Help me plan my trip -Nevada/San Francisco
 

Hi,

Arriving in Las Vegas on July 1st (night) and departing July 15 (night) where do you suggest we should go from there? Since we already seen Los Angeles, San Diego and Monterey, we wanted to see San Francisco and the grand Canyon this time. Perhaps the big Sequoia to?

We are travelling with 2 teens (14 & 18). Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

I'm not sure what to tell you about starting your vacation on the Friday of the 4th of July weekend. I would NOT go to the Grand Canyon first.

I really don't know where to suggest you go first. It's 570 miles to SF and it can be made in one long day.

I would suggest a couple of days in Yosemite National Park and then down to Sequoia/Kings Canyon before heading over to the Grand Canyon.

If you have a couple of days left then I would head up Hwy 89 to Lake Powell and do the float trip on the Colorado River with your teenagers. Head back to Las Vegas by the way of Zion National Park. If you have time your teens might like to tube the Virgin River. You can rent intertubes in Springdale, Utah.

The Colorado Float trip was the highlight of our last trip and our nephew who is 17 loved it: Our pictures:

http://www.utahtea.lithium.com/vacation2003/float.htm

Utahtea

Your pictures are amazing! It looks so beautiful. 4th of July weekend will probably have to be booked way in advance wherever we go if we want good rates.

My husband and kids want to spend the 2 first nights and the last 3 nights in Las Vegas so if we leave Las Vegas early on Saturday July 3rd we would be back in Las Vegas late Monday July 12th

This leaves us with 10 days out of Las Vegas (including the travelling time). Anyway we could squeeze in San Francisco and the giant trees?

SF and Grand Canyon are in 2 opposite directions. SF from Las Vegas is a LONG drive and it really is not worth going that far out of your way. I would suggest going to Grand Canyon as well as Zion and Bryce Canyon as well as Yosemite while in the Las Vegas area.

Thanks,

We will have to choose between the Grand canyon, Zion & Bryce or San Francisco.

Which way should we go? Would early July be to hot to go to the Grand Canyon? Which would be more interesting for teens (girl 14 and boy 18), San Francisco or the grand Canyon?

Hmmmmm.... Which will be more interesting to two teenagers:

Big beautiful hole in ground, mule rides, The Great Outdoors!

versus

Beautiful city, coffeehouses, cool neighborhoods, cool clothes, cool things to see, Amoeba Records!

Both are obviously worthwhile, but seriously, think back to when you were a teen; which would YOU have preferred?

Then choose the other. I say: Do the Grand Canyon, which is harder to get to, and save SF for its own trip.

If you decide on the SF trip, you could drive up through Yosemite and/or Lake Tahoe.

Thanks rjw_lgb_ca

The big hole and mule ride sound exotic enough for teens but how much would a mule ride and the Colorado river float boats cost for the 4 of us? Do you think that reservations should be made (long weekend of 4th of July)?

Which part of the Grand Canyon should we go to? Where is the best place for a nice affordable hotel in that area?

tt

Thanks for the information about the mule trip and the link. one hour should be sufficient but I wonder if, because we don't actually enter down into the canyon, the north rim one hour ride is still a nice ride? If anyone has done it, I would be interrested to get their feedback.

Anyone have an idea where to go exactly to do the float trip on the Colorado river? And if there is a website showing the fees?

Thanks so much for your help