San Francisco - Yosemite - Death Valley - Las Vegas, in 2 days

Hi everyone.

I'm from the UK and am planning to drive from San Francisco to Yosemite, stay over night somewhere, and then drive to Las Vegas. I have read lots of threads on here, but am still overwhelmed!

I have never been to Yosemite, Death Valley or Vegas, so have no idea how long this would realistically take. Could someone please tell me:

1. Is this trip do-able in two days? Would I have time to spend some time visiting yosemite (and going for a swim under the waterfalls)?
2. Some threads on here suggest stopping off over night at the Yosemite Valley, some at Lee Vining and some June Lake. Which is best?
3. If I leave San Francisco around 10am on August 25 at what time would I be at the hotel? And then at what time would I be in Vegas the next day?

Thanks so much for the desperately needed help!

Zach

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

There is a similar query currently also receiving attention so be sure to check in there as well, but basically, if you only have two days (and one night) between San Francisco and Las Vegas AND want to include Yosemite and Death Valley, there are only a few options. Staying in Yosemite Valley would let you make the most of that park, but at the expense of a long day's drive the next day over Tioga Pass (CA-120) and through Death Valley. However, I would not be at all surprised if all the accommodations in Yosemite are completely booked for this year. It is very popular and has a pretty short season. Starting relatively early from San Francisco (before rush hour) would allow you to spend most of the day in the park and still leave an hour or two to get over Tioga Pass before dark and spend the night in Lee Vining. You would still have about 250 miles the next day. But if you're doing this in the summer, that would have you driving through Death Valley in the heat of the noon day sun. I know about mad dogs and Englishmen, but this is not the best time of day to see the Valley during the summer, though it would certainly be an experience. So you see, there is no single hard and fast answer, just choices and options.

AZBuck

Welcome!

If you want to see both Yosemite and Death Valley, you should take at least 3 days. Yosemite is not a park that's conducive to a quick "drive through" which is all you can really do with only 2 days.

It's a 4 to 5 hour drive from SF to Yosemite. It's about 9 hours from Yosemite to LV via Death Valley with no sightseeing stops.

I'm 24, from the UK, and will be going to LA in August. I'll be driving up the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I've never done it before, and don't know much about cars, so I have no idea what to do about the rental.

Hertz has a deal which eliminates the under 25 fee, so I think I should go with them.
The car options are:

1. Chevy Aveo or similar = 928.49 USD Per Month
2. Nissan Sentra or similar = 947.49 USD Per Month
3. Chevrolet Impala or similar = 1017.49 USD Per Month
4. Chevrolet Cobalt or similar = 936.49 USD Per Month
5. Toyota Prius Hybrid = 1067.49 USD Per Month

I like cars that are high off the ground, like hatch-backs, especially for this kind of route. But I don't want a huge car that's hard to maneuver. What do you guys recommend?

Thanks

Zach

All of the cars you've listed - except the prius - are just classes of standard sedans. I don't think any of them are going to be all that different in terms of seating position, and none of those are going to be hatchbacks but I really don't think any of them would be hard to manuver either (remember, Americans love their big cars, and roads are built accordingly). Personally, I'd say the midsized option (presumably the Sentra) looks to be the best value. And of course, remember, these are just model examples, there's a wide varety of specific cars you could get with any of these classes of cars.

The Prius is the oddball here, as it is a hybrid and a more specialty car. I'm surprised the price is that close to the others, and even a little surprised that it is an option for someone who is under 25. The Prius is a hatchback, but it is a small car and I don't think the seating position is especially elevated. For an extra hundred bucks, I could see that as a fun novelty and I would consider it - since hybrids are a bit of a different animal - you might even save a little money in gas. However, if you're looking purely at lowest cost/best value, that fuel savings probably isn't going to make up for the higher rental cost.

I am not sure why these two threads were merged, since one is about a car rental for a trip From LA to SF and the other one is about where to stay on a trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas, but I'm new here so ok!

Thanks for all the replies!

About the car rental:
Thanks for the help Michael.
Would the "or similar" clause allow for them to have cars that are higher up? I rented through Thrifty before, and they had a car that was high off the ground, that was loveley.

About San Francisco - Las Vegas:
Is Lee Vining or June Lake a better stop over?
I was looking at google maps which estimates travel time - is this accurate given that the roads are windy up yosemite?

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I am not sure why these two threads were merged, since one is about a car rental for a trip From LA to SF and the other one is about where to stay on a trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas,

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As you are from the UK, and in the same area of the US in the summer, I guess Michael logically assumed it was the same trip ! One thread for one trip works well around here, it helps to build a full picture and not get repeat questions from other members who can't follow your trip all over the forum. Hope that clears it up.

I am not sure what you mean with regards to the rental, if they have a car that is "higher up" and available you might be able to select it, but the clause is there to protect themselves if there is a shortage of a particular vehicle. That would change from depot to depot, not just company to company.

Most mapping programs are hugely optimistic on anything but a short commute on a main highway so you should add around 20% to the estimated time. However the roads can get busy in the summer Months and queueing to get in the park and moving behind slow traffic can add too that, not to mention sight seeing stops.
I am not sure of where "best" might be to stop, but as has been said, you really don't have a lot of time to enjoy Yosemite and Lee Vining offers the closest lodging outside of the park.

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I am not sure why these two threads were merged, since one is about a car rental for a trip From LA to SF and the other one is about where to stay on a trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas, but I'm new here so ok!

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We have a policy that there should be only one thread about any specific trip, that gives everyone a complete picture of your entire trip, and results in far better and less repetitive information than if we are just looking at fragments of your trip.

Unless I'm mistaken, this car rental is for your one big trip to the Southwest US in August? Or are you planning to spend a month traveling between SF and LA - fly back to the UK - and then turn right back around a few days later and fly back for another august trip from SF to Vegas?

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Would the "or similar" clause allow for them to have cars that are higher up? I rented through Thrifty before, and they had a car that was high off the ground, that was loveley.

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I really have no idea what you might mean here. What car did you have before that you considered to be "higher up?" If being higher up is important to you, then I'd look at renting an SUV - which will likely be significantly more expensive than a standard car - but it will have an elevated seating position. However, in terms of regular cars, I couldn't even begin to tell you which models might have a seat that is what you consider to be higher up.

The or similar means you will get whatever model they have available in that particular class of car. Some places are pretty good about letting you pick the model if they have a few to choose from, but many times they may not give you that option, or they may simply only have one particular model in that class available (which may or may not be the car given as an example.)

Hi everyone

After tomorrow I will be driving Highway 1 from LA to San Francisco.

I am worried about running out of gas along the way. Is there any specific part of the highway where I should fill up at?

Thanks

Zach

No need to worry, just top your tank off around San Louis Obispo and it's only about 130 miles to Carmel, even though there are other [more costly] gas stations on route.

[Please remember the forum rules, one trip, one thread !!]