Western States Trip - Suggestions ??

Hi !!
June 1st. I'll join my family for a 14 days vacation in the western states
of USA (California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
.......At this point, they have allready seen LA and stuff, and are ready to
hit the road again.
I'm trying to lay out a route, for this vacation.......
Here it is, but I sure would like to get some suggestions/changes to the
route.

Thanks!

/Christian
Day 1 [LA - Solvang]

Day 2 [Hearst Castle - Julia Pfeiffer]

Day 2 [Solvang - Hearst Castle]

Day 3 [Carmel - Monteray]

Day 3 [Julia Pfeiffer - Carmel]

Day 3 [Monteray - Antioch]

Day 4 [Antioch - San Francisco - Antioch]

Day 5 [Antioch - St. Helena - Antioch]

Day 6 [Antioch - Clarksburg]

Day 6 [Clarksburg - Placerville]

Day 6 [Placerville - Jamestown]

Day 7 [Jamestown - Yosemite]

Day 8 [Yosemite - Glacier Point - Yosemite]

Day 9 [Bishop - Death Valley]

Day 9 [Yosemite - Bishop]

Day 10 [Death Valley - Willow Beach]

Day 10 [Willow Beach - Las Vegas]

Day 11 [Las Vegas - Zion]

Day 11 [Zion - Desert View]

Day 12 [Desert View - Grand Canyon]

Day 13 [Grand Canyon - Sedona]

Day 13 [Sedona - Gilbert]

IMHO, your schedule is hard to read. It would be easier to know where
you plan on staying each night. If you have specific places you want to
visit in the general area, then put those in ( ). This way we could
offer suggestions in the general areas.

Are you leaving from Phoenix area or going back to LA area? What do you
prefer to do? Visit national parks?



Christian Nielsen wrote:

Hi !!
June 1st. I'll join my family for a 14 days vacation in the western states
of USA (California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
......At this point, they have allready seen LA and stuff, and are ready to
hit the road again.
I'm trying to lay out a route, for this vacation.......
Here it is, but I sure would like to get some suggestions/changes to the
route.

Thanks!

/Christian
Day 1 [LA - Solvang]

Day 2 [Hearst Castle - Julia Pfeiffer]

Day 2 [Solvang - Hearst Castle]

Day 3 [Carmel - Monteray]

Day 3 [Julia Pfeiffer - Carmel]

Day 3 [Monteray - Antioch]

Day 4 [Antioch - San Francisco - Antioch]

Day 5 [Antioch - St. Helena - Antioch]

Day 6 [Antioch - Clarksburg]

Day 6 [Clarksburg - Placerville]

Day 6 [Placerville - Jamestown]

Day 7 [Jamestown - Yosemite]

Day 8 [Yosemite - Glacier Point - Yosemite]

Day 9 [Bishop - Death Valley]

Day 9 [Yosemite - Bishop]

Day 10 [Death Valley - Willow Beach]

Day 10 [Willow Beach - Las Vegas]

Day 11 [Las Vegas - Zion]

Day 11 [Zion - Desert View]

Day 12 [Desert View - Grand Canyon]

Day 13 [Grand Canyon - Sedona]

Day 13 [Sedona - Gilbert]

Christian Nielsen wrote:

Hi !!
June 1st. I'll join my family for a 14 days vacation in the western states
of USA (California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
......At this point, they have allready seen LA and stuff, and are ready to
hit the road again.
I'm trying to lay out a route, for this vacation.......
Here it is, but I sure would like to get some suggestions/changes to the
route.

Thanks!

/Christian
Day 1 [LA - Solvang]

Day 2 [Hearst Castle - Julia Pfeiffer]

Day 2 [Solvang - Hearst Castle]

Assumming you mean Solvang to Hearst to Julia Pfeiffer-Burns: This is a
fine day's travel, but you will not be able to stay overnight at Julia
Pfeiffer-Burns. It is booked through September. You will need
reservations for most campgrounds in Big Sur in June. Those that don't
take reservations will almost certainly be full by mid-morning.

Day 3 [Carmel - Monteray]

Day 3 [Julia Pfeiffer - Carmel]

Again, assuming you mean JP to Carmel to Monterey: You can do this in
a few hours, so this is OK.

Day 3 [Monteray - Antioch]

Hmm. There's lots you could see on the way, Big Basin Redwoods,
Berkeley, depends how much time you have and what route you take.

Day 4 [Antioch - San Francisco - Antioch]

Day 5 [Antioch - St. Helena - Antioch]

Day 6 [Antioch - Clarksburg]

Ah, the River Road, I see. I hear this is interesting, especially Locke.

Day 6 [Clarksburg - Placerville]

Day 6 [Placerville - Jamestown]

Day 7 [Jamestown - Yosemite]

Day 8 [Yosemite - Glacier Point - Yosemite]

Day 9 [Bishop - Death Valley]

Day 9 [Yosemite - Bishop]

Yosemite to Death Valley is an all-day trip. It's a bit rushed to do it
all in one day, the scenery is spectacular. I'd overnight in Lone Pine,
and hit Death Valley the next day. Otherwise you won't get to
experience the heat, as you'll arrive late in the day and have to leave
the next morning.

Day 10 [Death Valley - Willow Beach]

Why are you going to Willow Beach?

Day 10 [Willow Beach - Las Vegas]

Day 11 [Las Vegas - Zion]

Day 11 [Zion - Desert View]

Assuming you mean Desert View, Arizona, this is 8 or 9 hours of just
driving. No time to see Zion.

Day 12 [Desert View - Grand Canyon]

Day 13 [Grand Canyon - Sedona]

Day 13 [Sedona - Gilbert]

I think you're being a bit too optomistic. I'd cut out Solvang (well
you could just stop and see how tacky it is), cut out Placerville,
Clarksburg and Jamestown, and go straight to Yosemite (you won't be able
to stay in the valley, so you'll have to do some driving to and from
your campsite, it could be as much a 50 miles away if you don't have
reservations). Cut out Willow Beach.

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:52:15 +0200, Christian Nielsen wrote:

Hi !!
June 1st. I'll join my family for a 14 days vacation in the western states
of USA (California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
......At this point, they have allready seen LA and stuff, and are ready to
hit the road again.
I'm trying to lay out a route, for this vacation.......
Here it is, but I sure would like to get some suggestions/changes to the
route.

It's hard to judge because we don't know what you family likes.

Day 1 [LA - Solvang]

Skip Solvang, unless you like kitsch.
Santa Barbara is better stopping point. Court House, Mission, Botanical
Gardens. But you can drive all the way to Morro Bay or thereabouts.

Day 2 [Hearst Castle - Julia Pfeiffer]

Day 2 [Solvang - Hearst Castle]

Shouldn't this be the other way around?

Day 3 [Carmel - Monteray]

Day 3 [Julia Pfeiffer - Carmel]

Again, this is backwards. Check out Los Lobos Nature Preserve.

Day 3 [Monteray - Antioch]

Day 4 [Antioch - San Francisco - Antioch]

Day 5 [Antioch - St. Helena - Antioch]

Day 6 [Antioch - Clarksburg]

What's the fascination with Antioch? Are you planning on spending any time
in San Francisco?

Day 6 [Clarksburg - Placerville]

Day 6 [Placerville - Jamestown]

Day 7 [Jamestown - Yosemite]

Why?

Day 8 [Yosemite - Glacier Point - Yosemite]

you might want to spend more time in Yosemite, it's the highlight of your
trip.

Day 9 [Bishop - Death Valley]

Day 9 [Yosemite - Bishop]

Again, backwards. Keep in mind that route 120 might be still closed, so
you'll have to around the long way.

Day 10 [Death Valley - Willow Beach]

Day 10 [Willow Beach - Las Vegas]

Huh? Isn't Willow Beach on the way out of Las Vegas towards the Grand
Canyon? You can get to LV from Death Valley in one day.

Day 11 [Las Vegas - Zion]

Day 11 [Zion - Desert View]

That's 7/8 hours of driving. When are you going to see anything?

Day 12 [Desert View - Grand Canyon]

Day 13 [Grand Canyon - Sedona]

Day 13 [Sedona - Gilbert]

You seem to have odd choices of places to stay? What's in Gilbert?
How are you getting back to LA? I'm assuming the 10 (I-10), so you can stop
by Joshua Tree.

You should pick the places you want to visit and you'll get better
directions or suggestions.

Zeyd

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:52:15 +0200, "Christian Nielsen"
wrote:

Hi !!
June 1st. I'll join my family for a 14 days vacation in the western states
of USA (California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah)
......At this point, they have allready seen LA and stuff, and are ready to
hit the road again.
I'm trying to lay out a route, for this vacation.......
Here it is, but I sure would like to get some suggestions/changes to the
route.

Day 1 [LA - Solvang]

Depending on when you leave, you could easily get to Cambria,
certainly San Luis Obispo. Solvang is worth 10 minutes of your time,
if that. While there are some nice things on 1 between Gaviota & Morro
Bay (huevos mexicanos in Guadelupe!) the Big Sur coast is really worth
your time.

Day 2 [Solvang - Hearst Castle]
Day 2 [Hearst Castle - Julia Pfeiffer]

As Carmen said, good luck finding a place to stay. If you spend your
first night in Cambria, you can get to the Monterey Penninsula for
your second and still have a few hours to hike around the B.S. coast.

Day 3 [Julia Pfeiffer - Carmel]
Day 3 [Carmel - Monterey]
Day 3 [Monterey - Antioch]

Family in Antioch? I'd just spend the night in the city.

Day 4 [Antioch - San Francisco - Antioch]

Day 5 [Antioch - St. Helena - Antioch]

Day 6 [Antioch - Clarksburg]
Day 6 [Clarksburg - Placerville]
Day 6 [Placerville - Jamestown]

A good day. Nice country.

Day 7 [Jamestown - Yosemite]
(snip the rest)

You know, I've done most of the roads on your list quite a few times
on a motorcycle. On a bike, your itinerary is easy and very fun. In a
car, with family, it's probably a bit optimistic. There are so many
places your family will want to linger. Almost every place on your
list is worth at least a day. Will they really enjoy just passing
through interesting places? Or might you be better off sticking to
just a couple of good spots for more time? If so, I'd do Big Sur,
Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon, and hot foot it in between.

If you _do_ go to Vegas, try to arrive at night. Glitter really only
works with electric lights. Sunlight makes it look so tacky.

Turby the Turbosurfer

Updated Route
This route is a bit more detailed......hope that'll help you, help me.
Family are all adults - Know there will be alot of driving.............
I took out Zion, and the way it is now, I have an extra day to put in, where
ever you think.
My family have allready been to Universal Studios, Disneyland etc. before me
meet up i LA.

Please let me know what to "drop" and what to "add"

Thanks!
Christian Nielsen


Day 1
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 12.00 Beverly Hills
13.00 16.00 Venice Beach
17.30 19.30 Malibu
21.30 Solvang

Night: Motel in Solvang



Day 2
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Solvang
11.00 15.00 Hearst Castle
17.00 Big Sur

Night: Campground near Big Sur



Day 3
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 Big Sur
10.00 12.00 Carmel
12.00 13.00 17 Mile Drive
13.00 18.00 Monteray Bay Aquraium
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 4
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
9.00 20.00 San Francisco
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 5
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.30 Vine Country (Napa)
10.00 St. Helena
17.00 17.30 San Francisco
19.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 6
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.10 10.00 Delta Road
12.00 Highway 49
19.00 Jamestown

Night: Motel




Day 7
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Jamestown
10.30 Yosemite Valley, Hike

Night: Campground




Day 8
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Yosemite Valley
07.00 12.00 Glacier Point, Hike
16.00 Toulumne Meadows, Hike

Night Campground




Day 9
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Toulumne Meadows
11.00 11.30 Bishop
14.30 16.00 Death Valley
19.00 Las Vegas

Night Hotel




Day 10
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
10.00 Las Vegas
11.00 13.00 Hover Dam
18.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunset

Night Campground




Day 11
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunrise
06.20 12.00 Grand Canyon, Sunrise, Hike
13.00 Desert View

Night Campground




Day 12
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Desert View
07.30 Navajo Indian Reservation
10.00 10.30 Flagstaff
12.00 15.00 Sedona
18.00 Gilbert

Night Family




Day 13
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
Visit Friends & Family

"Nielsen" wrote in message
. ..
Updated Route
This route is a bit more detailed......hope that'll help you, help me.
Family are all adults - Know there will be alot of driving.............
I took out Zion, and the way it is now, I have an extra day to put in,
where
ever you think.
My family have allready been to Universal Studios, Disneyland etc. before
me
meet up i LA.

Please let me know what to "drop" and what to "add"

Thanks!
Christian Nielsen


Day 1
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 12.00 Beverly Hills
13.00 16.00 Venice Beach
17.30 19.30 Malibu
21.30 Solvang

Your timing is way too tight. You can't just go from one place to another
without considering the time it takes to get in the car, drive, park, etc.
One hour is just enough time to drive from Beverly Hills to Venice Beach.
Are you just going sit in the car and look, or are you going to get out and
walk around?


Night: Motel in Solvang



Day 2
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Solvang
11.00 15.00 Hearst Castle
17.00 Big Sur

Night: Campground near Big Sur



Day 3
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 Big Sur
10.00 12.00 Carmel
12.00 13.00 17 Mile Drive
13.00 18.00 Monteray Bay Aquraium
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 4
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
9.00 20.00 San Francisco
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 5
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.30 Vine Country (Napa)
10.00 St. Helena
17.00 17.30 San Francisco
19.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 6
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.10 10.00 Delta Road
12.00 Highway 49
19.00 Jamestown

Night: Motel




Day 7
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Jamestown
10.30 Yosemite Valley, Hike

Night: Campground




Day 8
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Yosemite Valley
07.00 12.00 Glacier Point, Hike
16.00 Toulumne Meadows, Hike

Night Campground




Day 9
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Toulumne Meadows
11.00 11.30 Bishop
14.30 16.00 Death Valley
19.00 Las Vegas

Night Hotel




Day 10
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
10.00 Las Vegas
11.00 13.00 Hover Dam
18.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunset

Night Campground




Day 11
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunrise
06.20 12.00 Grand Canyon, Sunrise, Hike
13.00 Desert View

Night Campground




Day 12
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Desert View
07.30 Navajo Indian Reservation
10.00 10.30 Flagstaff
12.00 15.00 Sedona
18.00 Gilbert

Night Family




Day 13
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
Visit Friends & Family

On Thu, 1 Apr 2004 16:37:10 +0200, Nielsen wrote:

Updated Route
Day 1
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 12.00 Beverly Hills
13.00 16.00 Venice Beach
17.30 19.30 Malibu
21.30 Solvang

Night: Motel in Solvang

Solvang it is.

Day 2
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Solvang
11.00 15.00 Hearst Castle
17.00 Big Sur

Night: Campground near Big Sur

We presume you have reservations.

Day 3
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 Big Sur
10.00 12.00 Carmel
12.00 13.00 17 Mile Drive
13.00 18.00 Monteray Bay Aquraium
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family

A-ha! That explains Antioch.



Night: Family



Day 6
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.10 10.00 Delta Road
12.00 Highway 49
19.00 Jamestown

Night: Motel

Unless you specifically want to stay here, I'd look for someplace closer to
Yosemite.

Day 7
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Jamestown
10.30 Yosemite Valley, Hike

Night: Campground

Again, you must have reservations already.

Day 8
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Yosemite Valley
07.00 12.00 Glacier Point, Hike
16.00 Toulumne Meadows, Hike

Night Campground

see above.

Day 9
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Toulumne Meadows
11.00 11.30 Bishop
14.30 16.00 Death Valley
19.00 Las Vegas

Night Hotel

Ouch! That's 10/11 hours of driving. I'd break it up into two days.

On Thu, 1 Apr 2004 16:37:10 +0200, "Nielsen"
wrote:

Updated Route
This route is a bit more detailed......hope that'll help you, help me.
Family are all adults - Know there will be alot of driving.............
I took out Zion, and the way it is now, I have an extra day to put in, where
ever you think.
My family have allready been to Universal Studios, Disneyland etc. before me
meet up i LA.

Please let me know what to "drop" and what to "add"

drop - anal retentive, split second timing
add - spontenaity

If I were a passenger in the car, the first thing I'd do is shred the
schedule and burn it.

Turby the Turbosurfer

Nielsen wrote:

Updated Route
This route is a bit more detailed......hope that'll help you, help me.
Family are all adults - Know there will be alot of driving.............
I took out Zion, and the way it is now, I have an extra day to put in, where
ever you think.
My family have allready been to Universal Studios, Disneyland etc. before me
meet up i LA.

Please let me know what to "drop" and what to "add"

Thanks!
Christian Nielsen


Day 1
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 12.00 Beverly Hills
13.00 16.00 Venice Beach
17.30 19.30 Malibu
21.30 Solvang

Night: Motel in Solvang


Why? You'd do much better to spend the night in San Luis Obispo or
Cambria or San Simeon.


Day 2
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Solvang
11.00 15.00 Hearst Castle
17.00 Big Sur

Night: Campground near Big Sur



Day 3
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
09.00 Big Sur
10.00 12.00 Carmel

You're getting out of Big Sur as fast as possible to spend two hours in
Carmel. You should instead spend the whole afternoon in Big Sur. It's
a big area, not just a small town.

12.00 13.00 17 Mile Drive

Skip it. Spend a couple of hours at Point Lobos State Reserve instead.

13.00 18.00 Monteray Bay Aquraium

5 hours in the aquarium? Spend 2.5, and the other 2.5 in Big Sur.

21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 4
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
9.00 20.00 San Francisco
21.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 5
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.30 Vine Country (Napa)
10.00 St. Helena
17.00 17.30 San Francisco
19.00 Antioch

Night: Family



Day 6
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Antioch
08.10 10.00 Delta Road
12.00 Highway 49
19.00 Jamestown

Night: Motel




Day 7
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Jamestown
10.30 Yosemite Valley, Hike

Night: Campground

You will not get a campground in Yosemite Valley at this late date. Not
unless you show up at 6AM, to wait in line until they open at 8AM. So
you will driving into the Valley from somewhere outside. This could be
anywhere from a 10 minute drive to a 2 hour drive.




Day 8
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Yosemite Valley
07.00 12.00 Glacier Point, Hike
16.00 Toulumne Meadows, Hike

Night Campground




Day 9
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
08.00 Toulumne Meadows
11.00 11.30 Bishop
14.30 16.00 Death Valley
19.00 Las Vegas

Night Hotel




Day 10
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
10.00 Las Vegas
11.00 13.00 Hover Dam
18.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunset

Night Campground




Day 11
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Grand Canyon Village, See Sunrise .



To achieve this you will have to visit between March 28 and April 11, or
between August 31 and September 26. That's when the sun rises between 6
and 6:20 at the Grand Canyon.


06.20 12.00 Grand Canyon, Sunrise, Hike
13.00 Desert View

Night Campground




Day 12
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
06.00 Desert View
07.30 Navajo Indian Reservation
10.00 10.30 Flagstaff
12.00 15.00 Sedona
18.00 Gilbert

Night Family




Day 13
Arrive at: Leave at: Place to visit:
Visit Friends & Family