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Hi
Just planning the trip of a lifetime to USA and one option is to drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas via Yosemite National Park,next Autumn, taking 2 days (or would 3 be better) Can anyone tell me the mileage and give some ideas of reasonably priced places to stay.Is SF airport the best place to pick up the hire car?
Thanks , Janet
Welcome to the RTA forum!
We've got several hundred threads discussing this basic trip that have lots of ideas to help you with your questions. I'd start by looking at these threads, but also use the search functions to get lots of other good ideas.
The total distance for the trip is about 600 miles, but some significant portions are pretty slow going mountain roads. You'll need at least 2 days, but you could very easily fill 3 days with all there is to see.
It never hurts to shop around for a rental car, and sometimes you'll find better rates at rental locations in the city. When you factor in the time and effort to get from the airport to another location, you'll probably find that renting from at the airport (or a location just off airport property) is your best bet.
Thanks Michael. I'll look at all the threads.We could be put off by finding out that it is expensive to hire a car in California and drop it off in Las Vegas, so may rethink that one. An alternative plan is to hire a car in San Francisco, drive to LA, spend a few days there, take the Amtrak bus to Las Vegas , then hire a car to do the Grand Circle canyon tour which is really the focus of our visit to USA
Janet
Thanks Michael. I'll look at all the threads.We could be put off by finding out that it is expensive to hire a car in California and drop it off in Las Vegas, so may rethink that one. An alternative plan is to hire a car in San Francisco, drive to LA, spend a few days there, take the Amtrak bus to Las Vegas , then hire a car to do the Grand Circle canyon tour which is really the focus of our visit to USA
Janet
JAnet...
try usrentacar.co.uk for booking a car from California to Nevada....i found the prices from Dollar very very good and i don't think you will have a problem with price...just a tip for you...
we are looking at a similiar trip at present :D
Thanks funky fin. I've bookmarked the car hire website and am gradually getting a better idea of my plans.
This Great American Road Trip forum is brilliant!!!
I think we will be hoping to go
Day 1 - from San Francisco by way of Manteca , on Highway 120 to Crane Flat. (overnight in that area)
Day 2 - Over the Tioga Pass to Lee Vining then on towards Death Valley
Day 3 - Cross Death Valley and on to Las Vegas.
Now can anyone help with these questions ?
1) On day 1 would we have any time to just visit Yosemite valley from Crane Flat?
2) On Day 2 how far are we likely to get towards Death Valley and where would be the best place to stop overnight?
3)On Day 3 would it be feasible to cross Death Valley and get to Vegas , or should we stop before Vegas and make a day4 (morning)?
I would be grateful of any help. This trip is not happening until September 2009 - but at the rate I'm going it will take me that long - especially as the next part of the trip is the Grand Circle tour from Las Vegas to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell ( possibly Page), Monument Valley ( from Kayenta), back to the Grand Canyon and via the Hoover Dam to Las Vegas. We want to allow 10 days for this trip. Any help will be well received.
Hi there,
With an early start from S/F then you should be able to visit the valley floor. There is a loop road you can drive around with places to stop and take pics e.t.c. Allow 5 hours or so to get here and 40 mins or so to get back to crane flat. That should give you 4-5 hours to have some lunch and stretch the legs having a look around the valley, a long day but worth it.Quote:
1) On day 1 would we have any time to just visit Yosemite valley from Crane Flat?
Depending on how long you spend travelling over Tioga pass [great views and lots of stops] you should be able to get anywhere between Bishop and Lone pine, setting you up nicely for Death valley.Another early start and you may want to take a ride up to Glacier point in Yosemite before leaving, a fantastic view. If you were to consider this, then you could possibly stay in the Wawona area the first night and you will be on the right road to detour at the beginning of day 2.Quote:
2) On Day 2 how far are we likely to get towards Death Valley and where would be the best place to stop overnight?
That's feasible, the nearer to Lone pine you get the more time you can spend in D/V. However if you did have a little more time to spare you could push everything back a little and be less rushed in Yosemite, and it's the type of place you don't want to leave.Quote:
3)On Day 3 would it be feasible to cross Death Valley and get to Vegas , or should we stop before Vegas and make a day4 (morning)?
That is a nice amount of time for this part of your trip.Quote:
I would be grateful of any help. This trip is not happening until September 2009 - but at the rate I'm going it will take me that long - especially as the next part of the trip is the Grand Circle tour from Las Vegas to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell ( possibly Page), Monument Valley ( from Kayenta), back to the Grand Canyon and via the Hoover Dam to Las Vegas. We want to allow 10 days for this trip. Any help will be well received.
I'm not sure if your 10 days includes staying in Vegas or not, but here's a rough idea.
Vegas to Zion on I-5 then the 9 to springdale [lovely little town] and the park. 2 nights.
Zion to Bryce up the Mount Carmel highway north on 89 west on 12. A short drive but allow time for stops on the checkerboard mesa and red rock canyon. [1 night poss 2?]
Back on yourself to Page, maybe include a visit to Antelope canyon before heading to M/V. 2 or 3 nights between the 2.
Head for the Grand canyon on 160 / 89 and then the 64 into the east entrance where you can take in all the views along Desert view drive. Stop at the entrance and the old watchtower for your first views of the Colorado and canyon. 2 nights.
Then out the south entrance and get on part of '66 before heading over the dam to Vegas.
Here's a link to our trip, that covers much of the same area. It should give you an insight as to what's in store for you.
Hi Dave - thanks for your reply, it's so useful. Been away for 3 weeks in Uk but am now going to follow all the relevant threads , then hopefully can get back to you with few more questions when I've finished planning.The 10 day Grand circle trip is in addition to staying in Las Vegas and I'm hoping to plan driving for every other day so we can explore the places we stop in .
Janet
Hi Janet, welcome back.
When you have put an itinerary together, let us know and I am sure we can help you "fine tune" it. I bet you can't wait. It is an amazing area with so much diversity that we don't see the likes of here in the U.K.
Enjoy the planning, it is a great part of the whole experience.
Janet,
We returned just last week from much the same trip although we had 3 nights in San Fran before moving off. If you do stay there do the Alcatraz tour, spooky! Also I'd recommend a ride on the Cable Cars, a one day passport was $11 and a 3 day one was $18.
We stayed 2 nights in the Yosemite Park, and 1 night in Death Valley and I'd recommend both. I've posted quite a few queries on the forum & the help I got from those in the know was excellent. As regards the travel time you take between SF and the Grand Canyon I'd build in a few extra nights as there's just so much to see & do. If you don't allow sufficient time you'll pass them by & wish you had longer.
Our intended route was from SF to Yosemite, out via the Tioga pass, then down to Death Valley, and across to Vegas. A route that was recommended to me for the first part was from SF towards Sacrament then down what I think was called the Gold Rush trail, with a stopover at Murphys. We stayed there in the Murphys Hotel and it was excellent, I'd recommend it. With a Saloon where the regulars were drinking and Dinner and Breakfast in the Garden it was gorgeous. The town itself is a quiet little place, beautiful.
If you’re a wine drinker there's a ton of Wineries nearby worth a visit. We visited 'Ironstone' and took the free tour, which is followed of course by tasting.
Driving to and through Yosemite needs extra time allocated as the roads are nearly all up & down with plenty of bends. Glacier Point is well worth a visit for the views alone. We stayed in what was called a 'Log Cabin'. With 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms between 3 couples we had load of room! The highlight of our stay was on the 2nd evening when we were sitting on the rear dock having our bbq when a Deer wandered past with a fawn following. If you Google 'Redwoods in Yosemite' you'll see the type of thing I mean, although they are at the southern end of the park and hence about an hour away from places such as Glacier Point. It's not a huge problem but you may wish to bear it in mind if you're allocating travel time. There are some private developments at Yosemite West that are a little nearer.
Once through the Tioga Pass we carried on down towards Death Valley and stopped overnight in Bishop. Quite a lot of hotels there, but if I went again I'd carry on to Lone Pine. Not so much choice on the hotels side of things but a great Saloon and a bit more character.
Death Valley was everything I expected, miles of nothing but rocks, sand and scrub. We stayed overnight at Stovepipe Wells and the views of the Sand Dunes at sunset and the night sky once it was fully dark were beautiful.
Again, I'd allow extra time for driving in DV as the roads getting there are mountainous but for me this was my favourite place.
We left DV & drove on to Vegas, but I have to say it didn't quite do it for me. Imagine DisneyWorld where everything is pretend 24/7 and you'll get some idea of what I mean. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I went & would probably go again, but it can be a bit overwhelming. Obviously this is all subjective and if thrill rides, shows, and gambling are your thing then you'll love it. Personally I preferred being one amongst a few as opposed to the thousands that throng the streets there. If you do go I can recommend the fountains at the Bellagio and the view at night from the Stratosphere.
As to the Grand Canyon Tour, many of these collect you from your hotel, and drive out to the Boulder City airport, where they fly you out to the Grand Canyon. The views of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the surrounding area are incredible. We did the plane/helicopter/boat trip which was stunning. If like us you do need to escape from Vegas you could do as we did and drive up to Boulder City yourself. We stayed at the Boulder City Hotel, a historic little place from the 1930's which was used to house the top team of the Hoover Dam building project. From there the Dam is just a short ride away, (tours available) and Lake Mead is well worth a visit. You can hire boats and Jet Bikes if you fancy a trip out on the water.
As to your query about the car, not sure whether it's any dearer dependant upon where you pick up from, but there's more selection available at the Airports than in Town so if you need something out of the ordinary it's probably better to do so at the former, and if you're flying in to SF it's about a $40 plus taxi ride from the airport to SF City itself.
All in all a fantastic trip which I'd recommend to anyone. If you want to pick my brains about anything feel free to get in touch & I'll answer as best I can, (and rest assured if I can't there'll be someone on the forum that can).
Charlie
Hi CharlieB, welcome back.
Glad to here from you, it sounds as though you had a wonderful time and it's nice of you to pop by and help others on the forum, and to share your experience. Thanks.
Dave.
Thanks Dave and Charlie.
When I started planning this trip I wondered how to go about it, then I discovered this wonderful site and feel there are so many helpful people out there. We've been to the States before and have driven in Florida going down to the Keys (couldnt really get lost on that route!!), but as we are both in our sixties I thought planning this trip might be a nightmare but so far there's been so much help. Thanks to you both. I'm sure I shall pick your brains again soon , but have now got a better idea of the route we will take so will do a bit more planning.
Jantomo
Hi Jantomo,
Glad we could help some and that you are making progress with your plans. I always look at the planning as part of the whole adventure and find it to be a whole lot of fun.
I will look forward to hearing how it's coming on and I am sure that between us on R.T.A we can help you "fine tune" your trip.
Enjoy, Dave.
Hi again
Six weeks has gone by since I first thought about planning this trip. It’s a good thing there is a lot of time left. Don’t seem to have done too much planning lately but have read and printed all the relevant information from various threads. Problem is now – there is so much to see we would need a 6 month road trip to do everything justice, but it all has to be compressed to just over 3 weeks and our aim is to get a feel of places we visit, by walking and being out of the car, not driving every day. Looking throughout for reasonably priced accommodation, doesn’t have to be in the National Parks as long as it is close by.
Day 1
Fly to San Francisco for 3 nights from UK. Thinking of looking for a hotel in the Union Square area as this looks fairly central for making visits to many SF sights.( Golden Gate,Fishermans Wharf, tram ride etc. Is Union Square accessible from SF airport by public transport, or would a cab be the only way to get there? Failing this is Fishermans Wharf a better bet?
Day 2 and 3 in San Francisco, seeing some of the city
We’re planning to book a hire car from UK – would SF airport be the best place to pick it up?
Day 4
Pick up hire car and head out towards Yosemite NP, using I 580east and I 120 east. Thinking of staying somewhere on the I 120 either at Groveland or at Buck Meadows (favour this) for 2 nights, in order to be able to drive to the Valley floor on Day 5 and to be ready to carry on along the Tioga Road on Day 6. Are there any publications I could get hold of for these two places?
Day 5
Explore the Valley floor on foot and by using the shuttle bus, or a tour bus, and walking.
Day 6
Head off over the Tioga Pass . Hoping to book for the night at Bishop or Lone Pine. If so would there be enough time to do the June Lakes loop. ( bearing in mind my husband is an avid photographer and I think there could be plenty of WOW’s and stops on the Tioga Road.
Day 7
Continue on to cross Death Valley. Woud Pahrump be a good place to head for so that wee can drop the car off in Las Vegas the next day, as we are expecting to hire it for 4 days, or would we be better staying the night in Death Valley?
Day 8
Drop car off in Las Vegas and get to hotel.
Days 9 & 10 in Las Vegas ( just got to experience the glitz and glamour and do some shopping)
Day 11.
Pick up another hire car ( once again booked in UK) and set off for Zion National Park, staying for 2 nights at Sprindale.
Day 12 – Zion NP using shuttle bus and feet.
Day 13
Drive to Bryce Canyon for 2 nights ( either in the park or as near as possible- to be looked at)
Day 14 – explore Bryce Canyon
Day 15
Drive to Page for 2 nights ( for Lake Powell.) We were going to have 1 night here and move on to Monument Valley for a night , but have decided this would be so much more driving that we will have to be content with pictures of Monument Valley. While at Page I want to plan a visit to Antelope Canyon and possibly a trip on the lake
Day 16 – Page and Lake Powell.
Day 17
Drive to Grand Canyon. Stay for 2 nights at Grand Canyon Village
Day 18
Explore the South Rim using the shuttle bus and walking a trail.
Day 19
Leave Grand Canyon and head for Route 66 towards Las Vegas. Stop overnight somewhere along this road- not researched the area yet – ideas welcomed
Day 20
Continue to Las Vegas via Hoover Dam and arrive in Las Vegas and return car.
Day 21 Las Vegas
Day 22 – Flight to UK
This is the current plan . It can be adapted as nothing is booked yet ,but if anyone can give me ideas, suggestions or even let me know if they think it will work, I would be grateful to hear from you. Once again I appreciate having discovered this helpful site
Thanks
Jantomo
I think you are in very good shape, and in some case you really might be overstating how long it will take to get to places.
For example, on day 4, I think I would just head straight to the Yosemite valley. Its a pretty easy half day drive from SF, so I would take the extra time and spend it in the park.
Your Death Valley day, I would also spend that in the park. You can make it from Furance Creek to Vegas in 2-3 hours, so I wouldn't worry about trying to make extra miles by going all the way out to Pahrump.
I also would look at renting a car in the city of San Francisco, so you don't have to find transporation all the way back out to the airport. Shop around though, airport locations may (or may not) have better one-way deals than in town locations.
Speaking of rental cars, you might also find that it is easier to just rent one car. Since most places have weekly rates, it might not cost much more to have the car during your stay in Vegas, and then you won't have to deal with the hassles and time of dropping off and then picking up your rental car.
Yes it's taking shape nicely.
On arrival you have the option of using the bart system to get downtown, although with your luggage you may want to take a cab. It's a long flight and another option would be to book in an airport hotel for your first night, they generally have a free shuttle bus service from the airport.
While in S/F I would recommend the Alcatraz tour, which you can book in advance to save queuing for tickets.
As Michael said, you have time to get into Yosemite the same day and take advantage of seeing some of it the same day. This may give you time to take the drive up to Glacier point [beautiful views] before heading over the Tioga pass.
Once again as Michael pointed out, there is no need to rush through to Pahrump so you maybe able to ease off a little and it will give you a bit more time, possibly to enjoy June lakes.
Springdale is a great little town, ideal for Zion and the free shuttle bus runs into the canyon from here.
Ruby's Inn is a popular place to stay right on the doorstep of Bryce.
From Page you can approach the G/C via the east entrance on Desert view drive. You have a number of great view points along here all the way to the village, the first being the Old watchtower that will give you your first glimpse of the canyon and open views of the Colorado.
From the G/C to Vegas, even with taking part of the original '66 it can be done in a day. If you didn't want to overnight here It could free up time for that visit to M/V if you so wished. The Cameron trading post just before the East entrance to G/C would be a good place to stop if so. The shop is interesting so even if you was not going to stop it would be worth a look between Page and the G/C.
Thanks Dave and Michael.
Just have a couple of queries.
1) We would like to be near enough to Yosemite Valley to travel to the valley floor for a day and back out for a second night ready to start off on the Tioga Pass road the following day. I thought of looking for accommodation between Groveland and Big Oak Flat on Rte 120. I've been told there are several motels, but cant seem to locate any on the internet. Is there anywhere I can write to , to get a list of hotels/motels in the area?
2) Having looked at the Furnace Creek Inn website I see there are no rooms available for the night we want to stay ( seems to be closed) and limited availability for Furnace Creek Ranch hence the option of going on to Pahrump as I cant book anything until I have flights confirmed. Can you help me with the distances between :
Bishop and Pahrump or
Lone Pine and Pahrump - in case Furnace Creek is not available
Hi Jantomo,
1) Here is a link to some of the Accommodations in and around the park. The Yosemite bug
has been mentioned a few times as well.
2]You are looking at approx 230 miles between Bishop and Pahrump, but the problem maybe that you will be out of D/V and a short drive from Vegas, which might make you fell rushed across D/V [although you have plenty of time to drive across it] with so many picture opportunity's. I think your better option [if you are unsure about Furnace creek] would be to stop at Stovepipe wells and watch the sunset over the sand dunes, and then continue on. It will make a better balance of these two days.
Jantomo.
I see in one of your posts you say you might get your car at San Fran airport, and stay in SF for 3 nights. There is definitely more choice of vehicle types at the airport than in town, but if you only need a fairly standard car you'll be able to pick one up no problem in town. There were 6 of us so we wanted something fairly big in order to take our luggage but the best we could get in town was a 7 seater minivan. It was ok for us, but the luggage was a bit of a squeeze.
The thing is, hiring your car will save you the taxi fare, (ours was $50 with tip), but you'll spend that parking your car in town as parking space is at a premium and the Hotels make a charge for it, sometimes between $20 to $40 a day. Reviews on TripAdvisor.com from the locals (Americans) nearly all moan about the parking costs! The other thing is that once you get into town you're unlikely to use your car much, if at all. We got a 1-day passport for $11 each which gets you unlimited rides on the Cable Cars, Trolley Buses, & Buses, and it was ideal. I believe a 3-Day passport was $18 and it's great value. If you want to visit the Golden Gate Bridge you might want a car but there are so many tours that go there it's really not a problem.
I said before about the Alcatraz Tour and I'd REALLY recommend it. The thing is it's very popular and you may not be able to just turn up & book immediately. We were there on a Monday afternoon and they were booking then for the next afternoon. It's quite a sobering tour around the cells area and I really wish we'd prebooked for the Night Tour. The darkness apparently adds to the overall atmosphere. We tried to book on this but were told that it's so popular it gets booked up a couple of months previous.
As to Death Valley, I had a problem with the internet booking system for our stay at Stovepipe Wells Village as it kept telling me there were no rooms available and I was booking 10 months in advance! In the end I just went to the 'contact us' link and e-mailed them directly, no problem. It’s the same company (Xanterra) that control Furnace Creek so I'd give that a go as once again I would REALLY recommend an overnight stay in Death Valley. If you do choose Stovepipe Wells, make sure you're outside as the sun goes down on the Mountains & Sand Dunes, it's gorgeous, and the night sky once it's fully dark was just incredible. The glow from Las Vegas showing over the mountain tops goes to show what 'Light Pollution' really is. Hope you're not suffering from information overload with all of this. The problem is for any tourists anywhere by the time you've learnt what's best to do and see, you're on the plane coming back! I got loads of useful info from people on this site, and still need to go back to do bits I never had complete time for.
It is always worth checking direct as CharlieB said
Sometimes systems will not take bookings this far in advance, and as such come back with "no rooms available" yet most likely they are.Quote:
As to Death Valley, I had a problem with the Internet booking system for our stay at Stovepipe Wells Village as it kept telling me there were no rooms available and I was booking 10 months in advance! In the end I just went to the 'contact us' link and e-mailed them directly, no problem.
I wondered about the Alcatraz visit before hand, whether it would be to touristy and take away from our time at S/F, but we went, and loved every moment of it and would also recommend taking the time. Not only is the prison a fantastic experience but you also get great views of the city skyline and Golden gate bridge. If you did want to book a tour [you can only do so within a time limit] then this National parks link will guide you to there only official tour operator. All the others will only sell you this tour alongside other ones as this is the only way they can make a profit from it.
Thanks Dave and Charlie
I cant believe that replies come along so quickly. When we have done this trip I hope to post it all on this website. Things are now beginning to take shape. I've got most of the mileages (approx, but might have to tax your brains about driving times) Got a good idea of hotels/motels/cabins. Cant believe how quickly they get booked up.I'd forgotten about the Yosemite Bug ,Dave and it will be ideal. Looks like we can take the YARTS bus into the valley. Just got a couple of places that are not taking bookings yet so hope it all comes together eventually. REALLY looking forward to the trip now, but its not for another 11 months so dont want to wish my life away too fast. Also looks like by cutting out Monument Valley we should be able to get a trip booked on Lake Powell, and visit Antelope Canyon and there will be a load of days not driving but walking, sightseeing and soaking up the atmosphere. I'm sure I shall call on you again, but a massive Thank You for all your help so far.
Janet
Hi Janet,
Brilliant, we always like to see how it turns out and trip reports can offer so much info for other trippers.Quote:
When we have done this trip I hope to post it all on this website.
No problem, when you have things in place we will take a look with you.Quote:
I've got most of the mileages (approx, but might have to tax your brains about driving times)
It'll come around soon enough !Quote:
but its not for another 11 months so dont want to wish my life away too fast
It's our pleasure and we will look forward to hearing from you.Quote:
I'm sure I shall call on you again, but a massive Thank You for all your help so far.
Dave,
Hi . Hope you all had a good Christmas. Happy New Year to you all. Thanks again to all those who helped me last Autumn. The trip is gradually coming together but I have a couple more queries.We have so far managed to book in at Yosemite Bug, Stovepipe Wells, Bryce Canyon and are waiting confirmation for Zion Canyon. The one difficulty was Maswik Lodge as rooms in our price range had gone but by altering the itinerary by a day we managed to book there. At the rate I am going it will be easy to go over our accommodation budget so could anyone offer advice on a clean , good budget range hotel in San Francisco for 3 nights in early September, 1 room for 2 people in or around the Union Square area.
We also need a room in Las Vegas for 3 nights at the end of the Grand Circle trip, but due to the change made this will now include a Saturday( plus Sun/Mon ) Has anyone got any ideas of which hotels do not charge too much for a Saturday night preferably on or near The Strip?
My last question is would Kingman be a good overnight stop for travelling between Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, or is there anywhere else anyone would recommend on Route 66?
Thanks
Jantomo
GC to LV is only 5 hours, you may not need to do an overnight stop. However, if the choice is between staying around the GC and leaving early in the morning, or leaving the GC late in the day and staying along the route, I'd do the latter - because hotels in Tusayan are frightfully expensive. There are reasonably priced hotels in both Williams and Kingman.
Hotels in San Francisco tend to be pricey. Here's a neat page of reviews of hotels in the Union Square area. I found this place with rooms in the $100-150 range. Gosh, even the cheapest isn't at a budget price...at least not MY budget, anyway.
The best rates I found was doing a search at the Hotels website. The best prices tend to be at the airport instead of Union Square but there were some hotels near Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf that had good prices. Hope this points you in the right direction.
You tend to find that there are no one-way fees when renting and returning to another depot within California, Arizona and Nevada. Is that your experience here? I know that I did a one-way between LV and LA last year without surcharge. That was through Hertz.
When in Page mak sure you take the short walk out to the impressive Horseshoe Bend as well as the Navajo Bridge. Nearby you can descend to the Colorado which is worth doing - just don't be down there when they open the Glen Canyon Dam Spillway!
Kingman was fine as an overnight stop. I think we stayed at the Hilltop Motel or similar but there are rows of motels available there. You can also stop for the traditional cheesy tourist photo!
Agree with Judy about the best prices being out at the airport. But you get what you pay for and I wish that we'd splashed out a little more rather than being stuck all the way out there...
This is very true, SF is not a cheap place to find a room. Despite the "budget" hotels being in the $100+ price range, most of them don't include parking. If you're not picking your rental up til later, its not a big deal, but if you're going to have a car in the city, plan for another $20+ a night to park.Quote:
Hotels in San Francisco tend to be pricey. Here's a neat page of reviews of hotels in the Union Square area. I found this place with rooms in the $100-150 range. Gosh, even the cheapest isn't at a budget price...at least not MY budget, anyway.
When I've stayed in SF, I've stayed out near the airport. Its quite a ways from downtown, but the rooms were half the price. I actually found SF a pretty easy city to drive around in, but they also have a pretty good transit system.
It would appear to be hard work to find good priced budget accommodation in the Union Square area. When we was in S/F we stayed on Lombard Street where there are quite a few Motels that were better value compared to the central locations. Although we walked everywhere, transport seemed plentiful and you always have the cable cars to hop on.
Another option is what Michael suggested. Most airport hotels are good value [we used Best Western Grovesnsor] and you get a free shuttle bus service with most. You can hop on that to the airport and get on the Bart train that is quick, cheap and runs frequently to Downtown.
Hi Jantomo,Quote:
Originally Posted by Jantomo
Cheap Hotels in San Fran? There aint no such animal! The Powell was suggested to me but in the end I kept looking on Hotels.com until there was a 'special' on and we got The Radisson at Fishermans Wharf. Still came out around £100 but was about 30% cheaper than usual. Don't forget to prebook the Alcatraz night tour!
As to Vegas, if you check websites like Hotels.com you'll find that booking months in advance can cost you money. Do a search on any of the top hotels for 9 months down the line and the price is way up. Do one for tomorrow though and it could be a lot cheaper. We turned up at the Mandalay Bay about midday & got a room for $149 that night and $199 for the next, (plus tax of course). The 'proper' price was almost twice that. I'm told it all depends on availability. If they're near to full they charge top dollar, if they're empty you can get a bargain. They could only offer us 2 nights as after that they were full, (a convention I believe) so it is pot luck but as there's a TON of hotels around it's fairly easy to go along to the next one & ask, or take the phone numbers of the Hotels you fancy & give them a call.
If Vegas gets all too much for you & you need a peaceful haven, try the Boulder Dam Hotel in nearby Boulder. It's about 30 to 40 minutes drive from Vegas and about 30 to 40 times more peaceful and relaxing !!
Charlie
Hi everyone who has posted the amazing amounts of help. I'm trying to take all the advice and tips on board. Having spent hours looking for reasonably priced hotels in San Francisco I think we've decided to stay near the airport and take the BART train in for the 2 days we will be there. Hoping to stay at the Days Inn West.Then we are picking up the car from the airport when we set off on THE TRIP I couldnt have managed all the planning without the Roadtrip America site. I've told everyone I know about it. I see what you mean about booking early for specific days in places like Death Valley and the Yosemite Bug etc.
Having done all the booking my next priority at some stage will be best routes. Might need a bit of help there later. Have some of them but still havent got my head round getting from the SF airport to the Yosemite Bug. Looks like there could be 2 routes. Which is recommended?
I'm sure I'll have a few more questions sometime, but for now- thanks
Jantomo
Hi again Jantomo, glad to here it's coming together.
The quickest would appear to be head South on 101 and cross the bay on the J Arthur Young fwy [92] and get on the I-580 East untill you get to SR 132 to Modesto. At Modesto take SR 99 to Merced and then CA 140 to Mariposa and Midpines.Quote:
but still havent got my head round getting from the SF airport to the Yosemite Bug. Looks like there could be 2 routes. Which is recommended?
I look forward to the next round of planning ;-) Have fun!
South on 101, cross the San Mateo Bridge (CA-92), north on 880, east on 238 to 580, 205 to 5 to 120 to 99 to 140.
Hi again
I'm looking at routes now - (I've quite missed not doing any planning for the last month ). Would the best route from Stovepipe Wells to Las Vegas be up through Beatty or across to Pahrump or is there a better way. Just been looking at Google directions and am not sure of the best route ?
Also on the second part of the trip (Las Vegas circular to canyons) when we stay at Page,is Wahweap Marina the best place to book for a Lake Powell trip. We would like to visit the Rainbow bridge. We have a whole day, then we can book to visit Antelope Canyon on the following morning before we set off for the Grand Canyon.
Thanks
jantomo
We really don't do "best route" here as they all have there own merits, it would depend on what appeals to you given the choices. The popular route to Vegas would be 190 through Furnace creek to Death valley junction and State line/Ash Meadows road to Pahrump and then 160 to Vegas.Quote:
Would the best route from Stovepipe Wells to Las Vegas be up through Beatty or across to Pahrump or is there a better way.
I would say that Wahweap is the place for the boat trip as the other's are some distance away.
A suggestion for Page - do NOT stay at the Super 8. It's overpriced, not well maintained, and customer service is lacking.
Hi again everyone
Now that things are booked I'm working on day to day planning. Any advice in addition to all I've already been given would be welcome.I can't thank folk enough for al the help so far. It's great.I've written so many notes and have so many print outs 3 months would be better than 3 weeks.Anyway here goes ---
Day 1
Taking BART train from station nearest Howard Johnson Express Inn South. Thinking of taking an open top hop on/off bus tour of the major sights.Which would be reccommended and is this possible from Union Square if we get off the train at Powell St ?
Day 2
BART train again to Powell St and with 1 day cable car/bus passport doing a walking tour to take in Union Square, Chinatown,North Beach,Pier 39,Fishermans Wharf, Lombard St and back to Union Square for a look at some shops. 9Althoigh Alcatraz looks really interestingthat will have to wait for a future trip.
Day3
Picking up car from SF Airport. Drive to Yosemite Bug. Not sure whether to attempt visit to Yosemite valley floor on this day or make the followng day a really full day.( depends on time and tiredness)
Day 4
Take car to car parking area at Valley floor.Thinking of taking the floor bus tour (2 hours) then a possible short hike using the shuttle bus.( possibly Vernal Falls footbridge ? or any other sugestions?
Drive to Glacier Point late afternoon before returning to Yosemite Bug for 2nd night.Does this sound feasible in a day? Woud Vernal Fall be the best hike in September?
Day 5
Yosemite Bug to Bishop via Tioga Pass with photo stops, Mono Lake and June Lake loop.
Day 6
Bishop to Stovepipe Wells (overnight stay)
Day 7
Stovepipe Wells to Las Vegas
What arre the 'Must Sees'while travelling on these 2 days so we can make the most of our time?
This is the 1st part of our trip and when I've finalised these plans I would like to return to pick everones brains about the 2nd part ( Las Vegas, Zion,Bryce,Page and Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and back to Las Vegas.
Thanks, Janet
Hi Janet,
It's all looking good and you have obviously been doing your research, but in places like SF and Yosemite [or anywhere for that matter] there is no "one best" that will suit all. I like to get around under my own steam but a recent visitor to SF recommended Urban safari as a good experience. I also think it would be a shame to miss out on the Alcatraz experience and think you can do this as part of a tour or by yourself, booking through the official site.
Armed with your info I would go to Yosemite and follow your basic outline but then "go with the flow" as to where you want to hike. Along with your visitor guides you can pick up, there are the Rangers, a friendly bunch on hand with any help or advice you might need.
On day 6 as you make your way to Stovepipe wells you could stop in Lone pine and admire Mount Whitney [highest peak in the 48 ] and even take a drive up the Whitney Portal road and then head for the Sand dunes in DV and witness a sunset over them.
The following day you could visit the lowest point in the US at Badwater, close by is Furnace creek ranch with a diner, museum and gardens etc. You will come across viewpoints as you travel or maybe you want to divert to Scottys castle. Again we don't do "must see's" as everyone is different but the Death valley NP site should help you decide.
Thanks a lot for your last reply Dave. We've been away in UK and I haven't managed to get on the comp until now.I really appreciate all your help and will be asking for a bit more soon about the 2nd half of the trip. As people have said the planning is an enjoyable part of the trip.Sorry also about all the spelling mistakes in my last questions. Did it quite quickly and obviously didn't check it !!!
Janet
Hi again
I think phase 1 of the trip is about dealt with. Now I'm moving on to phase 2 which is Las Vegas to Zion NP, Bryce Canyon, Page,Grand Canyon ,Kingman, Las Vegas. Not too many questions here. Not got all the road numbers sorted yet but have a rough idea.Have read lots of the website threads anyway and as usual they have been lots of help. However I have a couple of questions which are :
Has anyone done the half day Rainbow Bridge lake tour and if so which tour company would you recommend for the longest stop-over at Rainbow Bridge. I have looked at different ones and the time at Rainbow Bridge varies. The whole point is to do the hike to the bridge but if there is only a 1/2 hour stop-over I cant see us hiking 1 1/4 miles each way bin the heat in that time. Another tour says there is plenty of time to hike but doesnt say how long you get. I think the 7.30am departure would be better heatwise but would the 12 .30 be better for colours?
While staying overnight in Kingman we would like to visit a ghost town . The most recommended one seems to be Chloride. Can anyone advise on this?
Another question is which map is probably best for the whole trip?
Thanks
Janet
Hi Janet,
I can't help much with this one other to say that you would be better off e-mailing the tour company regarding Rainbow bridge and get an itinerary straight from them. As the bridge is the whole point of the tour I can't see them not allowing the time to walk there and take pics etc. I would imagine the half hour is for the purpose of standing there and admiring it, taking pics and not including the time for the walk.
I like to buy a seperate map for each State I visit as I find them more detailed than one that will cover larger areas. AAA do reasonably priced ones.