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

Vikki_74

Just saw this posted on Holiday Pirates, thought it might be of use to anybody on here looking to go in the early part of next year:

British Airways just started a promotion for free vouchers: Get a 15% discount voucher for flights from London Heathrow to the USA and Canada.

The voucher is valid for travel between 1st November 2013 and 14th April 2014. You have to use the voucher by 14th November 2013.

You have to spend a minimum of £450 to participate.

Offer code: ShellnovZHH

travellerboy

northwest1965 wrote: »

Question........Next time, we want to do Yellowstone. Would you fly into Salt Lake?
Also want to tie it in with Chicago/New Orleans.
Can it be done, do you think? (would do internal flight)

Wow, that's a lot of driving - extreme North to almost extreme south.
We did Yellowstone last year, awesome, better than Grand Canyon and that is saying something. We did a round trip from Seattle, thro the Cascade Mountain range into Canada to Banff and Jasper then over the Rockies back into the US. Road to the Sun was fabulous as was the highway from Bozeman to Red Lodge and onto Cody. The Beartooth and Chief Joseph Highways are to die for, honestly. The scenery is mind blowing and the wonders of Yellowstone are never to be forgotten.
We returned to Seattle thro Idaho and Washington State and even saw the rodeo in Pendleton, and that will stay in the memory for a long time.
Would highly recommend that route, about 2500 miles and easy driving with wonderful scenery avoiding all the concrete city jungles.

northwest1965

travellerboy wrote: »

Wow, that's a lot of driving - extreme North to almost extreme south.
We did Yellowstone last year, awesome, better than Grand Canyon and that is saying something. We did a round trip from Seattle, thro the Cascade Mountain range into Canada to Banff and Jasper then over the Rockies back into the US. Road to the Sun was fabulous as was the highway from Bozeman to Red Lodge and onto Cody. The Beartooth and Chief Joseph Highways are to die for, honestly. The scenery is mind blowing and the wonders of Yellowstone are never to be forgotten.
We returned to Seattle Idaho and Washington State and even saw the rodeo in Pendleton, and that will stay in the memory for a long time.
Would highly recommend that route, about 2500 miles and easy driving with wonderful scenery avoiding all the concrete city jungles.

The route has changed completley now:rotfl:

It's going to be a Deep South trip. Not technically SW USA, so I will be shot if I post it here:rotfl:

jackieblack

travellerboy wrote: »

We did Yellowstone last year, awesome, better than Grand Canyon and that is saying something. We did a round trip from Seattle, thro the Cascade Mountain range into Canada to Banff and Jasper then over the Rockies back into the US. Road to the Sun was fabulous as was the highway from Bozeman to Red Lodge and onto Cody. The Beartooth and Chief Joseph Highways are to die for, honestly. The scenery is mind blowing and the wonders of Yellowstone are never to be forgotten.
We returned to Seattle thro Idaho and Washington State and even saw the rodeo in Pendleton, and that will stay in the memory for a long time.
Would highly recommend that route, about 2500 miles and easy driving with wonderful scenery avoiding all the concrete city jungles.

Wow, that sounds amazing and very similar to a trip we're hoping to do in a couple of year's time.
I might try and pick your brain a bit closer to the time, if that's ok?

travellerboy

jackieblack wrote: »

Wow, that sounds amazing and very similar to a trip we're hoping to do in a couple of year's time.
I might try and pick your brain a bit closer to the time, if that's ok?

No problem. The trip was 25 days long which included a 7 day Alaska Inside Passage cruise at the front end. We used Seattle as the base as flight costs and car hire are significantly cheaper in the US than Canada.

jackieblack

Not wanting to take this thread off topic, but.......

travellerboy wrote: »

No problem. The trip was 25 days long which included a 7 day Alaska Inside Passage cruise at the front end. We used Seattle as the base as flight costs and car hire are significantly cheaper in the US than Canada.

I agree, we flew in/out Seattle a couple of years ago as save us about £1000 compared to flying in/out Vancouver.
We drove south to the Columbia River Gorge, back up the WA coast to Olympic NP, ferry to Vancouver Island (Victoria, Tofino, Campbell River), ferry to Vancouver, Whistler, San Juan Islands and back to Seattle.
Was an amazing trip.

Yellowstone/Idaho/Wyoming have been on our wish list for several years but not managed to fit them in, yet, and DH would love to visit Banff/Jasper. Alaska is another destination on my wish list. Cruises have never appealed but the potential for whale spotting could convince me

Only very early stages of planning yet (really just trying to get a rough idea of costs atm)
Hoping that it might be a good 'excuse' (to justify the expense) to do this for our Silver Wedding anniversary.
DH has mentioned Hawaii, but I've got a little while to talk him round - hoping the lure of Bannff/Jasper might persuade him

blindman

Supposedly a Virgin Atlantic sale, haven't compared prices so don't know if it's genuine:cool:

trevor8

Hi i wonder if anyone could give some ideas I have booked a flight for the wife and I for end of May 16 nights flying to San Fransisco and flying out of Las Vegas.So far have just booked 4 nights in San fransisco hotel, am open for the rest was thinking 2 nights down the coast Monterray? then 4 nights in Yosemite Park then maybe Death Valley then Vegas.Never been to America before does this sound ok or does anyone have any other suggestions? any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks Trevor

travellerboy

Hi Trevor, My wife and I did something similar a few years ago although it was in September rather than May. We flew direct to SFO for 2 nights, then hired a car to visit Yosemite NP, we stayed in Mariposa for 2 nights before returning to SFO. Then took a cheap flight from SFO to Las Vegas, stay there for 4 nights (2 night max would have been better). Then hired a car travelled west to Grand Canyon for overnight stop, onto Page (Lake Powell) also spent a day/night at Monument Valley. Then travelled to Zion NP for a couple days and then onto Bryce NP for an overnight stop. We returned back to LV for the return flight home.


Take a look at the typical Fly/Drive packages available, it will give you plenty of ideas on deciding the best route to suit your personal choices.
Don't forget you will need an ESTA to enter USA costs 14$ pp thro' US Embassy website not the rip-off sites. Also try to buy a cheap US Parks Pass off Ebay - it will save a few quid.

blindman

trevor8 wrote: »

Hi i wonder if anyone could give some ideas I have booked a flight for the wife and I for end of May 16 nights flying to San Fransisco and flying out of Las Vegas.So far have just booked 4 nights in San fransisco hotel, am open for the rest was thinking 2 nights down the coast Monterray? then 4 nights in Yosemite Park then maybe Death Valley then Vegas.Never been to America before does this sound ok or does anyone have any other suggestions? any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks Trevor

Didn't read the thread then?