#18 Help me with my USA experience... please!

Right guys yet again I could do with some suggestions. As of the 22nd of July I will be taking some time out for travelling in the USA, more specifically California and Nevada. What I am looking for is some help with interesting things to do, must sees, places to stay etc.


The plan so far is this (feel free to suggest places along the way):

• Fly into LA – stay in Santa Monica
• Explore LA
• Move on to San Diego
• Stay in San Diego for one or two days
• Move on towards Vegas (help needed here on stop offs along the way)
• Stay in Vegas (accommodation already sorted)
• Go and see the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Death Valley
• Next up to the Yosemite National Park too have a look at that
• Then into San Francisco
• Following that back down to LA, making sure we stop in Santa Barbara

So that is basically the route, and we have all that to cover in 3 and half weeks, which should be more than enough time. But what I am looking for are suggestions of places to go around there, places to avoid. Good clubs, pubs, food, hostels, sights. Routes to take, shortcuts etc.

Basically we are looking to do a bit of surfing, some sightseeing, but mostly chilling out and having a few beers but a good laugh too.

I am in need of your help! All comments welcome! :)