San Francisco - Vegas in June

[lucitcha]

Hello!
I've been looking at the threads for a couple of days, and what a great website!
I'm Brazilian, and planning a first road trip in america with my husband for june 2011. I believe I have enough time for planning routes, booking hotels, etc.
We don't mind the beaches (since we have a LOT of beautiful beaches around us), but crave for desert, mountains and canyon sites. We don't feel like going to LA, and want to taste what Vegas is like, and get back to Rio.

I'm thinking:
3 night SF
2 nights yosemite
1 or 2 nights death valley
2 nights grand canyon
1 or 2 nights in Vegas, passing through route 66 (I'd like to really BE THERE for 1 night, not too tired from the road, and not worried about catching an early flight, that's the only reason I'm thinking 2 nights).

Is this schedule ok? I'd like to include Sequoia park too, how long should I spend there, and exactly at what point of the trip? Any thoughts on where to stay? Nearby cicites, in the parks? Anything I SHOULD see and did not think about? I hear there are lots of beautiful canyons around Vegas... but we cannot spend more than 14 days in this trip. Something between 10 and 14 days would fit our schedule. How'bout Tioga Pass and Glacier Point - are they open this time of the year?

FYI: Before this trip we're spending 1 week in NY with my parents, so we're not getting to San Francisco after a looong 17-hour flight from Rio. Are 3 nights in SF enough to see main attractions + Alcatraz?

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Your itinerary looks fine but a couple of things to consider; When in June are you travelling ? The Tioga pass can remain closed untill well into June due to snow accumulation throughout the winter, It takes a while to thaw at that elevation.

If you want to visit Sequoia and Tioga is closed, you can head South towards Bakersfield and take a detour into the park. If it is open I would head to Sequoia before Yosemite and then over the pass. Death valley and Sequoia look relatively close, but by the time you have travelled around the mountains it is a long drive.

If you spend a night in Death valley you could then explore some of the park and start making tracks towards the GC and maybe stop on route, or use the extra time with a night at Sequoia. If you have a few more day's you could consider heading North a little after Death valley and go to Zion NP, through Page and then to the Grand canyon and create a nice loop from Vegas.

[lucitcha]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply and for the tips!
We're going early in june, I'm thinking the tioga pass will probably be closed. Do we miss too much by not being able to see it?
Do you think we should stay IN the parks (GC south rim, Death Valley, etc) or in nearby cities?

Thanks!

[Southwest Dave]

The Tioga is a spectacular drive, but if it is closed at your time of travel there is little [nothing] you can do about it. A drive through Sequoia NP is indeed a viable option and the drive down the Generals highway is also wonderful.

If your budget can meet the extra expense of staying in the parks then I would go for it. Driving in and out of the parks can take up valuable time, and being able to stroll around and witness sunsets and stay in natural surroundings without having to face a drive at the end of the day is very rewarding. You can find more reasonably priced lodgings fairly close by though so you will have to weigh up the pro's and con's. Booking well in advance is advised for staying in the parks.

[lucitcha]

Ok, thank you a lot!
I'm going to think about the trip plan for a while and come bake with other questions!
This forum is really the best, and you are so helpful.