We plan on traveling this summer- august.
we are a family of 5 (3 adults and 2 children 11 and 14 who are used to car rides)
Our interests include history, amusement parks, aviation

this is what I have planned
fly into Medford,or
drive to crater lake - 2 hours
drive to cave junction - 2.5 hours
drive to redwood,ca - 1 hour
drive to SF- 6.5 hours
drive to yosemite- 3.5 hours
drive to sequoio - 4 hours
drive to death valley - 7 hours
drive to anaheim - 5 hours
drive to mojave desert - 3 hours
drive to las vegas - 2 hours
fly home

My questions are as follows:

1- are these drive times correct?
2 -how many days do I need to spend in each national park?
3- on these drives, are there any must see places?

Many thanks

Melissa

Mojave and Death Valley in August? Make sure you have enough water, enough gas and a very dependable car! And lots of sunscreen.

I would plan 2 days in Sequoia - King Canyon (don't miss the King Canyon, it's spectacular!) For more info on that, J_Correa posted her report, do a search, or maybe she will read this and post a link.

Anaheim - is this for DisneyLand?

I know that it will hot but I really don;t know when we will be back in the area as we are coming from NJ. I am not taking hikes, just auto travel.

We are going to Anaheim as my 13 year old needs her amusement park fix.
Thanks

are there any amusements parks near SF?

There is a Marine World in Valejo, kinda mix of rides and zoo/aquarium, now a 6 flags owned, and Great America in Santa Clara. Also a Boardwalk in Santa Cruz where you pay for the rides only, no entrance fees.

I'm not sure where "Redwood" is exactly, but it will take you more than an hour to go from Cave Junction to the Redwoods area. Some of your other time estimates seem long. Crescent City or Eureka is the best place to stay near there. Be sure to take the Avenue of the Giants in the Redwoods area. Also, stop to see the Rogue River Gorge on the way to Crater Lake. I don't know how long your trip is, but you should spend at least two days in Yosemite and Sequoia. Frankly, going to Death Valley in the summer makes no sense. Otherwise, your trip sounds great.

I have adjusted my plans and have come up with this
please give me feedback
what to do along the way?
we are into avaition, history and amusement parks

Fly into LA stay 3 nights
drive 3.5 hours to sequoia- 2 nights
drive 3.5 hours to yosemite - 2 nights
drive 3.5 hours to sf- 3 nights
drive 6.5 hours to crescent city 2 nights
drive 4 hours to crater lake 1 night
drive 2.5 hours to cave junction ore -2 nights
fly home from medford,ore 1 hour drive

You'll drive through Cave Junction to get to Crater Lake, so why not put Crater Lake at the end? Less backtracking that way.

i can't get a room at crater lake

Oh, and if it's thrill rides your kids love, Six Flags Magic Mountain should be on your list.

Of course it's your vacation and we shouldn't re-plan it for you (who am I kidding?) but if it were me I'd suggest a major re-route. For your consideration:

Continue over the mountains from Yosemite to Hwy 95 in Nevada, then head into LV. Replace Sequoia NP with Bryce Canyon NP in Utah, which is only a couple of hours up I-15 from LV. While the big trees in Sequoia are impressive, you will have seen the (more impressive IMO) coastal redwoods earlier, and the red rocks in the Utah parks are incredibly special.

Then head back to LV for your stay (if you haven't stayed there on the way down) and then head to LA/Anaheim (via the Mojave - where? Joshua Tree?) End your trip there rather than in LV.

The reasons for this are that your route (Sequoia-DV-LA-LV) crosses the desert twice, and frankly once is plenty.

As for skipping Death Valley, the Park Service has been known to restrict travel in Death Valley in the summer, because a breakdown can honestly have tragic consequences. And, if you'd be stuck inside the car, there isn't anything inside the park that justifies the trip anyway. The real attractions of Death Valley are mainly on side roads or require some on-foot exploration that you won't want to do (trust me) in August. You'll have a bellyfull of desert as it is on this itinerary.

As for the northern bits, I think Crater Lake to Cave Junction is considerably longer than 2.5 hours. I would do Crater Lake as a day trip from Grants Pass or Medford. [As an aside, you might throw a little kulcha into the pot by getting theatre tickets for a play or two at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland (nr Medford) - see www.orshakes.org or the Britt Festival in nearby Jacksonville (fun historic town.)]

There isn't much accommodation along US 199 between Grants Pass and Crescent City, and frankly Crescent City is not much (a tsunami wiped it out following the '64 Alaska earthquake.) The road between CC and Eureka is worth a slowpoke day on its own - some amazing Redwood groves. You and your kids might enjoy lunch or dinner at the Samoa Cookhouse, a lumbermill mess hall/museum, family style meals served by your grannie. Samoa is across the bay from downtown Eureka.

Sorry for hijacking your plan. These are only suggestions, anyway.

Here is a link to my Sequoia trip report: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1

I agree with the others that Death Valley probably isn't the best idea in August. I know you want to see everything because you are coming a long way, but we want you to have good memories of California I'd opt to spend more time in the other areas.

Darn it - try this one:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34650852

we have already done byrce-zion all of utah two summers ago
thanks anyway

where is magic mountain?

Thanks

Melissa

Hi MelissaBeckoff

Sounds like a great trip. I can comment on the time north of San Francisco. I think if you were lucky and it was October when the tourists are not on the road you might make it to Crescent City in 6.5 hours, if you only stop for gas. The drive to Crescent City should be savored not rushed. A better plan would take it slow out of San Francisco. Drive as far as Garberville. Spend the first night there I have stayed at both the Benbow Inn (expensive) and the Best Western in Garberville and would recommend either one. Staying in Eureka, Fortuna, or Ferndale is also an option. Ferndale is a 10 mile trip off 101. I have never stayed in Ferndale it is all B&B down there. I live near Eureka. Make sure you get on the Ave. of the Giants and stay off 101. Lots of hiking options. Do not miss Founders grove. I also recommend a drive up Bull Creek to the tall tree area up there. That place is the heart and soul of the Redwood forest. The next day go on up to Crescent City On the drive up to Crescent City again take your time. North of Eureka there is a Redwood park visitor center on the north end of Freshwater lagoon. There you can walk out along the beach to the mouth of Redwood creek, there should be lots of shore birds and sometimes you can see osprey, river otters, and seals. Make sure you turn off 101 at Prairie Creek. Take either the costal route south of the Klamath river or the Requa road on the north side of the river. The comment "Crescent City is not much (a tsunami wiped it out following the '64 Alaska earthquake.) is only 1/2 true there was a tsunami and it caused damage but it was 40 years ago. You can actually stay on the beach at several motels in Crescent City the town is nothing special not many are up here, but it would be ok for an overnight. I have stayed at Ship Ashore in Smith River (10 miles north) great river views. Did I mention the weather.. foggy yes.. how much.. I do not know. However once you leave the coast to Crater Lake it will get hot. The lower stretch of Hwy 199 along the Smith river is also a knock out. The Smith river is a treasure, it is one of the few undamed complete river systems in the lower 48 states. Do not rush, you can't anyway due to the road. I you want to save some time on the drive to Crater Lake after you get on 5 (going south!) at Grants Pass get off at Gold Hill and take Hwy. 234 to 62. In Shady Cove ice cream cones and burgers can be had north end of town, on the left, next to the market, the name escapes me but we stop there 3 or 4 times a year. I guess you are going to cave junction for a specific reason. There are better places to stay in that S. Oregon area. I can be more specific if you want, just post here I am usually hanging around.


Have Fun
GP

we are going to cave junction to stay in the tree house place.
how you heard any thing - good or bad about it?

Thanks

melissa