Roadtrip from LA

[imported_Sonia]

Hi,

Me and my hubby want to take a roadtrip from LA during the 2nd week of october. We are not sure where to go. This would be our first roadtrip for a week! And we have a 18 month old son.
Please suggest a route.

Thanks in advance,
Sonia

[Robert Schaller]

Here's one of my favorite itineraries. To confine it to one week, you'll need to drop one or two stops, maybe, but I've built most of these places into these times.

Drive to Las Vegas. (I don't allow for time spent there, but you may well want to spend the evening in this beautiful and exciting city! Be sure to see the fountains at the Bellagio if you do. Just cut out time I've allocated to another stop if you'd prefer to spend time in Las Vegas).

Or, continue on to Springdale and Zion Natl Park. Buy an annual Parks Pass, if you do this trip as I recommend, you'll save money with the pass! Overnight at Springdale. Then spend Day 2 seeing Zion Natl Park.

Day 3, continue on to Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante and Capital Reef Natl Parks. Sightsee all day, spend the night at Torrey or Hanksville.

Day 4, continue north to I-70, then loop back down to Arches National Park. See the park, then spend the night in Moab.

Day 5, drive south to Monument Valley (see the park!), then continue on to Chinle for the night.

Day 6, Spend a day seeing Canyon de Chelly. If you can, take the Indian guided tour through the canyon. If you can't, then drive the rim road on the south side, it is the prettiest (my opinion). Hike down to White House Ruin -- it is the only hike you can make in the canyon without an escort.

Day 7, drive over to Grand Canyon Natl Park, spend the rest of the day at Grand Canyon, and the night, or go on south to Flagstaff for cheaper accommodations.

Day 8, spend the day seeing Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Jerome and end the day at Prescott.

Day 9, Depart Prescott and head home via Wickenburg and US60 (or I-10).

This may well be too much to attempt with a small child, but you can see what's possible. You can cut out some stops to save days, or to slow down the pace so you have time to tend to the little one. Bob

There are basically three choices. Head north to SF/Northern California, east to Las Vegas and beyond, or south to San Diego or Mexico. In one week with a little baby, I'm assuming you don't want to spend too much time in the car, so I wouldn't try and go too far, and probably not out of the country, so that leaves north or east.

Heading north you would probably take the coastal route, nice scenic drive, along the coast highway, up to northern california where you could explore Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, Monterey, and Santa Cruz along the way. Or you could take the inland route through Sequoia and Kings canyon, to see the giant redwoods and then continue through Yosemite to SF, then head up to the Lost Coast. I think in mid-october Yosemite should still be open, but you want to double check. You could also just make a giant loop to do both routes, but then you probably won't get much further than California border and back in one week, which is fine. Figure 2-3 days going up, 2-3 days coming down, that's with plenty of stops for sightseeing. Or if you want to go further, take one way up and then the 5 all the way down, you could make it back in one long day.

If you head east, the first major stop is Vegas, then beyond that is a lot of desert then the Grand Canyon. If you're in Vegas, definitely check out the Bellagio and Venetian if you haven't seen those, and there's also Hoover Dam during the day. Zion and Bryce are awesome too, but it would be a long drive to try and see all canyons in one week, so I'd concentrate on a few stops rather than trying to get everything in.

[Syv]

Same idea as Bob's reply --- head across to Las Vegas.

See ZION, BRYCE, and GRAND CANYON national parks.

You might not have time for more than that in a week, but you'll see some spectacular awesome scenery!

[imported_Sonia]

&gt; Hi,<BR>
&gt; <BR>
&gt; Me and my hubby want to take a roadtrip <BR>
&gt; from LA during the 2nd week of october. We are <BR>
&gt; not sure where to go. This would be our first <BR>
&gt; roadtrip for a week! And we have a 18 month old <BR>
&gt; son. Please suggest a route.<BR>
&gt; <BR>
&gt; Thanks in <BR>
&gt; advance, Sonia <BR>
<BR>
I really appreciate your prompt response guys! As per your suggestion we have planned to go to vegas, the canyons and other sites that you have suggested!
We are so excited about it!
Got to sit down and plan the whole itinerary now!
Thanks so much,
I am touched by your responses.
Very sweet of you all, so much of dedication in you all!

Regards,
Sonia

[imported_Sonia]

I really appreciate your prompt response guys! As per your suggestion we have planned to go to vegas, the canyons and other sites that you have suggested!
We are so excited about it!
Got to sit down and plan the whole itinerary now!
Thanks so much,
I am touched by your responses.
Very sweet of you all, so much of dedication in you all!

Regards,
Sonia