LA to Grand Canyon
 

Hello everyone -
we are now thinking about driving from LA to the Grand Canyon - and spending a night maybe on the way and one night at the Grand Canyon - would love to go down into the canyon itself and also see the sunset - we will have a RV and also rental cars (there are 10 of us) any suggestions on what to see on the way from LA to the Grand Canyon it is obviously a long trip and we have a 10month old with us - so would probably be best to stop off somewhere on the way - this will be about the 14th June .
After Grand Canyon we will drive to LasVegas where we have 4 nights -
also was wondering does anyone know where we could leave the RV for a week in LasVegas (while we go to New York) do they have places were you can store them.
After New York all our kids are flying out of America and we are continuing in the RV for another 2 months (just the two of us) yippee
thanking you all in advance

You can see what happens when you decide to skip San Diego and go directly from LA to the Grand Canyon. The interest in your itinerary dries up. This is unwarranted in my opinion. It has been pointed out, correctly, that there is more to San Diego than the Zoo, Sea World, and the Wild Animal Park. But that's the way San Diego has been selling itself to tourists for years. So I can understand your decision to go directly from LA to the Grand Canyon.

Hopefully, the San Diego thing will die down and you will get some answers to the questions you asked above.

If it were me I would take the scenic route I-10 to 89N through Prescott, Jerome and Sedona.

I would stay in Jerome at the Grand Hotel, outstanding views, and haunted supposedly.

RBCal has a good suggestion. Will take longer, but Jerome/Sedona is a much more attractive area to spend some time in that anyplace between LA and the Canyon. Never stayed at the Grand Hotel, but have been to it and the view is great.

If you take I-15 to I-40 you have fewer options. You could take a short detour at Barstow and visit the Calico "Ghost" Town. For something a little different, after you cross into Ariz. fomr CA on 40, town south on State Route 95 to Lake Hasasu City and see the London Bridge that was transported there are reassembled. Or turn north at Needles to Laughlin and the casinos on the NV side of the Colorado River and then drive into Kingman to reconnect with I-40.

I remember your comment from the other thread, to the effect that there's nothing like the Grand Canyon in Australia. Also that you have zoos, sea worlds and animal parks. You were too polite to mention that you also have outstanding beaches, scenic coast drives, museums, outstanding architecture, quaint seaside towns, and the list goes on.

You of course are right about the Grand Canyon. Nothing in Australia like that. Also nothing like Las Vegas, which is a testimony to Australian good taste.

Near the Grand Canyon, in and near Flagstaff, are a couple of attractions that are different than what you find in Australia. One is the famous Lowell Observatory, right in Flagstaff. It's a small and almost antique observatory with a dual claim to fame. One is that it's where Pluto was discovered, by Clyde Tombaugh, and it's also where Percival Lowell spent much of his life gazing at Mars through the telescope and sketching what he thought were canals on Mars. They put on an interesting and educational show.

http://www.lowell.edu/outreach/hours.php

Another is the Great Meteor Crater located about 40 miles east of Flagstaff near I-40. This is one humongous impact crater. They have an excellent visitor center there. You may have seen it in the movies where it is often depicted as a landing and takeoff site for alien spacecraft.

http://www.meteorcrater.com/

thank you all - and yes dbdurand - we are lucky in Australia to have so much - we actually live in a beach suburb - Cronulla - South of Sydney - I am fortunate to have already been to Vegas, LA, San Fran, SanDeigo and Grand Canyon - and I am so looking forward to spending time in America again - and enjoying the company of our Adult children - will have a look at all these ideas/places to see - bring on June here we come