3 weeks in West Coast America

Hi, am planning a trip with my bf to west coast of America for 3 weeks. (expected in April/May 2013)
At the moment, have too many ideas but a bit messy.

Thinking of LA, San Fransisco, Grand Canyon and Yellow stone park.
Btw..we gonna fly from Amsterdam.

Haven't had any experience in US so far...So any of your suggestion is very much appreciated! Reply to this

It certainly sounds do-able in 3 weeks. The timing will depend on what you plan to do. Do you plan on doing lots of hiking and camping in the National Parks or are you interested in just a day-trip to see the main attractions?

Though I have to ask - if you're going to drive from L.A to Vegas and out to Grand Canyon, why not just continue driving up through Salt Lake into Yellowstone, rather than driving back to L.A and then flying?

It would certainly be cheaper to continue your car rental than it would be for two one-way plane tickets, and instead of spending your time in airports and car-hire lines, you'll get to spend it driving through some very scenic landscapes in southern Utah.

The U.S does not have very good public transportation, so you'll find that outside of the city-centers you'll need a car.

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I do not consider Death Valley a "must go." If you're driving from L.A to Vegas, it is slightly out of the way - I would recommend you spend more time in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Vegas, etc. We had planned on spending several days there on our road-trip but we ended up spending just a few hours because the weather made it impossible to do much. Also, you have to have a four-wheel drive vehicle to get to the more interesting places, so depending on what type of car you rent, you might be able to access much.

I-80 across Nevada (the shortest distance from Yellowstone to San Francisco) is one of the least traveled interstates in the country. Sorry to say we've never been on that stretch of road so I can't tell you what's all there. Desert and sagebrush (which can be beautiful if you're not used to that sort of thing). The towns you'll come across will likely have a bit of "wild west/gold rush" feel to them.

Having been on numerous road-trips, I think a general plan is good, but a strictly structured plan takes the fun out of it. Have a "goal" of how far you'd like to get each day, but be flexible on the specifics. You never know what you might come across that lures you in for one reason or another! Reply to this

In response to: Msg #158595

Greetings and welcome to travelblog!

You will be able to see a lot of things in 3 weeks and yet it is not enough time for many. The itinerary you have outlined covers a lot of miles. As Stephanie says most of it is scenic.

As Stephanie said it would be helpful if you were to outline some of the activities you have in mind. Do you prefer mountains or beaches? You will have an opportunity to explore both but we can make more specific suggestions if we know the kind of activities you are looking for.

San Francisco is a great city to listen to music, see a play or go to a museum. You may want to rent bikes and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exploring the wharf in San Francisco is touristy but fun. Ride a cable car and eat lots of great seafood. We recommend some hiking nearby on Angel Island or into Muir Woods. You will have the option of a short hike or a long hike and both locations are close to the city.

Sonoma and Napa Valley are less than one hour north of San Francisco so you may want to spend a day exploring wineries. Try to hit Lagunitas Brewery while you are in the neighborhood. If you would like a list of restaurant recommendations in the area please let us know.

A coastal drive is a must while you are in California. You can head north along the coast to Mendicino or south along the coast through 1 mile drive, Big Sur and all the way to LA. It is an amazing drive. You can stop along the way to see the elephant seals on the coast. Cute towns like Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara warrant a few stops.

The drive from San Francisco to Yosemite is 4 hours. I recommend you spend 3 days if you want to do some hiking.

We've been living in the San Francisco area for the past 1 1/2 years and have written several blogs about the area. You may want to read a few of them for additional ideas.

People who have never been to California always imagine the entire state as warm. Hollywood leaves people with that impression. The San Francisco area can be cool in the spring. Bring a jacket.

You could easily spend a week or more in any of the locations you have in mind.

I would recommend 1 week in the SF area exploring the city and the coast. I would spend 3 nights in Yosemite. My personal opinion is that two nights in Las Vegas will be adequate. You can explore LA in 4 or 5 days.

If you have additional questions please ask.

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Most of the roads in the western US are in very good shape. You will not need a 4X4 unless you are planning on visiting out of the way places along dirt roads. In this case, be sure to check the rental insurance, because most do not cover damage from driving on dirt roads. I damaged my car on a dirt road once, and it cost over a thousand dollars to fix.

Some people like RVs because they can camp in campgrounds and save on costs. Also, you can cook your own food every night. The downside is that they are tricky to handle on mountain roads, and consume gas like nothing else. You can certainly see wilderness areas without one. I used a tent on my road trip.

Yellowstone requires at least three days to see everything, but can easily take twice that (I spent an entire day just watching geysers on my first visit). Also keep in mind that during the busy season you will need reservations a year in advance to stay in the park overnight.

If you absolutely must have Yellowstone and San Francisco, make these the end points of the trip and pick things in between. Plan on flying to Salt Lake City for this to work. Grand Teton (less than an hour from Yellowstone), Salt Lake City itself, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite come to mind as great spots. The Pacific Coast Highway, as noted above, is one of the world's great scenic drives (look at the blogs under 'Big Sur' and see it). Reno is worth a few hours if you want to gamble.
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LA is a giant urban area, so it has few camping spots. The state parks in Orange County and in the Santa Monica Mountains are closest to the main tourist sites. I haven't tried any of them personally (I've always stayed in hotels).

Las Vegas has a campground only a block from the strip, the KOA behind Circus Circus at the northern end. Its basically a giant tar parking lot with no atmosphere whatsoever. If your camper will fit, you can certainly park it at a hotel. Find out how high the vehicle is, call the hotels you are thinking about, and ask. You can also park at one of the smaller casinos with open air lots, but they tend to be in sketchier areas.
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Your itinerary is workable, provided you are up for an average for 3-5 hours a driving each day (during the later half of the trip). Driving 4400km in three weeks isn't for everyone but we've done it more than a time or two so it isn't impossible either.

Aside from your multi-day segments, you'll get around half a day in the major parks. If what you envision is arriving, locating the main landmarks and finding the best sight-seeing locations, taking in the view, grabbing a bite to eat (maybe a picnic somewhere), a short walk around the area (1-4 miles, depending on your pace) and then settling in to sleep amidst the beauty of the Americas (because you'll definitely need sleep with this itinerary) - you'll be fine.

Provided you have those realistic expectations, you should have a wonderful trip. Your itinerary will keep you on the go, but you'll be able to adjust mid-way to suit your style (ie: you might not want to spend the whole day at Monument Valley, and may just drive on through to Arches. Or, alternatively, you might have gotten your fill of desert by Bryce Canyon and decide to spend allot more time among the trees in the Sequoias).

Either way - it's a good "scaffold" and since you have a camper, you're not committing yourself to any set rigid dates, apart from the airport. But on the off-chance you find that it is rushed, I would decide *ahead of time* what are each of your absolutely, cannot, will-not miss it sites are. It wards off mid-trip disagreements if it has been well established what you will not compromise on. 😊 Inevitably you'll discover other places en-route that would be impossible to plan ahead for, and it will divert your time (in the most pleasant way)




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I can attest to what the people above mentioned through personal experience. When I started doing long roadtrips, I wanted to cram in as many sights as possible, constantly moving from one thing to another. I ultimately felt I spent too little time in each place to truly experience it, and was always exhausted. Once I learned to slow down and see less stuff, I enjoyed my trips much more.

To pick one example: many people see Bryce Canyon in a few hours. This is enough time to drive to several overlooks, get the iconic pictures friends will swoon over, and head on to the next destination. Taking an entire day, on the other hand, gives time to hike one the many trails below the rim, between the hoodoos, which is a completely different experience. They look much larger and even stranger close up, and the silence is unbelievable. On the other hand, if you like moving all the time, this type of experience would probably drive you insane. I took the entire day, and the hikes, on my visit.

Some specifics:
San Francisco and Los Angeles will absorb as much time as you have to give. I agree with D MJ Brinkley on making time to see the redwoods; they are incredible. People tend to overlook the Coit Tower, but on a fog free day the view of San Francisco and the bay is well worth it. For theme park fans, Disneyland is almost a must-see (and if you like intense roller coasters head for Magic Mountain, which has some of the best in the world!)

I'm not that big a fan of 17 Mile Drive, mostly due to that obnoxious toll. The coastal drive in Pacific Grove has similiar views for free. The other option is to spend extra time in Big Sur rather than rushing through in one day. The area has some great state parks with camping spots.

Lake Havasu City isn't really a tourist destination, unless you really need to see Old London Bridge (which is not worth the hype, to be honest). I would save the few hours to get more time in the Grand Canyon.

The current schedule gives only a few hours in Seqoia National Park. The roads to and in the park are steep, curvy, and slow; and in a camper they will be even slower. I would consider skipping the park in favor of Mariaposia Grove in Yosemite; its just as famous, although the trails tend to be more crowded. Depending on your condition after Las Vegas, it may be possible to stop somewhere further north than Barstow, giving more time in Yosemite.

The trip overall sounds wonderful; looking forward to your blogs. Reply to this

In response to: Msg #168535
Hi Stephanie and Andras

It is nice to know that someone also did 4400km within 3 weeks, and even more than once, which gives me quite confidence😊
I used to like plan everything, fix everything before departure as otherwise I get nervous or even panic, but for this trip, I only booked hotel at SFO, ok, plus the 2 nights rv park in Grand canyon and 1night Yosimite (in the park) but THAT'S IT....I am going to take your advice, leave ourselves some open options 😊

My boyfriend and I are not that "professional" travellers, we live in Netherlands, and the most easy way for us to have a vacation is, rent a small cottage or mobile home somewhere in south France, Cote' d'zur, or hang out several days in Nice. So, this California trip is quite something for us, very symbolic...can't say it will change our life style, but it is our first step to see the real beautiful part of the world 😊

Thank you so much! Reply to this

In response to: Msg #168552

Hi Ezra

Thank you for the reply.
Lake havasu isn't a must to go place on our itinery, but we are driving from Los angeles, heading to Grand Canyon, then it seems Havasu is on the routing, otherwise will be a very long day drive.

But if I gonna stay extra day around big sur area, then i might drop havasu later 😊

I just googled Redwoods, very special, if time allows, then going to there one night before to return the camper.

We arrive on 25APR, SFO, going to get camper on 27th, and return the camper on 16May early morning, can have at least half day to ride a bike go golden gate bridge. 17May we gonna fly back to AMS...At the beginning we thought 3 weeks is quite a time, now already starts wondering why it isn't 4 weeks.

I love all of your advice, thank you! Reply to this