Our first road trip, San Francisco-Las Vegas and further

Having had so much help from this site I wanted to post a report of our trip and encourage others that with some planning you can have the trip of a lifetime.

Our trip took us from San Francisco to Las Vegas via Yosemite, the Tioga Road,Bishop and Death Valley.Then on to Zion, Bryce, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Route 66, Hoover Dam and back to Las Vegas and was over 3 weeks in September 2009.

In order to make sure everything was OK I started planning in Dec 2008 (probably as we are both over 65, retired , I had the time, and wasnt really convinced it would work out)I booked certain hotels in February and was glad I did as some were fully booked for our dates by May.

How do I describe this trip? Words really fail me - brilliant, fantastic, breathtaking,awesome all spring to mind - but seeing is believing and the memories we brought back will last a lifetime.

We left Gatwick UK on 8th September and after a 3 hour transfer in Atlanta, arrived in San Francisco 6pm that evening. Having read several threads on the site we decided to stay for 3 nights near the airport and found the Howard Johnson operated a free shuttle system to the airport, BART train and Dollar car hire desk, so stayed there. The hotel was alright for room but really noisy due to busy roads running both sides . A breakfast was included but was in the hotel lobby where there were only 2 chairs. Luckily we timed it right each morning !!
We spent the next 2 days in San Francisco, taking the BART train from the airport to Powell St ( buying the tickets was a challenge, with deducting dollars and adding on cents at the machine, but we managed in the end)
At Powell Street turnaround we got a cable car to Fishermans Wharf as we had decided to have a 2 day pass on a double decker open top bus which was great- took all the hassle out of getting lost!

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Over the 2 days we used the hop on/off stops to explore the city , plus quite a bit of walking and when our feet ached we would just hop on the bus again and do another circuit while resting.We also did this in the hope that we would see the Golden Gate bridge,but although we tried it 3 times with blue sky everywhere, when we arrived at the bridge it was in fog and we froze while driving across to get off the bus,on the other side, in the heat - quite amazing. We found the bus was an ideal way of getting near the start of walks we made, such as walking up the back of Lombard Street to then walk down the crooked bit,for Chinatown and round the Fishermans Wharf and Union Square areas. The sealions at Pier 39 were an attraction, but not the smell !!

On Day 4 we took the shuttle bus to the airport to pick up the car. We'd booked it through usrentacar in UK, as recommended on the site. Now the driving part of the trip began. I was assured it was quite easy to get on Rte 101 and after a slight detour and minor panic as we ended up in a trading estate, with the help from a friendly citizen we got to the Bay bridge and from then it was plain sailing towards Yosemite and after a look round Mariposa we arrived at the Yosemite Bug. WOW. Thanks for the idea. What a great place to stay.Room was fantastic , food was good and quite cheap and staff were so friendly.

The following morning we drove to Yosemite to spend a day in the park. We had planned on using the shuttle buses and doing some walking but started by going to Yosemite Lodge to book on the earliest Valley Floor tour, which was great and gave us a good view of the area.

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After the tour we got a shuttle bus to the Happy Isles stop and walked up to the Vernal Falls. Couldn't believe the number of chipmunks, squirrels and blue jays we saw.

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Having looked round the Visitor Centre our next journey was to drive to Glacier Point and were we glad we did. The views were stupendous,and we saw deer, but no bears.We also stopped off at Washburn point on the way back down, then headed off back to 'The Bug'.

Thanks for the great field trip report thus far and I'm REALLY glad you had fun staying at the Bug!

OMG -- your photos are stunning!

Mark

Day 6 started with a coffee at 'The Bug' and it was time to tackle the Tioga Pass on the way to our next overnight stop at Bishop.The scenery was amazing and we stopped at Olmsted Point to look back on Halfdome and at Tuolumne Meadows, and pulled in many other times for photo stops. I think we were looking for the scree slopes for most of the journey and were beginning to think we had misread the guide book,when we at last pulled in and saw the rest of the road from the top of the Pass, dropping down to Lee Vining. Was there really a road there? Was it really wide enough for the car, let alone the RV's that were about? It's a road that should never be missed - absolutely amazing!!. What fantastic scenery along the whole of the route. The slight problem I had was feeling quite light-headed while out of the car at the top of the pass, don't think I could have walked far.

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All too soon we were down by Mono Lake and visited Whoa Nellie's Deli for a late lunch.

Back in the car again we branched off on the June Lake Loop- really scenic and not really a detour as we were still heading for Bishop , and eventually arrived at the Bishop Village motel which we had chosen for an overnight stay.
A walk up to the supermarket, a look at some of the murals, a wonderful ice cream at Schatts bakery and a dip in the pool rounded off another great day.

Hi Jantomo, welcome back !

I am enjoying your report and photo's very much, thanks for taking the time to come back and share it with us.

I am looking forward to reading more.

Dave.

Another vote for the report and photos - excellent - really pleased you had a good time!

During the evening in Bishop I had quite a chat with the motel owner about where to visit while travelling to Death Valley. She told me about Manzanar and the Lone Pine film museum, so on Day 7 we set off for Manzanar, which wasn't far away.

Nothing had prepared me for Manzanar, an American / Japanese National historic site. I found the visit very thought provoking and the film moved me to tears, but I was glad we went and would recommend a visit to anyone that's passing.It's free to go in.

Our next stop was Lone Pine where we visited the Film Museum. Another interesting place to visit if you have a spare hour. My only disappointment was to find out that 'The Charge of the Light Brigade 'was not filmed in the Crimea as I had always believed, but near Lone Pine.The town was full of character and could have been a better option for overnighting than Bishop - (but then I might not have known about Manzanar)

Next we turned off on US 395 for Death Valley.What a drive !! One of the longest roads we've ever driven on with hardly any traffic. We saw a few signs for cattle but didn't see any or anything they could have lived on - what a vast, barren but impressive area.Nothing we'd read could have prepared us for it.

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We even saw a small 'Dust Devil' when we stopped at Rainbow Canyon, quite fascinating.

The road and mountains seemed to go on for ever, but at last we stopped for a break at Panamint Springs, then on again to Stovepipe Wells Village, turning in to the motel just as the temperature reached 100 degrees. ( We then found out that was cooler than the previous day's 120)
Couldn't believe there really was a swimming pool in this desert.

The sunset over the dunes and the fantastic night sky didn't disappoint and I would recommend staying there.

The following morning (Day 8) we left Stovepipe Wells and first went to Badwater, another vast area. We hadn't really given much thought to how much below sea level it was so the position of the marker on the cliff was quite a shock.

Following Badwater we took the Artist's Drive route. It shouldn't be missed if you're in a car (too narrow and twisty for anything larger)but quite spectacular.

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Once we were back on the main road we decided to walk through Golden Canyon, and armed with water, hats and sun cream we set off in the heat.It was well worth the effort - only about a mile each way, an easy walk and so quiet.

To round off the Death Valley day we visited Zabriskie Point, with its stunning views over the valley. What an amazing experience Death Valley turned out to be. We've certainly seen nothing like it before.

Finally on through Pahrump to Las Vegas for 2 nights, arriving in time to take a walk down the Strip - another WOW factor and such a contrast to what we had seen all day.

Day 9 - Las Vegas
On the forum I had read you either love it or hate it - sorry Mark I dont think I could cope with living there - but we LOVED it.The glamour and grandeur of the hotels and casinos on the Strip was beyond our expectations. What a place !!! With just one day on the first part of our trip we set off to see the Strip, armed with cameras, and before the day had ended 1gb card was full.

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Staying at Circus Circus we had quite a way to walk to the centre Strip and called in all the hotel/casinos on the way . Everywhere was awesome. We just couldn't believe there was a canal inside the Venetian as well as outside, and the painted sky - wow! Venice has long been my favourite city and the Venetian didn't disappoint. We must have walked round open-mouthed.

On to Caesars Palace ,Ballys , the Mirage and the fountain display at the Bellagio.It was so hot that a cool off in a hotel/casino was welcome.
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One tip I had from a previous visitor was to look on Las Vegas websites for food vouchers and offers before leaving UK. There are quite a few savings.

Having walked all day ,and getting weary we finally turned round and headed back up the Strip, via Treasure Island to watch the free pirates' show . What a day - but we knew we had anothe two at the end of the holiday , and there was still the Canyons tour to come.

Watch this space!

Excellent stuff - after a bit of a barren run it is great to 'tune in' each morning and read updates to both yours and Dave's field reports... from a dark, wet and cold Kobenhavn it is inspiring. Only 9 months and I shall be back myself... :)

Thanks for your friendly comments everyone. Now on with the report !
On Day 10 we left Las Vegas heading on the I-5 on the way to Springdale. Didn't take us long to leave the city but then what a road for the next 125 miles. Where was everyone?We probably live about that far from London and to drive there we would see thousands of vehicles in both directions but the I-5 couldn't be more different.There is just so much space everywhere!
Anyway the last part of the route was really scenic and we made good time to Springdale arriving just after 1.30pm, which we then found was 2.30 due to the time change.

We booked in to the Zion Park motel (good accommodation) and set off straight away on the shuttle bus to Zion Canyon (stops just outside the motel)We thought we would take the Zion Park shuttle to the end of the valley and do the riverside walk, leaving the next full day for other walks.

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Zion Park scenery is once again awesome. The river walk is a really easy walk, only about 2 miles long ,( unless you continue at the end of the trail, to walk up through the river) and gave loads of photo stops. We saw deer crossing the river and a magnificent stag a few feet from the path.

After the walk it was back on the shuttle to the Visitor Centre for a look round, ready to plan for the next day , then back to Springdale . Its a pretty little place, with plenty of places to eat and a laundromat(my evening entertainment) next door to the motel.

Day 11 was a full day in Zion . There are so many trails and the hop on/off shuttle was a boon.Sounded from others we met that the Angels Landing trail was a bit too much of a challenge for us, so we opted for the combined Emerald Pool and Grotto trails as a starter , and what a good choice.The scenery was beautiful and walking behind the waterfalls was a bonus.

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There are so many viewpoints and what memories. All too soon the trail came to an end but off on the shuttle again to the short Weeping Rock trail- just a bit of a climb, then we walked the Pa'rus trail (level and easy)before leaving for Springdale, a dip in the pool and a nice meal. Perfect day again.

On Day 12 we we only had a drive of 89 miles to get to Bryce Canyon for our next 2 night stay. The route up the Mount Carmel Highway is so scenic. Once again the camera worked overtime. We stopped at a few points, including the Checkerboard Mesa, before parking up at Ruby's Inn (our holiday treat) and set off on the shuttle bus to Bryce Canyon. Everywhere we had seen so far had been fantastic so we were lost for words to describe the beauty and colours of Bryce Canyon.It's a 'must see' place.Out of this world.

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We took the shuttle to the end of the route, Bryce Point and walked to Inspiration Point , not far but there was so much to see, but then decided to set off back to Ruby's Inn for a good look round as a there was a thunderstorm brewing.Good thing we did as the heavens opened just after we booked in . First, and only rain we saw while on the trip, but it certainly bucketed down.

The next day we were off once again on the shuttle (what a great idea they are) this time to Sunset Point for the Navajo and Queens Garden loop.This looks awesome at the start but isn't difficult if you go down the Navajo descent first and it puts you amongst the hoodoos, not just viewing from the top. I think the rain must have made the colours even more striking. Once at the bottom of the trail its an easy walk through the Queens garden and not such a steep climb back up to Sunrise Point, then just a stroll along the rim back to Sunset Point. Highly recommend this walk.

Later, back at Ruby's Inn we had a look at Bryce old town and made good use of the indoor pool along with only 3 more people. Brilliant. All too soon the Bryce visit had come to an end but there was far more still to be seen on our route.

Day 14
Left Ruby's Inn for Page, stopping at Glen Canyon Dam on the way.It was worth a visit. We got to Page by lunch time so had time to look round the shops and visit the Safeway supermarket before booking into the Rodeway Inn. They had booked our next trip in for us in advance ( the staff there were really helpful) and the start of it was only a couple of minutes walk away - the ride over the desert to Antelope Canyon, bouncing along in the back of a truck!!

I thought nothing would be as good as Bryce but Antelope Canyon takes your breath away. The colours are unbelievable. You can only visit with a guide and its worth booking in advance as trips only run at certain times of the day, but its a trip not to be missed.

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The next day was another trip booked in advance for us by AJ at Rodeway Inn, and meant an early start. Before we left home I expected this to be one of the highlights of our road trip and it cetainly didnt disappoint - the Lake Powell half day tour to Rainbow Bridge. Quite expensive but we were on holiday and you only get these chances once.

We had opted for the 7.30 am tour . I was a bit concerned the half day tour wouldn't give enough time to walk to Rainbow Bridge but there was plenty, and what a welcome,relaxing day it was, 2 hours each way plus the easy walk to the bridge. Beautiful scenery and plenty of commentary. Rainbow Bridge was unbelievable and such a peaceful place.

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Back at the motel it was an evening for relaxing, another pool for a dip, but this time the cold water was a shock as the day had been so hot. Our two days at Page were almost over. Time was beginning to rush by, but there was still more to see.

Day 16
Today we set off for the place that brought this road trip all about. My lifetime dream was to visit the Grand Canyon.The road from Page to the Cameron Trading Post was interesting but we couldn't work out how people could survive living in communities scattered about in the scrubland. As we turned on to Desert View Drive we stopped at the Little Colorado Canyon and had a look round the Indian market and I got into conversation with a stall holder about how her children used to get up at 5 am so they were ready to catch the school bus for their long trip to spend the day studying, sometimes arriving home quite late in the evening and it made me realise what hardships these people must have faced at times.It made me realise how easy it had been for my children.

Anyway, there were plenty of viewpoints on the rest of Desert View Drive and the first view of the Grand Canyon from the Watchtower is amazing and certainly, once again,didn't disappoint. Its worth making the effort to climb to the top of the tower. I couldn't believe the colours of the Canyon, nor how vast it was.

We had booked a cabin at Maswik Lodge, a good place to stay, easy walking distance to the rim and shuttle buses and wonderful to have deer walking about outside - a real treat. That evening it was a walk up to the rim for the sunset which was beautiful and well worth the wait

Thanks, you are helping me re-live the excitement and anticipation as I made my way to the GC for the first time, also a childhood dream.

Wonderful, wonderful captures and how I wish I had time for Antelope canyon. It is on my "Bucket list" though. ;-)

Got up early on Day 17 and set off to the canyon rim to watch the sunrise,only a couple of minutes walk from the lodge. It was quite chilly this morning and most people were in jackets - a thing I hadnt thought about as every day up to now had been so hot. I also quite envied those who had thought to take a coffee with them - good thinking!!

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Gradually the sunlight began to touch all the peaks and they became golden. A beautiful sight. It was so worth getting up for. On the way to and back from the rim there were lots of deer grazing which made the start of the day even more magical. Of all the mornings we had this was my most memorable one.

Having got back to the cabin we decided to hike the rim trail to Hermits Rest. Its an easy trail with spectacular views with a shuttle bus close at hand if you haven't got a good head for heights. There were many view points so cameras were in action again. We also saw turkey buzzards, deer and some weird plants at the edge. Any identification of the one in this photo would be useful for the album.

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After catching the shuttle bus back to the village we caught another to Mather Point for more views and walked to Yavapai Point - interesting visitor centre, then had a look round the market store area before returning to the cabin, then rounded off the day with another walk to the rim for the sunset once again. Now the holiday was really drawing to a close - but tomorrow we still had Route 66 to look forward to.

Day 18
Open the cabin door this morning to find four deer grazing right outside. This road trip couldn't get better.
Soon we had loaded the car and were setting off for Kingman, using part of Route 66.

As we turned off in Seligman the town looked quirky but we didn't stop for photos, thinking there would be plenty of other places just as interesting, but that wasn't to be. Apart from a couple of diners, and an unbelievably long train alonside us, we were a bit disappointed in this section of the road.
We got to Kingman mid afternoon and booked into the Rodeway Inn. Of all the hotels, motels and cabins we had stayed in , this classed as poor and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Luckily there is a drive -in diner next door. It was too hot for walking and as we had no idea how far we were from the town, we spent quite a while in the shade at the diner. The only good thing about this area of Kingman was the sunset !!

Day 19 and our last Road Trip day. Leaving Kingman on US 93 we turned off for Chloride. I know Mark had put me straight on this not being a ghost town but we thought we would call in anyway as it's so close to the main highway and we wanted to see something older and different to everywhere we had been so far.

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Chloride didn't disappoint.The houses were certainly older looking, there were plenty of abandoned trucks and cars and 'Yard Art'. At home we tend to throw away old car wheels, garden spades or sieves, or sell them for scrap, but not so in Chloride - everything is turned into some sort of sculpture. I suppose if there is very little water it's a clever way of decorating the garden. It was so different to anything we had ever seen before. We spoke to really friendly residents and one lady gave me a piece of desert rose stone.What a lovely reminder of the visit.

Next we headed off for the Hoover Dam . . We parked on the Arizona side for free and walked across. It was all very impressive , including the new bridge construction.

By 2pm we had hit the traffic again and arrived in Las Vegas, this time at the Stratosphere (20th floor !!)
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The car was dropped off and suddenly our first road trip was at an end, although we still had two days left before our flight, so there was time to see the rest of the 'Strip'.

During those two days we spent time investigating the whole of the South Strip ( this time using the bus) and revisited a few of the places we had seen 10 days before. We were impressed by the beauty of the Mandalay Bay grounds and New York, New York was grand ; we saw Elvis, Michael J and Jack Sparrow walking down the Strip, and revisited The Venetian for a last baguette at Bella Panini - (well we did have a voucher left!) Then it was back to pack.

To round off the holiday on our last evening we went to the top of the Stratosphere Tower and what an amazing view.To stand in the dark and heat looking at the whole of Las Vegas was a very memorable end to a wonderful road trip. ( no we didn't try the rides!!)


Thank you to Mark, Dave , Charlie and everyone else who helped me with the planning. I appreciated it. We had a brilliant time, the views were indescribable, the people we met were all so friendly, the roads were easy to drive and the price of gas was just amazing!!
Good luck to anyone planning a Road Trip. Hope yours are as successful as ours.If this report helps anyone with their planning I will be pleased.



Where we stayed and our impressions
(All the rooms were en suite)
San Francisco - 3 nights Howard Johnson, South Airport Boulevard ( noise from roads but great for frequent free shuttle to airport, BART train,) big room, good breakfast included)
Yosemite - 2 nights atThe Yosemite Bug at Midpines. Amazing cabin, good food, friendly and helpful staff.
Bishop- 1 night Bishop Village motel, 286 West Elm St, nice room, friendly staff,pool.
Stovepipe Wells Village - 1 night, lovely room, pool.
Las Vegas - 2 nights at Circus Circus, vast hotel, interesting , excellent room.
Springdale - 2 nights at Zion Park motel, 855 Zion Park Boulevard, good room, friendly staff, pool, laundromat next door, plenty of places to eat, shuttle close to motel.
Ruby's Inn- 2 nights - a real treat, beautiful room, shop and supermarket on site, lovely pool, shuttle bus outside premises.
Page, Arizona - 2 nights at Rodeway Inn. Very helpful staff,pool,good room,breakfast included, supermarket and shops across road.
Grand Canyon-2 nights at Maswik Lodge -cabin, good room, very small bathroom, near main lodge, close to canyon rim and shuttle buses, deer outside.
Kingman AZ 1 night at Rodeway Inn - not very good.
Las Vegas - 3 nights at Stratosphere, good facilities,
lovely room,nice pool, long walk down Strip but buses frequent.

I really enjoyed your report and I am so pleased you had a great time !

They are fantastic photo's, Thank you for sharing.

[Have you by chance a photo[s] of the bridge construction, I would love to see the progress.

Dave

Dave, thanks for the reminder... I realize I never posted my last photos of the bridge project. I was out there on the 7th of October...

So, go to this article I wrote about the bridge project and scroll down for some of those photos!

Mark

Your welcome ;-)

Some great pictures of the progress, it's certainly come on a lot since I was there a couple of years ago !

What a great trip, and report. Felt I was travelling with you.

Memories of things seen long ago.... as well as places to add to my list.

Thanks from me too... can't wait to get back to that area myself!!

What a great report, and wonderful pictures. You really took me back to my own trip in 2006...and I thank you for that!

Sorry I've been so long in replying but thanks to you all for your comments. Glad the photos brought back good memories to some of you and for those who havent done this trip its so well worth going ,nd if a couple in their mid sixties can do it without problems then anyone can!!
jantomo