Salt Lake City, UT to San Luis Opisbo, CA

Murphy_The_Cat

I'm just at the preliminary stage of planning next years holiday.
My initial plan is to land in Salt Lake City, UT and then drive across to our favourite place in America, San Luis Opisbo, with a flight back from Santa Barbara..

It's about 825 miles from Salt Lake City to SLO, and it looks like I'll be routed via Grand Junction, Vegas & Bakersfield. OR, 925 miles via Elko, Reno & Sacramento.

Has anyone a similar trip to this and if so, could they give me some pointers ?

Its the Cats family holiday and the kittens will be 9 & 6 by next July. They enjoy America and realise that the way we do our American holidays means that there will inevitably be quite a bit of driving time, but this is offset by the multiple different experiences that they get to try/see.

Murph

torbrex

Hey Murphy

I don't know how far off the main highways you will want to go but almost on the route that you mention, I have been white water rafting near Salida, highly impressed with the views at Black Canyon of the Gunnison near Montrose, Canyonlands NP and Bryce Canyon. If you have time, Death Valley is worth a visit but it does take time to get to all the interesting places. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are WOW factor for the trees but again a bit off your route (but not if you go to Death Valley)

travellerboy

I would suggest you spend a couple of days in Moab, the Adventure Capital of the South West. We had a fabulous time rafting on the Colorado and really enjoyed a Balloon flight over Canyonlands, expensive but worth every penny.

blindman

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

I'm just at the preliminary stage of planning next years holiday.
My initial plan is to land in Denver, CO and then drive across to our favourite place in America, San Luis Opisbo, with a flight back from LAX.

It's about 1150 miles from Denver to SLO, and it looks like I'll be routed via Grand Junction, Vegas & Bakersfield.

could they giveme some pointers ?

Murph

I second the recommendation to stay in Moab.
Plenty to do around there plus lots of incredible scenery (Dead horse state point, Arches, Island in the Sky.

My last trip covered the Canyonlands and we stayed at Kanab to visit Torroweap and the Wave.
Lake Powell is a pleasant diversion and you can get boat trips in and around the area.

torbrex

blindman wrote: »

Lake Powell is a pleasant diversion and you can get boat trips in and around the area.

Second vote for Lake Powell, I actually thought it might be a day too far off your route so I didn't mention it.
The lake is a great water playground and the dam itself is an engineering wonder.
The other side of Page on the Indian Reservation is a small area called Antelope Canyon and if you do go to the area, you definitely can't miss this, I had a film camera at the time I was there and I want to go back with a digital (and a tripod) the photo's I took don't show the true colours or give the majesty or athmosphere of the place.

Slideshow

Gloomendoom

Don't miss "Gum Alley" in SLO. It's gross.

BTW torbrex, your linky no worky.

torbrex

Try the link now

Murphy_The_Cat

The flights are booked :beer:

in to Salt Lake City UT
out fron Santa Barbara CA

now to fill in the blanks in between -- I'll be looking closely at all of the suggestions on here;)

torbrex

I have not been to Salt Lake City but a couple of places there are still on my 'to visit' list, the Family History Library and the Olympic Park where I believe that you can be a passenger on a bobsled run down the course.

Murphy_The_Cat

I think that I'll pass on the bobsled passenger bit (being 6ft3in and 17 and a half stone doesn't help - plus, I'm a big girly wuss).

I think that the family going rafting together is going to be high on the priorities.

I've started pricing up on hire cars and my wallet is in a state of shock -- its the first time that I'm going to get hit with one way hire charge, which is going to be $250-$300 plus taxes & charges. Ouch.

torbrex

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

I think that I'll pass on the bobsled passenger bit (being 6ft3in and 17 and a half stone doesn't help - plus, I'm a big girly wuss).

I think that the family going rafting together is going to be high on the priorities.

I've started pricing up on hire cars and my wallet is in a state of shock -- its the first time that I'm going to get hit with one way hire charge, which is going to be $250-$300 plus taxes & charges. Ouch.

There are lots of places for rafting, more so along towards Aspen for the cat 5 rapids but still plenty of white water action to be had all the way down to the Grand Canyon itself.

I know what you mean about hire charges, I have started to plan my holiday and some of the prices are sending shivers down my back :eek: it doesn't help that I have not been across the pond for a couple of years so I am a bit out of touch and add to that, I am going to one of the more expensive states this time.