yosemite -grand canyon- bryce and zion
 

Hi

14-16 days to do the following

Looking for advice please looking to do the following trip next september.
Fly into SF hire a car got to Yosemite 3 days grand canyon 2 days bryce + zion remaining days left . I know there will be a couple of days lost to driving . Looking to fly out from vegas . Is that doable or it taking on too much ?

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Jason

Go to Yosemite and then return the car to San Francisco (or Oakland) and fly to Las Vegas for a cheaper rental car and save a drive through Bakersfield, Barstow and many miles of desert.

>>save a drive through Bakersfield, Barstow and many miles of desert.<<

They are traveling in September so no one would need to drive through Bakersfield and Barstow . . . and they would be crazy if they did. >)


Do you want to spend any time IN San Francisco? With say 15 days you could do 2 nights in SF, 3 nights in Yosemite, 1.5 days driving over Tioga pass and down the east side of the Sierra to Las Vegas, 1 night in Vegas 2 nights at Zion, 1 night at Bryce, 2 nights at the South Rim -- then fly home from Vegas.

Janis has a good plan. You could also go to the North Rim GC at that time of year.

thanks alot for replies was wondering if i was taking on too much with the distances, it seems very doable. janisj not really bothered about cities anymore getting old lol. More interested in the parks . The prices for hotels is very high , alot more since I was last in the USA

Ok -- since you don't care about visiting SF, You could stay the one night on arrival just to recover from the jet lag and leave the next morning to Yosemite. You would want to either leave SFO VERY early morning like 0500/0530, or wait until after the morning commute after about 09:30/10:00.

Add the extra night you'd gain here to any place along your route. Maybe add the night by staying in Death Valley. It will be very <B><red>HOT</B></red> in DV but evenings and early mornings are fine and it IS an amazing place.

And if you don't care about Las Vegas, you could drive from DV through to Zion - netting you another night to add somewhere along your route.

cheers janisj will have one or to morw questions over next few days . Thanks alot for info

janisj booked the Yosemite Valley Lodge for 3 nights will be leaving thursday 21st sept. going to stop over in vegas before grandcanynon. Is yosemite to vegas too much in one day or stop off in DV area beforehand ?

>>janisj booked the Yosemite Valley Lodge for 3 nights<<

That is really great --

>>Is yosemite to vegas too much in one day or stop off in DV area beforehand?<<

I personally would never try it in one day. Not only is it a looooooong drive, there is just too much good scenery and interesting stops en route.

I'd stop over in either the Lone Pine area -- or plan a night in Death Valley.

Cheers janisj Lone pine area looks great . More questions to come hope you don,t mind. Thanks Jason

hi janisj booked Lone pine one then driving to vegas through DV staying one night . Looking at going to GC then for 2 nights up to zion for 3 possibly 4 nites bryce 2 nites then back to vegas for a nite or two and fly home . Does it matter if i go to GC first or am i adding mileage time to the trip ? any info much appreciated .
Thanks Jason

Are you planning on going to the north rim or south rim? If north rim then it could be first, last or between Bryce and Zion. If south rim then either first or last.