Booked: Vegas hotel + LAS→SEATahoe branch finalizedCars/hotels remain
Booking checklist with dates, routes, people, and notes.
This page tracks every bookable item: flights, hotels/lodging, and cars. Each row shows when it happens, where it starts/ends, who it is for, status, and what to watch before booking.
Final post-Seattle route: Seattle → Sacramento airport pickup → Tahoe/Reno → Buffalo. The older Bay-reset alternative has been removed from the active checklist.
High-level status
Core flights are booked; remaining work is hotels and cars
Confirmed anchors include The Venetian Las Vegas, Sep 20–22, the Las Vegas → Seattle flight, SEA → SMF Sep 29, RNO → BUF Oct 1, and NYC hotels Oct 4–9.
Booked / coveredMust bookFinalize logisticsFlight checklist
| Date(s) | From → To | People | Status | Factors to consider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12 | Bay Area → San Diego SJC → SAN, Southwest WN 1140 11:40 am → 1:10 pm, 1h30m | 3 travelers user + 2 parents | Booked | Public-safe summary only: confirmation, ticket numbers, loyalty numbers, and seat assignments are intentionally omitted. |
| Sep 22 | Las Vegas → Seattle LAS → SEA | 2 parents verify if user is also on booking | Booked | No action unless the existing booking changes. |
| Sep 29 | Seattle → Sacramento SEA → SMF, Southwest WN 3543 3:35 pm → 5:30 pm, 1h55m | 3 travelers user + 2 parents | Booked | User pickup at Sacramento airport, then drive to Tahoe. Public-safe summary only; reservation identifiers are intentionally omitted. |
| Oct 1 | Reno → Buffalo RNO → LAS → BUF, Southwest WN 2609 + WN 2737 12:30 pm → 12:15 am next day, 8h45m | 3 travelers user + 2 parents | Booked | Must position from Tahoe to RNO before 12:30 pm departure. Treat Oct 1 as travel-only. |
| After late Oct 11 departure likely Oct 12 if not red-eyeing | User return Boston → Bay Area | 1 user | Pending | Book one-way after parents leave from Boston. Prefer SJC when price/timing are close; compare SFO/OAK if nonstop timing or price is clearly better. |
Hotel / lodging checklist
| Date(s) | Where | People | Status | Factors to consider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7–12 | Bay Area home base | 2 parents | Covered lodging | No hotel needed, but a Bay Area car is needed during this stay. |
| Sep 12–19 | San Diego base | 2 parents + user if staying | Covered lodging | No San Diego hotel needed. Still need the LA/SD car for local days, Anaheim/Disney, LA, and Vegas drive. |
| Sep 19–20 | LA / Orange County | 2 parents + user if staying | Book hotel | One LA/OC night before Vegas. Prioritize easy parking, safe area, and fast morning exit toward I-15. |
| Sep 20–22 | Las Vegas | 2 parents verify if user included | Booked | The Venetian Las Vegas is the hard hotel anchor. No additional Vegas hotel unless the existing reservation changes. |
| Sep 22–29 | Seattle family stay | 2 parents | Covered lodging | No Seattle hotel expected. Active onward leg is Seattle → Sacramento on Sep 29. |
| Sep 29–30 | Tahoe | 2 parents + user if joining | Book | Book one Tahoe hotel night for the finalized Tahoe branch. Refundable is still preferable until exact activities/weather are clearer. |
| Sep 30–Oct 1 | Reno / RNO airport positioning | 2 parents + user if joining | Book | Book one Reno hotel night so the Oct 1 RNO→BUF flight is practical. Prioritize easy airport access and parking. |
| Oct 1–3 | Buffalo / Niagara Falls | 2 parents + user if continuing east | Book hotel | Need late-arrival night plus Niagara sightseeing night. If flight arrives after midnight, verify the reservation covers the correct prior night and late check-in. |
| Oct 3–4 | Adirondacks midpoint toward NYC (TBD) | 2 parents + user if driving | Book later | Planned Adirondack stop for fall foliage and rest, then overnight about 2–3 hours outside NYC. Place where we stay is intentionally **TBD**. |
| Oct 4–7 | Jersey City / NYC access Hyatt House Jersey City | 2 parents + user if staying | Booked | First NYC-area hotel block. Verify bed setup, total taxes/fees, cancellation terms, late arrival/parking/transit logistics, and PATH/ferry/subway plan into Manhattan. |
| Oct 7–9 | Downtown Manhattan AC Hotel Downtown New York | 2 parents + user if staying | Booked | Second NYC hotel block. Verify bed setup, elevator/accessibility, total taxes/fees, luggage transfer from Jersey City, and easy Oct 9 rental-car pickup / Boston transition. |
| Oct 9–11 | Boston | 2 parents + user if staying | Likely covered | Family stay expected; keep a refundable backup only if that becomes uncertain. |
Car / rental checklist
| Date(s) | Pickup → Dropoff / Use | People | Status | Factors to consider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7–12 | Bay Area local car SFO/Bay pickup → Bay/SJC or local dropoff | 2 parents + user/local family as needed | Book / arrange | Need a car while staying in the Bay Area. Confirm household car vs rental. Align dropoff with the Sep 12 San Diego flight. |
| Sep 12–20 | Full LA/SD segment San Diego pickup → Las Vegas dropoff likely | 2 parents + user if traveling; size for luggage | Book | Car needed for San Diego local days, Anaheim/Disney day trip, LA/OC hotel night, and drive to Vegas. Compare one-way fees and confirm correct dropoff in Las Vegas. |
| Sep 29–Oct 1 | SMF/Sacramento → Tahoe → Reno/RNO | 2 parents + user if joining; size for luggage | Arrange / book | User pickup at SMF after booked SEA→SMF arrival, then drive to Tahoe. Car/drive plan must support Tahoe → Reno positioning and RNO dropoff before the Buffalo flight. |
| Oct 1/2–4 | Buffalo/Niagara → Adirondacks → NYC BUF/Niagara pickup → NYC-area dropoff | 2 parents + user if driving | Book | Need one-way car for the 2–3 Niagara/drive days. Check late pickup after BUF arrival, Adirondacks stop logistics, parking/luggage around the stop, and NYC dropoff before Manhattan parking gets expensive. |
| Oct 4–9 | NYC stay | 2 parents + user if present | Avoid car | Do not keep a rental during Manhattan unless there is a special reason. Parking/traffic likely worse than transit or rideshare. |
| Oct 9–11 | NYC → Boston NYC pickup → Boston dropoff | 2 parents + user if driving; size for luggage | Book | Need a car again to go to Boston, as a separate one-way rental. Drop in Boston before/after parents' late Oct 11 departure depending on local needs and parking cost. |
Recommended booking order
1. Clean up unused duplicate holds
The active route is Tahoe/Reno. Any no-longer-needed duplicate branch reservations should be handled privately outside this public checklist.
2. Book hotels with real constraints
Prioritize LA/OC, Tahoe, Reno/RNO positioning, Buffalo/Niagara, and the Oct 3–4 Adirondacks midpoint stop (location TBD). NYC lodging is now booked: Hyatt House Jersey City Oct 4–7 + AC Hotel Downtown New York Oct 7–9.
3. Book cars by actual pickup/dropoff
Needed: Bay Area stay car, full LA/SD car, SMF→Tahoe→RNO car, Niagara 2–3 day one-way, and separate NYC→Boston one-way.
Public-safe note: this page intentionally omits confirmation numbers, private addresses, and traveler identifiers. It is a checklist, not a reservation vault. Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:43:00Z.