Thanks for the advice! I lived in Phoenix, so I've done Saguaro and Casa Grande a few times already. I'm definitely interested in Joshua Tree and thanks for the tip on Palo Duro Canyon. We've both been to the Grand Canyon before, but I love it so much that I can't not stop there.

We do have the weekends to work with. We're very flexible. We just need to be at Disney for an event on May 17 and 18 so I'm planning on being in the LA area for 3 nights. Since neither of us have obligations for the month, we could extend the trip by a few days. I'm trying to decide if some of those Utah sights would be worth adding a couple days. Once I start my job, I'm not sure I'll have an opportunity like this for awhile, so I want to pack it all in!

Friends in San Fran have asked if we could drive up there from LA, which would add another couple days. But I'm thinking that it could be more pleasant than the desert in May? My boyfriend is also interested in Yosemite, so I would imagine that would mean adding days to the CA portion of the trip and not making as many stops on the way back to Atlanta.

Quote Originally Posted by DonnaR57 View Post

I'd push for I-10 on the way to CA, and then I-40 on the way back if you are looking for a more leisurely return.
This is what I was initially thinking. In that case, we would stop in Dallas and Austin on the way there and hit the Grand Canyon on the way back.