West coast road trip - Early planning

[MihaT.]

glc
Walmart has a lot more stuff in online store than in normal stores. Many products has a "Not Sold in Stores" sign online. That is the only reason i want to use the "ship to store". But i like to see up close what i buy, so i'll probably buy off the shelf on the way.
Yes i see now that Page is not in the Navajo Nation territory. I thought that Colorado river is the border. But Antelope Canyon is in the Navajo Nation territory where DST is observed?

Dave
Best Western Grosvenor hotel
Check in: 14. julij 2011
Check out: 15. julij 2011
1 night, 2 adults
Deluxe Room - One King Bed - $110,00
$124,50 with Tourism Tax and Room Tax

But at the bottom of the page in reservation terms you can see:
-"Rates displayed do not include 10% occupancy tax and $3.50 city tax"
-"$3 Daily Parking Fee"

That is how i got to $150 :)

We'll stay 2 nights in SF so it's gonna be about $280. hmmm... that's not so cheap any more. Maybe a queen bed will do :)

CalOldBlue

I assume you're going to want to do some hiking...

NO :)
Well, maybe a little. On the trails around parks. There wont be much time for long hikes and the heat will probably be a factor too.
Thanx for the tips and list.
I know that water, sunscreen and wide-brim hat is a must in the southwest.
We have a lot of experience in camping and hiking so that is not gonna be a problem.
Yes, Zion narrows is a must.

O, and where is a good place to swim in lake Mead? Not in the cities or marinas. Is there a road that gets to the lake where there is still natural beach? We will stop there on the way from Zion to Vegas.

[Midwest Michael]

glc
Walmart has a lot more stuff in online store than in normal stores. Many products has a "Not Sold in Stores" sign online. That is the only reason i want to use the "ship to store".

Don't let the "not sold in stores" fool you, Wal-mart may have a different selection of items online, but I really don't think you're going to find that they have more stuff.

What generally is the case with their online items, they may carry a different brand or model number for their website, but you'll almost always be able to find similar items - and usually a greater selection - when you actually go inside the store.

[glc]

I verified on the official Antelope Canyon site that they do NOT observe DST.

Entrance Fee Station Hours (Mountain Standard Time year round)
Summer (March-Oct) 8:00am - 5:00pm
Current Hours until 11/25/09 9:00am - 3:00pm, 7 Days a week

[MihaT.]

Thanks Michael, i'll keep that in mind.

Thanks glc. Don't know why didn't i go to their site to check opening time.


Have a nice day.

[MihaT.]

I'm planing my days on CA-1 and i just can't decide where to stay.
I was looking at Pfeiffer Big Sur campground, but it's "too close" to SF and too far to LA. So if i would stay at Big Sur i would have to stay somewhere around Oxnard the second night. Hmm... maybe that is not so bad. Is there a good camping around Malibu?
Is this doable:
1. day: Late morning from SF to Pfeiffer campground. Checking the coast and Pfeiffer waterfall.
2. day: Pfeiffer campground to Malibu. Checking the coast.
3. day: Malibu to Palm Springs. Seeing LA. How much time do you think i will have in LA?
4. day: Palm Springs to GC
...

I'm not planning a whole day in LA, but that is up to traffic. I just want to see that "standard" sights.

[MihaT.]

Ok, PCH is planned. First day in Pfeiffer Big Sur SP campground and the second in Leo Carrillo SP campground. They have good reviews.
But i still don't know if i can get from Malibu to Palm Springs in one day and see some LA on the way. Google says it's gonna be 5 hours driving in traffic. Let's say 6 with pit stops. Is that realistic? Will there be time for a few hours of sightseeing in LA?

[glc]

It's only about 150 miles from Malibu to Palm Springs. I think your plan is realistic, but be prepared for some really slow going in morning and evening rush hours.

[MihaT.]

Itinerary is completed... maybe :)

This is the plan:

Day 1. SF
Landing in SF. Relaxing. Sleep somewhere near airport.

Day 2. SF
Pick up a car. Be a turist for this day. Sleep somewhere near airport.

Day 3. CA1, SF - Big Sur 230km, 3h
Leave SF early. Castroville, Monterey, maybe 17mile drive, Carmel, McWay falls. Sleep in Pfeiffer camp in Big Sur.

Day 4. CA1, Big Sur - Malibu, 450km, 5h
Cambria, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Leo Carrillo SP, Malibu. Swimming in Pacific. Sleep in Leo Carrillo SP camp.

Day 5. LA, Malibu - Palm Springs, ?km, ?h
LA (Hollywood, Walk of Fame, Beverly Hils, Venice Beach, Sunset Strip, Bell Air...). Sleep somewhere in Palm Springs.

Day 6. Joshua Tree, Palm Springs - Kingman, 520km, 7h
Leave early. Joshua Tree NP, lunch at Twentynine palms inn, maybe Lake Havasu. Sleep somewhere in Kingman.

Day 7. Grand Canyon, Kingman - Grand Canyon South, 530km, 6h
Route 66 through Peach Springs, Flagstaff, meteor crater, GC. Sleep in Mather camp.

Day 8. Grand Canyon
Staring in the canyon all day. Sleep in Mather camp.

Day 9. Monument valey, Grand Canyon South - Monument valey, 430km, 5h
Horseshoe Bend, Page, Antelope Canyon tour, Glen Canyon dam, Lake Powell, MV. Sleep in the View hotel.

Day 10. Arches NP, Monument valey - Arches NP, 300km, 5h
Leave early. MV, Mexican Hat, Gooseneck, maybe Moki Dugway, Wilson Arch, Hole in the Rock, Arches NP. Sleep at Devils garden camp.

Day 11. Island in the Sky, Devils garden - Island in the Sky - Devils garden, 250km, 5h
Mesa Arch, Upheval Dome, Green river overlook, Grand view point, Shafer Canyon overlook, Dead Horse point. Sleep at Devils garden camp.

Day 12. Bryce NP, Arches NP - Bryce NP, 500km, 7h
Capitol reef, Calf Creek, Bryce Canyon. Sleep at Sunset camp.

Day 13. Zion NP, Bryce NP - Zion NP, 140km, 2h
Bryce, Red Canyon, Zion. Sleep at Watchman camp.

Day 14. Zion NP
Admiring Zion. Sleep at Watchman camp.

Day 15. Las Vegas, Zion NP - Las Vegas, 300km, 4h
Valley of Fire, swimming in Lake Mead (don't know where), LV. Sleep in Luxor hotel.

Day 16. Las Vegas, LV - Hoover Dam - LV, 100km, 2h
Hoover dam, new bridge, win a jackpot or two. Sleep in Luxor hotel.

Day 17. Death Valley, Las Vegas - Lone Pine, 400km, 5h
Death valley, Furnace Creek, Sand Dunes, Badwater, Lone Pine. Sleep in BW Frontier Motel or Dow Villa Motel

Day 18. Yosemite NP, Lone Pine - Yosemite NP, 350km, 5h
Bishop (breakfast at Erick Shat's Bakery), Lakes June, Silver, Grand, Mono (maybe see an alien), Tioga pass, Toulumne, Yosemite. Sleep in one of Pine camps.

Day 19. Yosemite NP, Pine camp - Glacier point - camp, 100km, 3h
Falls, trails, points, crowds. Sleep in one of Pine camps.

Day 20. Sequoia NP, Yosemite NP - Sequoia NP, 300km, 4h
Mariposa Grove, Fresno, Grant's forest, Giant forest, trails. Sleep at Lodgepole camp.

Day 21. SF, Sequoia NP - SF, 450km, 5h
Returning the car, donating excess luggage. Sleep somewhere near SFO airport.

Day 22. SF
Fly home. Sleep on a plane :)

Day 23. home
Writing a report of the trip on Roadtripamerica.com :)


This miles and times are only for driving. It's gonna take longer with stops and traffic.

What do you think? :)


This is the route:



I don't know why google maps doesn't show my routes anymore, on forum embeded maps.

Exact date is not yet determined but the trip is gonna be between july 15 and august 15, 2011. On what days would you put weekends? Yosemite is probably a must during workdays.

Thank you for reading :)

[Southwest Dave]

You seem to have a handle on things. There are some day's you have quite a lot to take in, but if you stay in one place a little longer and not make it to another then so be it, you won't be missing out. Leaving things open to change is the one of the great things about the roadtrip.

If you are spending the first couple of nights near to the airport, I wouldn't pick up your car until later in the day on day 2, or on day 3 depending on how early you want to start. Some airport hotels have free shuttle bus services to and from the airport as mentioned. SF is a compact City and easy to get around the centre, so we took the free shuttle bus back to the airport and used the BART rail system to get downtown, which I think you would find easier than trying to drive and park in the City.

Exact date is not yet determined but the trip is gonna be between july 15 and august 15, 2011. On what days would you put weekends? Yosemite is probably a must during workdays

Weekends in the NP's will be the busiest, but this time of year you are going to get a lot of visitors anyway. Once you're 'in' you can find quiet spots away from the crowds, but the kiosks and main areas can get busy. Not sure if it has been mentioned, but secure your campsites as soon as the booking window opens, they can sell out within hours of becoming available !! Also get an annual pass for $85, it will be cheaper than paying individual park fees. Get the pass at the first park you visit, or if you find yourself on 'Pier 39' in San Fran, they have an office up a flight of stairs where you can obtain one.

Day 23. home
Writing a report of the trip on Roadtripamerica.com :)

Will look forward to it !

[MihaT.]

Thanks for quick reply.

I'm gonna need the car on the second day because i want to drive lombard street and goldengate. Also we're going shopping for camping gear and i don't want to drag all that stuff on the bus. But i'm gonna rent it as late as i can.
Yes i know about the booking window for NPs. I've heard they are full within minutes.
Isn't annual pass 80$? It doesn't matter... I'll buy it in Joshua tree NP.

It's written on Yosemite site that yosemite falls can be dry in august. Do they mean dry like dry dry or just low on water. Has anyone been there in august?