Southwest USA & The West Coast (California, Arizona etc) - General Thread

gracie10

We are spending 2 nights at Yosemite during our trip this summer and have just started planning this bit. Bit confused as to how best to plan the 2 days. If anyone has any advice that would be great. Feel like I'm going round in circles!

Dirk_Gently_2

gracie10 wrote: »

We are spending 2 nights at Yosemite during our trip this summer and have just started planning this bit. Bit confused as to how best to plan the 2 days. If anyone has any advice that would be great. Feel like I'm going round in circles!

If you're planing to do anything that needs booking (e.g tours like the Valley Floor tour, which is a nice introduction) make sure you book as early as possible.

Dirk_Gently_2

Local Planet magazine this month has a very nice feature on the natural wonders of Utah.

Oddly enough, mine arrived today in the same post as a big bundle of leaflets maps, guidebooks etc from the Utah Tourist board. They're highly recommended - register on-line here: http://www.utah.com/visitor/contact_us/info_request.htm and they'll mail you a big bundle of useful maps and other stuff.

northwest1965

blindman wrote: »

Yes

It was a NO:(

For us....also a no

jackieblack

gracie10 wrote: »

We are spending 2 nights at Yosemite during our trip this summer and have just started planning this bit. Bit confused as to how best to plan the 2 days. If anyone has any advice that would be great. Feel like I'm going round in circles!

Have you had a look at the NP website? loads of info here
My advice would be, if you want to explore the valley go early in the mornings, before the crowds arrive. Once it gets busy head out to whichever of the outlying areas appeals.
The giant sequoias are a must-do, IMO.

blindman

northwest1965 wrote: »

For us....also a no

Shame

There's always the walk in lottery the day before

bilty

Hello, hoping someone will be able to help me, planning a trip next year at the end of May, so far our plan is to Fly into San Francisco drive to LA and then to Las Vegas. Is this too much in 10 days. Husband wants to do the Grand cannon and i would like at least 1 day in Vegas. how easy is it to plan yourself.

blindman

bilty wrote: »

Hello, hoping someone will be able to help me, planning a trip next year at the end of May, so far our plan is to Fly into San Francisco drive to LA and then to Las Vegas.

Is this too much in 10 days.

YES

Husband wants to do the Grand cannon and i would like at least 1 day in Vegas.

Vegas to GC is a Longgggggggggg day

how easy is it to plan yourself.

Very easy to plan it yourself.

For 10 days:

Arrive SFO-2 nights min
Drive south to say San Luios Obsibo-Overnight at least one night
Miss out LA-Too big and it's a dump
Drive to LAS Vegas-300 5hr drive- boring miles
Spend minimum 2 nights here
Visit GC from here -overnight if possible.

Lots of other ways:

10 days with those cities involves loads of driving or internal flights.

Enjoy

Murphy_The_Cat

Dirk_Gently wrote: »

Local Planet magazine this month has a very nice feature on the natural wonders of Utah.

Oddly enough, mine arrived today in the same post as a big bundle of leaflets maps, guidebooks etc from the Utah Tourist board. They're highly recommended - register on-line here: http://www.utah.com/visitor/contact_us/info_request.htm and they'll mail you a big bundle of useful maps and other stuff.

Cheers Dirk

I've got a couple of trees worth of brochures/pamphlets winging their way to me from Utah

Murphy_The_Cat

blindman wrote: »

Very easy to plan it yourself.

For 10 days:

Arrive SFO-2 nights min
Drive south to say San Luios Obsibo-Overnight at least one night
Miss out LA-Too big and it's a dump
Drive to LAS Vegas-300 5hr drive- boring miles
Spend minimum 2 nights here
Visit GC from here -overnight if possible.

Lots of other ways:

10 days with those cities involves loads of driving or internal flights.

Enjoy

If staying at SLO, try to include a Thursday night for the Farmers Market - great stuff.
I agree about LA - dump.

Consider driving from SLO to Las Vegas via Death Valley with a break at Furnace Creek. Its a long drive, but different (plus it takes you away from the pit that is LA)