Hi, I've a few questions on
a short trip in the first week
of May.

I'm having a hard time finding
low cost flights out of Florida to Vegas
and SF, but found some to Reno/Tahoe.

My questions are:
1. What is the weather like in Reno/Tahoe
in early May? Does it rain a lot?

2. How far are these towns (Tahoe/Reno) from Yosemite?
From SF?

3. Is there any scenery sightseeing to
do in these cities? Also, is Reno and
Tahoe the same city ? Sorry for any
dumb questions.

I have 2 travel vouchers with
American Airlines that I am trying to use, and it seems like American doesn't fly
cheaply to Vegas or SF...

4. has anyone used travel vouchers
and reserved on the Internet (travelocity
or expedia)?

I am mostly interested in some scenery
sightseeing and some city sightseeing
for 3-4 days w/ the family. But we prefer
nice, warm weather.

Thanks for any help!

As you know Reno is sits at the base of the Sierra Mountain range...the weather is usually quite nice in May or is starting to get there...but also it can snow at this time of the year..
Tahoe is but a short drive from Reno..not even an hour..Ergo, they are not the same city..You asked about scenery..The drive thru the Sierras...and the landscape around Lake Tahoe is specatular...It does not get any better.. The drive to San Francisco I am guessing is in the 2.5 hour range ..perhaps a tad bit more...Reno from Yosemite ..I am not sure..have not done this drive for many years... Can't help on the low cost fares..but ya might try Delta thru SLC to SFO..

I hope you're just using Reno as a place to fly into on the way to somewhere else. There's nothing worth seeing or doing in the town. It's a depressing place. But if you're off to Tahoe or SF or Vegas, that's a different story.

I doubt that you could use your travel vouchers for American Airlines on other sites. You probably can't do it over the net at all. Rather, I would think you have to handle it over the telephone with American. You should have received some fine-print instructions with it that you should check out.

I've used different types of vouchers. Some have been "free ticket" vouchers, which may be what you have. That may SOUND like it provides a lot of flexibility, but in reality, you are in the same situation as you would be attempting to book an award seat with the minimum number of frequent flyer miles ("W" Class). That means capacity restrictions, perhaps a Saturday night stay -- in short, your options may be limited. Strategies to use this type of voucher include booking FAR in advance or sometimes, choose a little bit of an "off-the-wall" destination, or booking something at the last minute, when some additional seats may be cut loose. You may be required to BOOK (but not necessarily TRAVEL) within a year on the voucher date. Again, check and make sure you know the rules. The second type of voucher is simply one that you use like money against ticket purchases with a specified dollar value -- obviously a much more flexible instrument. For that type, I would say simply find a trip you like at a price you are willing to pay and book it -- again, probably over the phone with an American agent. You don't have to be able to cover the entire cost with your voucher, since you can simply cover any shortfall with your credit card at the time you book. And if your ticket costs LESS than the voucher value? You guessed it -- you get another voucher for the difference and start all over again.

If you have a choice for compensation when getting bumped, always choose dollar-value vouchers. You can use them in any way you see fit and you'll get frequent flyer miles for the trip you take (something that may not happen in the "free ticket" voucher scenario). Some airlines may also offer you compensation in the form of mileage. If you can get 25,000 miles OR a "free ticket" voucher, you may prefer the 25,000 miles because their eventual redemption conditions are more flexible. Last, but not least, take the free ticket voucher if you think you can redeem it for something that's worth more than your inconvenience. (You'll have a great story when somebody in Council Bluffs asks you what the heck you're doing there...) Happy trails!

I live in nearby Sacramento, so here are some opinions formed from going up to Tahoe over the last 20 years:

Reno: a poor cousin to Las Vegas in terms of casinos, shows, etc. Too far from Vegas to fly into if Vegas is where you want.
It's a 40 minute drive to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, perhaps one hour to the South Shore. It's 4 hours from San Francisco and maybe 5 hours to Yosemite.

Tahoe: not much for gambling (South Shore if better than North in this regard), but fantastic for the scenery. Plenty of nice restaurants also.
Good: May is off season, should have decent weather, and no crowds. Usually rains vey little after March.
Bad: ski season is over, but there may be enough snow left in the mountains that you can't do much hiking or mountain biking, which is awsome by June. Golf courses and tennis courts may not be open yet either.

Summary: I love Tahoe and go there often, but only rarely go to Reno.

The reason it's so cheap to fly to Reno is because there isn't anything to do but gamble or go bowling. The only reason I go there is to go skiing in Tahoe.One hour drive.You probably won't be able to do that in May. Vegas is much better and it should have hot weather in May. Great shows.

Never been to San Fransisco.I hear it is quit nice though.

I agree on Reno. It's nothing to brag about. Was there in July,1996. Lake Tahoe & surrounding area is beautiful. Take Vegas instead. Now if you have the bucks, go to San Francisco area. Never been there but got a lot of very positive feedback from very reliable sources who visited there.

Why not fly to Reno then rent a car and drive to Yosemite.

Why not rent a car in Reno and drive to yosemite. THe drive from Reno to Yosemite is a lovely one but please be aware that Tioga pass is not generally open in May. You would drive through the lake tahoe area through the very lovely Sierra foothills.

We received vouchers for N.W. airlines flew and we choose San Francisco for several reasons and I have to tell you we have gone back and as they say you leave your heart there.. So much to see and do.. a friend who spent a few days in Vegas and a few days in S.F. said she'd avoid Vegas and spend more time in S.F. the next time.. We also found a reasonable hotel, the Andrews, a block from Union Square..on Post Street..listed by Frommers as a good budget hotel.. For more info please write...