That is very hectic but mostly doable. Basically you have about a week for the northern bits, a week for California, and a week for the SW parks.

The main problem is - one week is not long enough for Tahoe, SF, Monterey, LA and San Diego. That is a minimum 2 or 2.5 weeks by itself. (Something like 2 days Tahoe, 3 days SF, 2 days Monterey, 1 day enroute, 3 days LA, 3 days SD . . . And that is w/o any theme parks, and is still pretty rushed.)

So decide where you want to concentrate -- Just California and the SW parks would make a better 3+ week trip IMO. (Or - Yellowstone/Tetons + the SW parks)

The driving is doable. The issue is how much time you allot for each destination.

You listed 12 destinations, that's 2 days for each not including the driving. Even if you figure on 5000 miles in 24 days, thats only 200 miles a day so very doable. It doesn't sound bad until you think about actually doing it - every 2 days you would pack up and drive about 400 miles (6 or more hours on the road). If you think of it in those terms, it doesn't sound so appealing.

Make a list of your top 5 destinations - that will help you narrow things down a bit so you can focus on deciding an itinerary that makes sense. Everything else is just a bonus if you can find time for it.

Unless you want to visit Salt Lake City, I'd choose a different airport like Vegas or LAX. Probably a lot more flight options and no point in including SLC in the big loop drive unless you actually want to spend some time there.

The biggest outlier is Yellowstone/Tetons - way outside the loop if you take Salt Lake City out of the mix. Just guessing by looking at a map, either Tahoe or Zion/Bryce are the closest other destinations to Yellowstone and they aren't that close.

So I'd agree with janisj, either California and the SW parks or the SW parks and Yellowstone/Tetons, but trying to do all of them just doesn't sound good. I think they would all start to blur together about halfway into the trip.

Still remember how awestuck I was first time I drove into the Tetons, wouldn't miss it. Cut out SF and add the time to San Diego and LA if you want to do the theme parks. OR, cut SF and due Yosemite after Tahoe enroute to LA.

I think you would have a much more satisfactory experience if you fly into someplace other than Salt Lake City, and don't try to squeeze Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP into your trip.

Were you to do this, you would have time to linger on Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles and to visit Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, etc.

HTTY

Flying to SLC I think you should choose between Yellowstone/Tetons and 2 of the southern Utah National Parks.
Return the car to SLC and take the CA Zephyr from SLC (leaves 2:15AM) to Sacramento (15 hours). Rent a car in Sacramento for Tahoe and Yosemite and your choice of San Francisco and Monterey or southern California with the theme parks. Returning the car using I-5 is simple in Sacramento for your flight home.
Traveling through the desert at night on the train beats driving through it in daylight.

These are great suggestions, thank you all. The comment about it blurring all together because of all the driving makes sense. Maybe cutting out SLC and Jackson makes sense, and just focussing on the Utah and Arizona parks. I'd still like to do a circle since it's cheaper to rent a car the same place you return it. Where's the best starting point? Maybe Vegas? Thanks again

Best starting point? That depends on airfare and rental car cost. Figure out which cities you definitely want to visit. Then fly into whichever one has the cheapest combination of airfares and rental vehicle. I mean, you'll have to drive to every city on your itinerary at some point so doesn't make a big difference where you start/stop. I've typically found Vegas to have good prices on airfare and rentals but it depends.

You may want to consider temperatures, too. You're going in summer, which could make the southwest destinations very, very warm. If you are going in July or August, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are great destinations, weather-wise.

While I am a "Road Warrior" - I would totally agree with Tomf - and fly to SLC - rent a car and enjoy the Tetons/Yellowstone - and then back to SLC (maybe even spend a night up in Park City?) - and take the scenic train ride to Sacto/wherever - relaxing and letting someone else worry about the navigating - and then grab another car.

Check www.carrentals.com for some rates. And if this is a once in how ever long trip - see as much as you can but do it right.

Alright, all points well taken. How's this for a retool....fly to Phoenix, north to Sedona, then Grand Canyon. From there to St. George's and Zion. Then Vegas for a day or two. Then San Diego and Los Angeles, north up Route 1 to Monterey and Carmel, then finish in San Fran with a side trip to Sonoma and Yosemite. About 24 days. Can get cheap flights into Phoenix and out of San Fran, and found a 7 passenger SUV for a good rate. Much shorter route, can spend more time in each place. I'll miss the Jackson area, but it'll give us an excuse to go back. Does this make more sense?

If you chose to visit the southern Utah National Parks and southern California areas, Las Vegas would be the city to fly to. The car rentals are cheaper there than most other places.
The scenic part of the California Zephyr would be between Reno and Sacramento near Truckee and Blue Canyon.

"fly to Phoenix, north to Sedona, then Grand Canyon. From there to St. George's and Zion. Then Vegas for a day or two. Then San Diego and Los Angeles, north up Route 1 to Monterey and Carmel, then finish in San Fran with a side trip to Sonoma and Yosemite."

That is more reasonable. Still busy -- but not crazy-busy

And since you are talking about next year you have time to get accommodations in Yosemite Valley. In a few months (before booking any flights/cars) nail down your rooms in Yosemite. and at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Once those are set THEN decide where to fly in/out of.

Those are the two most limiting decisions . . When you can get into the GC and YNP. Everything else can be worked around those.

Groovy......................

Janis is definitely correct about getting accommodations if you want to stay inside any of the parks under consideration. Those rooms can be sold out MONTHS in advance.

But if you keep calling you can often get a room when others cancel. If this is a first time (and may not be going back) trip with the kids, I'd fit in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Give something else up but not those. Just one person's opinion.

"Can get cheap flights into Phoenix and out of San Fran, and found a 7 passenger SUV for a good rate."

Are you going this year or next year? Your initial post said summer 2013 but just wondering after seeing the above quote from you - I wouldn't think you could check airfares that far in advance.

Skip St. George, not much there. Do take the time to go to Bryce, it's only 1.5 hours from Zion. Do a loop around the Grand Canyon in whatever order makes sense for you - Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon south rim, Sedona.

It's really too early to price airfares and car rentals for 2013. Get a good grip on the must -sees and the must-visits, working especially on accomodations at the tightest places like Yosemite and Yellowstone. You might have to work your plan around the dates that are available in those spots.

We have always found a decent one-way car rate between Las Vegas and San Diego but things do change all the time in the car rental business so it's hard to say what route would work out best budget wise 15 months from now.

If you're driving the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles, I would suggest that you do it from north to south, as you will be on the ocean side of hte road and have an unobstructed view. Also you don't have to go across the road to park at the turnouts.

"north to south, as you will be on the ocean side of hte road and have an unobstructed view"

That is definitely a consideration. However I have known more than a few people (mostly 'flat landers' unfamiliar w/ mountain/cliffside driving) who were scared spitless on the ocean side and would have been much happier driving south to north . . .

I get the feeling that most of these responses are from people in California. How anyone can recommend leaving out the Tetons and Yellowstone on a "once in a lifetime" trip to the West I don't know... They are incredible. Nothing else like the wildllife, the geysers and the Teton peaks.
But cgards, it is your trip so maybe you are more intrigued by that coastal highway than you are to buffalo, I don't know. They are certainly all very worthy places to see.

Just for the Utah area of your latest retooling. Between Grand Canyon and Zion you could pass by Page. Some interesting things to see there like the Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyons, Horseshoe Bend Overlook, take a 1/2 day raft trip down the Colorado river.


Then you really can't go that close to Bryce and not take the time to see it. You could do a half day trip there at least, but an overnighter would be better. Stay either in the park (one of the classic old park lodges ), or at Ruby's.

Then for Zion you can stay in the park lodge or just outside the park in Springdale. While St George is the largest town in the area it isn't the best for visiting the parks.

InSandy: I don't think anyone said the Tetons and Yellowstone aren't wonderful. We just said they can't do/see it all in such a short trip. Cgards did say "I'll miss the Jackson area, but it'll give us an excuse to go back. " . . . so the best of both worlds - CA and the SW this trip. Yellowstone and the Tetons another time.