In between San Francisco and Vegas?
 

Hi all, this is my first post but hopefully you've got some great suggestions.
Next year we're planning a trip to Western USA -have the initial idea of flying into San Francisco, spending a few days there, hiring a car and making our way to Vegas and ending the trip with a few days there. My main question is where shall we visit inbetween the 2 cities? I've looked at Yosemite and Death Valley but don't know anyone who has visited these places so was after some insider knowledge and suggestions please!
We're planning on the whole trip taking about 2 weeks.
Thanks for your help.

Before anyone can help you we need to know when the trip is. Time of year makes a very big difference re visiting Death Valley, and also re traveling from Yosemite to Las Vegas.

Sorry, forgot that info. We'll be looking at May/June time.

can't go wrong with yosemite. make your reservations early.
death valley is fabulous but getting pretty hot in may/june. but if you like heat, go for it. we were there in april and while hot, i found it enjoyable. we stayed at the furnace creek RANCH. quite enjoyed it and would return. they have a pool which is greatly appreciated. be sure to do the tour of scotty's castle. that was interesting.
there is also the furnace creeek INN. it's more upscale if that more your style.
2 nights is enough if you just want to see it, do scotty's tour and drive around. if you want to do any hiking, i'd add on another night.

Yosemite is <b>fabulous</b> in May/June. Unfortunately, getting from Yosemite to Las vegas in May and sometimes June is a bit problematic.

There is only one road across the Sierra mountains - Tioga Pass - and it is closed from the first heavy snow fall until the next Spring. It depends on how much snow we get next year, but it usually does not open for the season until May and sometimes not til June or even, rarely, July.

If Tioga Pass is closed you only options would be a long, gawd afwul drive south to Bakersfield and across the Mohave desert yo LV, or a drive north to near Lake Tahoe and then down to LV. That would be a beautiful drive in May - but it is looooong.

If the road is open - then it is easy as pie - vist Yosemite Valley and then out the back way through the park and on to LV.

Early May would be OK for Death Valley - hot but not unbearable. By late May/June you would know how it got its name . . . . .

Another option for travelling between Yosemite and LV is to head over the mountains at Lake Tahoe. It isn't as direct as going over Tioga Pass, but it sure beats the Bakersfield route. With 2 weeks, you have time to spend a few days at Lake Tahoe as well.

Sorry to top this thread!!! Originally I was just planning on visiting San Francisco and Yosemite the first week in Oct but am now thinking of possibly extending the holiday and visiting las Vegas as well. What would the journey from Yosemite to Vegas be like in October?
Thanks!

It's a great trip if Tioga Pass is open.

North of Lee Vining, at the east end of the pass, is Bodie--a must if you like ghost towns.

In Death Valley, we much prefer to stay at Furnace Creek Lodge than at Stovepipe Wells.

From Death Valley it is an easy drive into Las Vegas.

DMJ-
You could almost make a trip out of just the things to see as you drive down US Hiway 395 from Lee Vining to Death Valley:
Bodie Ghost Town -- probably the best you can visit
Mono Lake -- with its unique tufas.
Mammoth Lakes and Devils Postpile.
Ancient Bristlecone Forest, Inyo National Forest -- trees 1000 years older than the sequoias.
Lone Pine -- view of Mount Whitney

Here is a link to the historical opening and closing dates for Tioga Pass:

http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm

The average fall closure date is Nov 1, but it has closed as early as Sep 4th. Early October should be ok, but I would have a backup plan if the road closes early this year.

Thanks for that link, J_Correa. We're planning to drive from Bryce Canyon across Nevada and through Yosemite to get to my dad's house south of Yosemite around October 10th. Hopefully we'll be OK.

Lee Ann

LeeAnn - If it snows early this year, I would go up and around through Lake Tahoe. Not as neat of a drive and it is longer, but they plow the roads :) Hopefully Tioga Pass will be clear though.

Thanks for the info everyone!

Driving to Vegas from Yosemite is a great trip and October is a great month to do it. Nights can be cold but the days are usually warm. October closures are rare as the list in the above post shows. A few years ago, the Pass closed in October after a storm but then re-opened again for several more weeks.

Depending on the year, Death Valley can still be blistering hot right up to the end of October but the sun is not nearly as intense as in the summer and the days are much shorter. It's really one of my favorite times to go.