can anyone help?

[mummymunchkin]

Hi, I'm returning to the west coast after enjoying it so much last year. This time we plan to drive & I would really appreciate some help with routes, sights etc. We plan to start in San Francisco and finish in 9 days later Vegas and would like to take in Santa Monica, & The Grand Canyon on the way. I've read a bit about Lake Havasu, would it be possible to stop off there? Thanks so much x

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America forum.

Mummy, this is a set of trips that comes up quite frequently, so be sure to use the search function (at the right-hand side of the tool bar just above this post) and the similar threads at the bottom of this page (if any) to look for other road trips that have hit these same cities. But the short answers to your inquiries look something like this:

Start out by taking the Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1) south from the Bay Area along the coast; see Monterey, Pebble Beach and Carmel; stop along the shore to see the sea lion rookeries; explore some of the state parks; tour W. R. Hearst's San Simeon; and finally see (the back side of) how the other half lives in Malibu.

From L.A. head out onto I-15 north and then take I-40 east at Barstow. If you want to see some other-worldly landscapes, take exit 78 north and head on up towards Kelso before doubling back to the highway. Then, shortly after you enter Arizona, take AZ-95 south to Lake Havasu and see the lake and London Bridge.

Continue east on I-40 to AZ-64 north to the Grand Canyon. Again, if you're of a mind to take a side trip, just past Kingman, AZ you can take about a 100 mile stretch of the old US-66 alignment and see Grand Canyon Caverns as well.

After seeing the Grand Canyon, retrace your steps to Kingman and then just follow US-93 north up to Las Vegas over Hoover Dam, which is also worth a stop. Hope that's generally what you were looking for.

AZBuck

[mummymunchkin]

thanks, that's given me a lot of help I really appreciate it x