Hi...

We want to travel round the coast west of USA during July.

Is it a good route?

1 Madrid - LAX (15h.)
2 LAX, Walk of Fame, Hollywood, Beverly Hills...night in LAX
3 LAX –> Grand Canyon (night in williams or flagstaff )
4 Grand Canyon - (night in Page)
5 Page - Lake Powell - Zion Park - (night in kanab)
6 Kanab - Bryce Canyon - (night in Las vegas )
7 Las vegas
8 Las Vegas - Death Valley- (night in Mamoth lake or Yosemite)
9 Mamoth lake – Mono Lake – Yosemite
10 Yosemite
11 Yosemite –> SFO (Nigth in SFO)
12 SFO
13 SFO.
14 SFO -> Monterey / Carmel /big sur/ San Luis obispo /Santa Maria / nigth in Santa Barbara
15 Santa Barbara –> LAX
16 LAX, Santa Monica, Malibú, Venice Beach...Nigth in LAX
17 LAX – Madrid

Thanks...
Ester

olotines, that looks pretty good to me.

Looks good to me, too. Have a great trip.

Thanks for your help...

Is it interesting to visit Monument Valley?

Your suggestions would be appreciated as to time spent in each area, route and things not to miss.

Momument Valley is pretty, but places like Zion, Arches, and Brice are better. Only one place to stay in Momument Valley. You'll see plenty of red rocks it the places you'll already planning to visit. I'd skip Momument Valley.

Do you have reservations for accomodations in Yosemite? That is a hugely popular week in the park and you will have trouble with accomodations if you don't get them very soon.

It looks like a wonderful trip, although a bit rushed. You'll be spending a lot of time in the car on many of those days. When you drive from the Grand Canyon around southern Utah to Las Vegas, you won't be on interstate highways, and it's not always fast driving (it's beautiful though). I'm worried about your days 4-5-6. I think you might wish you could spend more time in Zion Park, especially. You might consider taking one day away from San Francisco and spreading days 4 through 6 into 4-5-6-7. Also, be prepared for it to be very hot in Arizona and Utah at this time.

Buen viaje!

hi....first ..thanks to all ....

I have been modified the route (days 5-6-7). What do you think about this?


1 Madrid - LAX (15h.)
2 LAX, - night in LAX
3 LAX –> Grand Canyon (night in williams or flagstaff )
4 Grand Canyon - (night in Page)
5 Page - Lake Powell – Bryce Canyon - (night in Bryce canyon)
6 Bryce Canyon – Zion Park (night in Zion Park )
7 Zion Park -> Las vegas
8 Las Vegas
9 Las Vegas - Death Valley- (night in Mamoth lake or Yosemite)
10 Mamoth lake – Mono Lake – Yosemite
11 Yosemite
12 Yosemite –> SFO (Nigth in SFO)
13 SFO
14 SFO.
15 SFO -> Monterey / Carmel /big sur/ San Luis obispo /Santa Maria / nigth in Carpinteria
16 LAX, Santa Monica, Malibú, Venice Beach...Nigth in LAX
17 LAX – Madrid


Thanks for your suggestions...

Day 15 will be a long day of driving without a whole lot of time for stops. Be aware that between Monterey and San Luis Obispo, much of your driving will be at less than 40 mph. It is a really beautiful area and if you could somehow break it up into 2 days, it would be better.

I agree Day 15 is not very workable. It's a 6.5 hour SFO to Carpinteria on freeway 101 no stops or traffic.

Highway 1 is coastal mountain driving with switchbacks, at 30 mph. It will take you all day (tiring) just to drive that route. You won't get to stop and see anything. It's gorgeous. You'll want to stop.

Try to spend another day to do justice to this beautiful area. It's going to be much different than the other places you'll be going.

There are a lot of posts on this forum about central coast/Big Sur itineraries so I won't repeat all the stuff there is to see and do.

I can see that you are trying to see as many beautiful and interesting sites as possible, but I think you're trying to cram too much into a two week itinerary. You'll end up spending most of your time traveling from place to place instead of enjoying the unique beauty of each.

Skip Death Valley. It's SO hot in the summer, and you'll be driving through enough hot flat desert. Reconsider Mammoth/Mono lakes as well, and focus on Yosemite. There's a pretty mountain lake there.

The Grand Canyon, Zion/Bryce, Vegas, Yosemite, San Fran, central coast, LA all in two weeks is enough, trust me. You won't feel like you missed anything and won't have trouble sleeping on your flight home!