"Panawe" wrote in message
m...
On Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:11:54 +0100, Graham Harrison wrote:
"Panawe" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:07:15 +0100, Graham Harrison wrote:
"Panawe" wrote in message
m...
On Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:34:52 +0000, Lauri Nurmi wrote:
On 2011-10-12, Panawe wrote:
On 10/10/2011 6:33 AM, Panawe wrote:
I would like to go whale-watching and see Yosemite and
Yellowstone Nat'l parks (and others if feasible).
As regards my itinerary - what would you suggest given that I want
to get the most out of my holiday? Should I leave Yellowstone for
another time? Even if I extend the holiday to three weeks?
You could drive less and still visit three national parks if you
choose Yosemite, Death Valley and Grand Canyon (Arizona side).
Hoover Dam and Las Vegas are along the assumed route, and might also
be worth seeing.
-LN
Thanks to everyone for advice.
I'm listening and I'm wondering now about 14 days fly-drive out of
San Francisco followed by a week's package tour (a holiday within a
holiday!) to Yellowstone flying to and from SFO. I could have a rest
from driving on the Y'stone tour.
What do you think?
Or I could do the grand tour from Seattle to SF via.... stop it! 
--
Panawe
Well, last year I participated in a Gray Line Alaska tour (Yukon and
Alaska). It's the first time I ever went on something like it. I'm
in 2 minds. It was nice not to have to keep driving. It was
incredibly frustrating to go past things I wanted to look at and I
didn't have enough time (even if I could have found transport) to
explore the outskirts of Whitehorse or Fairbanks. The big benefit
was when we got to Dawson and the road across to Tok was washed out.
They simply hired a plane and away we went!
On balance I would only do it again if I couldn't find a way of doing
the journey under my own steam.
I had wondered about a tour for you from San Francisco to Yosemite and
Monterrey. Gray Line only do each as a one day tour (forget it).
You might be able to stitch one or more Tauck Tours together with
flights (or maybe even Amtrak) between e.g.
http://www.tauck.com/tours/usa-tours...ravel/wyoming-
travel-
yys-2012.aspx
http://www.tauck.com/tours/usa-tours...el/california-
tour-
ca-2012.aspx
Or maybe Globus http://monograms.com/us-vacations/ but I'm not sure
how you'd book some of the tours on that page. Globus are part of
the same company as Cosmos and they seem to want me work work through
Cosmos because I live in the UK and that is the page for people who
live in the US. I've no doubt it's doable but it might be a slight
struggle.
It is pretty easy to organise a trip using car hire and motels. The
trick is not to do too much driving and to allow the occasional "rest
day" if only because you need to find a launderette (many motels have
a machine). If you want help try someone like
http://www.nahighways.co.uk/. Anything you see on their website can
be changed/extended/shortened/sent places they don't normally list -
the tours they list are examples; they can be booked but they don't
have to look like that. I've never used them, I had a professional
connection with them some years ago and they seemed competent but
there are other similar specialists around.
By the way, what part of the UK are you in? I keep assuming you're
flying from London and that doesn't have to be the case.
Hi Graham,
I'm in the Midlands so would prefer to fly from Brum. It's a changing
situation, now I'm thinking of leaving Yellowstone to another year and
looking at fly-drive to San Francisco (2 nts) then Monterey (2 nts) to
get the whale trip in, then Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Lake
Tahoe, Crater Lakes, Redwoods NP and back to SF over 14 days. Except
I've missed Death valley which I'd have to do after Monterey and before
Sequoia (bit tired at the moment). Far more sensible, haven't done the
fine detail yet and any advice on routes welcome.
I can't make my mind up whether to book a tour through a company or do
it myself via the 'Net. You'd think doing the donkey work myself would
work out cheaper but I'm not so sure.
Thanks for the input.
--
Panawe
This is going to be a mixed up message with unconnected elements.
I'm not clear if you've been to the USA before.
I live in South Somerset. Exeter and Bristol are both about an hour
away and Heathrow 2 hours (unless I try it on a summer weekend!). I
simply ignore the alternatives and head for Heathrow. I enjoy flying.
When I worked I was known for being quite ready to travel. That said,
over the years I've decided non stop is best. On the N Atlantic that
might a little more expensive but I'll pay that. Why? One is very
basic - take off and landing are the most risky parts of flying, why
increase the risk by adding extra take-offs/landings when I don't have
to? The other is journey time. 10 hours to the west coast is bad
enough. Why spend 7 hours going to the east coast and then 2/3 hours
worrying about whether you'll make the connection and then another 5
hours on a different plane? It's no better going back to Europe on say
Air France/KLM/Lufthansa it's the same hassle. And if you go via the USA
you will have to clear customs at your point of entry, recheck your
bags, find your way from international to domestic and go back through
security.
If you do go to Heathrow you'll find that both BA and Virgin offer a
premium economy as well as basic economy. Ordinary economy is 10
across with 31 inches between seats. Premium economy is 8 abreast and
38 inches and extra baggage allowance. United have something they call
Economy Plus which is normal 10 across seating but spaced out (can't
remember how many inches). I'm a fan of what BA call World Traveller
Plus.
I was once warned about speeding by an American I was working with. I
was on my way to rural Texas and he claimed the police in towns in rural
places make their living by catching speeding out of towners. It's
interesting watching traffic in the US. Get on a freeway within about
20 miles of a city and through that city and it's manic (assuming it's
not a traffic jam). Speeding, switching lanes without signaling,
undertaking, tailgating is rife. Once you're out in the sticks there's
much less speeding and it must be in part because of the number of times
I've come over a slight rise to find a police car in the median and
speeding in small towns just doesn't really seem to happen (oh, and be
really careful with school speed limits).
I think you're discovering you're spoiled for choice. The west is full
of opportunities. I'm going back to the idea of one way trips. You
need to check because it keeps changing but in the past I've hired cars
in Los Angeles and dropped them in San Francisco without having to pay a
one way fee. I think it may also be possible to do if Las Vegas or San
Diego is an endpoint. It may depend on the car hire company.
A word about car hire - make sure you understand what is included and
what isn't. The clerks at rental desks will try and sell you bigger
cars, insurance you don't need and all sorts. The number of times I've
had them try and sell me a bigger car than the one I hired and, when I
turn it down, given me a bigger car because they don't have what I
booked. This year I booked a Chevrolet Cruse (Mondeo sized) and got
put in a Dodge Nitro 4x4. Doesn't always happen but book what you need
and stick to your guns (but don't book something that is JUST big enough
- go one size bigger).
OK, where to go. What do you want to see? Mountains, big trees,
Buffalo, Wolves, dark blue lakes, a mirror lake? Do you want to go
for short strolls, day hikes, go horse riding? Even in a national park
do you mind being surrounded by people (Yosemite valley)? What about
other things? I like trains and planes so I'm always on the lookout
for heritage railways and transport museums. I've taken trips to the
USA where part of the reason has been to attend an air show for
instance. Small towns sometimes have local museums with all sorts of
stuff; one had a dentists surgery, another a pharmacy in a log cabin and
yet another a collection of barbed wire! Some things bought in the USA
are cheaper than in the UK. Some attract duty but come into your free
allowance, others (books) are duty free anyway. Forget naming actual
parks or cities for a moment and think about features instead. You've
named whale watching, what else?
As for planning the advantage of a specialist agent is they will have
been to many of the places or dealt with their suppliers for some years.
Do it yourself is sometimes a leap of faith but if you stick with
middle of the road chain motels you're usually OK. The worst mistake I
made was booking a (non chain) motel in Canada. The motel was very
nice and I was initially happy to find the Canadian Pacific main line 10
feet from the door but when the trains ran all night I wasn't so happy!
Easier to avoid these days with Google maps and Streetview.
PS I'm away for the weekend.
I'll have to think on your point about direct flights as I was hoping to
go from Birmingham. I've had another shot at an itinerary, here goes...
From -To -Miles -Sights
BHX -SFO
San Francisco -San Francisco -0 -Alcatraz
San Francisco -Monterey -121 -Coast road
Monterey -Monterey -0 -Whale cruise
Monterey -Morro Bay -123 -Coast road
Morro Bay -Sequoia, CA 93286 -148 -Scenic
Sequoia, CA 93286 -El Portal -151 -Scenic
El Portal -El Portal -Scenic
El Portal -El Portal -Scenic
El Portal -Lake Tahoe -206 -Travel
Lake Tahoe -Shasta Lake -236 -Travel
Shasta Lake -Crescent City via Klamath Falls -320 -Travel
Crescent City -Fort Bragg -216 -Scenic
Fort Bragg -San Francisco -170 -Scenic
San Francisco -San Francisco -Shopping
SFO -BHX
Looks a mess. No Yellowstone, Grand Canyon or even Death valley!
--
Panawe
My own view is that you'll enjoy yourself more if you don't try and overdo
it and this looks much more reasonable. I am however intrigued by the
Shasta/Crescent City day. Why go via Klamath Falls? It's the long way
round!
I also have a suggestion for your last day(s). My wife had an aunt who
emigrated to the USA and for many years lived on the San Francisco
peninsular; initially in San Mateo (town, it's a county as well) and later
in Foster City (which is in San Mateo county). If you cross the Golden
Gate and don't stop in San Francisco and keep going past the airport about
5/10 miles further on you'll come first to San Mateo and then Foster City.
You say you want to spend the last day(s) shopping. Well,
http://www.hillsdale.com/ and Metro Center Shopping Center (in Foster City)
offer a pretty good selection of US retail if that's what you want.
There's a Holiday Inn and a Residence Inn in Foster City and a Howard
Johnson on the El Camino between Hillsdale and San Mateo and a Best Western
at the junction of 101 and Hillsdale Blvd. We used to stay in the
Residence Inn but that was because it was near Aunt in Foster City and it
had/has apartment type rooms which we could all stay in. As an alternative
there are lots of motels/hotels in the immediate area around the airport and
http://www.theshopsattanforan.com/ in the same area (it was being
redeveloped last time we were there - 3 years ago, looks like they've
finished). The two areas aren't far apart so it's easy to stay in one and
shop in the other. In either case you can keep the car without having to
worry about parking. If you like fish to eat I like
http://www.thefishmarket.com/locations.aspx?id=4.
A couple of other thoughts. Half Moon Bay, on US1 as you head out on day 1
is worth a quick stop as is Carmel. South of Monterrey US1 isn't quick.
It took us all day to get from Monterrey down to San Simeon only partly
because of all the stops we made. And San Simeon is where you'll find
Hearst Castle. It's difficult to explain how I feel about Hearst Castle.
I'm glad we took the tour but my memory is of a building that was in the
worst taste in almost every possible way. He plundered the world to
acquire whole rooms (walls and all!). San Luis Obispo might be a better
stop than Morro Bay (I know, it's further despite what I just said!). They
have
http://www.downtownslo.com/index.php...11&It emid=13
which has all sorts (including music and food on the streets) if you turn up
on the correct days.
If you're feeling frustrated at omitting Yellowstone you can get some of the
thermal experience in Lassen Park and there's a geyser in Calistoga.