LV to San Fran.....HELP!

[ryan k]

Hi everyone, this is my first post and visit to the US.

My wife and I have planned a roadtrip around the US for 5 weeks beginning April 5th. We feel reasonably well prepared and have much of our travel and hotels booked. However. We leave Las Vegas on April 21st and need to be in San Fransisco on the 24th.
I believe the Tioga pass will be closed at this time so i am seeking advice on a route and places to visit and stay as well as car rental (we have a car booked before LV and after SF). Ideally we'd like to see Yosemite and Death Valley but are aware we've not left a great deal of time.

Any and all advice would be really appreciated,
Thanks

Ryan

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Although the Tioga Pass will be closed you have enough time for a great trip between LV and SF ! You could spend the 21st in, or close to Death valley [Stovepipe Wells/Panamint Springs] or get further and look at staying around Lake Isabella or Bakersfield area. On the 22nd continue to Yosemite and spend the next day there before driving to SF. If you got as far as Lake Isabella on day 1 you could actually drive through Sequoia NP via Three Rivers and stop in Oakhurst on the 22nd, leaving you most of the following day and possibly the morning of the 24th for Yosemite.

[ryan k]

thanks Dave,

thats just the sort of advice i was after, you've given us lots to think about and it's nice to get the opportunity to ask someone in the know!

[ryan k]

If possible could I ask your opinion on a possible route? We are considering taking your advice and staying in stovepipe wells on the 21st after spending the day in death valley NP. The following day we may see more of the park before staying around lake Isabella and then spending 23rd in Yosemite and stay in the park (possibly evergreen lodges)before moving on to sf the next day. Does this sound possible?
Thanks ryan

[AZBuck]

The itinerary you've laid out: Night 1 in Death Valley, Night 2 in Lake Isabella, and Night 3 in Yosemite is not only possible, it sounds like a decidedly relaxed and scenic trip. Yes, you could spend more time in each of those locations than one night, but given your time constraints, your plan is quite nice. Your first two legs only require 3± hours leaving you plenty of time to explore Death Valley and the Lake Isabella area. The longest leg is the drive from Lake Isabella to Yosemite at about 5+ hours, but if you get a relatively early start from lake Isabella and spend the next morning in Yosemite as well before leaving for San Francisco, you can have more than a full day there as well.

AZBuck

[ryan k]

Thank you very much, the area around death valley has been a point of debate in our itinerary for a while and Its very reassuring to have our plans confirmed by someone in the know. We're really excited about this part of the trip