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Earlier this year I asked for advice for a road trip I was planning from NY-Dallas over 3 weeks. Had an amazing time and really appreciated the suggestions people offered. My favourite state was West Virginia and favourite city was Nashville.
I'm coming back over from England in April but to do the West Coast, flying in and out of San Fran (to get the hire car cheaper) and the plan is to do a sort of loop, few nights in each place but LA, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and then back across Nevada to Lake Tahoe and San Fran.
I've done the obvious and been on trip advisor and searched best attractions in each state/city so just seeing if anyone has any suggestions that might not be too well known or great driving roads? We are over for 18 days.
Well, if it were me--and I've been over all these places a few times--I would stick to the high points, because there are a lot of them already without adding lesser-known sights.
1-2 Two days in San Francisco.
3 Drive down the coast on Highway 1--a full day, minimum. Spend the night in San Simeon or Santa Barbara.
4 Finish the drive to LA.
5-7 Two-three days in LA depending on your interests
8-9 San Diego.
10 Palm Springs/Joshua Tree
11 Phoenix? never been there and it's way out of the way; I'd skip it personally. Go to Las Vegas instead.
12 Grand Canyon
13-14 Zion and/or Bryce Cayon National Park, both are awesome
15 Salt Lake City
16-17 Lake Tahoe
18 Back to San Francisco
You will miss Death Valley, Yosemite, and the Sequoias, which are all "not to be missed" in my opinion, but this is already a ton of driving, you've just scratched the surface, and you are out of time.
Las Vegas to Phoenix to Salt Lake City and west toward Tahoe will be mostly desert but some very cool stuff (Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonland, Arches, the salt flats, some Indian ruins along the way, Mojave, Death Valley). Do you like beach & ocean or mountains along the California part? Mostly cities? I'm not sure what the Sierras are like in April. Redwood trees are there all year. I think Whales are migrating in April near Point Reyes. The cities will each have something different. I park the car and try to take public transportation when visiting in California cities as I don't need the extra stress.
Assuming a decent winter, they are cold and covered with snow. Waterfalls will be running in Yosemite and you can hike around the valley, but the back trails are still closed.
Roads through high Sierra passes (highways 4, 108, 120) will likely be closed in April due to lingering winter snow. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon will also likely still be closed for winter, though the South Rim is open year round.
Please be aware that northern Arizona and southern Utah are on the Colorado Plateau, with elevations often approaching 8000 ft (2500m). I don't mean mountain passes, but the entire land is lifted up. You may still encounter winter conditions in April, so plan for snow/ice and pay attention to weather forecasts. Carry chains, blankets, water, and food. A little container of kitty litter is also good for traction if you get stuck in snow/ice.
Be sure to take Highway 1 from SF down through Monterey/Carmel and on to Morro Bay. It's slower, but way better scenery compared to the inland freeways. I would skip Santa Cruz (unless you want to visit the beachfront amusement park) and instead prioritize Monterey or Carmel-by-the-Sea. The drive from Monterey to Morro Bay through Big Sur is absolutely stunning. Do not miss this.
I don't have any suggestions for SoCal, not really my jam so I'll let others comment on this.
I wouldn't prioritize Phoenix, mostly strip malls and urban sprawl. Not a bad place to spend a night to break up the driving, but IMO not a lot to explore. I would instead plan to spend more in/around Sedona, Flagstaff, and the Grand Canyon.
From there drive north, then west on 89A past the Vermilion Cliffs then make your way north to Bryce Canyon National Park followed by Zion National Park.
From there I would consider skipping Salt Lake City (an okay city, just a bit out of the way) and instead head west on Highway 50 through Nevada. If you're ok with camping Great Basin National Park is worth visiting. Amazing place to stargaze, and the Lehman Caves are interesting.
Another option: from Zion NP to Las Vegas, then through Death Valley NP, then up Highway 395 along the Eastern Sierras (also stunning), Mono Lake, side trip to Bodie State Park, then up to the Lake Tahoe area.
Spend a day or two at Lake Tahoe before heading back to SF.
Last edited by AnythingOutdoors; 12-16-2022 at 08:04 PM..
Earlier this year I asked for advice for a road trip I was planning from NY-Dallas over 3 weeks. Had an amazing time and really appreciated the suggestions people offered. My favourite state was West Virginia and favourite city was Nashville.
I'm coming back over from England in April but to do the West Coast, flying in and out of San Fran (to get the hire car cheaper) and the plan is to do a sort of loop, few nights in each place but LA, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and then back across Nevada to Lake Tahoe and San Fran.
I've done the obvious and been on trip advisor and searched best attractions in each state/city so just seeing if anyone has any suggestions that might not be too well known or great driving roads? We are over for 18 days.
Thanks in advance.
The most non-negotiable attraction to see is Big Sur. I would try to plan multiple days, but even just driving down the 1 and stopping at lookout points is mind blowing. Ideally, you would plan out an excursion at a place like Andrew Molera park and stay the night in Big Sur (expensive) and take your sweet time to take in this wonder of the world.
If you are coming down to San Diego after multiple days in Los Angeles county (I'm assuming you'll be favoring the coast), I would prioritize Point Loma over La Jolla, and assuming you spent time at Los Angeles beach cities, that's all you need to see in San Diego. La Jolla has more tourist/recreational attractions to offer, but Point Loma is a singularly unique California attraction that can be done in a few hours.
Between Los Angeles and San Diego, you should strongly consider devoting a day to Catalina Island, you can stop in Long Beach on the way down, pay to park and its $80 or so round trip with plenty of departures all day.
I wouldn't leave out Phoenix, if for no other reason than that the drive there from San Diego via Interstate 8 is, IMO, the most interesting desert drive to be had on an interstate highway. In April, be prepared for the temperature to go up by as much as 30 degrees, from around 70 to as much as 100, when you cross the mountains (I forget their name) before you get to El Centro. That part of the country, especially Yuma, is hot and dry. Be prepared. (At a minimum, ALWAYS have some water with you.) Phoenix is likewise quite toasty, though they'll be quick to tell you that it's a dry heat (low humidity), which is true. Interstate 17 from Phoenix up to Flagstaff is rather scenic (desert-y mountains) but it's worth it to get off the highway to visit Sedona. If you're up that way, absolutely do not miss the Grand Canyon. Indeed, there are a number of wonderful national parks in the region you'll be exploring. Yosemite is my personal favorite, but there are many more to choose from.
If you visit Salt Lake City (which you should; it's a remarkably pleasant place), you might find a tour of the big Mormon temple to be interesting. You could pop up the mountain via Interstate 80 a short distance to the east to visit Park City, where the 2002 Winter Olympic facilities have been turned into an attraction. If you're looking for something different and offbeat that's right on the way, if you're using Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, you could visit Cove Fort, an old Mormon trading post located at the junction of Interstates 15 and 70.
California alone warrants more than 18 days. I think a must is Redwoods and Avenue of the Giants, and the entire PCH north of San Fran to this destination. That's just an icebreaker. Then, Carmel is an absolute must. San Francisco alone is a minimum 3 day stay. Another poster mentioned wine country in Napa. For me, the best 25 mile run this entire country has to offer is CA-128 between Napa and Calistoga. Then, there's the central coast, and that stretch of the PCH, between Big Sur and Pismo Beach. You want to make time for Hearst Castle. I would also take the Santa Ynez and Solvang route to Santa Barbara, even though Gaviota Pass might be initially more appealing. Cold Spring Tavern and hotel between Solvang and Santa Barbara is an essential stop for lodging or dining. Also for a regional speciality, Tri-Tip sandwiches at Danny's Deli in Carpinteria. Definitely switch onto PCH again leaving Oxnard to have the full Malibu experience. From there, Santa Monica Pier and the California Incline. Laguna Beach on the way to San Diego is another must see. Of all the southern California beaches, this one is at the top of my list. Finally, the La Jolla Cove is absolutely stunning. This write up covers just one run of California, without considering the states interior. That would warrant another separate paragraph. Zion and Bryce plus the other 3 Utah parks are another write up. Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, that's yet another write up.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
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This is Not a short loop. Doable in 18 days.
Below Monterey and above San Simone, CA-1 can be closed due to landslides. It is very challenging drive with hairpin curves on Very steep cliffs that fall directly to the ocean. Remember USA is rightside driving, so you don't have much error room heading South on CA-1.
Skip Phoenix. Do other stuff in AZ.
Deemphasize, Salt Lake City.
Big Sur has some Redwoods Groves. I didn't find the Big Sur drive all that interesting. Oregon Coast drive is better.
YMMV
Last edited by leastprime; 12-16-2022 at 09:12 PM..
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