This is a family trip of 10 people. Within reach are Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the small town of Page.
When standing on this piece of land, every breath of the earth and sunshine and my touch came as expected.
I want to be a character in this landscape.
If you want to be within reach of the blue sky, take a deep breath.
I want to see the expression on each of you’s faces as you hold your breath and welcome the next second of scenery.
This piece of American land is presented in such an informal and domineering manner.
From applying for a visa to landing at the Hong Kong airport, I walked through all the processes and scenery like a dream.
I don’t know where the courage came from, so I decided to set foot on the West Coast of the United States with more than half of my family who barely speak English, and started the journey of renting a car and driving by myself. As my boyfriend said, the 9-day trip covered more than 2,000 kilometers. Overcoming all kinds of unexpected situations, we went from the sea to the Gobi in a mighty way. We not only appreciated the uncanny craftsmanship of nature, but also felt the luxury of the capital. It was very fulfilling and worthwhile. .
Before departure, I recorded the preparation process of the preamble one by one. Including visas, itinerary arrangements, booking air tickets, car rentals, hotel bookings, and buying various tickets. So many details to share.
Itinerary before departure:
Day0: Hong Kong – Los Angeles
Day1: Los Angeles Day2: Los
Angeles – Las Vegas
Day3: Las Vegas, outlet
Day4: Las Vegas – Page (Page, AZ)
Day5 : Antelope Canyon near Page City, Horseshoe Bend, drive to Tusayan near the Grand Canyon in the afternoon, stay in Tusayan
Day6: Grand Canyon, stay in Tusayan
Day7: Grand Canyon-Los Angeles
Day8: Universal studio Hollywood Universal studio, flight at 11 pm Hongkong.
This is the itinerary before departure. However, when Day 3 was in Las Vegas, it was confirmed from the TV news that the national park was closed due to the shutdown of the US government. On Day 4, I left Las Vegas, drove to Page, and called again to the Grand Canyon to confirm whether the park was closed. As a result, there was a recording of the park closing message on the other end of the phone. It seemed that the entire visitor center was no longer occupied. What should we do? We originally planned to stay in a hotel near the Grand Canyon for two nights. If the park is closed, why would we go there to stay? Immediately called the hotel and asked if it was possible to cancel the reservation. The hotel told me to contact booking.com where I booked the hotel. Then I called Booking, and after Booking understood our intentions, I reconfirmed with the hotel. I waited online, and after a while, booking replied that the hotel was willing to cancel our reservation and refund the full amount.
After canceling the hotel in the Grand Canyon, it is necessary to consider what to do with the extra two days. We thought about going directly to Santiago, but after checking the hotel, we still don’t think it is very reliable. First of all, it takes at least 7 hours to drive directly from Page to San Diego. In addition, I have never done research on San Diego before departure, and I don’t even have a concept of where to live, so I don’t know how to choose. In the end, I decided to go back to Las Vegas for another two days. The reasons are 1. I haven’t had time to watch the show before, so I have to choose a show to watch this time; 2. The Outlet makes everyone miss it, and I haven’t been shopping for most of the day before; 3. There are many hotels and cheap prices, so it’s easy to choose. After confirmation, call Expedia to book the hotel online. I booked Caesar palace and Paris for one night each at the price of cabbage. From confirming the change, to canceling the original reservation, to rescheduling and rebooking, the time taken for the whole process was completed on the road from Las Vegas to Barstow.
So, the actual itinerary is:
Day0: Hong Kong – Los Angeles
Day1: Los Angeles Day2: Los
Angeles – Las Vegas
Day3: Las Vegas
Day4: Las Vegas – Page City, Horseshoe Bay
Day5: Antelope Canyon near Page City, return to Las Vegas in the afternoon
Day6: Las Vegas, watch the show
Day7: Las Vegas – Los Angeles , outlet
Day8: Hollywood Universal Studios Universal studio, fly to Hong Kong at 11 pm.
Per capita cost
Air ticket: HKD9568/person
Hotel: HKD3000/person
Car rental: HKD800/person
Antelope Canyon + Universal Studios ticket: HKD1000/person
Travel insurance: HKD150/person
Refueling: HKD320/person
Meal + tip + parking fee, etc.: HKD2800/person
David Ticket: HKD800/person
Total: around HKD18000/person (exclude shopping expense)
The plane arrived at LA at 11:00 p.m. on September 27th, Beijing time, at 10:00 p.m. local time on the 27th.
Day 0: HK to LA
After getting off the plane, you have to go through a lengthy immigration process. The customs checklist is filled out on the plane, and a family only needs to fill out one. When queuing to enter the country, there is free Wi-Fi, and you can tell your family that you are safe. Take luggage after entry. The customs manifest must be submitted again before leaving the airport completely. At this time, you may be asked to check your luggage again. The plane landed at 9:30, walked out of the airport completely, and picked up the car at Enterprise’s parking lot, it was almost 11 o’clock. Los Angeles is actually still busy. The car drove out of the yard, and our self-driving officially started. This time I was really driving in the United States. Previously in Maui, Hawaii, I tried driving on an empty road. But this time when I got the car late at night, I had to drive on a one-way 8-lane highway. Both nervous and excited. My boyfriend was always worried. I said, just take it slow. He said that it is not allowed to drive slowly on the highway. So I got on the high-speed car and mentioned 100 at once. All the way to the hotel smoothly. Valet parking USD36 per car per day. Unload the luggage and go back to each room, take a good rest and prepare for the next day’s City Tour.
Day1: LA City Tour:
UCLA, Getty Center, Getty Villa, Santa Monica beach and Rodeo Dr.
Depart at 8 o’clock in the morning, and eat M Kee at the request of my cousin. I ate there once when I first went to the US, and it was a bad impression. Unexpectedly, after trying this time, breakfast can make people feel satisfied. After breakfast, drive to UCLA campus. On the way to UCLA, I passed an area full of big houses. Tree-lined. Every house has its own design, which makes people yearn for it. The campus of the American University is open, find Visitor parking, keep the car well, stroll around the campus, the library, the big lawn, the sun is warm, it is really a beautiful campus. No wonder people who study at UCLA are very proud. In the early morning sunshine, the family was wandering in the quiet campus and met Mr. Squirrel.
From the big lawn up a flight of stairs, the first group photo of 10 people. The little beauty who studied at UCLA helped us take the photo. After UCLA, the next stop is Getty Center!
From UCLA, it only takes 10 minutes to drive to Getty Center. After the car is parked in the parking lot, line up to take the tram. The tram climbs from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, which is where the Getty Center is. The scenery along the way is very good, overlooking the entire city of Los Angeles. Getty Center (#{***;) is like an art center. Whether it is the building itself, the garden landscape or the collection of sculptures and paintings, it is an eye-opener. It’s hard to imagine that such a rich man who loves art can collect things all over the world, and then put them together for free exhibition for everyone to see. I love it here!
After the car stops at the parking lot of Getty Center, take a small train from the foot of the mountain to the Center on the mountain.
When the car enters the parking lot of the park, there is no need to pay for this entrance. The parking fee is paid at the small window in the train station when you come out.
After arriving at the Center, first visited the indoor exhibits. There are many famous paintings and handicrafts. Even if it is compared with the Art Museum of Chicago that I went to before, it is not much inferior.
Say Bye to Getty Center! Next stop: Getty Villa!
Getty Villa is on the hill half an hour away from Getty Center. If you visit Getty Villa and Getty Center on the same day, you can have a Pay once, park twice discount, USD 15 to park in two places. Most of Getty Villa are collections of ancient Greece and Rome, and the garden style is also very ancient Roman style. The building has a strong sense of space. Very different style from Getty Center. People love them just as much. Both of these places can be visited for a whole day.
When going to Getty Villa, there will be a walk along the seaside, where you can see the waves and seagulls rolling in the sun. Coming out of Getty Villa, we stopped by the side of the road to look at the Western Pacific in the sun. Seabirds hover in groups, and when they see fish in the water, they plunge their heads into the water. There are fit people basking in the sun by the sea. Reminds me of the coast of Hawaii.
Some people are basking in the sun, some are fishing, some are picking shells, and some are stepping on the waves.
Dinner decided to settle in the Cheesecake factory. It feels very representative, like an advanced version of the Chinese pastry king. Local food chain. This Cheesecake factory is located on Rodeo Dr. in the Beverly Hill area. It is a commercial street full of famous shops and various big brands. You can take a look at the places where celebrities are usually photographed on the street. After dinner at around 8:00, due to jet lag, everyone felt tired, went to the supermarket near the hotel to buy some fruit and food, and went back to the hotel to sleep. Going to Las Vegas the next day!
Day 2: LA to Las Vegas
Google that it takes about 4 hours from LA to Las Vegas. We want to get there before lunch. Decided to leave at 8 am. As usual, breakfast is settled at the McDonald’s next to the Hyatt. However, after hitting the road, the actual driving time far exceeds Google’s estimated time. Our two cars, refueling halfway, took a lot of time to rest. It was only 2 o’clock in the afternoon when we arrived in Las Vegas.
It took a lot of time to line up for Check in at the PH hotel we booked, and it was almost 4 pm when we entered the room. So I decided to skip lunch, use the snacks I bought before as a base, and go to Wynn to eat their buffet at night. We arrived at Wynn around 5 o’clock. The hotel where the British prince opened a nude party must have something special. The hotel is new and gorgeous. The layout is very joyful, if you have enough time, you can still come in and take a stroll. The place for the buffet is also very special. There are ten of us, including tax and 18% tip, the total is USD492. The credit-to-price ratio is very low, and the seafood only has frozen long-legged crabs and shrimps. If you arrive so early, there are not many oysters left. Salmon and nothing. For dessert, there is only one caramel stewed egg.
Wynn’s cafeteria, the real scene will be more beautiful, it feels like a fairy tale. To say that the most nostalgic part of Wynn’s buffet should be the area surrounded by flowers.
After eating the Buffet, we drove the car back to the hotel where we stayed, and the ten of us separated. Let’s experience the city that never sleeps. The advantage of living in The strip area is that you can walk to many hotels within walking distance. The PH where we live is opposite Bellagio, and the fountain show at the door can often be passed by. My boyfriend said, I want to stand directly opposite and watch the whole musical fountain show, so that I have been to Las Vegas. After passing by countless times, his wish was not fulfilled.
Day3: Las Vegas- Outlet Day
If such a trip does not go to the outlet, it must be incomplete. The premium outlets on the north side of Las Vegas.
First get up in the morning and take a good look at the city, and then prepare to go to the OUTLET. In other words, a happy city is anytime you can see happy scenes and faces.
Have breakfast in the open-air restaurant at the door. Potatoes were burnt. The taste is average, but the location is very good, condescending to watch the passing pedestrians on the side of the road.
The feathered pinup is out and about to start the day – take pictures with everyone!After breakfast, walk around the neighborhood. Enthusiastic people want to help me take a group photo. Come to Vegas once, and miss the scenery of France.
As he walked, the sun became more and more murderous. So in California, you must do a good job of sun protection!
At noon, we went straight to the Outlet after relishing the taste of China in Chinatown. The time to visit the outlet always goes by very fast. In fact, it should be early in the morning, as soon as it opens the door! I can’t stop shopping! In the evening we chose the buffet at Bellagio. 10 people, including tax and tip, the total is about USD406. The food is slightly better than Wynn’s, with more Japanese dishes such as salmon, but it is basically at the same level, and it cannot be said to be much better. But it is much cheaper than Wynn! Not to mention the buffet, the lobby of the Bellagio alone is a must-see! It’s so gorgeous inside! When Halloween falls, there is a large area dedicated to Halloween display. It is more beautifully arranged than any paid theme park! The glass flower ceiling in the lobby of the hotel is also famous! This hotel is also one of the attractions of the tour group. You can see a lot of people holding small flags. It is the most recommended visit among all the hotels I have been to this trip.
Day4 Las Vegas to Page
During the two days in Las Vegas, we learned from the news that the US government may be closed. When we left Las Vegas and went to Page, we were determined to face up to this problem , called to make sure the Grand Canyon was indeed closed. Because we plan to live near the Grand Canyon for two days, the hotel was booked early in the morning. Sure enough, the park was closed. Then, as mentioned at the beginning, a series of cancellations, changes to the itinerary, and rebooking were completed on the first half of the way from Las Vegas to Page. Don’t go to the Grand Canyon, Page’s Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend will return to Las Vegas after visiting. After all, I haven’t had time to watch the show and visit a few more hotels in the previous two days.
Before arriving at Page’s hotel, you can already clearly feel the closure of the national park along the way. Many viewing paths have erected signs with words such as stop and close. When I wanted to enter Lake Shore Dr. to take a look at Lake Powell on Highway 89, I was stopped by the police. We were very nicely told that it was closed, and we could not enter if we did not book the hotel in advance.
On the road from Las Vegas to Page, it seems a little wetter than Nevada, where Las Vegas is located, and the plants can still show green. After driving for a long time, I stopped to rest. In this vast American Great West.
Seeing a lot of cars parked on the side of the road, we also stopped. But during the pause time, no one could be seen at all, which reminded me of western horror movies. . .
After a break this time, he kicked the gas pedal directly to Page. Go directly to the hotel we booked to check in, before the sun goes down, start again from the hotel, and hurry to Horseshoe Bend to take a look. A small horseshoe bay is really shocking! Suddenly the long journey made it all feel worthwhile. It’s so beautiful to stay by the bay under the sunset like this! As soon as the sun goes down, though, the temperature plummets. There are no lights around. Head back to town for dinner before it gets dark.
It only takes 5 minutes to drive from the hotel, park the car in the parking lot, climb over a small hill, and Horseshoe Bay will come into view soon.
The same scenery next door, the plants with spikes are spread evenly in order to better absorb water. Over the hillside, in the distance is Horseshoe Bay.
When we got to the edge of the cliff, everyone held their breath, and then. . . Wow. . .Tried to get a panoramic view of Horseshoe Bend, but couldn’t get any closer.
Everyone found a good position along the bay and watched the sunset like this. If the time is not so fast, sitting on the ground on the edge of the cliff, watching the magnificence of nature, is really very happy.
A girl standing very close to the edge is very worrying. She held the camera like this, and took pictures for a long time without moving.
For dinner we went to a Chinese buffet. USD10 per person, the food is not bad. Counting tax and tip, 10 people is about USD127 total. One day later, I met an American boy who lived in Page. He said that his stepmother was from Hong Kong and opened a Chinese restaurant in Page. The taste was much better than that Chinese buffet! I don’t know what his restaurant is called. You can look for it next time. In such a remote state of Arizona, I feel boundless happiness to be able to eat delicious Chinese food.
At night, it’s pitch black outside, sleep in a small hotel, and enjoy the environment away from the complicated. Las Vegas yesterday seems like a long time ago!
Day5 Antelope Canyon tour; Page to Las Vegas
Made an appointment to enter the Antelope Canyon Tour at 11:30 noon on this day. This is an area managed by Indians and is not included in the national park, so you can go as scheduled. The boarding place is a 2-minute drive from the hotel. Before going to Antelope Canyon, I drove again to Glen Dam that I passed by yesterday. Standing by the side of the high dam, my legs and feet felt weak.
Before going to Antelope Canyon, let’s look at Glen Dam that passed by yesterday. The blue water of Powell Lake in the distance is like a fairyland. It’s a pity that the closure is not close.‘’
The dam is so high that standing on the bridge will shake your legs.
Then, go to the meeting point for departure to Antelope Canyon. Enter the small room and take out the reservation number. When I booked online, the credit card was guaranteed, but there was no payment. I only swiped the credit card after I arrived. USD46 per person. Then it’s time to drive to Antelope Canyon in a jeep! The sign in the small house says the availability of the Antelope Canyon visit quota, today, tomorrow, and most of the next three days are fully booked.
When it was almost 11:30, the departure point was already bustling with many people waiting. A staff member started arranging boarding. Our family of 10 were the first to be called, and excitedly climbed onto the off-road vehicle.
The driver told us the precautions. When we set off, we have to walk a section of high speed for about 10 minutes, and then walk a section of sandy road for about 15 minutes. The car will not stop when the wind is strong, and the glasses, headscarves and hats have fallen off. Buckle up, our first car is off! There is nothing special about driving at high speed. When the car drove into the desert full of sand, it was really exciting. No wonder it is necessary to take an off-road vehicle with such a large tire. It is difficult for ordinary vehicles to move in such sand. Where the off-road vehicle passed, sand was flying all over the sky. The car behind suffered a big loss.
Bumped to the mouth of the Antelope Canyon. When I got out of the car, my feet were covered with sand. I wear sandals and find them very convenient! Then the driver took us into the Antelope Canyon. Walking into the valley, everyone became excited and sighed at the uncanny workmanship of nature. Camera phones are serious about taking pictures.
A lot of car seats are parked at the door, and you can foresee how many people are in front of you.
The driver will tell us what angles can take good photos. I saw the beautiful photos of Antelope Canyon taken by many people, and I felt that when I went there, I must take beautiful pictures. But the fact is, our small card machine is not enough. I am appreciating the valley about 300 meters long. The scene of the light shining down is actually in front of you. The sun was moving, like magic, one moment the light was visible, the next moment it wasn’t. Walking to the end of the valley, under the sun, we happily took pictures. Take a photo of the whole family and take a photo with the Indian driver. Time flies by. The driver has not urged us, watching us jumping around, having fun.
A beam of sunshine shines down, but soon the angle passes and it disappears. Many beautiful things are always fleeting.
After walking the 300m valley, at the end is the scene that can be seen everywhere here. But it’s still pretty incredible to actually step on it.
Come here to get a professional camera. The cousin carried it. Many beautiful landscape photos above are also from her hands.
After visiting Antelope Canyon, we returned to the starting point, and we ordered 4 pizzas at Pizza Hut to eat together. Sitting on the wooden tables and chairs outdoors, under the sun and in the shade, drinking soft drinks, and eating freshly baked pizza, I am full of happiness.
It will take several hours to drive back to Las Vegas. Our long-distance trips always take longer than our Google queries, simply because we take our time along the way. Along the way, we stopped at DQ Snow Queen to eat ice cream. By the time we arrived in Las Vegas, it was already dark. We stayed at Caesar Place this night. Because we arrived late, when we checked in, all the rooms that were booked as double rooms were accidentally gone. The front desk felt very sorry, so we had to change all of us to double rooms and upgrade them. Is this a blessing in disguise? The room is big and high-end, I really lived in a Baifumei-level room at the price of cabbage. I really like the black-and-white look of Venus with red lips hanging in the room and corridor.
In the lobby of the check-in of Caesars Palace, there is a water fountain statue in the center.
I learned before that Caesars Group hotels can buy a Total rewards thing, and then they can eat all they want in all hotels under his banner for 24 hours. So we decided to buy this tonight and have it until tomorrow night. However, the buffet at Caesar Place is more advanced and not fully included in the total rewards. That is to say, if you bought total rewards, if you want to eat this restaurant, the original price of dinner is USD47 per person, but now you can pay USD25 per person. So we bought Total rewards and enjoyed the buffet tonight at the price of USD25 per person. Counting the meal tonight, the total rewards cost about USD90 per person.
After nightfall, finally back to Las Vegas again. Stay at Caesar Palace and eat the best buffet downstairs.
The full name of this Buffet is Bacchanal Buffet. Sure enough, it is a high-end buffet. The food is not at the same level as the previous Wynn, Bellagio, and later Paris, flamingo. You can drink silk and bamboo chicken soup full of American ginseng, and the taste of macarons is also wonderful. Grilled lamb chops, cowboy bones look tempting! highly recommende.
Day6 Las Vegas
originally stayed in Las Vegas on this day in the Grand Canyon. On this day we will move to Paris. If I knew that Caesar palace is so beautiful, I should have booked it for two days! But it’s not bad to experience a hotel with a different theme.
In the morning, go to the flamingo opposite Caesars Palace to have breakfast with the total rewards bracelet. There is a small park with a lot of flamingos in it. The buffet is next to the park. Outside the transparent glass are all kinds of birds swimming happily. It is very enjoyable to watch while eating.
From Caesars Palace Check out to Paris Check in. It’s just across the road, but I waited almost half an hour for Valet’s car. After checking in to Paris, we decided to buy tickets for the show at night. Kiosks selling discounted tickets can be seen everywhere on the roadside of Las Vegas. I originally wanted to see Wynn’s The Dream, which is a gorgeous and fantastic dance show. It turned out that we were off on Wednesday and Thursday. Decided to see David Copper’s magic show, at MGM. USD940 for 9 people including tax and handling fee. Sit in the last row in the front row area. A small round table for four people. After booking the tickets, there is still an afternoon to kill. A group of people went to Luxor to see an exhibition called Bodies. It is a very awesome, very scientifically meaningful and terrifying exhibition of the human body.
Day7 Las Vegas to LA
After breakfast on the third day, we departed from Vegas and returned to LA. When I came here, I passed a big OUTLET on the way. At that time, Miss was dropped, so I am going to take a stroll this time. The Outlet is called Fashion outlets of Las Vegas, on the way from LA to Vegas, less than an hour’s drive from Vegas. Very deserted. There are not many brands, but there is Hollister’s Outlet. Had lunch in the Outlet. It’s Chinese food. You can find Chinese food everywhere you go. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, I went on the road again, and ate TCBY’s ice cream during the break. The simplest vanilla ice cream is so delicious that I want to cry.
When night fell, I finally arrived in LA. The traffic situation in LA is really bad. If it is not jammed, maybe we can arrive before dark. Then check in to the Hilton located in universal city, which was booked early in the morning. This is the worst worst worst Hilton I have ever experienced! After I came back, I wrote a long review, and then I looked at other people’s reviews on the website, and there were actually very similar to mine! It can only be said that if I do poorly, I can’t blame others.
The settlement of dinner was quite strange. After checking in at night, it was already very late, and except for the American hamburger fast food restaurants, many others have closed. It was too much work to get everyone out of the room and drive out to find something to eat. I want to say, why not go to IN&OUT, a famous burger restaurant in California, and standard American food. I drove to the nearby In & out, and the car lined up to order, pay and get food. I bought 10 set meals, but I was given 20 servings of French fries, which was too much.
Day8 Universal Studio
Is Saturday, and my heart is ready to line up. But fortunately, there were very few people in the garden that day! None of our items were queued for more than 20 minutes! Take the printed proof of online ticket purchase and go to a group center to exchange tickets. Each ticket has its own name. When queuing up to enter the park, you need to print your fingerprints once you hold the ticket. This ticket is a ticket valid for 3 admissions in one year. Because the fingerprints are printed, there may be no chance of lending it to others. I can only look forward to having the opportunity to come again within a year!
After entering the park, go straight to the first project: Studio tour is to sit on a multi-section cable car to visit the place where Hollywood filming and recording programs are performed! very cool. The whole tour takes about half an hour. We went through the library where The Voice of America is recorded, as well as the places where producers and directors work, and went to many outdoor scenes, such as the streets of New York, the small squares in France, etc., and the shooting of Desperate Housewives Walked around in a circle, and then the place where the lake and seascape were filmed, and the scene of the plane crash. During the period, I also wore 3D glasses to experience the scene of walking into the movie King Kong. I also went into the subway to feel the feeling of the subway flooding and the sky falling apart after the earthquake. Still on the road suddenly encountered rain and flash floods. Very very interesting! The first one thinks the ticket is worth it!
A crash site made of a real plane! ! The crash scene in Tom Cruise’s “War of the Worlds”. I heard that because the size of the plane is too large and the road is not wide enough, many parts are directly dropped by the helicopter!
Picked up the car at the hotel and headed to the airport. Let me lament the poor traffic in Los Angeles again. There were a lot of traffic jams on the way to the airport. Using Google map, I saw a long stretch of red on the expressway. I didn’t dare to go, so I took a less congested city road, and then went straight. After waiting for endless traffic lights, I finally got on Take the 405 highway. Return the car at Enterprise near the airport, take the shuttle bus to the airport, check in, and check in your luggage. The location was selected when I checked in online two days ago. Our checked luggage is overweight. The staff was a little sorry to say that the luggage was overweight. I smiled and said, I understand, Cathay Pacific, the reason why I choose you. Then it was checked in without incident!
Sitting at the airport with free WIFI, suddenly what I experienced these days seems to be a long time ago.
I took melatonin on the plane, put on eye masks and earplugs, and had a comfortable airplane pillow. I basically slept except when I was eating.
Due to the time difference, the plane landed at 5 o’clock the next morning, and I went to work refreshed at 9 o’clock!
