I will be coming from Australia in Sept/Oct 2018, with hubby, and 12 & 15yo kids.
We have 40 nights and plan to arrive in LA Sept 1st, departing Oct 11th.
Basically it's California, Oregon, Utah parks. We are fit, enjoy great food and nature. Happy to drive somewhere for a special hotel, restaurant or tour.
Planning this far in advance so I can book my accommodation a year in advance.

I welcome all feedback and tips on my planned itinerarybr />
Night 1,2. LA. (Pick up car upon arrival)
3,4. Annaheim
5. Pismo Beach
6,7 Pacific Grove
8. Pt Reyes
9,10. Mendocino
11. Eureka


12. Drive direct to Gold Beach for 12 noon Jet boat ride
13,14. Yachats or Newport
15. Timberline Lodge at Hood Valley
16. Hood river or troutdale
17-19. Drop off car, stay Portland


20 -22 Very early flight to San Francisco, pick up car, drive to Yosemite
23. On way to Zion
24 On way to Zion
25, 26 Zion
27. Bryce
28, 29. Torrey
30. ? Bluff
31. Monument Valley
32, 33. Grand Canyon
34. ?Kingman
35,36. Las Vegas (return car)
37. LA - universal studios for my Harry Potter obsessed daughter


I've still got a few nights up my sleeve for flexibility/changes
The flight home leaves 11pm.

A few questions- Is it realistic to think we can make the drive from Eureka to Gold beach to make the jet boat trip?
I'm not sure if we should stay overnight at Hood River or Troutdale, if we stay in Hood River it's a very short drive from Timberline Lodge
I need help with the drive from Yosemite to Zion - I don't plan to go via Las Vegas, is it best to go south via Mariposa and Death Valley or east along Tioga Pass and stay a night at Lee Vinng and then somewhere in Nevada?

Can anyone recommended a guide for Monument Valley?
Thanks everyone.

For an idea of what another Aussie did, check this TR:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...lden-state.cfm


When we were at MV we just went with one of the guides in the parking lot.

I started to write a long response last night and then lost it. One of my questions was how you were getting from Las Vegas back to Los Angeles for the return.
My thought would be to fly or take the Amtrak bus from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and then rent a car from LV (much cheaper) for about 3 weeks. Return the car to Las Vegas and then fly to Portland for the northern part of your trip.
Drive the coastal route (US101) southbound through Oregon and northern California.
There are many things to see in coastal Oregon besides the jet boat ride.
Get a big map and try to sequence the drives so that you have enough time to see what you want to see without long driving days. Is your driver comfortable with driving on the right side of the road? I prefer the southbound route on the coast because all the turns into and out of the viewpoints would be right turns with no cross traffic.

Between Yosemite and Zion, the route through the Eastern Sierras is much more scenic and it actually makes more sense to go this way if you want to include Death Valley though it will still be hot in DV in October. The only reason I can see for not taking Tioga Pass when it's open is if you want to go to Sequoia/Kings Canyon after Yosemite.

Thanks emalloy, a great report.

tomfuller, yes I forgot to mention we will fly from Las Vegas to LA.
And yes definitely plan to see places of interest along the Oregon coast. Hubby has driven in Europe, and quite happy to drive. Yes I've read car hire is cheaper out of LV, but I had wanted to travel the coast in Sept and the parks in Oct, hoping for more suitable weather. Unless we fly from Portland to LV and do the parks loop from there?
I hope to drive no more than 4 hours each day.

Patty, which overnight stops would you recommend by taking this route?

For the Utah parks, be aware that there is a week of school vacation in October and the parks tend to be very crowded then. Hopefully someone local can tell you which week to avoid.

Thanks emalloy, I did a quick google and it seems to be mid- late October for the fall recess vacation. So we will be ok.

I would spend the first night in June Lake or Mammoth but Lee Vining is OK too. Actually I would stay 2 nights in this area if possible as there's a lot to see (Mono Lake, June Lake Loop, Devil's Postpile and countless other lakes and recreational areas) and IMO fall is the most beautiful time of year in the Eastern Sierras. If you want to include Death Valley, then that would be the next overnight. It will be a longer than 4 hour drive from DV to Zion but there isn't much in between.

I'm curious why you're thinking about staying in Kingman. You don't need an overnight between the Grand Canyon and Vegas.

Thanks Patty, I do have a couple of days up my sleeve, so 2 nights in that area would work.
I included Kingman as I read about it in a trip report and thought it may be useful to break up the drive, but happy to drop it, and it gives me an extra night somewhere.

You may also want to consider one base for the Mt Hood/Columbia River Gorge region. Both Hood River and Troutdale are about the same distance to Timberline and Troutdale is also close to Portland. I'm hoping someone more familiar with the area will comment as I haven't spent time there recently other than a quick lunch stop at Timberline on the way from Mt Rainier to Bend last year.

Thanks Patty, do you think we should stay 2 nights at Timberline and commute to Hood river for day trip?
Do you prefer June Lake or Mammoth to overnight in?

I'm wondering if I should bother breaking up my drive from Torrey to Monument Valley, by staying in Bluff?
I think it will take around 5 hours to do the drive?

It is less than 4 hours from Torrey to Monument Valley 24>95>261>163 and going to Bluff would be adding time to the trip.

Along the route above you could take a short detour to Natural Bridges NP, Garden of the Gods, and/or Goosenecks of the San Juan to break up the trip. I do have pictures of these at www.flickr.com/emalloy2009 in the 2011 album if you want to see if they might be of interest to you.

If you can't get lodging in Monument Valley or at Gouldings, there are places to stay in Mexican Hat north of MV or Kayenta south of MV.

The pictures mentioned are in the 2010 album, sorry brain freeze.

I was thinking either 2 nights at Timberline or 2 nights in Hood River depending on what you're planning to do. For me it seems like a short distance to pack up and move but everyone travels differently.

Both June and Mammoth are nice areas. I've only stayed in Mammoth but am weighing the option of staying near June Lake myself this fall. June is closer to Mono Lake and Bodie State Historic Park. Mammoth is a bigger town and convenient to Devils Postpile. Farther south there's the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Manzanar, Alabama Hills. Maybe see what interests you in the area and decide https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE...rdb5401895.pdf Some of it can be seen on your way from Yosemite or toward Death Valley/NV.

Thanks emalloy, great pics

Thanks Patty, you've been a great help.
I'm not sure what I want to do in the Hood River area yet, but not wanting to back track. So if I stay at Timberline 2 nights, I'd stay in that area for those days and then drive to Hood River and Troutdale on the way to Portland.

Yes, I m leaning towards Mammoth for the diversity of choice,

I second emalloy's recommendation for Natural Bridges NP, Garden of the Gods, and Goosenecks of the San Juan and would add Moki Dugway if you are up for an adventure and have a high clearance vehicle.

Valley of the Gods B&B was one of my most unique overnights during several cross country trips: http://valleyofthegodsbandb.com

Thanks travelottie, love the look of this B & B, not sure from their website if they can accommodate family of 4 in a room though, and it looks like all contact is made via phone only.

>>not sure from their website if they can accommodate family of 4 in a room though,>Children and pets by prior arrangement only