Hi everyone, DH and I will be attending a conference in Quebec City in July 2011 (coming from Oz.) We had thought we would incorporate time in Maine (previously visited but not for long enough) and then maybe Nova Scotia and over to Quebec City eventually - we will have 4 weeks.
However, DH has not been to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon (and has listened to me rave on about GC particularly) and suggested we fly to LA initially and have a week doing that before flying on to east coast.

We both like driving and seeing where the road takes us - what do people think of driving the whole way from LA to Quebec City?

Would 3 weeks be reasonable (prob need almost a week in Quebec City) and if so, which route should we take? (love natural scenery,history,photography) Or, should we scrap the whole idea and just fly to Boston and then continue as planned originally?

If you are young, have lots of time (which you apparently do), have never been to the US before (or haven't experienced a lot of the country), then I would say go for the road trip. It will of course, take a good week to drive from the West Coast to the East Coast (and maybe longer if you make a lot of stops along the way).

You could fly between Boston and Las Vegas. It takes about 5 days to drive.

A week in LV and GC would be nice (I am not a big LV fan, but lots love it) with 2 weeks in Boston/Canada would be a nice trip! July is HOT in LV and high season in GC. Make reservations now.

Hiring (renting) a car in Las Vegas for drop in Quebec? Or where actually are you flying back to Oz from?

If you have 3 weeks (a month total minus a week in Quebec) you will have trouble covering the entire area from LA all the way to Nova Scotia is you actualy want to stop and see anything.

After my parents retired (and my father LOVED to drive) they did a lot of road trips. The ones from NYC to Yosemite or Grand Canyon and back were typically 8 weeks. To add LA/CA would have been another week - and they were starting froom NYC - a week closer than Nova Scotia if you want to see anything.

I am generally in favor of rod trips but I think this is too much territory in too little time. I wold allow yourself 10 days or so for CA, LV and Grand Canyon. Then fly to Quebec for you week there. The allow 10 days to tour Nova Scotia, Maine and perhaps fly back to OZ from Boston.

Otherwise I think you will spend interminable hours sitting in a car versus actually seeing sights.

Agree with what nytraveler said. Also I would imagine the drop-off fee for a car from LA would be huge. You might want to check into that.

I agree w/nyt. You don't want to spend 1/3 of your trip driving across the US, particularly when there can be vast stretches of nothingness for many miles. To put it into perspective - LAX to Bangor, ME is about the same disatnce as Canberra to Karratha in Aussie-land, a bit over 3200 miles.

Thanks everyone! Mmmm, I think perhaps the original idea might prevail although flying from LV to Boston is a thought.
We do understand the distances involved but don't want too much 'nothingness' like it would be in Australia! Maybe too much of a wild idea proposed after a couple of glasses of good Aussie wine!

So much driving will not allow you time to actually spend time and enjoy the places you want to see. I live in NH (just south of the Canadian border under Quebec province and Quebec City is about a 7 hour drive.

Make sure you go to the "old city" in Quebec, it's the historic area and full of charm. It's a little like strolling through the cobblestone streets of old Europe, well France I guess would be more accurate.

Thanks Jaya, France is our favourite European destination so looking forward to that aspect of Quebec for sure.

Disagree with SAnParis2 on "vast stretches of nothingness." There is some of that to be sure, but it depends on your route across the country and what one considers to be "nothingness."

Your trip robably not "Pratical" given the time and the desire to spend significant time on the ends. But doable. Via GC, Mesa Verde, Denver, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Musgegon, MI, Pittsburg, Lancaster, PA, Hudson river ValleyAlbany and the Adirondacks to Lake Champlain, into Canada, Montreal and Quebec City. A lot of driving, but it's a trip I'd do if I had 3 weeks off.

My first thought has been expressed already: the cost of a one-way rental from LA to Quebec City could be exorbitant.

Have you done the East Coast? If not, I'd suggest one week West Coast (including Grand Canyon), one week East Coast (Washington DC, New york and/or Boston), and one week Quebec.

Quebec is a wonderful city! Or you could do less of the US and take in Montreal and Ottawa, maybe even Niagara Falls.

There's just so much to see - flying would be the way to go, given the limited amount of time you have. Southwest has some very good airfares if you book far enough ahead.

Thanks again everyone, we have decided to fly in to Boston then Bar Harbor and spend our time in Bar Harbor, Nova Scotia, PEI and eventually over to Quebec - (have done the road trip from NYC up to Maine before) but struggling with the logistics of car hire!!

Note that July is high season on the coast of Maine and some accomodations are double or triple what they are in June or September. I'm not sure what time of year you previously visited Maine but you could be in for a shock if you have not visited in July and August before.