vixabs

My wife and I are planning a driving trip in California (plus Las Vegas)and this is the current plan:
24, Thursday evening: Arrive LA

25, Friday: LA sightseeing

26, Saturday: LA sightseeing

27, Sunday: Drive from LA up Highway 1, overnight at Monterey or Carmel

28, Monday: Drive from Monterey / Carmel to SF

29, Tuesday: SF sightseeing

30, Wednesday: SF sightseeing

31, Thursday: SF sightseeing

1, Friday: Drive from SF to Yosemite

2, Saturday: Yosemite

3, Sunday: Drive from Yosemite to Las Vegas

4, Monday: Las Vegas (trip to Grand Canyon, perhaps overnight)

5, Tuesday: Return to Las Vegas

6, Wednesday: Las Vegas (trip to Death Valley)

7, Thursday: Drive from Las Vegas to LA

8, Friday: Take flight back home


Questions:
Does the plan look reasonable? Or are we doing/driving too much?

Can we go from Yosemite to Las Vegas with a stopover in Death Valley?

Is the Grand Canyon better done from Las Vegas, or by driving/staying over there itself? How many days is adequate for the GC?

Overall comments on the itinerary.

Your comments and suggestions will be highly appreciated. Many thanks.

tracys2cents

If one-way car rentals are reasonable at that time...why not book your round trip flight with a return from from Las Vegas?. Sometimes it's even cheaper than returning from LAX.

jlm_mi

I'm not sure why you're going to Las Vegas. You really won't be spending any time there with your trips to GC and Death Valley.

utahtea

Do you have reservations in Yosemite? It's spring break in many schools in California this week and next week so you better make sure you can get lodging in Yosemite.

Friday, April 1 Yosemite to Las Vegas. Hwy 120 over Tioga Pass is closed for the winter. You will have to drive Hwy 99, 58 & I-15 to Las Vegas and this route 485 miles. That's one long day of driving but it can be done.

Monday, March 4, Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. It is 550 miles round from Las Vegas to the S. Rim of the Grand Canyon. The N. Rim is closed until Mid-May so that is not an option. I would definitely spend one night at the Grand Canyon. This way you can experience a sunset. Beware that they are getting snow this week in the area. You might want to call and check road conditions before heading out.

Wednesday, March 6. Las Vegas (side trip to Death Valley). I've read that with all the rain in S. California that Death Valley is having a great wild flower season right now. I would do the drive though Death Valley...maybe even spend the night there or on the road and drive to L.A. the next day. I would not go back to Las Vegas. To add Death Valley is only 166 miles if you head back to L. A. instead of returning to Las Vegas.

Utahtea

vixabs

Folks! Thanks for all your suggestions. We are now in LA at the start of the holiday! Yay!!

utahtea

Have a good trip!

Utahtea