that sound feasible?

Considering April, might be a little quieter and not quite as hot in the Vegas area..