Bindery

My wife and I are ending a Cruise in Seattle. We get in 7am on a Wednesday. I have a one way rental car to Las Vegas where we have a flight out Monday morning. Our route is now to see Mt. St. Helens, Reno NV, the giant sequoia’s in King’s Canyon National Park, then Las Vegas. We have already been to the Portland Ore. Area.
I would appreciate any suggestions anyone has other places to see on this route.

janisj

that is one HELL of a journey. Reno - Sequoia alone is a 7 hour drive the 'quick way' via I-80 and down the central valley on 99. A hot/nasty drive after you leave the Sierra foothills.

(You get in at 7 AM but don't count on being off the ship til at least 9AM.)

I think your whole drive would about 30 hours 'car time' w/o stops, and you'll need to be in Vegas by Sunday afternoon/night. You really won't have much time for 'other places' but maybe you could visit Mt Shasta and/or Lassen on the way to Reno.

Gardyloo

Have you visited the coast redwoods in California? Maybe you could substitute those for Sequoia/Kings Canyon, follow the coast down into northern California, then cut over to Reno and down to Vegas. Nicer drive than down the central valley in California.

tomfuller

If you really want to see Giant Sequoia instead of Coast Redwoods, consider driving through Yosemite and seeing Mariposa Grove in the southern part of the park. Spend the night in Oakhurst or Fresno.
See if this makes sense. First night: Bend Oregon via Rt. 22 and US 20. Second night: Susanville California via Klamath Falls. Third night: Oakhurst via Reno and Yosemite. If you still want to see more Sequoias, you still have a day from Oakhurst to visit Sequoia/Kings Canyon before heading to Las Vegas.

janisj

Susanville > Reno > Yosemite Valley > Oakhurst is an 8 hour drive plus stops. Then Oakhurst > Sequoia > Vegas is even worse. At least NINE hours w/o stops.

That is an AWFUL drive.

I have a roadster, LOVE road trips . . . and would never EVER plan a trek like yours (or Tom's variation)

Gardyloo's suggestion would be a nice road trip and MUCH more doable -- but loses the Sequoias. It would still be a loooooong trek, but if you follow Gardyloo's route and stay on 101 down to Willits, cut across on hwy 20 and then down 95 to LV -- that would cut a good 8 hours off the original plan - maybe 23-24 hours total car time. Or, down 395 would be just a tad longer but really pretty.

The Coastal Redwoods are truly awesome (in the real meaning of the word).

tomfuller

The really AWFUL drive would be Susanville-Reno Tonopah-Las Vegas in 9 hours without stops. For a real mind bending experience, stay at the Clown Motel in the north end of Tonopah Nevada. To add to the ambiance, it is next to the cemetery.
Seattle to Bend=6.5 hours (done it). Bend to Susanville=6.5 hours. Maybe stop in Merced before heading into Yosemite in the morning.
Let's hope that not too much more of Yosemite burns this year.

janisj

tom: you are sending them to real armpits -- Merced?? Clown Motel, Tonopah?? They are on vacation, not being punished for something.

And, they don't want to drive straight from Seattle to Bend -- they want to visit Mt St Helens on the way. That will take more than 6.5 hours.

Is your itinerary doable - yes, semi sort of.. Would it be fun - mostly not.

bbqboy

They could throw in Modesto for a trifecta.

janisj

And south Stockton on the way