From Italy to California
 

Hi all,
we are from Northern Italy, leaving on Sept 19th for San Francisco. We have less than 2 weeks and would like to go around a bit before going back to S-Francisco, spending there lthe last 3 days and flying home. (I apologize for my poor English :) )

I'd like to know if you have better suggestion, or something you would not miss on the road: our planned trip is the following

Big Sur (after years of reading Miller I do want to stay 2 nights there in a remote camping site and celebrate my 1st wedding anniversary just in the nature)

Death Valley (we'll be driving there directly from the coast area, it's quite a long drive but we'll stop in Panamint Springs at the entrance of the DVNP to sleep, and we are planning to see the Death Valley at dawn, cross it and go to Las Vegas (my husband WANTS to ben there, and I think it's somewhere worth going, at least once in life.

From Las Vegas we'll go to the Sequoia (other long driving), stop in Visalia to sleep and then visiting calmly the woods and the trees, taking a rest, some trekking, and so on, thren going back to San Francisco.

The trip will start from Sunday Sept 20th to Sunday Sept 27th, then we'll stay in San Francisco for 3 days and the we'll fly home.

Do you have any suggestion? Any warning?

I'm also interested in the Ghost towns, I saw some on the map on the Las Vegas-Visalia route, are they worth stopping by?

As always, I'm thinking, planning, and the the trip itself will surprise us with detours and strange things... that's what's great in travelling!

Sounds like a gorgeous tour.

You might be interested in my trip report which covers San Francisco, Big Sur (a highligt of the trip) and wine country.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ne-country.cfm

I also recommend Death Valley - you can easily spend a full day there (although I am afraid it will still be very hot there - we always had been to Death Valley in wintertime).

At dawn (as well as at dusk), the Sand Dunes are very impressive, because they ripples in the dunes are highlighted by the long shades. When you stay overnight at Panamint Springs and you are arriving before sunset, drive into the Sand Dunes region (it is close to Panamint Springs) and enjoy the sunset there.

Sunrise is spectacular at Zabriskie Point, which is however on the other side of the Valley. In September, it might be a good idea to get a very early start and use the morning hours to explore Death Valley's highlights. We were most impressed by the Badwater / Devil's Golf Course region. Artist's Palette Drive is on the way.

If you look for a ghost town, I recommend Rhyolite (near Beatty, at the eastern border of DV). It is very funny there.

Around Las Vegas, do not miss Red Rock Canyon - it is very scenic and close to town. Makes a good contrast to the city.

Re ghost towns:

West of Death Valley, south of Panamint Springs, there is a former mining town called Trona. It is really depressing.

In 2004, there was a film made about Trona:

http://www.tronamovie.com/

The musician Ry Cooder has made music about the place (Little Trona Girl on the album I Flathead).

Sounds like a great trip.

Big Sur is beautiful. You will definitely love it there.
Also pretty is the Carmel/Pebble Beach area.

While I have unfortunately never been to Death Valley (and lived in California all my life!), I have heard it's a worthwhile destination. However, I would be suprised if it compared to the beauty of Yosemite, which is beyond beautiful. I do believe it is more spectacular than the Sequoia, which I have been to. In September you will have fewer crowds and great weather. I am worried you would be missing a lot by missing Yosemite.

Also, your trip is only a week long. Have you considered purchasing a cheap to flight to Las Vegas instead of driving? You will be a substantial chunk of your time driving, and let me tell you the driving scenery is nothing special, except when you're on the California coast. I'm thinking you might want to make your way to las vegas (big sur, yosemite, death valley), and then dropping your car and flying back to las vegas.

Either way, have a fun trip!
And your English is terrific!

Dina

Hi guys, thank you for the replies, and for all the suggestions, there is plenty of them in just 3 replies!

Traveller 1959: great trip report, very detailled and very complete, thank you!
About the Death Valley, what we were thinging about was exactply what you suggest, getting up very very early and using the first hours in the morning to visit the highlits.

I'm gonna check your suggestions about the ghost towns!!!

Dina: you made me think a lot. I was not sure about Sequoia or Yosemite, but I read that in September the rivers and the waterfalls are very scarce in water so I thought about Sequoia instead. Now I'm doubting about it...

About the plane trip back... still thinking about it! I'll check cost and timetables and will be back here!

Guys, thanks again!!!

"Big Sur (after years of reading Miller I do want to stay 2 nights there in a remote camping site and celebrate my 1st wedding anniversary just in the nature)"

Do you already have a reservation? Will you bring camping equipment with you?

Link to California State Parks:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/

Pfieffer Big Sur web page with a link to www.reserveamerica.com where you can make a camping reservation:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=570

Some more links about Rhyolite:

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/nv/rhyolite.html
http://www.rhyolitesite.com

I would do Yosemite instead of Sequoia. In September you can go to the Glacier Point lookout, also come in via Tioga Pass. To me this makes up for no water at Yosemite Falls. And there are a few waterfalls that flow year round.

If you do this you might rearrange your order of visiting. (Although you may find that the one-way car rental cost makes it worth driving the whole trip) if you fly to Las Vegas and start there, visit Death Valley then Yosemite, you can do Big Sur as a separate trip before or after San Francisco. (Although you may find that the one-way car rental cost makes it worth driving the whole trip)

@Ronda, yes, I do have a reservation, thank you!!! I chose three bones resort, not too cheap but I love the idea of being there:
http://www.treebonesresort.com/ and I'll sleep in a Yurt.

@migb yes, the one way car rental cost makes it worth driving the whole trip :) :) more or less..

I'm still thinkng about changing Sequoia with Yosemite.
I thought avout Sequoia because we'll be driving from Las Vegas, and Sequoia is nearer... I'll check the maps.

Thanks again!!!

I dad a second look at the map, I could stop in Fresno arriving from Las Vegas (it says 6 hours, but I'd like to make some stops and maybe some detours), look for a cheap motel and leaving the following morning quite early to Yosemite. (1 hour distance)

The following night I could sleep in the park, or nearby and then spend the morning there and leave from there at 12.00 to be in Frisco in the afternoon...

What do you think about it?

Why Fresno? You can approach from the East and stay at the Eastern border of Yosemite Natl. Park, near Mono Lake - there is abundant accomodation. BTW, Mono Lake is an attraction in its own right.

For geographical accomodation search, you may use Google Earth.

Hi..
Big Sur you need to stay at Treebones resort..kind of like camping but in yurts..awesome!
Make sure you have lunch at Sierra Mar at Post Ranch inn in BIg Sur..awesome.
Take the highway 1 all the way down to Santa Barbara/Montecito..stunning town..stay a couple of days..Hampton Inn in Goleta is new and nice and under $200 a night..maybe cheaper..have drinks at the San Ysidro Ranch..
Go into LA/Malibu and drive PCH along the coastline..stay a night or two in LA and head down to Laguna Beach..stay at the Surf and Sand Resort..oceanfront hotel.
Drive down to San Diego and stay in La Jolla..Grande Colonial Hotel..one of the prettiest places in the world.
You can go to the desert from SD in less than 2 hours to Borrego Springs and Anza desert..
Las Vegas..I would stay at the Wynn hotel or Encore.
I am a native Southern Californian and we have a lovely state.
Google all the places and you will have one heck of a trip.
Ciao!

www.treebonesresort.com
www.postranchinn.com
www.sanysidroranch.com

I have friends who visited from Spain, and took the route traveller mentioned from LV to Mono Lake. She thought this route was the highlight of her trip. They stayed in Bridgeport.

Avoid Fresno at all costs . .

If it was me, I'd drive directly from the coast to Las Vegas. It is a long drive - but totally doable.

Then after staying in Las Vegas, I'd drive to Death Valley, and then up hwy 395 and across Tioga Pass into Yosemite. Then drive from Yosemite back to San Francisco.

That makes more sense than going to Sequoia.

Hmmm, the drive from Big Sur to Las Vegas takes roughly eight hours and there is nothing on the way which is worth a stop. But I would do it, too. Because the rest of your loop will be very economical. From Las Vegas, you drive pretty straightforward through Death Valley via Mono Lake and Yosemite back to San Francisco, mostly on very scenic roads.

Your original itinerary would include some back and forth driving and would be more time-consuming with stays in not-so-attractive places (like Fresno).

I would leave Las Vegas in the afternoon, visit Death Valley around sunset time and stay overnight either in Death Valley or just behind the Natl. Park border (Panamint Springs would be okay). Then an additional visit in the morning hours and leaving for Mono Lake. It is a four-hour drive to Lee Vining (Bridgeport is half an hour further north). You can enjoy afternoon and sunset an Mono Lake, and the next day explore Yosemite Valley and either spend a second night in or near Yosemite or proceed to San Francisco (which is another 4 hour drive from Yosemite).

Guys you are full of ideas! I'm so glad I wrote here!!! :)

So, I'll avoid Fresno! :) :)
I'll go and check the route from Las Vegas to Yosemite via Death Valley.

Here I am,
so Guys the trip up to now it's like this:

- Arrival in San Francisco 19th september, 9 pm, sleep in an hotel next to airport
- Sunday 20th, down to the coast, sleep 2 nights in Big Sur, rest a bit and wedding anniversary celebration
- Tuesday 22nd, drive to Las Vegas, staying there 2 nights
- Thursday 24th leaving late from las vegas, going through Death Valley, Sleeping in Panamint Springs, just out of Death Valley
- Friday 25th driving to MonoLake
- Saturday 26th exploring Yosemite, sleeping in the park (or just outside the west border of the park)
- Sunday 27th back to San Francisco

:) Yep! I like it! thanks to all!
-

@ksucat

Threebones is exactly the place I already booked! :)