San Fran -> LA : 18 days July 2008 - suggested route

[KennethM]

For anyone reading this thread in the future and finding it of interest, here's our final-ish itinerary:

Day 1 - arrive SF lunchtime, taxi to city. Overnight SF
Day 2 - sightseeing SF. Overnight SF
Day 3 - sightseeing SF. Overnight SF
Day 4 - pick up car am. Overnight Monterey/Carmel.
Day 5 - Explore down 101 30-40 miles, turn and drive to Yosemite. Overnight Mariposa
Day 6 - sightseeing Yosemite. Overnight Mammoth Lakes
Day 7 - drive Death Valley. Overnight Death Valley.
Day 8 - sightseeing Death Valley. Drive Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas.
Day 9 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 10 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 11 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 12 - drive Grand Canyon. Overnight Grand Canyon.
Day 13 - drive to Flagstaff-Sedona-Prescott Valley-Ash Fork-Kingman. Overnight Kingman
Day 14 - drive Mohave-Joshua Tree-Palm Springs. Overnight Palm Springs
Day 15 - drive LA. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 16 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 17 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 18 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 19 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Home to UK

It may appear that we should stretch out a few of the one nighters to two nights but availability of accommodations don't work out that well and, with couple of kids possibly getting road weary and looking for some action rather than beautiful scenery, I'm mindful that I've only one vote in the car!

Any comments or suggestions or advice welcome!

[Southwest Dave]

hey there! nice to see it's all coming together for you.
i can understand that not all the accomodations have worked out for you,but it does seem a shame that you are just driving through yosemite and grand canyon,they are 2 of the most magnificient places i have visited,and yosemite should keep the kids amused as well,what with the wildlife and rivers running through. if theres any chance,personally i would drop a night in vegas and L.A. for a night in these places,if not maybe leave sedona and prescott out [although lovely places i've heard] and spend more of the day at the grand canyon.but it's your trip and you will have fun no matter what.
oh how i wish iwas returning now!!!! lol!

[KennethM]

hey there! nice to see it's all coming together for you.
i can understand that not all the accomodations have worked out for you,but it does seem a shame that you are just driving through yosemite and grand canyon,they are 2 of the most magnificient places i have visited,and yosemite should keep the kids amused as well,what with the wildlife and rivers running through. if theres any chance,personally i would drop a night in vegas and L.A. for a night in these places,if not maybe leave sedona and prescott out [although lovely places i've heard] and spend more of the day at the grand canyon.but it's your trip and you will have fun no matter what.
oh how i wish iwas returning now!!!! lol!

I agree with you and I did think of that after compiling my first run through the itinerary, but the problem was accommodation - I reserved accommodation at both Yosemite and Grand Canyon and then when I went back to try and extend each, there was no availibility either side of the nights we had booked. By then most other places had booked up. I haven't given up yet as I regularly check back to see for any cancellations so it might still work out :)

btw, thanks for your great thread and photos from your trip - really inspirational and, in the words of our American friends ... awesome! :)

[Southwest Dave]

i know accomodations can be tricky in the busier parks and yosemite is a quite a drive in and out so not easy,but possibly staying at lee vining instead of mammoth lakes may give you a bit more time in the park. be sure to take the time to drive up to glacier point and take in the view,it's amazing.
another possibility for the grand canyon would be to leave vegas in the afternoon,1 day early if you could find accomodation in tusayan,which is right on the doorstep of the south rim. or once at the grand canyon a big part of the south rim experience is "desert view drive", heading east with some great viewpoints and ends at the old watchtower. it would be posible to leave by this exit which would create a loop by heading south to flagstaff on hwy 89.another possibility to maximize your time at the canyon would be to check out accomodation here
and then head off towards sedona etc the following day,rather than having to leave the canyon early and miss this part. :)
sorry if i'm confusing matters,i just thought i would offer some options. lol!
have a great trip!!!!!!!!

[KennethM]

i know accomodations can be tricky in the busier parks and yosemite is a quite a drive in and out so not easy,but possibly staying at lee vining instead of mammoth lakes may give you a bit more time in the park. be sure to take the time to drive up to glacier point and take in the view,it's amazing.
another possibility for the grand canyon would be to leave vegas in the afternoon,1 day early if you could find accomodation in tusayan,which is right on the doorstep of the south rim. or once at the grand canyon a big part of the south rim experience is "desert view drive", heading east with some great viewpoints and ends at the old watchtower. it would be posible to leave by this exit which would create a loop by heading south to flagstaff on hwy 89.another possibility to maximize your time at the canyon would be to check out accomodation here
and then head off towards sedona etc the following day,rather than having to leave the canyon early and miss this part. :)
sorry if i'm confusing matters,i just thought i would offer some options. lol!
have a great trip!!!!!!!!

We've taken your earlier advice and we're now going to stay on night 13 around sedona, to give us most of the 13th morning/afternoon/evening around Grand Canyon. This shoves the following stays back one night and drops one night off Newport beach. Thankfully the places I'd booked on 13th & 14th are available at same rate for the following night, so it's going to fit in nicely :)

I'll look again at mammoth lakes on Night 6 but the idea staying there was to cut of some time of the drive down to Death Valley.

Thx again.

[Southwest Dave]

i think you'll enjoy those few extra hours at the grand canyon and if possible witness the sunrise and/or sunset,it's quite amazing.
if you leave yosemite in the evening and you are looking for somewhere to eat there is a garage [or gas station ;) ]on the junction of hwy 120 and the 395 at lee vining and tucked in on the side of it there is a diner called "woah nellies dellie" ,the food is great and you can get a great view of mono lake from the parking area.
enjoy yourselve and it'd be great if you could check back in and let us know how it went. :)

[KennethM]

Thx again for the tip, gommy.

To keep it all updated, here's the new interary.

Day 1 - arrive SF lunchtime, taxi to city. Overnight SF
Day 2 - sightseeing SF. Overnight SF
Day 3 - sightseeing SF. Overnight SF
Day 4 - pick up car am. Overnight Monterey/Carmel.
Day 5 - Explore down 101 30-40 miles, turn and drive to Yosemite. Overnight Mariposa
Day 6 - sightseeing Yosemite. Overnight Mammoth Lakes
Day 7 - drive Death Valley. Overnight Death Valley.
Day 8 - sightseeing Death Valley. Drive Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas.
Day 9 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 10 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 11 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas
Day 12 - drive Grand Canyon. Overnight Grand Canyon.
Day 13 - Explore Grand Canyon. Overnight Sedona.
Day 14 - drive to Sedona-Prescott Valley-Ash Fork-Kingman. Overnight Kingman
Day 15 - drive Mohave-Joshua Tree-Palm Springs. Overnight Palm Springs
Day 16 - drive LA. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 17 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 18 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Overnight Newport Beach
Day 19 - Sightseeing / Shopping / Rest and Relaxation. Home to UK

I'll keep it updated and possibly add some more details if decided.