2 week road trip from TN to CA

[kanyagordon]

Hi! This is my first time to post. We are planning a trip out west (2 adults,2 girls-ages 9 and 14), leaving the first of July and returning the 15th. On the way out there, we plan to spend a couple of days in the Grand canyon. From there we will go to Las Vegas, San Diego (the zoo), LA, San Francisco. We will come back by way of Salt lake city, denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, and home to middle TN. Any suggestions, tips would be greatly appreciated. We are trying to go low to middle budget. I am not quite sure how to plan as far as gas and hotels go. HELP!!!!!!!

[Robert Schaller]

Rough figuring travel days and attractions, I'd say you have JUST enough time to do this trip in the time you've allotted -- as long as the cities you mention after LA and San Francisco aren't also destinations where you want to actually do something.

Personally, if you want a more relaxing trip, you should drop one or two things and slow it down a bit so you have time to have a "down" day or two. The way you have this one mapped, it is going to be jam-packed and you may get fairly fatigued after a few days.

You might consider dropping the entire west coast and concentrating on the GC and south Utah area -- or maybe heading back east after San Diego, leaving out LA and SFO. Just suggestions. Bob

[PNW Judy]

I agree with Bob that you might be taking on too much. Especially when you consider that you'll be traveling with children. Kids usually need more activity and sitting in the car for hours can be a recipe for disaster.

Frankly, I think a trip to Grand Canyon, then exploring southern Utah's wonderful parks (Zion, Bryce, etc.) and then exploring the Rockies while heading home would make a great trip in and of itself.