David260165

Planning road trip next year, starting at LA. I'm from the UK and have no idea about cellphone reception in remoter areas. Would I be advised to rent a satellite phone. The route is here: http://bit.ly/1Hruss8

Thanks

David

janisj

There will be a few places w/ no or spotty mobile reception but mostly will be fine. No need for a satellite phone.

Curious - how long are you planning for the whole circuit? And are the places marked on you map just way markers - or are they overnights? Because some (Fresno, Wofford Hts, possibly Mariposa) are not necessarily places to stop.

David260165

This is the detail, Janis:
Date Location Nights Hotel
May-06 LA CA 1 LA Hotel Not yet identified
May-07 29 Palms CA 1 Joshua Tree Inn
May-08 Kingman AZ 1 El Trovatore Motel
May-09 Flagstaff AZ 1 Weatherford Hotel
May-10 GC South AZ 2 Grand Hotel Tusayan
May-12 Cameron AZ 1 Cameron Trading Post
May-13 Nr Page AZ 1 Courtyard Marriot at Lake Powell
May-14 Bryce Canyon UT 2 Bryce View Lodge
May-16 Springfield UT 2 Pioneer Lodge
May-18 Vegas NV 1 Flamingo
May-19 Death Valley CA 1 Amagosa Opera House
May-20 Lone Pine CA 1 Mount Whitney Motel
May-21 Wofford Heights CA 1 Mountain Retreat
May-22 Oakhurst CA 1 Yosemite Southgate
May-23 West Yosemite CA 2 Four Seasons Condos
May-25 Mariposa CA 1 River Rock Inn
May-26 San Francisco 2 Royal Pacific
May-28 Lucia, Big Sur CA 2 Lucia Lodge
May-30 Los Alamos CA 1 Chris
May-31 Long Beach CA 2 Queen Mary

The duration is just under a month. Couldn't be sure that Tioga pass would be open, therefore Wofford & Mariposa are just stop off points to get to Yosemite. Most of the hotels are booked so it would be too much hassle to change them now but any advice would be very welcome.

jamie99

Los Alamos is a very small town north of Santa Barbara, not much there other than to go wine tasting. There are other places with more lodging choices such as Solvang, Buellton, or south in Santa Barbara.
Why Long Beach? There is not much there in the way of beaches despite the name, as it is home to a large shipping port and most beaches except Belmont Shores are behing a breakwater. I have stayed a couple of times on the Queen Mary when a club we belonged to had a dinner dance there. The rooms are nice enough but vary quite a bit in size and so forth.

utahtea

Like janisj said, coverage will be spotty in some locations but as remote as it might seem, these roads have enough traffic if you break down.

Not sure who your cell phone carrier is but we find that Verizon has the best coverage for the areas you will be visiting.

Utahtea

janisj

OK -- you are stopping over in several places that either don't make sense or are pretty bad. Just for the CA stops . . .

If Tioga Pass is open head up 395 and enter YNP from the east. If Tioga Pass is closed, stay in Three Rivers instead of Wofford Hts.

This part doesn't make a lot of sense:

>>May-22 Oakhurst CA 1 Yosemite Southgate
May-23 West Yosemite CA 2 Four Seasons Condos
May-25 Mariposa CA 1 River Rock Inn

David260165

Thank you Janis, I will take some of your suggestions on board but I feel I have to proceed on the assumption that Tioga will be closed as I am anxious to have all hotels booked before I leave UK. I accept this means travelling up the (less attractive) western side of the Sierra Nevada but I have had to make a number of similarly painful decisions to make the trip work in the time available - the worst being to miss Monument Valley.

Thanks again.

janisj

Except for in Yosemite Valley -- you won't need to book until way next year. Especially in places like Lone Pine or Bridgeport or Three Rivers. So as of now I'd plan on going up 395 and if Tioga Pass isn't open by the time you are in say Las Vegas -- simply cancel what you've booked on 395 and book something in Three Rivers. Just be sure to make note of the cancellation policy anywhere you book. Many but, not all, allow cancellation right up til 3PM on your arrival day.

The middle of May is a pretty low season since schools are still in session. Other exceptions are your time at the Grand Canyon and in Big Sur (as it is you are in Big Sur on Memorial Day weekend (similar to the May Bank Holiday in the UK . . . a MAJOR holiday.)

RVvagabond

May 6th Stay at Anaheim, Ca and visit Disneyland for a day.
May 8th Kingman is a lonely place. No reason to stay there unless you plan to visit historic ghost town of Oatman that is a fun visit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oatman,_Arizona
Kingman does have an interesting historic museum with nearby restored railroad engines. Skip Kingman and continue to Flagstaff.
May 9th
Good hotel, in middle of old town. One problem - railroad is about 150 meters away. It runs along Old Route 66. If constant railroad noise is a problem, then find another motel away from Route 66. Look at motels along South Milton Street.
May 12 - Cameron is just a (nice) motel, souvenir shop, excellent historic dining room (especially its ceiling). They have a resident Navajo Indian woman making authentic rugs there - excellent quality. Personally, stop for lunch and continue to Page.
May 19 - Very remote, rustic. There are three other options within DV itself. I don't know if the Opera House is still performing shows. Is that the reason why you are staying there? In DV,Furnace Creek is the most popular. Stove Pipe Wells is cheaper and close to Sand Dunes for excellent sunrise photos - need to hike into the dunes about 500 meters. The Inn is the most plush and $$$$$.
May 31 - You WILL enjoy staying in the Queen Mary. Fascinating ship. From there drive south along the beach to Huntington beach and watch the surfers off their pier.

Vaga

emalloy

May 7? do you mean Palm Springs or Palm Desert, CA? If so, then why are you taking two overnights to get to Grand Canyon?? It is only a little over 6 hours of driving time and GC is an easy drive from either Kingman or Flagstaff if you need to stop for one night. This will give you at least one or two extra days in more interesting places.

While at Grand Canyon is there a reason you are not staying in the park rather than Tusayan?? The lodging in the park is basic, except for el Tovar, but you are there when you wake up and can see sunrise and/or sunset without having to drive in the dark with animals like elk and deer on the road.

May 12, if you leave GC and stop at Cameron Trading post for lunch, you could be at Monument Valley (you said you hated to miss it) in two hours, spend the night there and go to Page for May 13.

Is there a reason you are not stopping at Zion, which you can go through to get from Bryce to Vegas?

I totally agree with janise about the Yosemite lodging.

David260165

Emalloy There is a place called 29 Palms near the Joshua Tree NP that we want to visit. Also, as an ancient, rapidly decaying hippy I am keen to stay at the Joshua Tree Inn where Gram Parsons drank/drugged himself to death. (Google him if it was before your time).

We have two nights in Springfield when we plan to explore Zion. As regards the other points, I may have made some mistakes in my itinerary but most of the hotels are now booked and it seems like too much hassle to change them. Staying in Tusayan because everywhere I tried in the park was showing no availability. Taking two nights to get to GC because we want to experience a bit of route 66 and we just don't want to rush it.

Vaga - Our time on arrival in LA is intended to be recovery time after the flight from UK so Disneyland is probably out. However, following your advice I have Googled Oatman and it looks like a gem. Will definitely stop off there.

Janis, I've looked at Three Rivers now and I agree that it's not to be missed.

Thanks for all of your invaluable advice.

MichelleY

Too many one nighters. You will need a vacation from your vacation.

janisj

>>most of the hotels are now booked and it seems like too much hassle to change them.

peterboy

Springdale is near Zion. Your buts will be sore...lots of driving.

utahtea

The route between Kingman and Flagstaff is pretty tame but several neat stops along the way. No way would this take you all day but since you've already planned a whole day to visit Route 66 between Kingman and Flagstaff, I'm going to recommend the Route 66 museum in Kingman and take a detour from Kingman to Oatman, AZ. This section is what I remember the old Route 66 to be like when I was a kid. http://www.desertusa.com/oatman/du_oatman.html

Utahtea

jamie99

If you are able to cancel and rebook without penalty, then try and do so as janisj suggests. Also for Grand Canyon, you could try calling daily for reservations, same goes for Yosemite, as people cancel all the time when plans change.

WhereAreWe

"Staying in Tusayan because everywhere I tried in the park was showing no availability."

I just looked at Xanterra's website and they have availability at every one of their lodges inside the Grand Canyon for May 10th and 11th. I would echo what everyone has said and change your reservation from Tusayan to any of the lodges inside the park. It took me all of 2 minutes to get on their website and check availability.

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

Along that line of thinking, book a night inside Death Valley rather than the Opera House, unless the Opera House holds a special meaning to you. Death Valley is huge and you would be better off staying inside the park rather than outside of it.

"I have had to make a number of similarly painful decisions to make the trip work in the time available - the worst being to miss Monument Valley."

It would be very easy to fit in Monument Valley. Skip the night in Flagstaff and go directly to the Grand Canyon on the 9th. Leave the Grand Canyon on the 11th, skip the overnight in Cameron and go to either Page or Monument Valley. Either way you have opened up two nights by skipping the overnights in Flagstaff and Cameron - both of which are 1-1.5 hours from the Grand Canyon and not really worthy of an overnight at the expense of missing Monument Valley.

MikeS

I agree to drop Cameron and Kingman. For most of the locations, except high tourist areas like the Grand Canyon, I would cancel any reservations you can and simply select lodging as you need it. This would give you flexibility in being able to change your schedule if you find yourself in a place you don't find that interesting.

David260165

OK, all booked up now and much of the above advice has been followed. One final question:

At the end of the trip we plan to return to LA, return the rented car and have booked two nights on the Queen Mary at Long Beach before flying back to UK. Is there enough on and around the Queen Mary to keep us amused for two days. if we decide to go into LA, how easy is it without a car? Should I keep the car and drop it off at the airport before our flight home?

janisj

Touring the QM itself is probably 'worth' 3 or 4 hours. Beyond that you could go across to the aquarium. Nearby is Shoreline Village for restaurants/shops. A whale watching boat trip. Or you could do a day trip to Catalina (ferry both ways or more fun/more expensive helicopter over ferry back)

Lots of possibilities.