Hi everyone,

We’re heading to the Pacific Northwest (USA) and Western Canada this summer. We’ve made some progress planning, but we still have a few questions.

Our trip is mostly nature-focused—hiking, wildlife spotting (ideally bears, orcas/whales, otters, etc.), mountains, forests—and a few days in cities, though we’re not big on museums.

We’re looking at flying into Seattle (cheaper than Vancouver), then renting a car and staying in Airbnbs.

A few years ago, we traveled through eastern Canada/USA (Halifax/Montréal/Boston/Halifax) and ended up driving *way* too much and switching accommodations too often. This time, we’d like to settle in a bit more.

Here’s our current plan:

- 2 nights in Seattle to avoid hitting the road right after the flight. One day for a quick city visit, then we’ll leave early after the second night. -> Heading to Olympic National Park from the south.

- 4 nights near Olympic National Park, likely around Forks. -> Then to Port Angeles and a ferry to Vancouver Island via Victoria (maybe 1 night there).

- 7 nights in Port Alberni, which seems like a central base for exploring Vancouver Island (Tofino, Pacific Rim, Cathedral Grove, etc.). We really want to enjoy the area without constantly packing and unpacking.

The issue is, that brings us to 13–14 nights, and we’d like to spend 2 in Vancouver.

We’re wondering if we should head farther north on the island and add a few more days, or reduce our stay in Port Alberni to explore the north as well.

After that, we’d have about a week left. We’re considering a detour near the Canadian Rockies, then slowly making our way back to Seattle via North Cascades National Park.

Anyway, we’d love your input on all this!

Thanks for your suggestions,

Emilie and Thomas

Hi there,

I’m planning a month-long trip that’ll take me from San Francisco to Seattle, stopping in Vancouver BC along the way. After tweaking this route every which way and trying to balance must-see spots with more relaxed stops (like the Oregon coast), I’ve landed on this itinerary—I’d love your thoughts!

Days 1 and 2: San Francisco Days 3 and 4: Lassen Volcanic Park Days 5 and 6: Crater Lake Days 7 to 9: Portland Day 10: Astoria or Cannon Beach Day 11: Ruby Beach or Forks (for the Hoh Rain Forest) Days 12 and 13: Port Angeles (for Hurricane Ridge) Day 14: Victoria (Vancouver Island) Days 15 to 17: Ucluelet (Vancouver Island) Days 18 to 20: Vancouver BC Days 21 and 22: North Cascades NP Days 23 to 25: Mt. Rainier Days 26 to 28: Seattle

Of course, there’s travel time built in—for example, the third day on Vancouver Island will mostly be eaten up by getting back to the mainland and Vancouver.

Do you think there are any extra stops or anything I’ve missed? A month feels like a lot and not a lot at the same time… Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip to Canada this fall. I have 19 days total. The trip will start in Quebec, then continue to Gaspésie, New Brunswick, and finally Nova Scotia. I’ve already mapped out my itinerary, and it only leaves me with 3 days (including the departure day) in Nova Scotia. We’ll be flying out of Halifax for the return. That’s really not much time—just enough to see Halifax and the surrounding area.

I’d love to hear your thoughts: would it be better to cut some days from Gaspésie or New Brunswick to have more time in Nova Scotia? Do you think I’d be missing out by not spending more time in the region?

Thanks in advance to anyone who’s visited these parts and takes the time to reply.

Hi there, We’re 4 adults heading to Montreal on June 13 for 15 days to explore eastern Canada, moving between accommodations. We need a vehicle with enough trunk space for 4 checked bags (24 kg each). Which model should we rent, and which rental company do you recommend (preferably at Montreal Airport)? Thanks to anyone who can help us figure this out—it’s trickier than it seems since car models in Canada aren’t the same as in Europe! Nicolas

Hi everyone, We’re planning to head to Québec on June 11th (departing from CDG) and return around July 3rd, leaving from Toronto—so about 3 weeks there, traveling by rental car. We’re thinking of stopping in Ottawa to visit a friend. We’d love to see the "must-see" spots, but not *too* many, along with nature, parks, some short hikes, canoeing, a seaplane ride, and wrapping up with Niagara Falls. Do you think we can fit all that into the time we have? What are the spots you’d recommend not missing along our route? Is a short trip to Gaspésie at the start of our trip worth considering? Anyway, as you’ve probably guessed, we’re still in the early planning stages and aren’t quite sure how to organize everything 🤪 Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice!

Hi everyone,

Here’s the itinerary I’ve planned for this summer. I’d love to get your thoughts and recommendations on it. We’ll be 2 adults and a 15-year-old teen.

11/07 Calgary - arrival around 9 PM 12/07 Calgary - exploring the city 13/07 Calgary : Stampede 14/07 (Canmore) Banff - Kananaskis Valley - Town of Canmore - Banff Centre - Upper Hot Spring (pool) 15/07 Banff - Johnston Canyon - Lake Louise - Moraine Lake 16/07 Banff - Banff Gondola with ridge walk (1 km) - Lake Minnewanka 17/07 Yoho (Field) - Herbert Lake - Yoho Valley Road (before Field) - Field - Natural Bridge - Emerald Lake + hike to Takakkaw Falls - night at The Crossing 18/07 Jasper - Icefields Parkway - Herbert Lake - Bow Lake - Peyto Lake viewpoint (15 min from the parking lot) - Saskatchewan River Crossing - Columbia Icefield with the Skywalk - Sunwapta Falls - Goat and Glacier Lookout - Athabasca Falls 19/07 Jasper - Maligne Valley - Medicine Lake - Maligne Lake 20/07 Jasper - Whistlers Peak - Miette Hot Springs 21/07 Wells Gray - Yellowhead Highway 22/07 Wells Gray - Helmcken Falls - Dawson Falls - Spahats Falls - Clearwater Lake 23/07 Hat Creek Ranch 24/07 Whistler 25/07 Whistler 26/07 Nanaimo - Sea to Sky Highway - 1.5-hour ferry 27/07 Nanaimo - North Coast - Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park - Old Country Market - Goats on Roof - McMillan Provincial Park - Cathedral Grove 28/07 Victoria - Kinsol Trestle - Malahat Skywalk 29/07 Victoria - whale watching 30/07 Victoria - Inner Harbour - Chinatown - Fisherman’s Wharf floating houses 31/07 Vancouver - 3-hour ferry 01/08 Vancouver 02/08 Departure

We’re being really careful not to spend more than 3 to 4 hours driving between stops. We want to take our time. Thanks for your input....

Hi everyone,

I’m a total USA addict. I’ve already done several road trips, including the East Coast and West Coast. I’m here today because I’m planning to go back for another road trip on the West Coast. Possibly with one of my sisters and a couple of friends. It’s still just a plan for now, but I’m working on an itinerary in the meantime. Ideally, I’d leave in 2026, but I don’t have the exact dates yet—maybe April-May or September-October. My last trip to the West Coast was in September 2014. We went for 2 weeks, but this time it’d be 3 weeks. What made me want to go back was simply a colleague who just left today. As I’m writing this, he’s on the plane. I’m so happy for him, but now all I can think about is going back.

Since I recently went to NY, I noticed that prices have really gone up. I assume the same is true for the West Coast? For 2 people over 3 weeks, what budget should I expect? We’re the type to watch our spending and find great tips. I think we’ll arrive in San Francisco like the first time and leave from either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and help.

Good evening, everyone! 🙂 Just a few last questions to wrap up our Lake Tahoe visit plans.

**Parking:** We’d like to walk to Eagle Falls and then Eagle Lake. I’ve spotted two parking lots that seem close to each other and give access to the trailhead. Where and how do we pay for entry to Emerald Bay State Park and Inspiration Point?

**Viewpoints on the East Side:** Are most of the viewpoints (Balancing Rock, Granite Cave, Bonsai Rock, etc.) right by the road, or do you have to hike to reach them?

**Donner Memorial State Park:** Is it worth making a detour to Truckee to visit this park and the Truckee historic downtown?

Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙂

Hi everyone,

We’re thinking of heading back to the US but we’re still debating the itinerary. We’d love to revisit New York, but after that...? We’ve already explored the East Coast without making it down to Florida. So we’re wondering if we should go there. New Orleans has been catching our eye, and Memphis with its blues-rock vibe is also really appealing. A road trip that would start on the East Coast and head inland/mid-country. Any suggestions?

Or... we’re even considering stretching all the way to the West Coast: - Passing through LA, which we’d ultimately skipped on our West Coast trip, but maybe it’s not the best time to go with all those wildfires that have devastated iconic spots... - Or heading north to Washington and/or Oregon states, or closer, Montana.

Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what kind of loop we could do in 4 weeks... Given that in 2023, we spent nearly 6 weeks in the West, covering San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley, Mammoth Lake, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Page and its surroundings, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce, and Las Vegas.

On that note, I have to give a big shout-out to Thibaut, aka ITAT, for his time and invaluable advice in planning that West Coast trip. Since then, I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to share tips about places I’ve visited! Speaking of which, don’t hesitate to PM me for West Coast advice! Otherwise, I’ll be sharing a recap of that trip in a travel journal—currently in Word—that I’ll post on the forum later. For those interested, I also made a video montage (with clickable chapters in the description) of those 5 weeks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx8d4ommhv4. Just a heads-up: the Bodie videos aren’t mine (my GoPro died), and the grass was completely green when we passed through, unlike in the video.

Looking forward to your suggestions! !

Hi there, I know these aren’t the most popular destinations on the forum, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I’d love to do a road trip loop next April, and I really want to visit Nashville and Memphis first. Browsing the forum, I saw that Atlanta / Memphis / Nashville / Charlotte / Charleston / Savannah / Atlanta might be a good route. But I’m only planning to go for 14 days, and it seems like that might be too much. What do you think? I mostly want to enjoy the music scene in the area and pass through the Smoky Mountains. I know I won’t have much time to stop for hiking, but oh well... I’m saving Louisiana and New Orleans for another trip. Thanks to anyone who can help me map out my route and make the most of this part of the U.S. that I don’t know at all yet.

Hi everyone! First time for me in the States from March 24 to April 7, 2025—only 15 days, so choices have to be made. I want to explore part of the West, but obviously planning the route is the trickiest part, so here’s what I’ve come up with and where I have doubts: -Leaving Paris for LA 1 or 2 nights to visit -Heading to Vegas, where one couple would go by motorcycle (they’re fans and want the thrill of Route 66) and another by plane (I won’t linger here either—1 or 2 days max!) Then, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, all by rental car for everyone, so the motorcycle gets returned in Vegas.

Now here’s where it gets tricky: either I continue the road trip through the big parks to finish in San Francisco (but it doesn’t seem like the best time—might be too cold), or I head down to San Diego for the return flight. But which itinerary? Kingman, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, and San Diego—does that make sense? Is it better to go back to Vegas to take a plane or drive the whole way?

So many questions—your help and advice would be super welcome! Thanks in advance, Anne from Périgord Noir

We were lucky enough to explore the American West a few years ago... a VERY fond travel memory. The urge to return to the USA is calling us...

We're heading out in August with our two grown sons: 21 and 18 years old.

We want to discover another part of the US and I found this itinerary on a website:

Day 1 - New Orleans Day 2 - New Orleans Day 3 - Natchez Day 4 - Dallas Day 5 - Dallas Day 6 - Dallas Day 7 - Austin Day 8 - Austin Day 9 - San Antonio Day 10 - San Antonio Day 11 - Houston Day 12 - Houston - NASA Day 13 - Lake Charles Day 14 - Lake Charles Day 15 - Lafayette Day 16 - Lafayette - White Castle Day 17 - White Castle - Vacherie (Oak Alley) Day 18 - New Orleans Day 19 - New Orleans Does this seem like too many cities?

We love: big landscapes, museums, history, and shopping.

What do you think?

Gaetano

Hello hello, After several trips to the American West, we’ve booked our next tickets to Texas!!! We’ll be leaving in mid-October and arriving in Dallas. After reading several forums/blogs about Texas, I sketched out what our road trip might look like. But here’s the thing—big snag on Day 13!!! Could you please help me with this plan? Let me know if my draft seems doable or if, on the contrary, the timing is too tight, if I’ve missed any important spots, etc. We’re traveling as a family with our little ones (3 and 9 years old). We’re not big fans of big cities—we prefer hitting the road, doing hikes, driving on backroads, and we’d love to spend Halloween in a small, friendly town to really experience it. Here’s my itinerary: Dallas (overnight since we arrive at 8:30 PM) Dallas/Fort Worth (overnight in FW or nearby) FW/Amarillo (overnight in Amarillo) Amarillo (another night in Amarillo) Amarillo/Palo Duro Canyon SP/Roswell (overnight nearby or in Roswell) Roswell (another night?) Roswell/White Sands (overnight nearby) White Sands/Carlsbad (overnight nearby) Carlsbad/Guadalupe Mountains (overnight nearby) Guadalupe Mountains/Marfa/Alpine (overnight in Alpine) Alpine/Terlingua (3 nights) Big Bend NP Big Bend NP Big Bend NP/??? And that’s where things get tricky… What should we do next? I was thinking of Lost Maple State Park—probably gorgeous with fall colors. Then head back up to San Antonio, explore the Hill Country, stop in Waco, and make our way back to Dallas? My husband, though, would love to take a detour to Lafayette, stopping in Houston to visit the Space Center. Thanks so much for your help! :) Have a great weekend, Marie

Hi there,

We’re planning a family road trip (kids aged 10 and 15) over 23 days between San Francisco and Portland (Northern California and Oregon). It’ll be a loop. We want to take our time with hikes but also enjoy the cities to relax a bit (Portland / SF).

Here’s our itinerary—I’d love your thoughts on the places we’ve picked, suggestions for stops along the way, and whether this route is doable given the distances (especially Tahoe Lake to Crater Lake and Crater Lake to Portland):

Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco midday, head to Yosemite (3 nights). Day 1/2: Yosemite Valley / Glacier Point, etc. Day 3: Tioga Road with a stop at Mono Lake (1 night in Bridgeport). Day 4: Bodie in the morning, then drive to North Lake Tahoe (2 nights in North Lake Tahoe). Day 5: Lake Tahoe. Day 6: Long drive to Crater Lake via Burney Falls? (2 nights in Fort Klamath). Day 7: Crater Lake. Day 8: Drive to Portland via Bend (4 nights in Portland). Days 9–11: Portland + Columbia Gorge. Day 12: Portland to Newport via Highway 101: Cannon Beach/Tillamook (1 night in Newport). Day 13: Newport to Golden Beach via Florence/Oregon Dunes (1 night in Golden Beach). Day 14: Drive to Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park (3 nights near Crescent City). Days 15–16: Redwood National Park (Fern Canyon / Avenue of the Giants, etc.). Day 17: Drive along the coast via Eureka / Fort Bragg (1 night in Willits). Day 18: Drive to San Francisco via Napa Valley (5 nights in SF). Days 19–22: San Francisco. Day 23: Departure.

Everything’s booked but still flexible, so I can adjust if needed.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! 🙂

I’m almost done planning our September road trip. After our 3-night visit to Sequoia, we’ll have a stopover night in Coalinga (to break up the drive). We’ll be staying two nights in Monterey and would like to stop along the way to visit one side of Pinnacles National Park. We’re torn between the West entrance and the East entrance, and we’d like to do a short hike of no more than 2 hours since we don’t want to arrive too late in Monterey.

This park is split into two distinct zones with no connection between them, and the mileage from Coalinga to Monterey is pretty much the same for both. Which area do you recommend visiting—east or west? And which route is the most scenic?

I’ve spotted two short hikes: - East: Moses Spring to Rim Trail Loop - West: Balconies Cliffs Cave Loop

Has anyone been there, or do you have another hike to suggest?

Thanks in advance, and have a great afternoon! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi, Do you think 8 days is enough to visit Philadelphia, especially the Rocky spots (my son is a huge fan), and the White House in Washington? For mid-April or mid-July. Thanks

Hi everyone! 🙂

Since my 2024 travel journal is finally posted, I’m diving into planning our September road trip to the part of Arizona we haven’t explored yet and to New Mexico, which we don’t know at all.



Flights, accommodations, and the rental car are all set—I just need to organize the stops. On the day we arrive in Phoenix (we’re staying in Gold Canyon), I’ve planned a visit to Lost Dutchman State Park at sunset with a short hike and a stop at Goldfield Ghost Town. I was thinking of driving as far as Tortilla Flat, but it might be tight, especially since our flight lands at 12:50 PM, and the most scenic part of the Apache Trail seems to be just past Tortilla Flat. The next day, we’re heading to Tucson for three nights. The first day will be dedicated to Saguaro East (near our hotel), the following day to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, then the Bajada Loop Drive with two short hikes, and the North Kidney Road up to the OVL. Finally, on the last day, we’ll visit Sabino Canyon and hike to Seven Falls—and this is where I could use your insights! The hike is 13 km if we don’t take the shuttle. If we do, it’s only 8 km. Are those kilometers flat, or does it climb right from the start? And if we take the shuttle, where should we get off? Is the trail well-marked? I’ve heard it’s not very clearly signposted.

Thanks in advance for your tips, and I’ll be back with more questions soon! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m planning a road trip along the American West Coast in July 25 and, of course, I’d love to visit the parks east of Las Vegas. The crowds—but especially the heat—are making me second-guess whether it’s a good idea (the parks). I’d really appreciate your (honest!) feedback from those who’ve been there. Is the experience ruined? Maybe it’s manageable (early morning visits)? I have no doubt the scenery will be breathtaking, but does the context let you fully enjoy it? Thanks so much in advance for sharing your thoughts!

Hi there, For the start of our trip to the US, we’ve decided to spend 2 days in Memphis. We’re arriving around 11 PM. What’s the best way to get to the city center—bus, taxi? Is it better to stay near the airport for the first night? We’re not planning to rent a car for these 2 days of sightseeing. I’ve read on forums that hotel parking is really expensive. Is it easy to get around from one attraction to another without a car? Where should we stay? Thanks for sharing your experience!

Hi everyone, After already exploring the West, which was amazing, I’ve got a new plan—I’d like to visit Texas and Tennessee. I want to start in Las Vegas, revisit Monument Valley, and head toward Dallas, stopping in Albuquerque and other cool spots along the way. Then, I’ll leave Dallas for Nashville, with several stops in between—any suggestions on where to go? Do you think 20 days is enough for this trip? Thanks for your input!

Hi there! 🙂

I'm taking it slow—I'm only on day 5 of my Tucson to Bisbee leg.

We'd like to stop in Tombstone along the way. I've spotted Boot Hill Cemetery, the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, and around the visitor center: the O.K. Corral, Tombstone Historama, the Tombstone Epitaph, the Bird Cage Theatre, and the Crystal Palace Saloon. Is everything worth visiting, and is parking easy in Tombstone? If anyone has parking recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance!

As for Bisbee, I've noted the Queen Mine Tour, the Great Bisbee Stairs Climb, and the downtown tour. Outside of town, there's the Lavender Pit. Any other suggestions for things to check out?

Thanks so much! Marcalamar 🙂

We’re two couples planning a 15-day road trip in Louisiana. Do you think 15 days is too long? I’ve seen on some sites that a week is enough. Can we extend our trip to include Texas, or is that unrealistic? Thanks for your help!😊

Hello Departing on August 29 from San Francisco.

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m booking last-minute (I usually reserve way in advance) or if it’s because it’s early September—whereas we usually travel in late September—but I feel like prices have really gone up. Luckily, the dollar is weak right now!

I’ll post the start of the road trip, and I’m looking for your suggestions because I’m a bit stuck around Lassen since I had to cut one day from the rest of the trip.

D1: Flight Marseille → Paris → SFO, night in SFO D2: SFO (3rd time, so it’s just because we love it, but we’ve already done almost everything—we’ll revisit our favorite spots and especially do some walking tours). Night in SF D3 & 4: Heading to Fort Bragg for two nights D5 & 6: Night in Eureka, visiting southern Redwood D7 & 8: Crescent City, visiting northern Redwood D9: Heading to Mount Shasta, night in Mount Shasta D10: Lassen (north entrance), night in Mineral D11: Lassen south, mid-afternoon departure for North Lake Tahoe (two nights) and exploring the area D13 & 14: South Lake Tahoe D15: June Lake D16: Morning walk, then heading toward Fresno, overnight stop in the area D17: King’s Canyon, night at the lodge D18: Drive to Sequoia and walk, night in Three Rivers D19: Big morning in Sequoia, then heading to Pacific Grove (our favorite spot) for three nights to rest and walk along the Pacific D22: Probably (but still undecided) a detour to Sacramento to visit the California State Capitol… if we’re not too lazy, we’ll see D23: Return to San Francisco… night on the coast near the ocean (Pacifica or Half Moon Bay) D24: Return to France

Thanks for your constructive help, and don’t hesitate to criticize—I always try to stay at least two nights in each place and take time to rest a bit. Obviously, we’ve already done all the red rock areas…

Hello everyone,

After our first trip as a young couple to the West in 2007 (yes, that doesn’t make us any younger!), we’re planning to go back in 2028, but this time as a family of four! (We have two boys who’ll be 5½ and 13 years old in the summer of 2028.)

Our plan is to combine a few big cities (SF and LA, maybe San Diego) with national parks and state parks, mostly! Ideally, we’d like to leave at the end of June and head back to France around July 19–20, so we can enjoy the first week of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Since we already did the "loop" in 2007, there are must-see places we absolutely want to revisit—and especially share with our kids: Bryce Canyon, Yosemite, and above all, the Grand Canyon, which is still the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen on Earth!

On the other hand, some places didn’t leave a big impression on us for various reasons, so we’re not making them a priority: Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, for example.

We’re planning ahead, but might as well be smart about it😏

Do you have any tips for a fun and doable itinerary over about 20–25 days with kids, without rushing?

Thanks in advance for your feedback😉

Hello,

After our first trip to the West, we’d love to go back to see other must-see spots!

The stay would be from May 11 to 20, 2026—it’s short, but hey...

M11: Lyon to Las Vegas (overnight in Vegas) T12: Route 66 – overnight in Grand Canyon (GC) W13: Visit GC – overnight in Page Th14: Visit Antelope Canyon / Horseshoe Bend – overnight in Monument Valley (MV) F15: Visit MV – overnight in Moab Sa16: Visit Arches / Dead Horse Point – overnight in Bryce Su17: Visit Bryce – overnight in Zion M18: Visit Zion / Valley of Fire – overnight in Vegas Tu19: Return flight

What do you think? Could we add one more night somewhere? We’re not big hikers, so we’ll mostly explore the parks using shuttles.

Also, we’re all set—passports are good. Do you think one classic Visa card and one premium Visa card will be enough for coverage?

Thanks so much for your feedback, and happy holidays!

Christophe

Hi everyone.

I assume many of you already know, but the America the Beautiful annual pass, which was $80, will increase to $250 starting January 1, 2026.

So if you're planning to travel before the end of December 2026, it's in your best interest to buy your pass in December 2025, since it will still cost $80 and be valid until the end of December 2026 if you purchase it in December 2025.

This price increase only applies to non-U.S. residents.

Additionally, for those who planned to visit just one park, a $100 surcharge per person will apply to access a list of 11 national parks... For example, if there are 4 of you in a car, you’ll have to pay $35 + $400, which comes to $435 to visit one of the 11 parks on the list (I don’t have all of them... Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc.). Total madness.

The goal is to push people who only visit one park into buying the annual pass.

Last point: free entry days are over for non-residents!

That’s all for now.

Hello,

I’m currently looking for well-located hotels near points of interest in the cities below. I’ve found a few, but the prices are really high. Could any of you share some great addresses in the following cities? - Los Angeles - Las Vegas - San Francisco

Also, do you have a preferred airline for domestic flights? If so, which one?

Thanks so much, and have a great day, everyone!

Gertjan

Hello Everyone!!

Is this American West dream finally going to come true? Illness and the loss of loved ones have forced us to cancel this trip several times over the past few years...

Here’s the rough outline I’m sharing with you—feel free to give constructive feedback!!

From April 20, 2025, to May 5, 2025, that’s 14 days on-site excluding flights.

D20: Flight from Lyon to Phoenix, night in Phoenix L21: Phoenix (visit the zoo, city, Apache Trail? The road is apparently closed??) night in Sedona M22: Sedona, night in Sedona M23: Depart for GC, visit GC, night in GC (no accommodation booked yet, same goes for the following visits) J24: Drive to MV, visit MV, night in Mexican Hat or? V25: End of MV, drive to Page, night in Page S26: Page—Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, night in Page D27: Drive to Bryce, visit Bryce, night? L28: End of Bryce, depart for Zion (I’m wondering if it’s worth visiting Zion at the end of April—since the park is at high altitude, is there a risk of snow? Temperatures?) If we skip Zion, could we plan 2 days for Arches before heading to Bryce? Night in Springdale if Zion, otherwise drive to Valley of Fire, night? M29: Valley of Fire, then drive to LV, night in LV M30: Morning in LV, then drive to Death Valley, night in Furnace Creek? J1: Visit Death Valley, return to LV, night in LV And then we have 3 days left... where should we add them? More time in Arches and Zion? An extra day in Sedona? In Page? We’re not big hikers, so we won’t spend more than a day in each park.

Just to clarify: passports and ESTA are all set!!

Thanks for your advice! Best regards, Christophe

Hey everyone!

So, I'm in the middle of planning a 3-week road trip, and of course, I have a ton of questions. But first, maybe I should start with the basics:

When: July 5–28, 2025. Who: 4 people (2 teens and 2 adults). How: Flight tickets already booked (LH and United).

Where (overnights): 07/05: Arrival in SF. Night in SF. 07/06: SF. 07/07: SF. 07/08: Early departure? for Yosemite (Mariposa) – question 1. 07/09: Yosemite. 07/10: Mammoth Lake? (Accommodation in the area? Or somewhere else like 2 nights in Death Valley?) – question 2. 07/11: Death Valley. 07/12: LV. 07/13: LV. 07/14: Zion. 07/15: Bryce Canyon. 07/16: Bryce Canyon. 07/17: Moab. 07/18: Moab. 07/19: Moab. 07/20: Monument Valley. 07/21: Page. 07/22: Grand Canyon (better to stay 2 nights in Page or Grand Canyon?) – question 3. 07/23: Grand Canyon. 07/24: Kingman. 07/25: LA. 07/26: LA. 07/27: LA. 07/28: Return to France.

And question 4: For the car rental, I think it’s better to pick it up right when we arrive (to save time). But once we get to LA, should we drop it off at the airport or earlier to avoid being stuck with it (and paying extra for parking)? (We’re staying near Venice Beach for now.)

Anyway, if you spot any other inconsistencies, let me know! But I think it should work—I’ve already read 5 or 6 travel journals, so I’m feeling pretty set. :)

Right now, I’m deep into researching the rental car. I’m tempted to go for the Tahoe, but I’m not sure which site to use... So far, it’s hovering around 2000 €—quite the budget!

Route 66 in 30 days

From Chicago to Los Angeles with a few stops at sites near the route: a total of 6,800 km. Total trip cost: 8,600 € all-inclusive—flights, car rental, gas, meals (raw veggies and fruit for lunch, fast food in the evening), hotels, and little knick-knacks picked up here and there. British Airways flights from Basel-Mulhouse Midsize car from Dollar via AutoEurope. No issues on return. Accommodations booked through Booking

First off, we met really friendly people all along the way. Most attractions are free, and you can easily walk into bars, hotels, and gas stations without buying anything—though you might get kicked out.

The original Route 66 no longer exists in its entirety. Only sections remain, and signage varies by state. Plus, the route has changed over time. But with a good map or GPS, you can figure it out. I used the CoPilot app, which lets you download all the world’s maps for a small fee—so no data issues abroad. I’d noted the GPS coordinates of places to visit during my trip prep, which came in handy.

Along the route, you’ll find old gas stations, vintage motels (some renovated, some not) with their retro signs. The most famous is Bagdad Café. There are also tons of beautiful murals and the Muffler Men.

Chicago is an amazing city. We stayed for 2 days. The best move is to pick a hotel near a Blues Line metro station—it takes you straight from the airport to your hotel, then to downtown. At the end of the trip, the metro takes you back to the airport to pick up your rental car. The 72-hour pass is super convenient. Must-sees in Chicago: John Hancock Center (skip the Tilt option—it’s a rip-off), the Chicago Riverwalk all the way to Merchandise Mart, Picasso and Calder statues, The Bean and its reflections, and don’t miss the signs marking the start/end of Route 66.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of things that surprised or delighted us (aside from major sites like Petrified Forest): - Joliet and its prison tied to the *Blues Brothers* story - Gardner and its jail cells - Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield - Country Classic Cars in Staunton (39.03066, -89.75145): a used car lot with everything from Ford Model Ts to classic American cars. You can walk freely through the three hangars - Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (38.76062, -90.47978) - St. Louis with its Gateway Arch and City Garden (full of sculptures and free to enter) - Philipsburg and its candy factory - Springfield: Bass Pro Shop outdoor store (37.179, -93.296) - Carthage: The Precious Moments Chapel (37.113, -94.345) - Foyil: Ed Galloway’s Totem Park - Tulsa: Harley Davidson dealership (36.111, -95.885) - Oklahoma City: Stockyards City—one of the trip’s highlights. Cattle auctions are wild; plan ahead for open days/hours (35.456, -97.552) - Centennial Land Run Monument (35.461, -97.504) - Amarillo: VW Slug Bug Ranch (35.191, -101.985) - Cadillac Ranch (35.191, -101.985) - Palo Duro Canyon State Park - Bandelier - El Morro, NM - Canyon de Chelly (detour) - Little Painted Desert (35.157608, -110.47105) - Winslow: *Standin’ on the Corner* (Eagles) - Oatman and its burros - Las Vegas: two days, one spent at Valley of the Fire and Red Rock Canyon. Pick a hotel near Fremont Avenue for nightlife - Rainbow Basin Area (35.012369, -117.03858) - The Bottle Tree Ranch (34.69113, -117.34206) - The Justice Private Automotive Collection in Duarte (34.13830, -117.94591) - Los Angeles: 4 days. Start at Griffith Observatory for a city overview and the Hollywood sign. Don’t forget to see the end of Route 66 in Santa Monica. Venice is worth a visit for a more authentic vibe. Check out the Walt Disney Concert Hall and surrounding buildings for the architecture. Distances are huge. We mixed driving with the metro. Avoid the Interstates—they’re packed with traffic and frequent jams. Stick to parallel roads