pha

We are planning a trip to West Coast next August (ok, not the best time, but w/ kids at school, no other choice ...). Went through fodors and some European guides. And of course we came up w/ too much. Problem is that we do not know what to drop from this 3-week trip because everything seems to be worth it.

In summary, here is what we have got today :
arrival SF (3 nights)
Monterey/Big Sur (1 night)
Yosemite (2 nights)
Death Valley (2 nights)
Las Vegas (1 night)
Zion (1 night)
Bryce (1 night)
Moab (2 nights - Arches + Canyonlands)
Monument Valley (1 night)
Chelly Canyon (1 night)
Lake Powell (1 night)
Grand Canyon (2 nights)
San Diego (3 nights)

Any help in selecting (dropping some places and spend some more time in others) would be appreciated.

Thanks to all for what I discovered already on fodors. And thanks in advance for your input on this.

bbqboy

Death Valley in August would be torture, not a vacation.

bear900

Aw c’mom bbqboy! I can see the buzzards picking their teeth. 8-X

iamq

I'm not sure I'd want to go to Death Valley in August.

I'd spend another night in Monterey/Big Sur.

I'd drop San Diego and end the trip in Las Vegas.

I'd add more time in San Francisco.

I'd plan two nights in either Zion or Bryce so I could have a full day in one of the parks.

I'd try to consolidate some of the 1 night visits into londer stays if you can.

-Bill

L84SKY

What are your main interests?
Like others, I wouldn't go to Death Valley in August & I agree with spending more time in Big Sur, it's a beautiful area.
You're spending lots of time in the desert. If you haven't thought of it already, wear light colored and light wieght clothes and hats with good brims.

tracys2cents

Two nights in Death Valley? No way! Drive through, toot the horn, and move onward, cranking up the a/c !

pha

Bill, thanks for the suggestions.

"Sky", good question ! Hiking in nice landscapes + animals + a touch of Indian Reservation + just a little bit of big cities + water/sea/beaches for some rest. Does it help you suggest more ?

All, thanks for avoiding us torture in Death Valley

trippinkpj

Yes, Death Valley and even Monument Valley would be a No for me, and that gives you 3 more nights. Even some of the other spots will be hot but not quite as bad (Zion, Lake Powell, Moab, Las Vegas). I agree with Bill on adding time in SF or on the CA coast.

pha

If we drop Death Valley, we go from Yosemite directly to LV. OK in one day ? Any nice place to stop if too much ? What about going through Kings Canyon NP and/or Sequoia NP ?

Lori

Where do you live ? Are you used to intense heat ? I mean well over 100 degrees. The CA coast will be delightful but inland won't .. and the desert will be over 110-115. Sure, you will have a/c in the car but you do have to get out now and then

Seriously, you are going to some very hot places in August. I'd plan more time on the CA coast. Actually Las Vegas for 1 night is a waste - spend a couple of days there in air conditioned comfort in one of the huge hotels. Let the kids enjoy the pool and relax. Sure it is hot, but you really don't need to be outdoors much.

All the parks you mentioned will be very hot - I hope you are not planning on hiking.

suze

I would add more time to the California coast (beautiful) and subtract it from the desert (hot). I'd also skip San Diego (unless that's your flight out) and add Los Angeles.

L84SKY

Yes pha, that helps a lot.
As nice as San Diego is, I would skip it and I live here. It doesn't really offer that much in the way of "big city", or hiking. Although, there are some lovely spots here for hiking in a city kind of setting.
Spend more time in No Cal. The redwoods north of S.F. are awesome and Big Sur is breathtaking- you 'll see some great beaches.
S.F. should suit your "city" needs. It's a great city and very walkable. Get your car on the way out of town. (I'm sure you knew this.)
suze is right, limit your desert time. Unless you adore really hot weather.

Dayle

Hi pha,

It sounds like you are coming from Europe, to the west for the first time? Yes, it's a big country with much to see!

I would recommend:

SF 3nts
Monterey 1 nt
Yosemite 2 nts
Sequoia 1 nt

drive through Death Valley, look, feel the heat (120 degrees F +) and leave!

I would skip Las Vegas (hate it & would never waste time there when you could be seeing all the other wonderful places on your list!)

Zion 2 nts (getting there late)
Bryce 2 nts
Capitol Reef 1 nt
Moab 5 nts

skip Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Chelly Canyon

Grand Canyon 2 nts
Las Vegas 2 nts, or

drive via Sedona and leave from Phoenix

Even though it will be hot in August, Tuolome Meadows (upper Yosemite) is nice for hiking. You can also go tubing on the Vigin River in Springdale, next to Zion.

Bryce will be nice due to higher altitude. Moab also offers rafting trips and there are a couple of very shady hikes in Arches, such as the Firey Furnace - 20 degrees cooler on the hike in the shade of the "fins".

Moab and Capitol Reef areas offer lots of petroglyphs. Canyonlands has some ancient dwellings too. There is an "ancestral puebloan" museum in Escalante on Hwy 12 between Bryce and Capitol Reef.

Hope this gives you some more ideas!

Michael

Sequoias can be seen in Yosemite. Given the limited time, I would not consider Sequoia NP as a stopover. Go over the Tioga pass to go to LV. For a taste of the Nevada desert, trtavel down US 95 to LV. But I prefer going down US 395 to Big Pine and then take CA 168 to the Nevada border and on to US 95 south.

Why Lake Powell?

sandyca

I agree with others, to hot for death valley etc. I also hate vegas just a lot of big hotels that look the same inside and at night a lot of pornography being passed out. Skip it. Have you considered a trip that includes Lake Tahoe? it is perfect in august about 80 degrees, Wonderful Lake, hiking, bike riding, boating and gambeling. Beautiful drive from there to San francisco if you go hwy 89 to 88 then you can stop in jackson (gold country) for lunch. I love san diego area beaches, mission beach, coronado, I wouldn't skip, but I would completly skip Los Angeles. I prefer carmel over monterey, nice village with great beach shops and food. How old are the kids? I like in california and my kids have enjoyed all of these spots for years.

janisj

You've probably got the idea by now -- too hot for Death Valley and some of the other places you want to see. All of those places are wonderful -- but NOT so wonderful in August.

And then when you add in the hours (upon hours, upon HOURS) you will have to spend in the car just getting from one place to another - this is a trek, not a holiday.

If it were me (and only you can decide) I would skip everything east of Yosemite. That means DV, LV, the Utah parks, and Arizona. You can have a wonderful vacation just visiting the CA coast and mountains.

iamq

janis has the right idea. I'd also throw Lake Tahoe into the mix.

-Bill

DebitNM

How about some time in Colorado?? The summers here are spectacular in the SW corner where you can get some of the "a touch of Indian Reservation " you mentioned. Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Mesa Verde to mention a few. If you are in Moab, it's a short ride over here and you won't be sorry!

sorry to add more to your confusion, not lessen it!

Debi

janisj

iamq: By "You can have a wonderful vacation just visiting the CA coast and mountains. I was including Tahoe in the "mountains" bit.

pha

Dayle, thanks for all the ideas. We are from Belgium. First "real" trip to West (I went to LA some years ago, but for business only). Why 5 nights in Moab ?

Looks like there are mixed feelings about LV and San Diego (but globally more "skip" than "go" for both) ... This being said, we need an aiport to fly back (Denver ? Phoenix ?)

Michael, "why Lake Powell" ? Because other couple would like to go there ;-) Want to help me convince them not to go ?

Sandy, kids are from 14 to 17.

Janis, Bill, I cannot consider a trip to West without going to some places "East of Yosemite", even if in August ... But I promise, we'll stay away from desert as much as we can !

Debi, thanks for the idea of Colorado SW corner. Don't be sorry for the confusion. It fascinating to get input from all of you !

Thanks again to all.

Pat