Another California/Utah/Arizona Road Trip...Itinerary Comments?
 

I have a draft itinerary for an upcoming "Grand Circle" next month. I know there are probably 30 draft itineraries out there but if anyone is bored and would care to comment, here it is.

Background is that I have done the "loop" several times over the last (erhem) years in various combinations. I am going with a friend who has never seen Bryce or Grand Canyon. I haven't been to the north rim in a very long time. Budget is moderate, and we need separate beds. Starting from Sonoma County, and ending in Long Beach, CA.

We will start near Healdsburg, Sonoma, two half days and one full day. We have a long list of recommendations and are staying at a vineyard private house for just the cleaning fee!

Depart morning and drive to Camp Curry, Yosemite. Two nights in Curry Village (booked). Want to do the free Camera Walk, which I did years ago. Then light hiking, Sentinel Dome, Valley floor, Mist Trail. Maybe a ranger talk. Should we Breakfast at Ahwanee one morning?

Depart Camp Curry, exit along Tioga Road. Stop at Whoa Nellie Deli, arrive at South Tufa area an hour before sunset for photos. Continue on to Bishop to stay with a friend.

Schats in the morning and head via Death Valley for Mesquite (yes, I know it's hot). Maybe visit Manzanar. Quick stops in DV depending on temperatures. End at Eureka Casino and hang out in pool. Not sure about dining in LV, was looking at Lotus of Siam but I live 30 minutes from Renu Nakorn (same menu) so will pass on leaving my car in that parking lot with all our stuff in it.

Very early start toward Springdale (for lunch & leg stretch, Deep Creek Coffee?) then via Hwy 9 to Best Friends (Angel Canyon). Haven't decided if we will volunteer in the afternoon or just take a tour. For dinner Rocking V Cafe, do they take reservations? Or cook in the cottage. Maybe check out at the grocery store in Kanab and decide then.

Half day Best Friends (volunteer or tour or relax), early lunch at their cafe .
Head for Bryce Canyon with a packed lunch for 1 night at. Bryce Lodge. Hike Queens Gardens/Navajo Loop, watch sunset. Maybe a ranger talk or star-gaze. Room has micro/refrig so we will not have to eat at the Lodge!

Head for North Rim, stock up/gas up in Kanab. One night Frontier Cabin which has no amenities. Not even a coffee maker?. Not sure if we should check in and then go out to Cape Royal for sunset, and have dinner after return at the bar?. Or I could get a 6:15 pm Lodge dinner time but will I be frustrated at being inside during sunset? Any recent experience with quality of meals here?

Sunrise at 6:12 am...Gonna be tough. From Bright Angel Point. Do the trails near the Lodge in the am, Walhalla Overlook. Checkout is at 11 am. Jacob Lake Inn for lunch. Head for Cliff Dwellers Lodge. Eat dinner there, visit Lee's Ferry , walk the Navajo Bridge, watch sunset. A bit of a rest day unless I get up at 5:30 am LOL.

Head to South Rim, stop at Cameron for "tea and pee" and to look at the rugs. If it isn't hot, maybe Ooh Ahh Trail. Condor talk? For sunset bus out to points west (arrive by 5:30 pm). Overnight at Maswik. Not sure what to do about meals, hated the Arizona Room. Not sure I want to spend $$ at El Tovar without stellar reviews.

Sunrise 6:14 am, head for home via Williams, breakfast there. Stop in Seligman for Delgadillo's. Other fun stops or restaurant suggestions? We will just play the last night by ear depending on how we do may try to drive the whole way back to Long Beach.

Thanks for any critiques. Will report back on the latest adventures of "Thelma and Louise".!

North Rim -- dining in the lodge while sun is setting will be good. Haven't been recently, but 2 years ago, the food was better than at El Tovar. With the floor-to-ceiling windows, you will have a very nice sunset view.

South Rim, I would skip taking the bus to viewpoints along Hermit's Rest Road. "Everybody" goes to Hopi Point, way too crowded for my liking, with hordes of tourists vying for the best photo spot. I like to walk the rim trail east from the lodges, toward Yavapai Point, find a nice spot and just sit and enjoy the canyon at sunset. I usually bring along a bottle of wine (paper bag) and plastic glasses from the room to toast the canyon.

El Tovar dinner can be quite good to pretty bad, we have had both. Poor meals at those prices are doubly disappointing. If you are hesitant to spend that kind of $$ and don't like the Arizona Room (I don't either), you could just go to the Bright Angel Restaurant (a couple of steps up from Denny's). The food is OK, for that kind of meal / atmosphere, and the price is a lot lower than ET or the AZ Room.

Thanks. I like the idea of liquid dinner. I think we might do that with a bag of crackers, cheese and sardines.

It's a shame to drive between Lee Vining and Bishop in the dark. It's a gorgeous area.

We do go up to Bishop/Mammoth from the south, and will be around Lee Vining and Mono Lake before sunset. We will head on down after the photo taking so hopefully there is still a little twilight left between Mono Lake and Mammoth.

(South to Mammoth/June Lakes we have visited more often)

When in Seligman call into Seligman Sundries for a great coffee and a friendly chat with the owners Lynn and Frank. frank might even give you an escort out of Seligman in his vintage Highway Patrol vehicle. Give him Andy and Mary's regards.

Hey Lateagain if he can just get me out of any speeding tickets that would be nice, LOL>

I have never eaten at Lilo's what do you think of it? I am only tempted by the idea of homemade sauerkraut.

I wish he could too as we always seem to get a speeding ticket in Arizona! We have never eaten at Lilo's so can't comment on that. Your itinerary has made me want to do the same trip again, there is something special about Arizona that always makes me want to go back. Pity you don't have the time to visit Monument Valley too.

I wish we had another week, too. Would go out via Capitol Reef/Moab and back thru MV. Love that loop, too.

My travel companion needs to be back by 9/20 :(

Maybe next time ��

Cameron Station
It is a very good tourist stop.
However, if you are searching for authentic Navajo rugs and jewelry, they have a special section for that. There used to be an outside gallery as well, but it may have closed. If you buy tourist version of Navajo rugs and (Navajo or Hopi) jewelry, they were made in Mexico or China or ???. Also, it will be coated silver, not sterling solid.
One is cheap; the other is expensive. Dream Catchers are the most unique with fascinating legend for their use.

when at Lee's Ferry hike up Spenser's trail. Tough but superb views

Vaga.

Forgot
Williams has the most expensive gasoline on your entire route because they are at the end of the supply route.
Buy elsewhere or just enuff to Kingman.

Williams has very good Mexican food Our favorite is on the corner of East Railroad Ave and ? I think it is before the VC. Forget name

Vaga

If you haven't left yet, you should see the thread: "Travel alert in NV that may affect UT".

Hi all, I am back. I had researched gas prices a bit so knew to buy the last tankful in Kingman ($3.09 at the Flying J, I think). That is interesting that Williams is the end of the supply route.

Our best food of the entire trip was at the Cliff Dwellers Lodge restaurant, both dinner and breakfast. Highly recommended. I enjoyed spending a bit of extra time between Cliff Dwellers and Lees Ferry.

Cookies from Jacobs Lake Inn were good too. The Lodge at the north Rim was horrible for dinner. At Maswik the pizza is the way to go. I was warned off the hamburgers.

The road north on I-15 between Mesquite and Las Vegas opened the day before we needed it, thankfully.

Might do a bit of a trip report in a few days.