advice for travel
Jan 6th, 2014, 01:54 PM
#1
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advice for travel
Last October the forum answered a question about someone who had 60-90 days to travel the USA with a focus on the west, mostly California. In 2014,I too find I have from spring to Labor day (flexable) to leave from SC, heading west, do the scenic southern route and come back the northern route to SC when it is a bit warmer. My questions are:
Is there a good travel book, either by Fordor or someone else who could give me a must see itinerary for the 60-90 day trip?
Is going south west first a better bet?
Is there a better time to mix in the canyons (less tourists)?
I would like to see the canyons, Natches,the Alamo, Mt Rushmore and as much natural scenic beauty as I can.
Thanks for any help....john c
Is there a good travel book, either by Fordor or someone else who could give me a must see itinerary for the 60-90 day trip?
Is going south west first a better bet?
Is there a better time to mix in the canyons (less tourists)?
I would like to see the canyons, Natches,the Alamo, Mt Rushmore and as much natural scenic beauty as I can.
Thanks for any help....john c
Jan 6th, 2014, 02:58 PM
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Fodors has one called--Essential USA.
When you say Spring, can you give us an actual month.
Can you use the entire 60-90 days on stops/sites or is part of that for business or something else?
Do you like to hike, horseback ride, raft, bicycle, etc?
When you say "canyons" Do you mean Grand Canyon or the other National Parks in Utah. Frankly, I like the parks in Utah best, but by all means see the Grand Canyon-it is an amazing place too.
When you say Spring, can you give us an actual month.
Can you use the entire 60-90 days on stops/sites or is part of that for business or something else?
Do you like to hike, horseback ride, raft, bicycle, etc?
When you say "canyons" Do you mean Grand Canyon or the other National Parks in Utah. Frankly, I like the parks in Utah best, but by all means see the Grand Canyon-it is an amazing place too.
Jan 6th, 2014, 03:59 PM
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I decided to subtract 90 from labor day. That would be June 1.
This is not spring in the south it is summer.
So here would be my ideas.
I would start in the 2nd week of June
From South Carolina head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Stop in Asheville North Carolina on the way and see the Biltmore. In Great Smoky's--See Clingmon's Dome, Cades Cove. Hike Abram Falls at Cades Cove. Hike Laurell Falls. Hike Grotto Falls. Spend a day or two in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. See THE SYNCHONOZING FIREFLIES in the park. They are only there for about a week and it usually occurs around June 10(this is an absolute, but an average). We love to zipline in Gatlinburg, you might enjoy that. So you will probably need about 4 days for this area at a minimum
From Gatlinburg head toward Mammoth Cave National Park. This isn't my favorite cave, its ugly. However, it is tha longest cave in the world and does have a lot of history. One spectacular thing to do there is THE WILD CAVE TOUR. Make reservations as soon as the become available. You could also see The Corvette Museum and The Corvette Factory. You can do all of this in 2 days.
From there drive through Nashville and Memphis. You could easily spend a day or two at each of those, but there really aren't any natural wonders. There is plenty to see and do in both towns. Eat at The Loveless Cafe in Nashville. In Memphis eat at Gus's Fried Chicken or Blues City Cafe.
From there come through Arkansas. If it has rained(especially if it has rained a lot). Two excellent places to visit are Petit Jean State Park-hike Cedar Falls and The Buffalo River-hike Glory Hole Falls, Triple Falls, The Lost Valley(the LV you will need a flashlight to see a waterfall in a cave-awesome!). Skip all of this if water level is low. So, here is 2-3 days.
From there head toward San Antonio/The Alamo. I have never seen the bats leave from the bridge in Austin, but it is supposed to be awesome. I would stop at The Schlitterbahn for a full day(best waterpark ever!). 2-3 days
From there head to Guadalupe Moutains National Park. Hike Guadalupe Peak early early in the morning to avoid the heat.
See Carlsbad Caverns National Park(about an hour away from Guadalupe). Be at Carlsbad on a Saturday or a Sunday and do a Wild Cave Tour(amazing amazing amazing-Iv'e done it 6 times). This is a very decorated cave and is awesome. See the bats both enter and exit the cave at dawn and dusk. You will need about 3 days total for Guadalupe and Carlsbad Caverns.
From there I would then head to Mesa Verde and spend 1-2 full days there.
The do Arches National Park 1-2 Days. Don't Miss Goblin Valley State Park and then on to Capitol Reef for 1 full day.
Next drive HWY 12 to Bryce National Park. Spend 1 full day there.
Then head to Zion National Park 1-2 days there.
Head to Grand Canyon (North Rim). You could do the South Rim too. There are pros and cons as to which side is the best. You would need a full day at either side.
At this point you will be about 30 days into the trip.
From there head to Sequoia National Park. Spend 1-3 days here.
Next is Yosemite. 2-4 days here. The bad news here is that July will be super crowded and the waterfalls are likely to be dry. It's my favorite park, but I think is best the first week in June.
Next, Lassen Volcano National Park 2-3 days
Then Redwoods National Park. 1-2 days
Drive up the Oregon Coast a bit and cut over to Crater Lake National Park 1-2 days.
You could spend a day or two in Portland.
I would spend 1 day each at Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens.
Now head to Mount Rainier. 1-2 Days
You could spend 1-2 days in Seattle
Spend 3-4 days in Olympic National Park
Spend 1-2 days in San Juan Islands. Do the Whale Watching Tour.
Next is North Cascades National Park 1-3 days.
This should now be about the 2nd week of August.
Glacier National Park is next 3-4 days there.
Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are next. 3-6 days there.
Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse, Badlands
3-4 Days.
At this point, you should be about out of time.
You could return through Rocky Mountain National Park and maybe catch some fall foliage and elk in rut.
Buy a National Park Pass(it is good for a year and is only $80).
This is not spring in the south it is summer.
So here would be my ideas.
I would start in the 2nd week of June
From South Carolina head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Stop in Asheville North Carolina on the way and see the Biltmore. In Great Smoky's--See Clingmon's Dome, Cades Cove. Hike Abram Falls at Cades Cove. Hike Laurell Falls. Hike Grotto Falls. Spend a day or two in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. See THE SYNCHONOZING FIREFLIES in the park. They are only there for about a week and it usually occurs around June 10(this is an absolute, but an average). We love to zipline in Gatlinburg, you might enjoy that. So you will probably need about 4 days for this area at a minimum
From Gatlinburg head toward Mammoth Cave National Park. This isn't my favorite cave, its ugly. However, it is tha longest cave in the world and does have a lot of history. One spectacular thing to do there is THE WILD CAVE TOUR. Make reservations as soon as the become available. You could also see The Corvette Museum and The Corvette Factory. You can do all of this in 2 days.
From there drive through Nashville and Memphis. You could easily spend a day or two at each of those, but there really aren't any natural wonders. There is plenty to see and do in both towns. Eat at The Loveless Cafe in Nashville. In Memphis eat at Gus's Fried Chicken or Blues City Cafe.
From there come through Arkansas. If it has rained(especially if it has rained a lot). Two excellent places to visit are Petit Jean State Park-hike Cedar Falls and The Buffalo River-hike Glory Hole Falls, Triple Falls, The Lost Valley(the LV you will need a flashlight to see a waterfall in a cave-awesome!). Skip all of this if water level is low. So, here is 2-3 days.
From there head toward San Antonio/The Alamo. I have never seen the bats leave from the bridge in Austin, but it is supposed to be awesome. I would stop at The Schlitterbahn for a full day(best waterpark ever!). 2-3 days
From there head to Guadalupe Moutains National Park. Hike Guadalupe Peak early early in the morning to avoid the heat.
See Carlsbad Caverns National Park(about an hour away from Guadalupe). Be at Carlsbad on a Saturday or a Sunday and do a Wild Cave Tour(amazing amazing amazing-Iv'e done it 6 times). This is a very decorated cave and is awesome. See the bats both enter and exit the cave at dawn and dusk. You will need about 3 days total for Guadalupe and Carlsbad Caverns.
From there I would then head to Mesa Verde and spend 1-2 full days there.
The do Arches National Park 1-2 Days. Don't Miss Goblin Valley State Park and then on to Capitol Reef for 1 full day.
Next drive HWY 12 to Bryce National Park. Spend 1 full day there.
Then head to Zion National Park 1-2 days there.
Head to Grand Canyon (North Rim). You could do the South Rim too. There are pros and cons as to which side is the best. You would need a full day at either side.
At this point you will be about 30 days into the trip.
From there head to Sequoia National Park. Spend 1-3 days here.
Next is Yosemite. 2-4 days here. The bad news here is that July will be super crowded and the waterfalls are likely to be dry. It's my favorite park, but I think is best the first week in June.
Next, Lassen Volcano National Park 2-3 days
Then Redwoods National Park. 1-2 days
Drive up the Oregon Coast a bit and cut over to Crater Lake National Park 1-2 days.
You could spend a day or two in Portland.
I would spend 1 day each at Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens.
Now head to Mount Rainier. 1-2 Days
You could spend 1-2 days in Seattle
Spend 3-4 days in Olympic National Park
Spend 1-2 days in San Juan Islands. Do the Whale Watching Tour.
Next is North Cascades National Park 1-3 days.
This should now be about the 2nd week of August.
Glacier National Park is next 3-4 days there.
Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are next. 3-6 days there.
Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse, Badlands
3-4 Days.
At this point, you should be about out of time.
You could return through Rocky Mountain National Park and maybe catch some fall foliage and elk in rut.
Buy a National Park Pass(it is good for a year and is only $80).
Jan 6th, 2014, 04:52 PM
#5
What all states do you want to visit -- those are what a thread needs to be tagged . . . NOT the state where you live, but the place(s) where you will travel. In this case Texas, South Dakota, etc. And which canyons are you talking about? Grand? Bryce? some others?
So where all do you want to go?
So where all do you want to go?
Jan 7th, 2014, 01:48 AM
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Wow, spiro! I am ready to leave, though I would bag Gatlinburg and Mammoth Cave and add Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Arkansas and New Orleans. As an art lover, I would go to Fort Worth rather than the Guadeloupe Mountains, which are already too hot for me at that time of year.
Jan 8th, 2014, 02:56 PM
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Really? Queen Wilhelmina. I've been there several times. My favorites in Arkansas are Petit Jean, Mount Nebo, and Mount Magazine. #1 for me would be Buffalo River National River(upper section is the best). Some fantastic waterfalls there in the Spring. A great one in Petit Jean too. All are good for fall foliage. I think Queen Wilhelmina is best in th fall colors. I would guess you drove the Talimena Drive-everyone that does The Queen does that drive too-usually in the fall.
Jan 8th, 2014, 04:57 PM
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You are correct about Queen Wilhelmina and the Talmena Drive in the fall. We in fact were at Queen W the last weekend of their season. We have also enjoyed Petit Jean. These are not vey well known outside the area, and I am not sure they should be!
