We will be taking a once in a lifetime one-way road trip from CA to Chicago via Death Valley, Lake Mead, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Zion, Bryce Canyon, SLC, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Badlands and other sights. We would like to complete this trip in 3 weeks. Our goal is to travel < 7 hours in a day and never two days in a row.

Any suggestions on 'must see' vs. 'if you have time' sights? Any comments on decent lodging or dining in these areas?

We love to share in the local culture whenever possible.

Thanks for sharing your valuable input with us!!

WOW! That IS the trip of a lifetime--sounds absolutely wonderful! I haven't been to all the places you mentioned, but can give you some feedback on a few. I would skip SLC altogether unless there is a specific reason you need to go there. I didn't find it that interesting other than some of the historical stuff. Bryce is fantastic; more beautiful than I could have imagined. I would definitely plan to spend a couple of days there. Do you hike? THere are some nice reasonable hikes there and of course the overlooks are breathtaking. Lake Powell is beautiful and if you are up for it, while in Page you can go to a slot canyon. Antelope Canyon is the one I have been to. It's a guided tour thing but beautiful and unusual. A must see in my opinion is Monument Valley. It's really beautiful--just like in the movies. I did not take the jeep tour; we drove it ourselves and it was fun and at our own pace but the jeep tour sounds fun too. Alot of people on this site recommend staying at Goulding's, which I haven't done, but it gets hearty recommendations. Arches is also very cool, if you have any desire to see that but you have a pretty hefty itinerary so far so may not want to add anything additional.

Hope this helps a little. Have a wonderful time!!

Death Valley is fabulous from November to May. I don't think you want to go there in the summer.

I too think Death Valley may be too hot for the summer... Other than that, it sounds like a great trip and I'm jealous!

I, too, might skip SLC. If you're in the area, 'though you might want to stop by Sundance (south of SLC and in a beautiful canyon area.) A pretty spot.
Also, Jackson Hole WY is an interesting stop in the Grand Tetons. Touristy, but fun and surrounded by incredible scenery.
We are also taking a long road trip this summer (having done one with our young teens in '87 and wanting to see places we missed the first time.) We're leaving MA and traveling for 4-6 weeks staying in or seeing San Antonio, Santa Fe/Taos, Monument Valley, Carlsbad Caverns, Bandelier, Moab, Arches, Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Rocky Mtn National Park, and more (drawing a blank right now.) Our children and grandchildren live in Utah and Wyoming. That's what we get for showing them the country!
From our previous trip -- Bryce was a standout -- gorgeous, unforgettable. Do take a hike, if you can. The experience was something I'll never forget (and I'm no great hiker!) We camped at Ruby's, which posters have mentioned here from time-to-time. It also has a motel and an indoor pool. (Or did at that time anyway.) It was also the closest place to the park.

You're asking a very broad question and there are TONS of things i could say having taken 7 trips similar to yours, and now planning the 8th for this July. We've been to England and Scotland once, but we are Wild-West JUNKIES and need a 'fix' each summer!!!!
And even after 7 trips (of 3-4 weeks each) there are things we haven't explored or experienced, which is why we're going again in july.

Yes, you can do ALL of that AND MORE, INHO. There are MANY more things you'll be passing that you should try to see. And our travel philosophy is to maybe spend less time but at a LOT of places. We're only moderate hikers but also take in major league baseball games and explore major cities, presidential libraries, museums, homes etc. Then we often go BACK to places we really enjoyed. Its always worked out regardless of what route we take.

So if you already haven't done so, do a search here on each place you want to see. There'ss a myriad of ideas and opinions about each place. Then maybe ask more specific questions?

Don't be afraid of Death Valley in the summer! (altho, if you LIVE in cal, you might wanna catch it on a cooler day.) However, we have to take our long trips in the summer and wanted to see it, so see it we did!
It was 120 when we were there, but it was MUCH easier to take than the hottest day in ohio with 90% humidity!!

As for lodging, i use the AAA ratings and Fodorites for their opinions! Altho the fam calls me the Comfort Inn Queen, we try to stay in places that are more unique to the area (think Big Texan, Amarillo, for one night this july) And yes, Ruby's is still there, we're there again this summer but only because its our third time there and waited too long to get into the Lodge, which is very nice.

While dining is a major topic here at Fodors, its EXTREMELY low on OUR priority list when we're on our western adventures, due to cost mostly. Unless its something very special to the place. I'd rather have the extra nights on the road!!!
Plus, we'd rather not be sitting when we can be doing - exploring, seeing, experiencing. (OR sleeping, at times.)

Take a GOOD cooler, and pack it with your fave beverages (WAAAY cheaper at home than hotels etc) I also stock up on snacks, PB and Jelly etc. We also buy and make lots of deli-type lunches and enjoy them in the Nat'l Parks or wherever we happen to be.

I LOVE planning these trips almost as much as taking them. Have a GREAT time!

PS: Its not that we're opposed to hiking -- hubby clark and i are both runners and love to get physical but its been just part of the whole experience on our trips. And while i may get flmaed for this, IMHO, you OFTEN get a better BIG PICTURE from the lookout points! (Think Crater Lake here, especially)

But we've done many jeep tours and rafted lots, and ALWAYS take trail rides thru the parks when available.

Hi Katrn,
Thanks so much for your input.

I'm trying to finalize our itinerary and this will definitely help.

We are moving to Chicago and thought this would be a great opportunity to see everything on a one way trip. My DH will have to fly back mid-trip to meet up with the movers.

I added Monument Valley to our plans and got reservations for 2 nights at Gouldings. (Not necessarily the nights I wanted!)

Have you been to Zion? Would you recommend one over the other?

We do like to hike but we will be traveling with a one-year old, 10 year old and my 76 year old very active Mother-in-law so it's not likely we will do much more than an easy < mile walk.

What did you like at Arches? I had considered visiting there but was afraid we may be burned out by then.

We have family in SLC we are planning to visit. Otherwise I agree with you about it. Park City is beatiful and I hope we can get it in.

Any recommendations on lodging in Bryce or Zion? Any ideas for boat tours or lodging on Lake Powell?
Thanks!!

Hi DixieChick and Austin,
My son really wanted to see Death Valley since they just studied it at school. As a result of your input (and a 95 degree day today which was hot enough) we will spend a couple of days in Vegas which he loves.

Any other input on our itinerary would be appreciated.
Thanks!!

Hi EastEileen,
Wow! What a trip you have planned. We always took road trips while growing up and I think your right, it gets in your blood.

My 10 year old has only flown on vacations so this will be an experience for him. Of course he will have a DVD player and Game Boy so it's not exactly the same as camping in the back of a station wagon.

We will definitely include Jackson, WY and Bryce as everyone speaks so highly of it.

Have a great trip!!

ellen_griswold,
Thanks for your input. I'm brand new to Fodor's talk and I can't believe how many messages get posted on a daily basis. I love to hear from fellow travelers especially if they are looking for similar experiences. It sounds like you value the same things we do when traveling.

It will just be a little harder this time with a 1 year-old, 10 year old and my 76 year old Mother-in-law. She went to Europe with us a couple of years ago and we all had a great time.

Any input on places to stay in any of these locations?
Thanks!

We did part of the same trip 2 years ago, only we took 4 kids and a motorhome. I know how difficult it can be to meet the interest level and attention spans of a wide variety of ages. We found that we were better with several short stops so didn't spend as much time anywhere as my husband and I would have liked, but the real pupose of our trip was to interest our kids in exploring the country.
You've got a lot of stops early in your trip. You asked about Arches -- we enjoyed the drive through and we hiked up to Delicate Arch, but it was very strenuous and I would never try it with a 1 yr old or a 76 yr old, so just go to the viewpoint. I tell everyone going to that area not to miss the view from Dead Horse Point State Park, which is in the Arches/Canyonlands area.
Once you hit the Badlands it's a LONG drive to Chicago. If you going straight across South Dakota make the stop at Wall Drug and at the Corn Palace in Mitchel -- both big tourist traps but my kids had fun and it helped to break up the miles and miles of corn and soybean fields.

Our goal is to minimize the times we have to move hotels and to be close to a major airport on 6/27.

What do you think about this itinerary?
Day 1 SF to Sequoia - stay at Wuksachi Lodge 2 nights
Day 2 Tour Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Day 3 Sequoia to Las Vegas - stay at Embassy Suites 3 nights (5 people in one room)
Day 4 Tour Hoover Dam and Lake Mead
Day 5 Swim, enjoy sights in Vegas
Day 6 Las Vegas to Grand Canyon SR lodging at Cameron Trading Post through day 12
Day 7 Grand Canyon
Day 8 Lake Powell
Day 9 Lake Powell or GC or MV depending on interest
Day 10 Monument Valley
Day 11 Drop hubby at Flagstaff airport
Day 12 Drive to Bryce Canyon - stay at Ruby's BW 2 nights
Day 13 Tour Bryce and Zion NP
Day 14 Bryce to SLC - visit family
Day ?? Off to Yellowstone and Jackson

Any help you can give us on where to add or cutback on time spent at a location would be appreciated. Also any comments on accomodations would be great.

We also have bookings at the Maswick Lodge, Gouldings and Wahweap but are leaning toward having a base at Cameron's in part due to the high reviews it received on this site. What do you think??

We did part of your trip two summers ago. We stayed at Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia NP. We really enjoyed it -fabulous location and the sequoias are amazing (although the rooms are not air-conditioned). The restaurant was excellent. We also stayed as Maswick - very average, but clean accomodations. However, I wished we would have stayed on the rim itself. DO go to Death Valley. We drove though it on our way back to Vegas. The scenery is breathtaking. We also went to Bad Waters (?) - it's in DV and has, I believe, the lowest elevation in the western hemesphere (something like negative 300'). It was very hot (122), but it was well worth it - even our two teenagers thought it was awesome!

Coming from europe we have been travel the west 3 times.
Try to get a cabin at Bryce Canyon Lodge.
I agree that yoy should skip Arches.
We always try to stay inside the parks to get the best atmosphere.
This year we are going back, but this time we start i the Canadian Rockies. We will then go to Glacier and Yellowstone. I guess we are wild west junkies too.
This is my first reply and i hope everyone can read the gramma and my danish "accent".

janesch,
Does anyone have any recommendations for lodging on the South Rim?

When I call they all make it sound like they are so 'close to the rim' but close and being there are not the same.

Thanks!!

Last year we stayed at Yavapai Lodge. Its motelstyle rooms, but a ten minutes walk to the rim.

Apparently Bright Angel Cabins and El Tovar are the places to stay. However, it is my understanding they book a year in advance, so I doubt you'll get in this summer. You might look at the Grand Canyon village map on nps.gov - it shows the accomodations in relation to each other so you might get a better idea of how close to the rim they are situated.

Sounds wonderful. Unless you have a special interest in SLC, I'd skip. Bryce is quite a neat place. One lodge in the park and it fills up. You may want to see if there are any places available in Tropic. There are several B&B's there. Zion is worth seeing, but you have limited accomodations. You may want to consider driving up the road to Cedar City. If you are so inclined, the Utah Shakesphere Festival is in Cedar City each summer.

At Lake Powell you have the option of taking a boat ride up the lake or you can take a motorized raft trip down the Colorado below the dam through Glen Canyon. It's not white water. Every accomodation is Page seems to be well kept.

For Tetons/Yellowstone, accomodations in the park will be tough if you do not have reservations already. Cancellations do occur. The town of West Yellowstone is an option. There are several chain motels there.

In Jackson, I've stayed at the Buckrail Lodge. It's a nice little motel away from town.

In the Tetons, the boat trip across Jenny Lake and the hike up to the falls is nice. If anyone has more energy, you can continue about another mile up to Inspiration Point and have a spectacular view across Jackson Hole. Most of the hiking in Tetons is more strenuous than most people want to tackle.

Yellowstone is just magical. The geyser basin at Old Faithful is a must. Check at the visitor center there to see what the eruption predictions are for various geysers. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is awesome. Lots of other stops as you drive around. You will not lack for things to do.

If you want a spectacular drive, consider going out the NE gate of Yellowstone and head over the Beartooth Hwy.

Enjoy your trip!

Bulldog -- Dave,
Does the Shakespeare Festival require much advance planning? What about reservations in the area (both events and lodging/camping?)