sorriso

My husband and I are indulging fantastical thinking for an experience while between jobs in the month of June. One plan is to attend a language school in Spain and another is to drive around the US. I've trimmed my wishlist from: start Philadelphia, Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, San Antonio, Austin, north to Colorado, west to San Francisco, north to ???, Glacier, South Dakota, Chicago, veer to Niagara Falls and then south to Philadelphia.

Too much right?

So how about flying into Denver and starting from there? I've been reading about separate trips on the forum, would be open to dropping the car and training for awhile.

I'd appreciate your feedback so we can really debate our options.

Thank you!

PaulRabe

> I'd appreciate your feedback

Okay, FIRST question you have to answer; not for us but definitely for yourself: what exactly do you hope to experience during this month? "Philadelphia, Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, San Antonio, Austin ... San Francisco ... Chicago" are all great places to visit; but just these cities alone could use up your month. Likewise, you could spend a month visiting the national parks of the west. Or you could combine a trip with some cities and some national parks.

But the key is what YOU hope to experience -- and "a little of everything" is too vague an answer. If you think about your hopes and desires a little, and then let us know them in as much detail as you can muster (I know it's difficult to be specific), it would follow that we could more easily direct you to the places where you would be most likely to experience that.

sorriso

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. Starting in Denver and heading west, north, east. (skipping east coast through Texas). Yes, we could spend forever in the National Parks so I think Glacier for sure, Badlands; more beautiful scenery of the US, less cities. San Francisco and Chicago, two days max each. We love cities but it's not what we're looking for this time.

John

Be sure to plan your arrival at Glacier park the end of June. Going to the Sun Road will not open in it's entirety until June 19 this year and that is weather dependent. Hopefully the GTTSR will open to Logan Pass sooner as we are having a fairly mild winter.

John

Meant to add: Follow the opening of the road at www.nps.gov/glacier

tomfuller

From South to north with a mix of rental cars and trains:
Fly to Albuquerque June 1. See the city and then head west in a rental car through Williams Arizona and north to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. See 2 or 3 of the southern Utah National Parks. Return the car to Albuquerque and then take the Amtrak Southwest Chief to Los Angeles (afternoon and overnight).
Take the Amtrak bus to Bakersfield to get the San Joaquin train to Merced. Take the YARTS bus from Merced train station into Yosemite. Spend a night in Yosemite if you can get the reservation. Return to Merced on YARTS bus and take the San Joaquin north to Martinez or Sacramento. The next day you take the California Zephyr east all the way to Denver.
Rent a car in Denver and go to see Rocky Mt. National Park and then go through the Tetons and Yellowstone to get to Glacier by June 26.
You should be able to get the car back to Denver by June 30 to fly out from Denver.

sorriso

tomfuller: I like it especially the train parts...BUT need to edit out the Grand Canyon, have been twice. We've been to Sedona and Phoenix area three times and are purposefully skipping out that broad section of the US (including Albuquerque) because we continue to explore the southwest each time we go. Have been to Las Vegas and I don't care about going again although DH would be happy to. We've spent a week each in San Diego and Los Angeles but are eager to head north.

Now what?

PaulRabe

Okay, as I understand it, you've decided to fly into Denver and then see mostly national parks, with a few days in a couple cities. If that's not the case, then take the following as only a start.

Denver, rent car
Rocky Mountain NP
Grand Teton
Yellowstone (absolute, positively MUST SEE)
South to Salt Lake City, then east on I-80
Arches / Canyonlands

Capitol Reef
Bryce/Zion
The previous three may be two far south to be logistically possible, so be prepared to jettison them.

Return car in a city where you ride the California Zephyr
I suggest Denver, but this may not work
Amtrak (Zephyr) to San Francisco
SF for two days -- you will NOT need a car
Rent car after seeing SF
Sequoia NP
Yosemite (absolute, positively MUST SEE)
Return car in SF, and rent new one in SF*
Crater Lake
Mount Rainier
Olympic NP
Return car in Seattle*
Amtrak (Empire Builder) to Glacier NP
Glacier NP
* Drop off charges may be different based on how long you rent your car, and where you return it. They're going to be a killer no matter what, so check this carefully.
Amtrak (Empire Builder) to Chicago
Chicago for two days -- you will NOT need a car
Amtrak (Capitol Limited) back to East Coast

BetsyG

If I had a month, I would take my own car. From Philadelphia, Chicago & quick to Badlands. Then to Yellowstone, glacier, through wasington to Seattle.. South to San Francisco, then back east through colorado. Pretty ambitious, even for a month.
Do you have a map? You should make a plan then come back for specifics.

BetsyG

More realistic would be to forget the west coast & focus on the Rocky Mountains. So Chicago, badlands, Yellowstone, glacier, colorado then back east. still a lot for four weeks.

tomfuller

OK avoiding ABQ, LAX and Grand Canyon.
Fly to San Francisco (or Oakland or Sacramento) June 1. See San Francisco and then rent a car in Emeryville and go to see Yosemite. Return the car to EMY and take the California Zephyr to Grand Junction Colorado to rent another car to cover western Colorado, southern Utah and Yellowstone. Return the car to Grand Junction and take the Zephyr east to Denver. Spend a day in Denver (no rental car) and then take the CZ to Chicago. Spend a night in Chicago and then take the Empire Builder all the way to Whitefish MT to see Glacier NP. Perhaps fly out from Spokane, Portland or Seattle.
The Empire Builder splits early every morning in SPK with part going to SEA and the other part to Portland.

Gretchen

You say Glacier is a must. I'd say Yosemite is a must. I say Mesa Verde and Canyon de Chelly are "musts".

I'd suggest a map and pins and connect the dots.
Betsy's take on not going to the coast is probably the best. So land in Denver and do a loop through NM/Arizona, up through Utah, to Yellowstone and Glacier, and back to Denver.
But I'll leave my rec for Yosemite in case you do go that far west.
But something may have to be edited still.

I also pretty much agree with taking my own car--why not. And you can see the Badlands on the way out to Denver.

WhereAreWe

I would completely agree with the idea to skip the coast. I'd skip Chicago and San Francisco too.

Do Chicago as a long weekend trip if you really want to see it. Same for San Francisco.

Fly to Denver, make a big loop going to the Black Hills/Badlands, then Glacier, down through Yellowstone and then spend time in Colorado.

3-5 days for Black Hills area, 5 or so for Glacier, a week for Yellowstone/Grand Tetons, then the rest for driving and Colorado. I think you would enjoy that trip far more than your original idea.