Los Angeles > San Francico > Death Valley > Las Vegas

[Bruiser]

Hi everyone.

Fantastic forum you all have =]

Could anyone advise me if my trip is do-able

I am landing in LA from New Zealand on the 21st May. I will be there 2 nights at Venice Beach.

I then plan to drive to SF via the coastal route, leaving the 23rd & arriving the 24th. I am then thinking of driving early on the 27th to Las Vegas via Death Valley, arriving that night.

Could anyone advise where to stay on the way to SF?

Also, can you just turn up and do the Alcatraz tour or do you need to book in advance? I saw one website saying you need to book weeks ahead!

Thanks!

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

The Cambria/San Simeon area would be a nice stopover point for the trip to SF.

The Alcatraz tours are very popular and to save standing in potentially long queues with the risk of the next boat being booked out, I would book in advance. This is the only official office to get your boat tickets without having agent fees or having to book other tours.

To get to Vegas same day via Death Valley will be a very long day on the road and you won't have a lot of time for sight seeing, which is a shame as you will be going right through Yosemite NP, which is one of the most scenic of all ! If you have time available at the end of your trip, I would certainly recommend an overnight stop on route and arrive in Vegas the following day. That may give you a couple of hours in Yosemite valley before heading up and over Tioga Pass. [CA120]

[Bruiser]

Thankyou Dave, I really appreciate your help! =]

I might see if I can get to LV on the 28th then. I'm meeting friends in Vegas and planning to fly to NYC on the 31st, then London UK on the 5th June. Also hopefully getting a trip to the Grand Canyon at the same time as in Vegas.

To be honest, I don't find gambling interesting, so I suspect a couple of nights in Vegas will be enough for me. Where as I do love big cities and I am quite happy to get lost in NYC for several days =]

Can anyone recommend a day trip company to the Grand Canyon?



Thanks again. My trip was oringally going to be quite different to this. I was going to fly into LA, drive to LV, after four nights, fly to New Orleans, drive to Chicago and then NYC. But I think that is to much to do in 2 weeks. Oh well, next time

[Midwest Michael]

We really don't recommend the Grand Canyon as a daytrip from Vegas. Its a good 5 hours of driving each way, so it really is impossible to have any quality time there without an overnight stop.

The only exception is if you take a tour by air, however you have to be careful. Most helicopter tours from Vegas will only take you to the West Rim of the Canyon, which is on Indian Reservation Lands and really is not the same as the National Park. If you are going to take a tour by air, make sure it is one that will actually take you to the Grand Canyon Airport, just outside of the National Park, which will let you see it from above, and by standing on the rim.