Road trip from Las Vegas/Lake Tahoe/San Francisco
 

Coming to my travel experts for help once again!
We are headed to Las Vegas 9/9/12 thru 9/11/12 to celebrate DH birthday. I was thinking since we have some time we could rent a car head up to Lake Tahoe (we have never been) and then drive to San Francisco. What would that drive be like? I have driven LA to Flagstaff and if my memory serves me (and it doesn't always :)) I remember it as something I would not want to drive again.and really wouldn't want to do it again LOL. We are not hikers but would enjoy seeing the big trees.

Sorry about the typos! I am thinking that it would probably be best to fly from LV to Lake Tahoe. Looking at the terrain on google maps it looks like a long barren area but anything you could tell me about Lake Tahoe to Yosemite to San Francisco would be great. How much time would you recommend along the way. We have been to San Francisco but never tire of returning!
Thanks!

Consider flying from LV to Fresno on Allegiant airline and renting a car there to go see Yosemite. Return the car to Fresno and then either fly or take the San Joaquin train to Emeryville and SF.
You can fly home from airports other than SFO.
You could also take the train from Emeryville (or Martinez) to Reno and then rent a car to go to Lake Tahoe.
US 95 up the east side of the Sierra is long and desolate.
Avoid a drop off charge on any car rentals.

Thanks! I will check out trains, I never even thought of trains :)

Obviously we will only be able to get a snapshot of Yosemite. Which area would you suggest ?

Good advice from Tomf as always. Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful - deep blue lakes in the world (compared with Crater Lake in Oregon and Lake Baikal in Russis - so pure blue because they are deep, deep, deep).

Driving there from Vegas is as you suspect - pretty much a long trip and over scorched earth. Beautiful in it's own way - but not something I seek out.

Would definitely fly into Reno from Vegas.

As for Yosemite - it's also a world class destination - and you could drive thru Death Valley - and up 395 along the eastern side of the scenic Sierras - and then head up the Tioga Pass - to Tuoloumne Meadows(six hours or so to there) - and either spend the night there - or continue on another couple of hours over to the Valley Floor.

Either Lake Tahoe or Yo would be a visual splendor. :)

And if you still had enough energy and denaro after "Lost Wages" you could do both - assuming you first flew into Reno - as driving from Lake Tahoe down to the Tioga Pass road is what - under three hours - and then a half an hour or so up to Tuoloumne Meadows?

Here is one webpage and there are others.

http://tinyurl.com/72hq7el

If you go in via the south entrance of Yosemite turn right inside the entrance and go to Mariposa Grove.
If you come in via Merced and the west entrance go all the way into the Valley to see Yosemite Falls and Half Dome at the very least.
There is also a YARTS bus that takes you from the Amtrak station in Merced into the Yosemite Valley.
The San Joaquin Amtrak line always seems to run within 7 minutes of scheduled time.

I'm sorry but tom's itinerary is VERY convoluted. (the two tom's do tend to tell everyone to fly allegiant, faff about w/ amtrak/buses and jump all over hell and gone, and weird detours).

there is <u>no reason on Earth</u> to fly to Fresno. plus allegiant charges for <i>everything</i>. Booking, using a credit card (and there is no other way to book), seat selection, checked luggage, water/soft drinks. It is the most nickle and dime airline I have EVER flown.

The drive from Las Vegas to either Lake Tahoe OR Yosemite is truly breathtaking. It is not at all "barren" except for the desert/Death Valley at the front end of your route. And even the barren bits are world famous/dramatic. The rest of your route (whether to Tahoe or to Yosemite) is through amazing Sierra scenery.

People travel from all over the world to drive that very road (395) and either Tioga Pass into Yosemite (but only IF you can get accommodations- try ASAP) - or - north to hwy 89 into the Lake Tahoe basin.

Whichever you choose will be a wonderful experience.

Fresno/Amtrak/buses/multiple cars/flights would NOT be a wonderful experience. . .

Just to clarify: I have driven from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe/Reno via both the Nevada side - and the California side - and on the Nevada route - 95 - that is uber barren for most of the drive, but when you get further north - beyond Tonopah - there is a lake, etc.

Going the other way up toward Yosemite - through Death Valley - is also barren/burnt - but when you get over to 395 - heading north - it's prettier - and if the Sierras still have some snow - they are nice to look at in the distance.

Going up 395 also heads through some great river/stream/lake fishing areas - and the town of Bishop - among others - is cute. http://bishopcreekresort.com/

For the record - I have never flown Allegiant airlines so have no opinion on them. Usually use Southwest (which some affectionately call Southworst) - who gets you from point to point usually on time and fairly inexpensively - albeit with full planes, and only peanuts or pretzels for snacks.

Actually - not sure if they are even serving peanuts anymore as some people can have severe health reactions to them.

Will say though - Southwest's flight attendants are probably the most friendly in the business.

Thank you Fodor's friends! I must admit I am confused, not just by your responses but DH is changing his mind and is now looking at Seattle/Vancouver. I will figure this all out just as soon as he does :)

Hi Maggie

I was all ready to talk about the ways to enjoy a desert drive. I've enjoyed my desert crossings, and could have suggested an early morning drive with the windows down, up Owens Valley (US 395), as the sun lights up the peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

But, now you're talking about Seattle/Vancouver (I live right between the two). Will it be a road trip? That's one awesome road trip (if time is not an issue). Even if you fly up here, there are some short road trips worth doing while you're here.

You could drive up to Mount Ranier, up to Mount Baker, out to the Olympic Peninsula (the ferry ride is spectacular)...speaking of ferry rides, you could even go out to the San Juan Islands and drive around.

Whichever destination you pick, please let us know.
Andrew
www.roadtripwise.com

So many choices - so little time. :)

Okay experts, I am getting ready to book this trip and I am so insecure I need someone to tell me it will work out great :)

Sun-Tues - Las Vegas
Early Wed morning flight to Reno and rent a car
Wednesday drive around Lake Tahoe and surrounding area
Wednesday night stay Marriott South Tahoe
Thursday morning early road trip through Yosemite (route to be determined) ending late evening at The Claremont Hotel and Spa Berkley CA
Friday drive into San Francisco staying at the Argonaut/ Afternoon at Alcatraz
Saturday enjoy San Francisco
Sunday fly home
OR
Sunday shuttle day trip with Wine Country Tours
Monday fly home

This is DH birthday trip. Main reason we are returning to SF (besides the fact that we love the city) is that he has had terrible regrets that on our last visit he skipped Alcatraz. We have visited wineries on our own but thought that a tour of several together might be a fun day OR 8.5 hour on a shuttle would drive me nuts. Yes, I am admitting to a little ADD;) We are not big wine drinkers but DH does enjoy seeing the workings of a winery. Any advice on these tours? Would it be worth the extra $600 ??($200 tour $400 hotel)

The one minor flaw I see with your last post is dropping off the car that you rented in Reno at SFO. Would you consider after seeing Yosemite going over the Tioga Pass and North on US 395 through Carson City back to Reno to turn the car in where you rented it. The California Zephyr #5 leaves Reno between 8:36AM and 9AM every day. The Amtrak station is now below street level in Reno. You wold arrive in Emeryville before 5PM with an Amtrak bus available into SF if you didn't want to rent another car. The Donner Pass and Blue Canyon are beautiful to view from the train if you are not driving I-80.

Your Thursday is VERY difficult. Southshore to Yosemite to Berkeley is a 7+ hour drive without ANY stops. By the time you see <i>anything</i> in Yosemite you are talking about a 12 hours minimum on the road.

And tom's suggestion . . . since the Zephyr would leave Reno the <i>next</i> morning. All to miss a drop of fee in SF?? And Southshore to YNP to Reno is a 6+ hour drive so it even doesn't save much time.

Staying in Berkeley doesn't make too much sense IF Yosemite is a must. You could have plenty of time to tour Yosemite, if you stay that night in either El Portal or in the Sierra foothills along hwy 49. Then have a reasonable drive to SF the next morning.

What in the world would I do with out my Fodor friends!!
I am googling Amtrak train and checking out lodging in the Sierra foothills asap!

Check it out, but I honestly don't think Amtrak makes sense. (My post should have said >><i>And tom's suggestion . . . has you doubling back, and the Zephyr would leave Reno the next morning. All to miss a drop of fee in SF?? And Southshore to YNP to Reno is a 6+ hour drive so it even doesn't save much time.</i><<

Going to Reno would have you backtracking over 90% of the same route you took to get to Yosemite in the first place.

Depends entirely on what the drop off fee is. I was guessing that they would enter Yosemite from the west side and exit over the Tioga Pass to Lee Vining to make a big loop without much doubling back.
The fare for 2 from Reno to Fisherman's Wharf is $98 if you buy soon. If you wait the price will go up.
The trip south on Rt. 49 through the gold country would be good to get to Yosemite.

"<i> I was guessing that they would enter Yosemite from the west side and exit over the Tioga Pass to Lee Vining to make a big loop without much doubling back.</i>"

tom . . going that way makes the drive even <i>longer</i> - more than NINE hours car time w/o any stops.