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Old April 25th, 2006, 06:00 AM posted to rec.travel.usa-canada
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Default trip to usa in december/january

In article ,
says...

"cora" wrote in message
roups.com...
Hi all
I am new to groups etc so please bear with me
We are leaving australia on Dec 6th to travel to usa. We will be
hiring a car and driving from SF to LA. About 10 days in LA/Anaheim
then to San deigo, barstow (to see Calico Ghost Town - is it worth
is??) We have 3 kids age 13, 10 and 7 so I thought it would be good
for them. Then to Grand Canyon via Kingman. Grand canyon for maybe 3
nights then out to Durango - Mesa Verde. Is this worth a look?

Yes, Mesa Verde is definitely work a look, but it's likely Mesa Verde will
be closed in December and January, but, nearby Monument Valley in Southern
Utah and Northern Arizona (stay in Kayenta, Arizona) is spectacular and if
you like skiing you might want to take a jog up to Telluride, but, it's
pricey. Durango is very picturesque and scenic and also has excellent
skiing at nearby Purgatory. The mountains in that part of Colorado are
spectacular and you might also want to travel a few miles north of Durango
to Ouray, which is called the "Little Switzerland of America". Durango
isn't usually nearly as cold as other mountain areas in Colorado like Aspen,
Leadville, Steamboat Springs, Crested Butte and Gunnison. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-)


I'm with Alohacyberian on this. It will be cold, once you leave CA. Check with
each of the sites that you wish to visit, as many will be closed with the
season and the weather.

Grand Canyon is likely to be very cold, though the El Tovar Lodge has a
wonderful fireplace in the lobby area. I would make reservations, even in the
off-season, as you do not want to get to some out-of-the-way place, only to
find that they are booked. Grand Canyon could mean a 75 mile drive at night,
to try and secure a room.

If you get any place near Santa Fe/Alamagorda, NM, Bandolier National Park
offers a more personal, up-close view of the ruins there, than does Mesa
Verde. It is more open hiking, and not so much of a "tour." This is NOT to say
that Mesa Verde should be missed, only that Bandolier is more one-on-one, and
the kids might get much more out of it.

Make sure that your hire-car is winter-equipped, as you will likely pick it up
in SF and Utah, CO, and maybe points in between, will likely be very snowy,
especially if you do Ouray. US 550, up from Durango, is NOT to be missed, so
long as you have a well winterized auto.

Hunt

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