Family trip San Fran to Phoenix via Grand Canyon - need ideas:)

[jandm]

Thanks Michael,
That is helpful info about Mammoth Lakes. It is so hard to tell just by looking at the map.

I was in Vegas once, and everywhere we walked, people were trying to hand us things that I would not want my kids to see (and they were all over the ground from people not taking them & dropping them)! Maybe it was a fluke, but I'm not sure. I remember thinking that it was not a place for kids:) I wouldn't mind stopping to stay at a nice hotel where the kids could swim though:)

Thoughts on updated itinerary? :
Day 1 - fly PHL - DEN (overnight Denver) - flight already booked

Day 2 - drive to Estes Park via Peak to Peak scenic highway (overnight Estes Park)

Day 3 - Drive Trail Ridge Rd (overnight Grand Lake or Winter Park)

Day 4 - back to Denver (overnight)

Day 5- take Amtrak California Zephyr from Denver - San Francisco (already booked) - overnight on train

Days 6,7,8, - overnights in San Francisco

Day 9 - pick up car & head to Monterey (overnight Monterey or extra night in SF)

Day 10 - Monterey (or SF) to Yosemite (overnight Yosemite)

Day 11- overnight Yosemite

Day 12 - Leave Yosemite lunchtime [ish] and drive across the Sierra Nevada on the scenic Tioga Pass [CA120] while doing a few stops along the way (overnight Mammoth Lakes)

Day 13 - drive toward Zion NP via Las Vegas (overnight Vegas)

Day 14 - Drive to Zion NP via the 'ET Highway' to Springdale (overnight Sprindale)

Day 15 - Explore Zion and stay another night (overnight Springdale)

Day 16 - continue to Page AZ (overnight Page?)

Day 17 - To the Grand canyon with a possible detour to Monument valley on route. You will enter the GC south rim via the east entry station along Desert view drive to the village area. There are a few viewpoints to stop at and admire the views along the way, the first a t the Watchtower as you enter the park, so leave enough time to enjoy these. (overnight GC)

Days 18, 19, 20 - Scottsdale luxury resort (after all of that driving - some relaxing time!)

Day 21 - Overnight near PHX airport

Day 22 - fly home (PHX-PHL - already have this booked)

[CAnative]

Hi,

Lodging in Yosemite National Park can be booked a year in advance however you might be able to pick up a cancellation. You might consider stopping at Mono Lake which is just north of the highway 120/ 395 junction.

Jessica

[Mark Sedenquist]

I was in Vegas once, and everywhere we walked, people were trying to hand us things that I would not want my kids to see (and they were all over the ground from people not taking them & dropping them)! Maybe it was a fluke, but I'm not sure. I remember thinking that it was not a place for kids:) I wouldn't mind stopping to stay at a nice hotel where the kids could swim though:)

RTA is based in Las Vegas.... The issue of people handing out stuff on the Strip is probably more of a problem than when you visited here. Here's a report on this very issue filed yesterday....

But there are lots of places with nice pools. The South Point might be perfect for you -- nice pools -- and that issue of the Strip is not a problem and the prices are some of the best value in town.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

Day 14 - Drive to Zion NP via the 'ET Highway' to Springdale (overnight Sprindale)

As you are driving to Zion from Vegas I would not do such a large detour to drive the ET Highway, it really is just a desert road with an 'Alien' Cafe/Inn that would take you about 200 miles off course !!

You could head straight to Zion, or perhaps visit Valley of Fire State park, but driving all the way out to Rachael on the ET highway is really not worth it ! [It was mentioned earlier in the thread as you were possibly going to Zion via Tonopah.]