Hi all,

After a few days in NY and LA, a friend and I plan to do a road trip on the West Coast of the US (California Arizona) which would last 6 days (starting from LA). We do realise it’s a short time for a road trip. That is why I would like to present you the itinerary we intend to follow to see what you guys think about it::

29 March : Los Angeles - Lake Havasu travelling through Joshua Tree park
30 March : Lake Havasu – Page (Lake Powell) travelling through Grand Canyon
31 Mars : Page (Lake powell) - Las Vegas travelling through Zion National Park
1 April : Las Vegas - Fresno travelling through Death Valley. The overnight stop as Fresno is to avoid doing Las Vegas – Yosemite in just a day. By the way, would you have some better overnight stops to propose than Fresno for the Las Vegas – Yosemite trip?

2 April : Fresno - Yosemite Arrival at Yosemite in the morning
3 April: Yosemite – San Francisco Arrival San Francisco end of afternoon

What do you guys think about it? For the Lake Havasu - Lake Powell bit, how long should be stop at Grand Canyon?

PS: we cannot take more days for our holidays.

Thanks !

Ralph

Was there something you wanted to see at Lake Havasu? If not I would go directly to Grand Canyon.

At Grand Canyon spend a bit of time walking the rim trail and a little way down into the canyon on Bright Angel trail or South Kaibab trail and exit to the east with stops at the overlooks on the way out. I would want a day in GC to see sunset and sunrise, but just using the park service bus and stopping on the west side of Grand Canyon Village to Hermit's rest and stopping at the view points on the east side on the way to Page would take a half day.

What do you want to do at Page? Boat ride on Lake Powell, dam tour, Antelope canyon tour, hike to Horseshoe bend, smooth water raft trip on the Colorado river??? How much time you spend, depends on what you want to do.

You are short changing Zion and the fantastic things to see between Page and Zion.

This sort of sounds like a "been there done that" drive through trip with lots of time on the road and not much time seeing, enjoying, experiencing, this fantastic area. If you are doing that as a precursor to future trips, to get oriented and figure out where you want to visit next, then maybe. I would want to spend much more time in the National parks and less time driving through. We often do a fast paced trip, but always spend at least a night in the NPs.

In any case, do look for lodging now as this is a very busy time in some of these areas.

Take the time to really see Zion after leaving Page.
Spend a night at St. George.
You can make it from St. George to Oakhurst CA in 9 hours.
Oakhurst is a little less of a pit than Fresno IMO.
If you can get lodging inside Yosemite, by all means get it.
Why are you going to San Francisco instead of returning to Los Angeles?

This is a crazy- fast itinerary -- but you know that. I'd also skip Lake Havasu.

IF you can make it as far as Fresno you can make it all the way to YNP. Do NOT stay in Fresno. It is only two hours more to drive right in to Yosemite Valley. So leave LV early in the AM and pull into Yosemite Village in time for a late lunch.

I agree with janisj - you can easily drive from Las Vegas to Yosemite in a day.

Lee Ann

Sorry, I hit "send" too soon. Unless you really want to visit Joshua Tree, I would just drive straight from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon via I-15 and I-40. You'll be there in just a few hours.

Lee Ann