Thanks to all for the input and we are nearly ready to commit to our route. Accommodation is not cheap is it? Perhaps the exchange rate makes for bad timing.

I think that no doubt we will over extend things and not see some of the things we should have and see some of the things that we could have avoided! And probably drive too far and try and try to do too much. I don't sleep much so 20 days is like 30 :) And driving isn't much of a bother.

I'll post our suggested route sometime soon. If anyone has a 'you must be mad to go there when you could go here instead' within the general scheme of the route I'd appreciate it. Or 'if you swapped a day there for going 50 miles north' ... etc

We are avoiding LA and Hollywood I think which was a possibility at one time.

Whatever we do will be ok as it's all new but anything that has shopping mall mentioned in a tour tends to make me avoid it.

And spending money :)