stinelie

Hi,

We're four friends in our late 20's who's going to do a road trip down the west coast.
We're arriving in Seattle on night to monday and leaving from Las Vegas Sunday morning almost two weeks later.

Plans and wishes so far includes San Fransisco, and the grand canyon. Besides from that we're open for more or less any suggestions. The guys are the "touristy kind" that are happy with the most well known and common sights, the other girl is the nature and mountain person of us and I like the people. Meeting people and getting the "insiders view" is what i love about traveling.

So my question is this, what's your suggestions for where to go and what to do? The nature and well known sights are easy enough to find info about but where to see and meet the "real places" and the "real people" i would love any inside info about

We're renting a car so are rather flexible, so if it's a detour that it's worth it we'll make it

Looking forward to hear from you all

Love

Stine

tchoiniere

When are you doing this?

I would probably cut the Grand Canyon out of your trip and take your time from Seattle to San Francisco and add Yosemite to this maybe as well as the coast south of SF. Then fly to Vegas for a couple of nights at the end. This is a lot of driving and is worth a lot of time. Its not point to point driving and I think you would be very rushed in trying to drive it all.

stinelie

We're traveling in June this year I know it'll be a lot of driving but it's sort of a "light version" of the USA from west to east, and instead doing north to south (or almost at least). We also go the car rental and all flights in place so think we'll stick with the plan though it'll be tight. We're young and effective

thanks.

S

happytrailstoyou

This is ambitious for two weeks, but possible.

There is much to see in WA and OR. Absolute musts are Mt. Rainier and the Oregon coast.

The redwoods in northern CA, deserve a look.

Yosemite NP is about 4 hours from San Francisco, and if Tioga Pass (Highway 120) is open, Death Valley can be visited on the way to Las Vegas.

The Grand Canyon is 275 miles and about 5 hours from Las Vegas.

The 14 nights might be distributed in this way: Seattle (1), sights on way to San Francisco (5), San Francisco (2), Yosemite (1), Death Valley (1), Las Vegas (1), Grand Canyon (2) Las Vegas (1).

HTTY

stinelie

To make it sound a bit less stressful, it'll probably be 2 nights in seattle as we arrive at midnight, and the grand canyon is thought of as an helicopter trip from Las Vegas, where we'll probably arrive on friday

We're definately doing/staying somewhere related to the redwoods and highway 1 has also been mentioned as a must see.

Think my tripmates will keep us fully stocked with info on the national parks and mountains and the like along the roads. I was hoping to get some pointers on cute little towns and cool and friendly places a bit off the beaten track

Thanks again

boom_boom

To add to the "must sees" on Highway 1 I'd inlcude Redwood Nat. Park, the town of Medocino, Fort Ross (historic Russian fort) the wine county for Somona and/or Napa.
Right now Highway 1 is closed near Big Sur and you can't get any further south. That may reopen by the time you arrive and if so, just take an easy day from San Franciso to Santa Barbara.
If not, look at I-80 and US 50 to Placeville, down the Golden Chain Highway to SR 120 into Yosemite and over Tioga Pass (if open). Mono Lake at Lee Vining is worth sometime. then 395 to Lone Pine then 136 7 190 into Death Valley, nice way to get to LV from DV is via Parhump.
Don't miss Hoover Dam and the new bridge across the Colorado River en route to Grand Canyon.
the most interesting towns (IMHO) would be Trinidad & Mendocino on the north coast; Jackson & Angels Camp on the Golden Chain; Lee Vining and Lone Pine on 395; Cambria and Santan Babara if you go that way. Restaurant recommendations, Zin in Healdsburg, Moasic in nearyby Forestville, Still Life Cafe in Independence, Seasons in Lone Pine, Bergers and Tamarack Lodge is you go into Mammoth Lakes, Sow's Ear in Cambria.
Enjoy!

tomfuller

Fly Allegiant Airlines from Bellingham, WA or Eugene, Oregon to Las Vegas. They will offer you the deal on the helicopter flight or a rental car to drive from there to the Grand Canyon.
Turn the car in at LV and fly to Fresno (FAT) or SFO, Sacramento or San Jose. Allegiant does fly from Las Vegas to Fresno 4 days a week.
If renting a car in Seattle you could take the long lonely road from central Oregon all the way through Reno to Las Vegas.
http://www.allegiantair.com/

charnees

In Portland, OR, there are lots of small breweries and pubs. It's a very green (ecologiacally as well as visually) city. There's lots of hiking and biking in the area.

If you like stage plays and small towns, stopover in Ashland, OR. Very nice little walkable town with the very popular Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Three or more great plays a day, not all Shakes. Pretty river runs through town, and there's a park right in town that is very pretty and laid back. Very enjoyable food scene, and local wines. But reserve theater tickets ahead, as they get sold out. Just google Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We drive up from the SF area (7 hours) and stay three or more nights.

You could head to the coast from there and drive south in CA down to SF, extending the time to several days. See Eureka, Crescent City, redwood parks, and on down to the Napa, Sonoma valleys and on to SF.