San Fran to Las Vegas drive
 

Can anyone offer me itinerary suggestions for a 2-3 night drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas travelling with children 6 & 11 years. Where to stop? It will be for September. Also 2 nights Los Angeles to San Francisco along the coast?

Since you probably can't get accommodations in Yosemite I'd consider SF > Lake Tahoe > down 395 and over to Vegas.

As for the coastal drive, one night in Monterey, and one night in Cambria or San Luis Obispo (or one night in Big Sur and one night n Santa Barbara)

One issue -- what days of the week? Many places along the coast require a 2 night minimum over weekends.

Thanks for your reply. we can be flexible for the dates. We thought you could stay near Yosemite and drive in to the park for a day? Also what about driving from Yosemite via Death Valley to Las Vegas, is that too hard at that time of year?

By September, I hope that they have all of the forest fires contained. Right now you can't see Half Dome from many of the viewpoints due to heavy drift smoke. If you can't get closer lodging, the BUG hostel near Midpines has small cabins with shared bath. There is a YARTS bus stop at the foot of the hostel driveway if you didn't want to drive into the park. The YARTS bus stops in ElPortal as well.

tomfuller we are looking at traveling next year, we are at the planning stage so far. we plan to be around mid to late september for this area as we are looking at travelling around the USA for 6-8 weeks. I'm also reading itineraries that go from yosemite to kings canyon then via death valley to vegas. not sure if these highways all connect?

>>we are looking at traveling next year<<

Oh - you didn't mention that in your OP. I thought you meant a month+ from now. In this case you have plenty of time to get accommodations in Yosemite Valley.

>> I'm also reading itineraries that go from yosemite to kings canyon then via death valley to vegas.<<

Yes - they all 'connect' in a manner of speaking. However it is a long and pretty nasty drive since there are no roads across the Sierra from Sequoia/Kings Canyon so you'd have to head out to the west via Bakersfield and around through the desert (a not so great part of the desert BTW)

I'd do Yosemite, and then take Tioga Pass across the Sierra and down 395 to Death Valley and over to Vegas. You'd miss Sequoia/KC, but there are Sequoia big trees in Yosemite National Park.

My one major caveat is - September will be deadly <B><red>HOT</B></red> in Death Valley (and Las Vegas as well)

You won't be able to do much in Las Vegas with your kids. As janisj mentioned, it will be really hot, even at night. If you go into a casino with the kids, you'll have to keep moving. My kids liked the Bellagio fountains the one time we spent a night there with them, but that was it.

Lee Ann

You could drive right on through LV and stay at the Hacienda casino hotel which is 2 miles from Hoover Dam. The dam and the new high bridge are more amazing than anything I ever saw in Las Vegas. On a little hill next to the hacienda parking lot, there is a helicopter tour that flies over Hoover dam and Lake Meade.
About the best thing for kids to see in LV are the Bellagio fountains show, the light show at the Fremont Street Experience and maybe the 62+ lb gold nugget at the Golden Nugget. For an all you can eat buffet, I like the Golden Nugget (upstairs before 3PM). After 3 PM it's the same but a few dollars more. From the buffet windows you can see the slide that goes through the shark tank into the pool.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. I didn't think it would be so hot that time of year in Vegas. We actually though of missing Yosemite and just going straight from San Fran to Kings Canyon NP then should we skip Death valley due to the heat?? and maybe stop elsewhere as an alternative before we go to Vegas. it will be mid Sept by then will it still be really hot? I Appreciate everyone's input!!

The biggest problem (other than the <B><red>extreme</B></red> heat in Vegas and Death Valley) is there is no easy nor scenic route from SF > Sequoia/Kings Canyon and S/KC to LV. The drive is long (really long), boring, mostly ugly and hot.

Yosemite actually makes more sense and is a better/easier/MUCH more scenic drive to Vegas when you go over Tioga Pass.

Ok ,thanks will maybe stick to Yosemite for a couple of nights then on to Las Vegas. When you say extreme heat...what approx temp? Thanks everyone. You have helped a lot.

I just checked and saw that the average high in Death Valley in September is 41 celsius (107 fahrenheit) and the average low is 24 celsius.

P.S. I read your post on the Mexico board and am checking for other posts on your proposed trip. I'm curious about what else you'll see. You really seem to be planning to see a lot in the States, instead of the usual San Francisco/New York/Grand Canyon route so many people travel.

I really liked the suggestion for San Antonio, as I've been there a couple of times and enjoyed it. Also I think the rodeo idea is great, if you don't have them in Australia.

Thanks Pegontheroad. We are planning an 8 wk adventure. We will be doing the typical LA/DISNEY (for kids sake), NYC, DC. but also plan to see New Orleans, San Diego. We are going to drive coast from LA to San Francisco. And yes fitting Mexico in then Hawaii on way home. Would have liked to see Boston but time is an issue. It's great having this forum to get great advice! Oh and weather at 40 is hot, that's what we get at home in summer! We won't stay in death valley we will drive straight to vegas from Yosemite

janisj is constantly moaning about the temperatures in the desert. Mid=September is when things start to cool down. Yes it will be "hot" but if you are used to those temps you know how to manage. We are leaving on the same trip Yosemite to DV in two weeks.

Sign up at yosemitepark.com and they will email you specials.

A good place to break midway between Yosemite and DV is Bishop, CA. Or you can have lunch at the Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining just as you reach 395 coming down Tioga Pass.

We just did the san fran -yosemite--vegas a couple of days ago. Everyone was helpful here (look for a topic with name Yosemite to Vegas i started). We spent the night at Comfort Inn in Lone Pines and started for Death Valley at 7am . We were blessed with 67 F and then 93 F at 9. We stoped for a couple of pictures and made to Vegas around noon. I do realize we were lucky with the weather however if you start early it will be ok. We travel with 15 and 5 yrs olds and the teen loved the desert views, Yosemite is not to be missed, for at least 2 nights!!! (The distances to get to places are huge sp it will take a careful planning to see things if you only have cpl of hors.

As to Vegas w kids it is not of course the "ideal" destination but as part of the family road trip you Will find plenty to do (as we just did), there is Circus Circus with continuous high class free circus acts throughout the day, there is a whimsical garden "live" exhibit at Bellagio, Volcano free show in front of the Miraje, gondola ride ($18 p p) at Venetizian, beautiful fountains and sculptures throughout Caezar - i mean i am NOT a Vegas person and we found that we had more things to do than we had time for in 2 days. And dont forget your much nicer than average hotel pools!!