Road Tripping in the USA!

Carmel by the Sea is pretty. It's not far from Monterey so the sea life centre there is reachable. Also worth doing '17-mile drive'.
 
I would do:

1: Santa Barbara
2: Take Highway 1 and stop off at Moro Bay and Pismo Beach. Both are small towns but worth getting out and having a look. Continue north and go to Big Sur. Stay the night in Monterrey.
3: Do the stuff around Monterey like 17 mile drive (if didn't do the day before), go to Carmel (nice town, posh shops), go to the Aquarium if that is your thing. Then either A) There isn't much 'night life' in Monterey so either a quiet night or B) head to Santa Cruz which is an hour away and spend the evening there.
4: If A) Drive from Monterey to SF or if B) spend the morning in Santa Cruz and then drive to SF.
5: SF
6: SF
7: SF (I assume you are travelling home this day, not going to do much)

Not sure what you are planning to do with your car but you could on day 4 drive over the Golden Gate bridge (toll) to the vista point and do the sight seeing thing before ditching it. There is also the golden gate park on the way in and the old WWII gun emplacements on the other side of the bridge.

In Monterey I stayed in Hotel Abrego which was pretty decent and wasn't particularly expensive, slightly out of town but walking distance to the main area in Monterey.

Not sure what would happen on Labour day, its a national holiday. Probably not too different to here, expect it to be busy busy busy the whole weekend.
 
So Me and my Wife have been working on our itinerary for our trip which is below! let me know if you think anything looks wrong or we are missing anywhere good!

Fri 25-May-18 Fly to Seattle
Sat 26-May-18 Train to Vancouver
Sun 27-May-18 Vancouver
Mon 28-May-18 Seattle
Tue 29-May-18 Portland
Wed 30-May-18 portland
Thu 31-May-18 portland
Fri 01-Jun-18 Mt Hood
Sat 02-Jun-18 Bend
Sun 03-Jun-18 Crater Lake
Mon 04-Jun-18 Eureka
Tue 05-Jun-18 Chico - Sierra Nevada Tour
Wed 06-Jun-18 Yosemite
Thu 07-Jun-18 Yosemite
Fri 08-Jun-18 San Francisco
Sat 09-Jun-18 San Francisco
Sun 10-Jun-18 San Francisco
Mon 11-Jun-18 San Francisco
Tue 12-Jun-18 San Francisco
Wed 13-Jun-18 Santa Cruz
Thu 14-Jun-18 Morro Bay (Shoreline inn)
Fri 15-Jun-18 Santa Monica
Sat 16-Jun-18 Beaches and drive to San diego
Sun 17-Jun-18 San Diego
Mon 18-Jun-18 San Diego
Tue 19-Jun-18 Disney
Wed 20-Jun-18 LA
Thu 21-Jun-18 LA
Fri 22-Jun-18 Flight Home LAX 12:40
 
Personally I'd spend a day less in Portland and move it to either Seattle or Vancouver. Portland is good, but the other two are much better.

I'd also drop a day from San Fran and move it to San Diego.
 
Peerzy said:
Personally I'd spend a day less in Portland and move it to either Seattle or Vancouver. Portland is good, but the other two are much better.

I'd also drop a day from San Fran and move it to San Diego.
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The reason we have a long time in san fran is due to family living there so we will be spending time with them and also doing our own thing.

I will take a look at moving a day to seattle. Vancouver is pretty much set in stone now.
 
So After batting a few idea's around we have decided that we are going to give our rental back whilst in san fran and then get a new hire car the day before we leave! and this way we can afford the mustang! cant wait! its gonna be awesome!
 
Hi all,

I'm thinking I should start looking at booking a holiday for this year. Typically like to go away around May time and make use of the bank holiday.

I am fortunate enough that my parents have a villa in Florida (have done Florida to death). It has proven a handy stop over point when visiting the rest of the US. I've been to most of the usual places, Hawaii, San Fran, Las Vegas, NYC, and all the bits in between.
I was a teenager when I visited most of the above, so happy to revisit these places. However, I have never been to LAX.

My partner has been to Florida with me a couple of years ago, we whizzed around the state and did most of the tourist bits. We have also been to NYC over Xmas and skiing in Colorado over new year.

However I'd like her to experience the west coast.

Being a regular visitor of the states I'm well versed in the driving style so no worries there.

So.. my thought is start at LAX, that way I can tick it off my bucket list. Even if it is as tacky as I've been told. Aim to fly out from London on Sat 5th May, probably spend three or four nights in LAX, then head up the coast towards San Fran. I am thinking visit Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz in between.

San Fran, love this city, its an interesting place. Plenty to do, we will probably aim to spend another four or five nights there before heading east towards Yosemite. There will be a stop off either in Yosemite or surrounding area before heading through Death Valley toward Las Vegas. Obviously we will visit Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. With the intention of flying back from LAS on Sun 20th.

There is a lot of potential but I probably need some help with regards to LAX and the stretch up towards San Fran. From there I think we will have plenty to do but just need some input from those who have done this before.

Cheers,
Dan
 
3 weeks is enough time to include San Diego (which is one of the best cities in the US).

LA (4 nights) --> San Diego (4 nights) --> Las Vegas (4 nights) --> Death Valley (1 night) --> Yosemite (1 night) --> San Fran (4 nights) --> Monterey / San Luis Obispo (1 night) --> Santa Barbara (2 nights) --> LA (fly home)

Doing it in that order also puts you on the correct side of the road when driving down the PCH to pull over and stop.

Just noticed you only have 15 nights - that's a real shame as San Diego is so beautiful.
 
We're doing the same thing this September for 16 nights.

Planning on doing the above route but obviously reducing nights etc. Definitely seems the better way round to do it. I just need to work out the itinary.

100% want to do San Diago and the Mrs wants to go to the Zoo!
 
danb21t said:
So.. my thought is start at LAX, that way I can tick it off my bucket list. Even if it is as tacky as I've been told. Aim to fly out from London on Sat 5th May, probably spend three or four nights in LAX, then head up the coast towards San Fran. I am thinking visit Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz in between.

San Fran, love this city, its an interesting place. Plenty to do, we will probably aim to spend another four or five nights there before heading east towards Yosemite. There will be a stop off either in Yosemite or surrounding area before heading through Death Valley toward Las Vegas. Obviously we will visit Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon. With the intention of flying back from LAS on Sun 20th.

There is a lot of potential but I probably need some help with regards to LAX and the stretch up towards San Fran. From there I think we will have plenty to do but just need some input from those who have done this before. You will not have a good idea of how bad the snow is until well into April.

Cheers,
Dan
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Hi Dan

You are complicating your trip a little because you are going in May, there is a chance the Tioga Pass will not be open which means a HUGE detour around. Last year was a bit of a freak year but mid to late May is very normal. I have split my thoughts down below between option A which is the preferred route or b if the Tioga Pass is closed.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

Given 15 nights this is what I would do:

3 Nights LA
1 Night Monterrey - Spend a day driving up to Monterrey, explore the small towns and Big Sur on the way.
2 Nights Santa Barbara - Spend the day doing all the stuff around Monterrey, Camel and Pacific grove and then had up to Santa Barbara in the evening, you then have the full day here the following day.
3 Nights SF
1 Night in Yosemite or as close to as possible drive to YNP is the morning and spend the 2nd half of the day in the park.
Option A) 1 Night in Bishop or Mammoth Lakes (nicer scenery but further away from Death Valley) - Spend the day in Yosemite
Option B) 1 Night in Bakersfield or somewhere closer to Death Valley but there really isn't much in the way of towns between Bakersfield and DV.
3 Nights in Vegas and fly home.

You have an extra night to stick in either LA, SF, LV. Due to the dates you are going I would not book A or B until the website confirms the road is open or 1/2 days before. Or book cancel-able rooms and make sure you cancel them. You really don't want to go the long way if you don't have to.

The rational for choosing the stopping points are:

A)Mammoth Lakes and Bishop are the two standard stopping places, I would argue that Mammoth Lakes is a 'nicer' location but it is further away for the following day. If A is an option then you could just do 1 day in YNP and spend another day somewhere else. You would need to leave SF in late afternoon/early evening and stay in Modesto. Its about half way between SF and Yosmite, you could stay closer to Yosemite but the closer you are the more expensive it gets and the towns are tiny. SF to Yosemite is about a 4 hour drive. You would then get up early and spend the next day in the park before heading to Mammoth Lakes or Bishop.

B) Bakersfield is the last large town before DV, its about 200 miles (4 hours) from Yosemite and 175 Miles (3 hours) from DV. You could explore staying in Ridgecrest but I don't know whats there and it adds a further 113 Miles (2 hours) to an already really long day. This will be a long day so stay in or as close to the park as possible the night before, YNP can be physical if you want to go on a hike plus 4-6 hours driving.

If you are going to the Hoover Dam I would make a day of it and get to the dam EARLY (opening time) and get on the extended tour (this is limited and fills up fast but worth it). Then go to the Lake Mead overlook by the dam and then drive around the lake to the Valley of Fire state park and spend the rest of the day there. Driving though the Lake Mead Recreational Area costs a few bucks but is well worth it and very picturesque. Valley of fire is also a few bucks, but the roads are smooth as butter and there are proper facilities at the visitors centre.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
You are complicating your trip a little because you are going in May, there is a chance the Tioga Pass will not be open which means a HUGE detour around. Last year was a bit of a freak year but mid to late May is very normal. I have split my thoughts down below between option A which is the preferred route or b if the Tioga Pass is closed.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm
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Legend, glad I asked now. I was totally unaware of the Tioga Pass annual restrictions.

b0rn2sk8 said:
The rational for choosing the stopping points are:

A)Mammoth Lakes and Bishop are the two standard stopping places, I would argue that Mammoth Lakes is a 'nicer' location but it is further away for the following day. If A is an option then you could just do 1 day in YNP and spend another day somewhere else. You would need to leave SF in late afternoon/early evening and stay in Modesto. Its about half way between SF and Yosmite, you could stay closer to Yosemite but the closer you are the more expensive it gets and the towns are tiny. SF to Yosemite is about a 4 hour drive. You would then get up early and spend the next day in the park before heading to Mammoth Lakes or Bishop.

B) Bakersfield is the last large town before DV, its about 200 miles (4 hours) from Yosemite and 175 Miles (3 hours) from DV. You could explore staying in Ridgecrest but I don't know whats there and it adds a further 113 Miles (2 hours) to an already really long day. This will be a long day so stay in or as close to the park as possible the night before, YNP can be physical if you want to go on a hike plus 4-6 hours driving.
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Really appreciate your input here, it has given me some food for thought. I am wondering if I push it back a bit, maybe into June. We could maybe celebrate both of our birthdays there.

I did see Bakersfield on the map whilst looking at recommended routes. Quite apt because my sir name is Baker :D:D
 
The flip side is if you go in May the waterfalls will still be flowing in Yosemite, they are very pretty. We went in June last year and due to the freak snow all the waterfalls were in full flow, very rare for that time of year. We were in a snow shower on glacier point, it was a bit of a shock after being in 45C+ heat in death valley the day before. The downside is having to do B which is so much further.

We did the reverse direction to you, I think it makes it slightly easier if you have to do B. The day you spend in death valley is far less demanding, there is not really much walking about to be done and it's too hot to be out in the sun for any length of time. You can get away with doing the 500 miles from Las Vegas to Fresno because of all the stopping and getting out you do going through death valley. You are also on the 'correct' side of the road for the pacific coast highway.
 
Mammoth Lakes is absolutely stunning, Bishop is just a standard random town you drive through. Definitely always go for ML if you can make it worth (we left Vegas, drove through Death Valley and had dinner in Bishop before staying the night in Mammoth Lakes).
 
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