Nous prévoyons un deuxième voyage aux USA en Aout 2014.
Nous sommes 2 adultes et 2 enfants de 16 et 13 ans.
Au programme, Colorado / Mont Rushmore/ Yellowstone NP / Grand Teton NP
En fait , mon amie habite Boulder ( au nord de Denver ) et nous allons passés une semaine chez elle.
Nous avons prévu de visiter Denver et Rocky montain lorsque nous serons chez elle.
Ensuite nous voulons faire une boucle de 10/11 jours, avec le Mont Rushmore, Yellowstone, et Grand Teton.
Malheureusement, j'ai beaucoup de mal à trouver des étapes " par trop chargées en kilomètres "( si possible 400 kms par jour max).
Je pensais :
J1 Boulder / ???? Custer ou Keystone ca fait dejà 600 kms !!!!
J2 ???? visite Mont Rushmore / Badlands NP / Deadwood ????? nuit à ??????
J3 route + Devils Tower nuit à Buffalo ou Gillette
J4 Buffalo ou Gillette / Cody visite de Cody nuit à Cody
J5 Cody / Yellowstone NP nuit à West yellowstone
J6 Yellowstone NP nuit à Mammoth ( si je trouve un hébergement de libre !!!)
J7 Yellowstone NP nuit à Lake Village ( si je trouve un hébergement de libre !!!)
J8 Yellowstone NP puis route et nuit à Jackson.
J9 Grand Teton NP nuit à Jackson
J10 nuit à Rock spring ? mais que voir ? Quoi faire ?
J11 retour sur Boulder
Mon amie ne peut pas trop m'aider car elle vient d'arriver dans le Colorado !
Je suis preneuse de conseils concernant l'itinéraire, les hébergements pas trop chers ( si possible avec piscine ados oblige !!!!) et aussi les endroits à voir et ballades à faire.
Je n'ai pas bien compris comment fonctionne les réservations d’hébergements pour le parc de Yellowstone ?
Il faut payer d'avance ? on peut annuler sans frais ? ( je suis nulle en anglais !!!)
Pour les réservations dans le parce de Yellowstone, il faut s'y prendre un an à l'avance et la première nuit est débitée de suite mais remboursable en cas d'annulation.
Tu peux aussi loger à West Yellowstone juste à l'extérieur du Parc.
Pour les visites à Yellowstone et Grand Teton je t'invite à jeter un oeil sur mon blog.
Pour limiter les km il n'y a pas 36 solutions, il faudra sacrifier des visites ou rajouter des jours au circuit.
10 jours c'est trop peu pour ton itinéraire.
Donc si tu ne disposes pas de plus de jours, je te conseille de prendre un vol interne Denver/Rapid City pour t'épargner ta journée de route entre Denver et le South Dakota. Et plutôt que de revenir à Boulder en fin de voyage, tu peux également prévoir un vol retour Jackson / Paris via Salt Lake City. Tout ça mis bout à bout, et en choisissant bien tes nuits étapes, ton itinéraire tiendra mieux la route.
Note que 2 jours plein à Yellowstone, c'est trop peu, tu vas courir. 4 nuits sur place (et donc 3 journées pleines), c'est vraiment le minimum pour voir l'essentiel sans trop courir.
J1 Boulder > Denver et vol interne vers Rapid City puis récupération véhicule > nuit à Wall
J2 Wall > Badlands NP > Mont Rushmore > Keystone
J3 Keystone > Deadwood > Devils Tower > Gillette
J4 Gillette > Cody
J5 Cody > Yellowstone
J6 Yellowstone
J7 Yellowstone
J8 Yellowstone
J9 Yellowstone > Grand Teton
J10 Grand Teton > Jackson
J11 Vol retour Jackson/Salt Lake City/Paris
Si tous les cons volaient, il ferait nuit. (Frédéric Dard)
Bonjour,
Je le trouve très rapide ton circuit... en particulier dans le coin de Rapid City/Badlands ! Mais au vu du peu qu'il y a à voir à Denver... tu pourras sans doute gratter du temps !!
Suggestion :
J1 Boulder / direct Rapid City 600 kms qui se font très bien avec autoroute !
J2 Visite Mont Rushmore / Badlands NP / Deadwood BOF BOF ! 2eme nuit à Rapid City
J3 Route vers Devils Tower, et nuit à Buffalo OK
J4 Buffalo => route ALT14 pour Big Horn canyon (superbe) et nuit à Powell bien moins cher que Cody !
J5 Route =>Cody, visite et route vers la Beartooth road (212) puis arrêt dodo à Cooke City
J6 Entrée dans Yellowstone NP pour boucle nord et nuit à Mammoth ( si je trouve un hébergement de libre !!!)ou à West Y. !
J7 Yellowstone NP nuit à Lake Village ou West yellowstone ( si je trouve un hébergement de libre !!!)
J8 Yellowstone NP puis route et nuit à Jackson. La ville étant au sud du parc, vaudrait mieux trouver un motel AVANT l'entrée du parc, genre Moran Junction ???
J9 Grand Teton NP nuit à Jackson
J10 nuit à Rock Spring ? mais que voir ? Quoi faire ? Je ne suis pas passé par cette route ! sorry !
J11 retour sur Boulder
Pour ce qui est des hébergements, il y a à Rapid City, Buffalo, Powell, Cooke city des motels Super8, en général de bon rapport qualité prix, d'où mes suggestions d'étapes !
Dans les parcs, le logement est booké longtemps d'avance... et assez cher ! Perso, j'ai toujours logé en dehors de Yellowstone, quitte à faire qq kms de plus matin et soir (ce qui en plus te donne une chance de ne pas voir les mêmes animaux à chaque passage ! Tels que les bisons entre Tower junction et Cooke city)
Quant aux kilomètres à faire.....faut choisir entre durée du trip, choses à faire et distances par jour ! Si tu es déjà allée à Moab etc.. tu sais que la conduite est facile dans ces régions ! Suffit juste de ne pas louer "petit" : 2 adultes plus 2 ados = un minivan ce qui donne de l'espace pour le repos le long des kilomètres !
Enjoy your trip !
Si vous ne réussissez jamais rien du premier coup, n'essayez pas le parachutisme !
Que de bon souvenirs pour nous puisque nous avons fait un trajet similaire cet ete.
De fait, nous avons fait une boucle Denver/Estes Park/Pinedale/Grand Teton5Colter Bay)/Yellowstone/Cody/Devils Tower/Badlands/Custer/Denver en 24 jours.
Alors juste quelque conseils - a prendre comme vous le sentez 😉
Custer : nous y sommes restes 3 nuits a Custer meme, dans une 'log cabin'... Nous avons vraiment aime cet endroit et le Custer state park...beaucoups d'animaux (bisons, antilopes, cerfs, ....). Sachez que depuis Custer, le Mt Rushmore est joignable en ~1h30 - 2h par une magnifique route dans le Custer State park, plus rapide par une autre route. Maintenant, le Mt Rushmore ...bien sur qu'il faut le voir quand on est a cote...mais cela se fait en 2-3 heures...
Custer - Badlands...il faut compter ~2h30 de route au plus court...Donc difficile de faire l'aller retour en un jour, d'autant plus qu'il faut compter le temps passe sur place...De plus, y a moyen de rentrer dans le parc par le sud en passant par des pistes non goudronnees...mais parfaitemenst carossables...Au Badlands, nous avons sejourne a Cedar Pass Lodge ...qui est un chouette endroit.
Pour Devil's Tower, nous avons sejourne dans un Bed and Breakfast an 10 minutes du mont...L'adresse est le 'lytlecreekinn'... Nous avions un rez de chaussee dans une maison separee avec un grand lit + un lit simple et kitchnette (tres utile car pas de resto aux alentours). Y a aussi possibilite a l'etage d'avoir un apprt plus spacieux.
Pour avoir vu depuis l'interstate, Gilette et Buffalo, c'est bof bof....
Une autre possibilite d'etape chouette entre Devil's Tower et Cody, ce sont des lodges dans les Bighorn mountain sur la route 14. En en a vu des chouettes en passant par la.
Pour Yellowstone, ca vaut le coup d'y rester assez longtemps (nous y sommes rester 5 nuits / Mammoth 1 nuit, OldFaithfull 2, Canyon 2). Je vous conseillerai de sejourner au moins un nuit (si ce n'est 2) a Old Faithfull. C'est la qu'il y a la plus grande densite de geysers (on peut les faire a pied), pas loin de grand prismatic aussi.....De fait, depuis Cody, vous pourriez tres bien aller directement aller a Mammoth par la superbe Chief Joseph Highway (296)
Pour J8, pourquoi ne pas toujours sejourner sur Yellowstone (Old Faitfull). De la, a Jackson il n'y a que 100km et la route travers Grand Teton. A mopins de vouloir faire des randonnees specifiques, une journee a Grd Teton est suffisant
Ensuite, le retour de Jackson vers Boulder/Denver....ben c'est long
Il faut que je revois cela avec mon mari pour avoir 2/3 jours en plus ( en fonction de ses congés !).
Cela me permettra de rallonger d'au moins une nuit ( voire 2 ) dans Yellowstone , et d'une (ou deux nuits) entre Mont Rushmore et Yellowstone.
Peut être faire
J1 Route Boulder / Keystone en une fois
et dormir 2 nuits à Keystone ( pour faire Custer State park et Mont Rushmore ) Ne pas faire Badlands
Je vais voir pour Big horn et Beartooth.
Cody et Devils Tower me semblaient bien ...
Gillette me semblaient une bonne étape après Devils Tower.
(J’avais vu ca : Hotel Arbuckle Lodge 72 € )
Je vais voir pour le 'lytlecreekinn' ou un lodge sur la route 14
Pour Aout 2014 il n'y a plus rien de disponibles sur Canyon , j'ai trouvé quelques disponibilités à Lake Village et Mammoth.
Je vais voir pour faire 2 nuits à Mammoth et 2 nuits à Lake village ( + 1 nuit à Old Faithfull à la place de jackson ).
Je regarde tout cela et je reviens vers vous pour un itinéraire mieux ficelé !!!
Je prépare un nouveau circuit dans le Nord Ouest Américain et souhaiterais avoir votre avis sur cet itinéraire en partant de Seattle (une boucle) en Camping…
Nous envisageons de partir de Denver Passer par les Badlands, Custer Park, Bighorn Mountains, et quelques diversions sur cette route, puis aller Glacier Passer…
J aimerais avoir vos avis et conseils sur notre itineraire au depart de Salt Lake City pour 3 semaines fin juin debut juillet. jour1 arrivee SLC nuit à Provo…
Amis de VF, nous allons avec mon épouse esdayer de visiter une partie de l'ouest américain arrivé le 4/07 à 18h30 à SF et depart le 16/07 à 17h00 du meme…
Plus que 3 semaines et je repars aux USA. (C'est la 4ème fois, 1x Hawaii (1990), 1x 1semaine parcs ouest + Texas + Nouvelle Orleans + Pensacola (2009) et 3…
Hello! The itinerary is pretty much set for August 2026. Yeah, I know it’s gonna be *super* hot. But it’s the only time we can get away.
So, here’s the plan: Montpellier-CDG-Dallas.
Stay from July 31 to August 26, 2026:
Car rental – check,
Hotels – check,
Itinerary – almost check,
Photo gear – check,
Budget – check, 🤪
Meal planning – meh, we’ll see...
Walmart, of course, for the cooler when we arrive.
And now, without too much detail...
Fort Worth:
The Longhorns and the Stockyards;
JR’s ranch (for the missus);
Medal of Honor Museum – Arlington.
Houston and NASA Space Center:
See the Gulf of Mexico/America.
San Antonio and the missions.
Fort Stockton for an overnight stop.
El Paso via Guadalupe Mountains:
El Paso and White Sands.
Tucson and the Pima Air & Space Museum:
Tombstone, Bisbee.
Phoenix:
Still working on the program.
Sedona:
Round trip around the area via Flagstaff and Williams, or the Grand Canyon (already done) – we’ll decide on the spot.
Albuquerque:
Santa Fe,
Turquoise Trail,
Los Alamos.
Amarillo via Route 66:
Old Route 66 in the city;
Big Texas Ranch Steak 😏.
Dallas:
JFK Museum;
Perot Museum;
West End district.
And through it all – the road, the road, and more road!!!
We’ll adapt day by day based on our mental and physical state (we’re not exactly spring chickens).
Hello!
We’ll be arriving in Montreal on October 21st for a 3-day stay.
After that, we’re heading to Sherbrooke to visit our daughter, who’s studying at the university there. We’ll spend 3 days with her, and then, since she has a break that week, we’re taking her along for 3 days in Quebec City.
We’ve planned to visit Montmorency Falls and Île d'Orléans.
I’d love to hear what route you’d recommend for the drive from Sherbrooke to Quebec City—we’ll have the whole day to take it easy.
If you have any other recommendations, I’m all ears!
A little disappointed that the fall colors will be over by then, but the dates couldn’t be helped. Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello everyone,
We’ve planned a trip (retired couple) for late August to the first half of September in Western Canada.
Classic itinerary: arrival in Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Clearwater, Whistler, Vancouver Island, departure from Vancouver.
I know you can’t see into the future any better than I can, so I’m obviously not asking what the wildfire situation will be like in a month...
But if any of you could let me know if, CURRENTLY, there are major difficulties—not just for locals, of course, but for tourists as well?
We’re hesitating between taking the chance or canceling what we still can.
We’re not young anymore and don’t have the flexibility we once did...
A thousand thanks to those of you on the ground or with contacts there who can help us make this decision!
A friend is renting a car for an upcoming trip during the All Saints' holiday.
Nowadays, all rental cars come with GPS, but do you know if you can use it without paying for the GPS rental? I have no idea since I always use my own!
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?
We went as a family to Mount Rushmore in 2023, where my son bought a multi-function pocket knife like the one below with his name engraved—'NOAH'.
Unfortunately, he just lost it, and he was really attached to it. So, if there’s a kind soul passing by Mount Rushmore who could bring one back for me (I’d obviously cover all costs), that would be amazing for my son.
hi everyone
I’m planning a world trip and I’m looking for great tips on accommodation in the United States.
Do you have any good deals to share, please?
thanks
Hello everyone! Really damaged due to flooding caused by runoff after forest fires (a total mess!), does anyone in this friendly forum have any updates on the Apache Trail between Apache Junction and Roosevelt Dam? Is there still a section of the road that’s tough to navigate?
We're leaving at the end of June and will be driving the route between Buffalo and Cody. We’ve already booked our accommodations and a rodeo in Cody, but during the day, we’ll be driving between the two and I’m unsure about the itinerary.
Which route do you think is the most pleasant, interesting, or scenic between:
- The northern route via Highway 14 with Sheridan, Lowell, etc.
- The southern route with Highways 16/20/14, passing by Loaf Mountain Overlook, Powder River Pass, Ten Sleep Canyon...
We’ll be in a car, so we should be able to drive on any road.
Thanks for your input!
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 everyone! 🙂
Just a quick question about King Canyon and Sequoia National Park.
Before our night in Miramonte, we plan to visit King Canyon. The next stop will be two nights in Three Rivers to explore Sequoia National Park. I wanted to go all the way to Roaring River Falls on the King Canyon Scenic Byway and then turn back to head to Miramonte. Since we’re coming from Oakhurst, Google Maps says it’s 300 km and 5 hours of driving. Since we also want to hike to see the sequoias (Big Stump Area and Grand Grove) before tackling the King Canyon Scenic Byway, the timing’s going to be tight. How far do you recommend going before turning back to miss as few points of interest as possible on the King Canyon Scenic Byway? Thanks for your advice, and have a great evening!
Marcalamar 🙂
Hi everyone!
After years of hoping, waiting, planning, then changing, saving, and searching for the best possible route... we're FINALLY off this summer for a 5-week road trip in the West.
I had planned a trip to Colorado in 2021 but canceled due to COVID, so with time passing and my eldest’s high school graduation approaching fast, I figured it was now or never!
Anyway, the itinerary has been modified and extended to please everyone (I’m no longer the only one making decisions!!)
Here’s our final route:
Day 1 - 7/12/2026 - Brussels / Los Angeles
Day 2 - 7/13/2026 - Los Angeles
Day 3 - 7/14/2026 - Los Angeles
Day 4 - 7/15/2026 - Los Angeles
Day 5 - 7/16/2026 - Los Angeles
Day 6 - 7/17/2026 - Los Angeles / Kingman
Day 7 - 7/18/2026 - Kingman / Grand Canyon
Day 8 - 7/19/2026 - Grand Canyon / Page
Day 9 - 7/20/2026 - Page
Day 10 - 7/21/2026 - Page / Monument Valley
Day 11 - 7/22/2026 - Monument Valley / Durango
Day 12 - 7/23/2026 - Durango
Day 13 - 7/24/2026 - Durango
Day 14 - 7/25/2026 - Durango
Day 15 - 7/26/2026 - Durango / Glenwood Springs
Day 16 - 7/27/2026 - Glenwood Springs
Day 17 - 7/28/2026 - Glenwood Springs / Moab
Day 18 - 7/29/2026 - Moab
Day 19 - 7/30/2026 - Moab
Day 20 - 7/31/2026 - Moab
Day 21 - 8/1/2026 - Moab
Day 22 - 8/2/2026 - Moab / Vernal
Day 23 - 8/3/2026 - Vernal / Grand Teton
Day 24 - 8/4/2026 - Grand Teton
Day 25 - 8/5/2026 - Grand Teton / Cody
Day 26 - 8/6/2026 - Cody / Yellowstone
Day 27 - 8/7/2026 - Yellowstone
Day 28 - 8/8/2026 - Yellowstone
Day 29 - 8/9/2026 - Yellowstone
Day 30 - 8/10/2026 - Yellowstone / Salt Lake City
Day 31 - 8/11/2026 - Salt Lake City / Bryce Canyon
Day 32 - 8/12/2026 - Bryce Canyon / Zion
Day 33 - 8/13/2026 - Zion
Day 34 - 8/14/2026 - Zion
Day 35 - 8/15/2026 - Zion / Las Vegas
Day 36 - 8/16/2026 - Las Vegas
Day 37 - 8/17/2026 - Las Vegas / Los Angeles
Day 38 - 8/18/2026 - Los Angeles
Day 39 - 8/19/2026 - Los Angeles / Brussels
Day 40 - 8/20/2026 - Brussels / Home
We’ll be alternating between house swaps, motels, and campgrounds. I’ve booked all the accommodations (except the campground at Bryce since sunset bookings open only 14 days in advance) and the first activities, as well as the most touristy ones.
I’m currently putting together my day-by-day roadbook and having some trouble planning certain days, like in LA or Las Vegas. Choosing hikes isn’t easy either—it’s tough to decide!
We’re really excited but could definitely use your help with choices and optimizations!!
Hello.
I’d like to travel along I-15N from San Diego to Las Vegas with my mom, who’s 67. We’ve explored Northern California and the California Coast over the past two years and now want to continue through the desert.
There are several attractions along the way:
- Mormon Rocks
- Desert Discovery Center and visit the Old Woman meteorite
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Mojave Desert
- Mojave National Preserve
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Silverwood Lake
My mom has back issues that prevent her from hiking or walking on trails with elevation changes. Is it possible to visit these places by car, or are the routes flat enough?
I’d love for her to experience the desert with an itinerary adapted to her condition. I’m also open to other points of interest that aren’t mentioned. We have 3-4 days for the trip, so we’re not in a rush—just want to explore.
I’d love to take a road trip and visit Nova Scotia. I’d appreciate some info on the best cities to see and the most interesting spots. The trip should last about 10 to 15 days, staying in hotels or motels. Thanks in advance!
We’re being relocated to Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
We’ll be taking the flight from Nantes to Montreal and then from Montreal to Saint Pierre.
Could you recommend a hotel near the departure terminal that allows dogs?
Hi,
My 16-year-old son is flying to Grand Rapids with other kids his age. There’s a layover in Detroit. There’s no unaccompanied minor service available. Is it pretty easy to navigate Detroit Airport to catch the connecting flight to Grand Rapids (domestic flight)? There are several of them who speak English well.
Thanks for your replies,
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?
Hi there. I'm shocked by the price of the Upper Antelope Canyon tour—$175 for less than an hour… You might say, "if you can’t afford it…" But the real question is whether it’s really worth it, because $350 for two makes me feel like I’m getting ripped off. For those who’ve done both Lower and Upper, can you tell me if the price difference is really justified? Thanks
Hi everyone! 🙂
As you can see, we're heading back from September 6th to the 27th.
Everything’s booked for September—flights, accommodations, and the car. As I plan, I’ll be asking the experts for help. This is our second trip to California, but most of the stops are new to us.
We’ll start directly from San Francisco to our first overnight stop, Davis, before heading to Lassen Volcanic Park for 4 nights. Our flight lands at 12:50 PM.
Here’s our itinerary:
Day 1: Davis – overnight stop
Day 2: Red Bluff – exploring Lassen Volcanic Park (scenic drive to Lake Helen)
Day 3: Susanville – scenic drive through the park via the South Entrance, points of interest, and hikes
Day 4: Susanville – Cinder Cone and Painted Dunes hike
Day 5: Susanville – Warner Valley (hikes)
Day 6: South Lake Tahoe
Day 7: South Lake Tahoe
Day 8: Mammoth Lake
Day 9: Mammoth Lake
Day 10: El Portal via Tioga Road
Day 11: El Portal
Day 12: El Portal
Day 13: Oakhurst
Day 14: Miramonte
Day 15: Three Rivers
Day 16: Three Rivers
Day 17: Coalinga
Day 18: Monterey
Day 19: Monterey
Day 20: San Francisco
Day 21: San Francisco
Day 22: Departure
For hikes in Lassen Volcanic Park, I’ve planned:
Bumpass Hell, Cold Boiling Lake (Day 2)
Paradise Meadow (maybe not going all the way), Devastated Area, and the loop around Reflection and Manzanita Lakes (Day 3)
Cinder Cone and Painted Dunes (Day 4)
Devil’s Kitchen and Boiling Spring Lake (Day 5)
I’ve read there are trails to access the trailheads for Cinder Cone (11 km) and Warner Valley. Are these easy trails for an SUV?
Are there any other must-see spots or things we shouldn’t miss?
That’s where I’m at for now. Thanks for your replies, and have a great evening!
Marcalamar 🙂
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 for advising me on the booking—should I reserve a room in the hotel or go for a cabin for the best view?
Should I get breakfast or not?
What do you think of the restaurant?
Hello, if the off-the-beaten-path enthusiasts are still around 😉, I’d love some info on tackling these trails. I’m not super familiar with the rules, risks, or what to expect—I’m looking for firsthand experience from folks who’ve done it on their own once or multiple times.
Hi everyone!
I’m planning a week-long family trip to NYC in October 2026. The focus is on museums and soaking up the New York vibe. I’ve been checking Airbnb, but the prices in Manhattan are through the roof. Since I don’t know NYC well, is it "wise" to look outside Manhattan? Any neighborhoods you’d recommend?
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!
Hi North America forum crew,
Just a little post that might interest some of you:
Travelers to the United States | Photo Now Mandatory Upon Entry and Exit | La Presse
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!
Hi everyone, I’m traveling to Los Angeles and would like to rent a vehicle at the airport. However, I have a Boursobank Ultim deferred debit card, so I’d love to know if it’s possible for those who’ve experienced this recently. Thanks for the info!