Vegas/California Please Help!

[Jennifer Quinnell]

Hello All! I am from Wisconsin and do not get to travel much. I would appreciate any advice on a road trip we are taking for our 10 years anniversary.

Here is the plan: We will fly into Vegas April 4th and rent a car and do a loop in California. I'd like to see as much nature things as I could. I an new at this so I mapped out a loop going from Vegas up to San Francisco and back to Vegas. Here are some of the towns that I mapped out.

From: L​a​s​ ​V​e​g​a​s​,​ ​N​V​ ​U​S​
To: B​a​r​s​t​o​w​,​ ​C​A​ ​U​S​
To: O​x​n​a​r​d​,​ ​C​A​ ​U​S​
To: S​a​n​ ​F​r​a​n​c​i​s​c​o​,​ ​C​A​ ​U​S​
To: M​a​m​m​o​t​h​ ​L​a​k​e​s​,​ ​C​A​ ​U​S​
To: L​a​s​ ​V​e​g​a​s​,​ ​N​V​ ​U​S​

I'd like to see the ocean(beach) Yosemite, Sequoias, and Death Valley. Some of the questions I have are: What beaches are the best? Is Yosemite accessible in the beginning of April? Is a day at each location going to be enough time? Is four days going to be enough time to do this loop AND see things? Can you drive through Yosemite in April?

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated. :)

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There is simply no way that you can drive to all your intended 'targets' and spend any meaningful time at them in only four days. Under the best of circumstances, just making the loop by car would take two and a half days (with no sight-seeing time whatsoever!) Add in the facts that you'll be driving through some of the most horrendous traffic in the US, and that Tioga Pass (CA-120 east out of Yosemite) will NOT be open in April, and you're looking at closer to four days just to drive. That would be fin if all you wanted to do was to sit in the car, burn gas, and watch the world go by outside, but not for a tenth anniversary trip.

If you've already booked the plane and car, then I'd stronly suggest that you stick to Las Vegas, northern Arizona and the Colorado River. That would include Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and perhaps an overnight in Red Rock Country around Sedona. but not much else. If, on the other hand, getting to the ocean is paramount, then I would suggest skirting Los Angeles to the north and heading for Santa Barbara, a unique shore community with plenty to offer.

So, since you can't do everything on your wish list, your first order of business is to decide on what your priority is. I almost said 'priorities', but I think you have to pick just one. Once you do that we can help you make the most of your very limited time.

AZBuck