San Jose to Phoenix
 

We will be visiting relatives in San Jose (leaving morning of July 22) and have hotel reservations made in Phoenix beginning on July 27. We will be renting a car. We'd like to visit Sequoia, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon on the days in between. I think we'd like to spend 2 nights in LV so we can see Cirque de Soleil and a show, but otherwise are open to suggestions (perhaps the train from Williams to the Canyon?) We have never visited any of these sites. Any help you can provide would be very, very much appreciated!

Just my opinion - I have seen many Cirque shows and "O" is the best!!! (although I have not yet seen LOVE)

My 13-year old daughter is a huge Beatles fan, so there was no way we were going to miss that show!

San Jose to Sequoia/Kings Canyon is about a 4 hour drive to the park entrance at Grant Grove, then another 45 minutes to an hour to other sites in the parks. July will be very warm in the central valley, so when we go up to the mountains that time of year, we get an early start so we can be across the valley by the time the day heats up. Sequoia can be pretty warm too, but since it is at a higher elevation, it isn't as hot.

I don't think there is a road over the mountains near Sequoia, so I think that to get to Las Vegas, you will need to come back down into the central valley, head south, and then east. Someone else can probably give you a good route.

No, there is no eastern road over the mountains from Sequoia/Kings Canyon.

To get to Las Vegas the fastest way (and that is what you want to do in July because of the Central Valley heat), you will want to get to Bakersfield, then take 58 to Barstow and I5 into Las Vegas.

It is about 5 hours from Bakersfield to Las Vegas that way. And probably 3 hours from Sequoia (depending upon where you are) to Bakersfield, via Visalia.

If you don't want to make this in one day, then Barstow is a logical stop for choice of lodgings, which are scarce on this route.

According to Mapquest, this is supposed to be a 6 hour trip, as follows: 198W to 99S to 58E to 15N to 515S. Does this sound right?

As novembermoon says, it depends on from where in the park you are starting. The main wild card in that route is the 198W. Most of it is a winding road with only one lane in each direction, until you get to about Lemon Cove. (as I remember, somebody correct me if I'm wrong). If you are stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle, or a line of them, it can take a long time getting to the 99. Once you hit the 99, though, it should be pretty smooth sailing the rest of the way to Vegas (from Visalia to Vegas is about 5.5 hours). Check www.dot.ca.gov for road closures/construction, etc. during your trip.

I should note that time of day is also important. If you hit the 99 and 58 near Bakersfield during morning or evening commute hours, it will also slow you down.