Stargatesg30

Hi,
We are from Uk and looking to take a road trip from LA to Phoenix In October next year so lots of time to plan. . Ideally we would like to visit Palm Spring and Lake Havasu city but after that we are open to suggestions. Looking at the forums etc, a few possibles are the Grand Canyon of course, Apache Trail and Sedona. We are not bothered about staying in Phoenix, it's just that we wil probably fly back to Uk from there.
Ideas and suggestions for an itinerary would be appreciated.
Thanks

tomfuller

Are you flying to LA to see something specific? Fly to either Las Vegas or Phoenix and make a loop seeing the sights you want to see and return the car where you rented it. Take short flight from LAS or PHX to LAX (or Burbank).
Rental cars are much cheaper in Las Vegas but they don't want them dropped off in California. Driving through the Mojave Desert either way is not fun.

Stargatesg30

We are spending 8 days in LA area before the road trip. We have already done LA to Vegas twice before.

rjw_lgb_ca

I'm stumped. I've driven LA-Phoenix and, other than the Palm Springs general area (including Cabazon, since out-of-town visitors just seem to LOVE those outlet malls!) and the Joshua Tree National Park, I can't really think of anything else worth stopping for. It's not far; if you will be leaving from Palm Springs, that might be four or five hours to Phoenix. My personal preference would be to skip the drive and just fly to Phoenix. If you really must go to Phoenix. I'm not the biggest fan of that city, so I'm inclined to suggest skipping it entirely.

Now TUCSON-- that's a town I love. Fun place! Full of character, history and charm. I'd plow on straight through Phoenix and spend a couple of days there. But that's me.

Anyone else want a crack at this...?

Stargatesg30

I suggested Palm Springs more as a 1 night stopover to break the journey. How far is Tucson from Phoenix to drive?

lynni

There is no reason for you to fly into Los Angeles and drive for no reason... there is nothing to see! It is a long several hours of absolutely nothing. Trust us.

Just fly in and out of Phoenix and spend your time at the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Prescott and Tucson... you will get the beautiful desert, mountains and a lot of western "stuff!"

Stargatesg30

Hi, thanks for the replies. We are stopping in LA prior to the road trip so flying into Phoenix is not an option unless we fly from LA instead of driving? However I really wanted to see the London Bridge at Lake Havasu, so that was the reason we wanted to drive. Regardless of how we get to Phoenix, can you please help with suggestions on 5 days around that area to include Grand Canyon?

janisj

Trust us -- 'London Bridge' isn't ANY reason to do that Gawd Awful drive. It wasn't all that attractive when it crossed the Thames and had St Pauls, the Tower and Southwark Cathedral as backdrops . . . and it ain't any more attractive in the desert.

see this http://www.campbellcovervresort.com/...ake-Havasu.jpg

seetheworld

Phoenix Botanical Gardens
Superstition Mountain/Apache Junction/Lost Dutchman
Sedona (Red Rock State Park is nice)
Old Flagstaff on your way to the Grand Canyon
Visit the Little Colorado River Gorge (thru Navaho Nation)
http://navajonationparks.org/htm/littlecolorado.htm

janisj

I'd fly into Phoenix and then visit some or all of the places mentioned above.

seetheworld

I'm sorry, I meant Navajo (with a j)

HappyTrvlr

Phoenix to Tucson, 90 miles, all on I-10, hour and a half without bad traffic jams on Phoenix end.

jayne1973

Jerome is a neat old mining town near Sedona that you might enjoy. October is a big month for them because the place is supposedly haunted, so they make a big deal of the Halloween season.

RVvagabond

It is an 8 hour, 375 miles (604 km) drive - did it several times.
Here are some suggestions
1) Spain built Christian Mission across California. Some are restored. One closest to your route is:
http://www.sangabrielmissionchurch.org/
2) Riverside, California. Book 1st night stay there and take the tour. Ask for Paul - Len sent you
http://www.missioninn.com/
3) Palm Springs - it is all about golf and fabulous restaurants. One of the nation's largest wind mill farms (electricity) is there.
2a. Huge Indian Casino/hotel nearby.
http://www.hotwatercasino.com/
3. As you enter Arizona, via Blyth (named after famous movie star Ann Blyth), you enter the village of Quartzite. Normal population is about 700 charming desert (rats) people. In late December to end of January, population soars to a million because of RVs and gem show. Worth a stop for lunch and a visit to their cemetery. I don't recall any decent motel there.
http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/
4) About 60 miles west of Phoenix, slow down to speed limit. Many police
5) A slight detour north goes to Wickenburg, Az. We like its frontier atmosphere. Not a must-do, but a change of pace.
http://www.arizona-leisure.com/wickenburg-arizona.html
6) London Bridge - agree with previous observations BUT there is a (few) nice microbrewery next to the bridge.
http://www.havasuchamber.com/Micro-Breweries

Vaga

jayne1973

Palm Springs has a neat street festival every Thursday night if you happen to be there on that day. Also of course are hot springs-- we enjoyed a soak in Desert Hot Springs, which is nearby. There's a very popular tram ride up the mountain there was well. Joshua Tree National Park/Monument is nearby, too, which is something very interesting to see.

Stargatesg30

Thanks again for the suggestions, please keep them coming. From the replies so far, there seems to be one camp saying avoid the drive to Phoenix and another making some suggestions of what to see en route. Both of which are great because it will help us in our decision making.
Regardless of how we get to Phoenix ( I am sure there is idea for a song there), how may days would people suggest staying in the following places.
Grand Canyon
Sedona
Monument Valley
And also can the Apache trail be done in one day and is it worth it.
Thanks

hetismij2

What about part of Route 66? You could drive the road from Santa Monica to Grand Canyon.

Personally I was disappointed in Sedona. Way too commercial and busy, and a beautiful landscape spoiled.

We drove part of the Apache Trail on our way out of Phoenix and loved it.

Stargatesg30

Hi,
It's been a while since my last post but I would still like some ideas/suggestions for our trip. So far we have booked 2 nights in the GC park, 2 nights in Sedona and 2 nights near Apache junction before we fly back to uk from Phoenix.
As previously mentioned we are driving to GC from LA (got a week there first). I have allowed 2 days to drive over so that we can take a steady journey and perhaps see briefly Palm Springs, Joshua Tree and also drive part of route 66. We are pretty comfortable with what we will do for the 2 days in GC but would value suggestions for Sedona and Apache junction. Thoughts so far are for a day in Sedona Red Rocks and then to do the Verde Canyon rail road tour?
At Apache junction we want to do the Apache trail but wondered what else is good to see for say half a day etc.
All suggestions welcome
thanks

Barbara

Just a bit south of Sedona, off I-17, is Montezuma Castle National Monument. IMO, it is well worth a stop.

WhereAreWe

"At Apache junction we want to do the Apache trail but wondered what else is good to see for say half a day etc."

Lost Dutchman State Park and/or Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park