Bonjour

Apres notre road trip dans l'ouest en 2016 ( voir en signature ) et notre voyage de Seattle à Yellowstone en 2018 nous voila décidé a repartir aux USA mais cette fois en Californie. On avait évité cette partie en 2016 pour mieux profiter de nos trois semaines dans l'ouest. Etant Fan de Disney une partie de ce voyage sera consacré a Disneyland Resort.

Ci dessous un debut de planification, je n'ai pas encore tout fait car j'ai le temps mais il vaut mieux être prêt tot pour profiter d'hotel moins cher des que j'ai les dates exactes. Le voyage ce fera a partir de mi septembre 2020. Quelques remarques avant vos suggestions : -les 3 jours a Disney ne sont pas négociables 😛 -On ne passe pas par Las Vegas car déjà fait -Je sais le premier jour on fait un peu de Km en arrivant, bon a peine plus que de l'aéroport a chez nous en fait. (suivant l'heure d'arrivée du vol a LA on prévoira moins de Km).

Donc des questions : journée trop chargées ? Des hotels à conseiller ? ( 100€ idéalement avec un grand max a 150€ / nuit ) Des oublies ? Des incohérences ? Etc ..

La planification :

Jour Km Activité Emplacement

J1 160Km Trajet total Los Angeles - Victorville Arrivée Los Angeles 160Km Trajet aéroport - victorville Hotel Victorville

J2 530Km Trajet total Victorville - Henderson (Route 66) Visite Bottle Tree ranch Outlet Barstow ( outlet) ouvre à 9h Arrêt photo Bagdad café/Amboy(cratère) /Chambless/Essex/Goffs/Needles Visite Oatman Arrêt photo Sitgreaves pass/Cool Springs historic Visite Kingman Repas Kingman Mr DZ Dinner Hôtel Henderson Railroad pass and casino

J3 413Km Trajet total Henderson - Armagosa Valley Soleil 6h25 / 18h42 (Death Valley) Scenic drive Badwater Visite Badwater Lit de sel Marche Natural bridge 1,5 Km AR Facile Marche Golden canyon 3km AR Facile Repas Furnace Creek Timbisha tacos Point de vue Devil’s golf course Scenic drive Artist’s drive / artist’s palette Différent point de vue sur route a sens unique Scenic drive Twenty mule team canyon road Piste facile à sens unique Point de vue Dantes’s view Route difficile Hotel Armagosa Valley Longstreet hôtel

J4 470Km Trajet total Armagosa Valley - Lee Vining Soleil 6h26 / 18h57 (Death valley) Sunrise Zabriskie point Visite Mesquite flat sand dunes Marche Mosaïque canyon 1,6 km AR Facile Marche Darwin falls 3 km AR Moyen Point de vue Fâther Crowley vista Scenic road Alabama hills ( Lone pine ) Marche Mono Lake south Tufa area 3 km facile Hotel Lee vining

J5 225Km Trajet total Lee vining - El Portal (Yosemite) Visite Bodie state historic park Tioga pass entrance - El Portal Repas Lambert dôme pique-nique area Pique-nique Marche Soda springs and persons mémorial lodge 2,4 km AR Facile Points de vue Tuolumne meadows / Lac Tenya/Olmsted point Hôtel El portal

J6 150Km Trajet total (Yosemite) Points de vue Valley view Marche Bridalveil falls 1 km AR Facile Marche Yosemite falls 1,6 Km AR Facile Marche Mist trail AR Jusqu’à Vernal fall Moyen Repas Sentinel beach / swinging bridge Pique-nique Point de vue Glacier point Point de vue Washburn point Marche Taft point 3,5 Km AR Facile Hôtel El portal

J7 85Km Trajet total El Portal - Oakhurst (Yosemite) Marche Mariposa grove Trail 12,5 Km Boucle Difficile Repas En cours de randonnée Pique-nique Hôtel Oakhurst

J8 255Km Trajet total Oakhurst - Three Rivers Soleil 6h46 / 18h49 ( Sequoia ) Marche Général Grant tree trail 1 Km Boucle Facile Point de vue Panoramique point Repas Bing stump pique-nique area Point de vue Big Stump area Marche Buena vista peak trail 3 Km AR Facile Marche Takopah falls trail 7 Km AR Moyen a faire avant 16h30 Hotel Three rivers

J9 90Km Trajet total (Sequoia ) Points de vue Tunnel rock/amphithéâtre point Marche Général sherman trail / séquoia tunnel 1,5 Km Boucle Facile Marche Congress trail 4,5 Km Boucle Facile Repas Pinewood pique-nique area Marche Big tree Trail 1,5 Km Boucle Facile Point de vue Tunnel log Marche Crescent meadows trail 3 Km Boucle Facile Marche Moro rock trail 0,5 Km 400 marches Moyen Marche Hanging rock trail 0,8 Km AR Facile Hôtel Three Rivers

J10 430Km Trajet Séquoia NP - San Francisco (Passer par Sausalito et Golden Gâte Bridge) Point de vue Fort Baker point / Hawk hill Visite Palace of fine art et Walt Disney museum fammily Sunset Baker Beach ou China Beach Prendre voiture parking gratuit Hôtel Motel sur lombard street ou Airbnb

J11 San Francisco Visite Alcatraz Visite Pier 39 Repas Quartiers Lombart street/macondray lane Visite San Francisco muséum câble car Quartier Chinatown Quartier Financial district Quartier Union square Retour en câble car jusqu’à Fisherman Wharf Hotel

J12 San Francisco Golden gâte park Visite Japanese tea garden Quartier Haight Ashbury Quartier Alamo square Painted laidies Quartier Castro Quartier Mission district Point de vue Twin peaks Prendre voiture sunset ou photo de nuit suivant heure

J13 200Km Trajet San Francisco - monterey Visite A planifier Hotel Monterey

J14 220Km Trajet Monterey - San Luis Obispo Visite A planifier Hotel San Luis Obispo

J15 350Km Trajet San louis Obispo - Los Angeles Visite A planifier Hotel Los angeles

J16 Parc attraction Universal studios Hollywood Hotel Los Angeles

J17 Visite Los Angeles Visite A planifier Hotel Los Angeles

J18 Visite Los angeles Visite A planifier Hotel Anaheim

J19 Parc attraction Disneyland resort Hotel Anaheim

J20 Parc attraction Disneyland resort Hotel Anaheim

J21 Parc attraction Disneyland resort Hotel Anaheim

J22 Retour France Merci

Pat 😉

Bonjour à tous. J'ai l'intention d'aller 6 jours à New-York. Certains d'entre-vous, spécialistes de New-York, peuvent-ils me dire si le programme que j'ai établi est faisable. Nous nous déplacerons uniquement avec les transports en commun. Merci d'avance pour vos réponses. Bonnes fêtes de fin d'année. Cordialement. Pascal. __

Jour 1 La statue de la liberté et Ellis Island. Le taureau de Wall Street. Wall Street Mémorial du 11 Septembre. Faire un tour dans Seaport district Lower Manathan, Little Italy, China Town Jour 2 La Highline The Vessel Chelsea. Madison Square Park. Visite de Greenwich village. West Village. Se promener le long de l’Hudson River Park. Brooklin Bridge et Washington Street. Jour 3 Central Park. Metropolitan Museum of Art Les Cloisters Apollo Theater Madison Avenue Bridge Harlem la Columbia University Cathédrale Saint Jean le Divin Jours 4 et 5 Brooklin Bridge. le matin

Visite de Williamsburg et de Dumbo. Times Square Park. Mid Town, Rockefeller Center. Le matin, montée au sommet du Top of the Rock, revenir le soir. Cathédrale Saint Patrick, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building. Brooklin Bridge. au coucher de soleil ONU Jour 6 Coney Island le téléphérique pour Roosevelt Island. Puis visiter ce qu’il reste à visiter ou ce qui n’a pas pu être visité les jours précédents.

Bonjour à tous,

Je vous soumets notre prochain projet de road trip afin d'avoir vos conseils sur d'éventuelles incohérences et/ou omissions. Nous avons déjà fait 3 road trip aux USA : - l'Ouest "classique" (Boucle San Francisco-Los Angeles en allant jusqu'à Moab, Page .... été 2016). - Texas - Louisiane - Floride (de San Antonio à Miami .... été 2017). - Boucle depuis Montréal - Maine - New York - Pennsylvanie - Niagara - Toronto (eté 2018). Dates du voyage : du 17 juillet au 12 août 2020 (billets déjà réservés). Couple avec une ado de 15 ans. Nous aimons rouler, mais également faire de petites randos (1h à 2h max). Pour les villes, nous aimons les "Murals", les musées ou visites "décalés". Impératif : 1 journée complète + la parade aux Cheyenne Frontiers Days (hôtel déjà réservé pour 2 nuits). Arches, Grand Canyon, Monument Valey déjà vus .... Et on garde Yellostone pour un prochain road trip.

Voici le projet : J1- Arrivée et nuit à Denver J2 - Denver J3 - Denver - Cheyenne J4 - Cheyenne Frontier Days J5 - Cheyenne - Colorado Springs : Garden of the Gods J6 - Colorado Springs - Alamosa : Pikes Peak J7 - Alamosa - Taos : Great Sand Dunes, Rancho de Taos J8 - Taos - Santa Fe : Taos Pueblo. A Santa Fe, visite de 2 musées (Museum of International Folk Art et Museum of Indian Arts & Cluture) J9 - Santa Fe : Bandelier NM et visite du Meow Wolf Museum J10 - Santa Fe - Albuquerque : Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks NM, Turquoise trail, Albuquerque Old Town J11 - Albuquerque : Sortie en Montgolfière, Petroglyph NM, Route 66 J12 - Albuquerque - Alamogordo : White Sands NM J13 - Alamogordo - Bisbee : Coper Queen Mine Tour J14 - Bisbee - Tucson : Tombstone, Kartchner Caverns SP, Saguaro NP J15 - Tucson : Mission San Xavier Del Bac, Old Tucson Studios J16 - Tucson - Phoenix : Outlets, Heard Museum J17 - Phoenix : Apache Trail J18 - Phoenix - Sedona : Red Rock scenic byway, Bell Rock, La Chapelle de Holly Cross, Airport Viewpoint J19 - Sedona : Slide Rock SP, Red Rock SP (rando en Jeep ?) ou West Fork Call of the Canyon ? J20 - Sedona - Holbrook : Oak Creek Canyon scenic drive, Walnut Canyon NM, Meteor Crater J21 - Holbrook - Chinle : Petrified Forest NP et Painted Desert J22 - Chinle - Gallup : MN Canyon Chelly (rando à cheval ?) J23 - Gallup - Cortez : Route 66, Fours Corners Monument J24 - Cortez - Durango : Mesa Verde NP J25 - Durango - Montrose : Historic Dowtown Durango, San Juan Skyway, Silverton, Box Canyon Park J26 - Montrose - Edwards : Black Canyon of the Gunnisson NP, Colorado NP ou retour via Grand Mesa Forest ? J27 - Edwards - Denver : Visite Coors Brewing Companie. Vol dans la soirée.

N'hésitez pas à me faire part de vos commentaires, le Nouveau Mexique n'est pas le plus visité et j'ai pioché les infos à droite et à gauche dans les différents carnets de voyage. A Durango : nous ne souhaitons pas prendre le train jusqu'à Silverton pour une durée de 3h30, trop long à notre goût. nous avons déjà pris le train pour monter au Mont Washington, ce n'est pas notre truc. J'ai essayé de placer la visite de certains parc en fonction de la chaleur ou pour la meilleure luminosité pour les photos (tôt le matin par exemple ou en fin de journée). La plus longue étape est au jour 13 avec 500 kms environ. J'hésite sur le jour 26 pour la remontée sur Denver à passer par Colorado NP après Black Gunnisson. Ce sera en fin de voyage, serait-il plus judicieux de passer par Grand Mesa Forest pour changer de paysage ?

Merci d'avance pour vos remarques et conseils.

Hello, here’s a totally subjective recap of our 15-day road trip between Colorado and New Mexico, from late September to mid-October.

Our main interests are culture, museums, and landscapes—no hiking or trails for us. Personally, I’m pretty contemplative, and luckily, there’s always something to see out there! We’re pretty used to the US; we’ve been going there often for a long time (let’s just say we’re not exactly young anymore).

Budget: Even though we don’t set a strict budget beforehand, we try to keep costs as low as possible. This time, we managed to spend around 4000 € for two, all included. To do this: avoid expensive accommodations, staying between 60 and 120 € per night with an average of 90 €/night, mixing Airbnb and motels. And skip the “real” restaurants, which are pretty pricey in the US: sandwiches for lunch, takeout or cooking in the Airbnb in the evening. We shop at Sprouts or Whole Foods—organic-style chains that are pricier than Walmart but better. In the evenings, Sprouts has discounts on items that didn’t sell during the day. Also, avoid toll roads, paid parking, and overly expensive attractions or sites. The dispensary budget is separate…

Route: Denver/Colorado Springs/Alamosa/Raton/Santa Fe/Cuba/Cortez/Grand Junction/Glenwood Springs/Denver This wasn’t too planned in advance—we booked a few nights upon arrival and went with the flow. Flight from CDG to Denver with AF/Delta, car rental at Dollar for a standard SUV. The guy at the Dollar counter upsold me on extra insurance for flat tires (and since I knew we’d be off-roading, I took it). Without telling me, he upgraded me to a Jeep Sahara 4X4 Hybrid. Nice.

Listening to the news upon arrival, the anchor announced, “It’s officially fall now.” We hadn’t really thought about that before leaving, but yeah—it’s the time when the trees turn fluorescent yellow and red. Amazing.

Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods is a free park with paved trails winding through red/orange rock formations. Magical at sunrise—groups of deer roam around, along with birds and rabbits. It’s small but wow! Didn’t try the Manitou Incline in Manitou Springs, a staircase with thousands of steps going straight up the mountain. Impressive from the bottom, but the parking is paid, which is a downside for those willing to tackle it. The Cog Railway goes up to the summit of Pikes Peak—around $100 when we were there. No thanks. And of course, the parking is paid too. For fans, Maggie’s Farm dispensary is great.

On Route 24, Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area is fly-fishing paradise—just like in the movie *A River Runs Through It*. Entry is $11, and a trail follows the river at the bottom of the canyon to the dam. Dozens of people in waders are in the water, casting their lines over and over. You can see the salmon in the clear water, and we had a picnic in the sun, imagining Brad Pitt catching a fish.

Buena Vista: A cute little tourist town with an Outdoor Fair that day—some pretty impressive vehicles for sale, set up for mountain living (like Juniper outfitting a RAM).

Alamosa: The closest town to Great Sand Dunes National Park, crossed by the Rio Grande (and let’s be real—it’s more of a stream than a river!). Park access was free because it was National Park Day. A park with massive dunes—climbing them is pretty exhausting, with lots of wind and sinking sand. Glad we didn’t do it in summer; I can’t imagine how tough it’d be in the heat. It’s a bit deceptive: it looks easy to get to the top of a dune, but it’s really not. The campsites were nice, and it was busy that weekend. We passed the “Point of No Return,” a sandy trail winding through the hills and connecting to Route 559 from above. Didn’t go all the way, but it’s possible the entrance is free from that side. However, you need a 4X4 with good ground clearance. After 1 or 2 km on the trail, you’re alone between the dunes and hills—hardly anyone around. But tricky to turn around or pass other vehicles; the trail isn’t wide. We crossed paths with a Hanomag (registered in the Netherlands—impressive!) coming down without stopping, or risking getting stuck.

On the way out, we took the small Route 403, which quickly turns into a trail crossing the mountain. Entire sections of forest were turning fluorescent yellow with patches of green and red—an incredible sight.

Raton: A small town that probably peaked in the late 19th century and has been in slow decline ever since. The Raton Pass Motor Inn is the kind of place that makes the US legendary—entirely 50s and 60s decor, really well done. I had the Betty Page room—too cool. Felt like we were on Route 66. Even better.

Santa Fe: A small city with no high-rises—almost all low-rise buildings, many in adobe, blending perfectly into the landscape. The old downtown is touristy but nice, with its plaza and church. There’s a really cool vibe—we loved it. For drinks, the bar at the top of La Fonda Hotel was packed for sunset, with a diverse crowd. Not overpriced for the location. SITE Santa Fe is a contemporary art space near the train station. It’s free, and the temporary exhibit was really good—high quality. Museum Hill is, as the name suggests, where several museums are located. We visited the Museum of Indian Art and Culture—great if you’re into “First Nations” history. Saw The Dandy Warhols at The Bridge—an outdoor venue, one of the last concerts of the season before winter makes it too cold. Oddly, there was no bag check, just an ID required (even though it was obvious we were over 21!). Tickets were reasonable, around $30 (concerts in the US can be crazy expensive). The band was good, with fewer than 300 people in front. A sign at the bar warned: Don’t forget you’re at 1,500 meters—alcohol hits harder up here!

Albuquerque: A sprawling city with an old historic center that feels a bit like Disneyland—too perfect for my taste. The real highlight is the Sandia Peak Tramway, which goes up to the old ski resort above the city. Tickets are around $35, and it’s worth it—the ride over the canyons is pretty wild. The ski resort is a bit abandoned; apparently, like elsewhere, there’s no snow anymore. I asked several people about the lack of snow, and the answer was always the same: “It’s cyclical.” Okay then. We arrived for the start of the International Balloon Fiesta (one of the world’s largest hot-air balloon gatherings), hoping to see hundreds of balloons in the sky. Nope—windy today, so no one took off. Bummer.

Las Vegas: New Mexico has its own Las Vegas, but it’s nothing like the other one—a sleepy little town with a perfectly preserved 19th-century Historic Plaza Hotel, brick buildings, and vintage streetlights. Everything is so well-preserved it’s often used as a filming location. NM attracts a lot of productions thanks to tax incentives and its Western landscapes—and it’s cheaper than California! That day, a huge Texas flag was flying in the wind: they were filming the second season of *Ransom Canyon* for Netflix in the town center. If we’d been dressed more “Western,” we could’ve been extras.

Jemez Springs: Its Jemez Hot Springs is super cute—several thermal pools at different temperatures, a New Age vibe. The pools are surrounded by big rocks, and you’re asked to speak softly. A place where you could spend hours. $50 for two hours for two.

Los Alamos: A town made legendary by the bomb, the movie, etc. Heads up: It’s still a research center, and to cross part of the town, you need to show ID. No stopping or taking photos allowed. Other than the Oppenheimer House (currently closed—only the neighboring house is open to visitors), there’s not much to see. There’s a replica of the camp entrance, but it’s been turned into restrooms.

Georgia O’Keeffe Trail (American painter, 1887–1986): Her museum in Santa Fe is pretty good, even if they don’t have tons of works. Entry is $20. Her house in Abiquiu is open for visits, but it’s way overpriced at $65. So we skipped it. You can get an idea of it by stopping at the Welcome Center on Route 84. Further down the same road, Ghost Ranch is worth a visit—beautiful setting, free to enter, with trails to explore and a great atmosphere.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park: A pretty isolated park—25 km of trails to get there, with only a small section paved. The road is decent except for the last few kilometers, which have potholes. I can’t imagine it being accessible after rain, though that doesn’t happen often! This park, in the middle of a desert plain with a few canyons, is one of the rare places where you can find multi-story structures from pre-Columbian civilizations—so, before the “current” tribes. But cruel disappointment: it’s been shut down for a few days. We met a Native ranger—tall, with long hair—who explained that even though he wasn’t being paid, he was still guarding the park and had closed all access to the sites. Darn. Turned around and headed back down the trail.

Same story in the next town, Aztec (a funny name, right?): Aztec Ruins National Monument was closed too.

We passed Ship Rock, the Navajo’s sacred mountain—really impressive. Couldn’t find a trail to get closer, but it’s better from a distance anyway! The town of Shiprock itself is pretty depressing—poor living conditions for some Natives, with rundown mobile homes and piles of junk cars.

Stopped in Cortez to visit Mesa Verde National Park. Ate at Denny’s—hadn’t been there in ages (though it’s the kind of place I should feel at home in!). The customers all looked like they’d stepped out of *The Addams Family*—a little creepy. Or funny, depending on your perspective. For Mesa Verde, after discussing it on this forum with the honorable member Caussat (who didn’t find it that amazing), we were on the fence. Problem solved: it was closed too. Back on the road.

Durango: Really nice with its Main Ave and its shops, cafés—touristy but with local life. Famous for its tourist train to Silverton, but we didn’t do it—way too expensive. Choice between a steam locomotive or diesel (which belches black, stinky smoke—yuck). The diesel should be replaced with electric as soon as they get the funds.

Million Dollar Highway: The road winds through the mountains, and every turn (and there are a lot) is breathtaking—unbelievable landscapes with fluorescent yellow, green, and snow-capped mountains. Just wow.

Silverton: A Western town nestled between two mountains, preserved in its original state despite the tourists arriving by train. Around it, abandoned mines and old wooden ties—must’ve been tough for the 19th-century miners.

Grand Junction: The city is surrounded by giant mesas—pretty impressive. The old downtown is *too* clean—almost sterile.

Colorado National Monument: Just outside the city, a winding road climbs between stunning canyons, with sweeping views of the valley. Entry was free that day due to the shutdown.

Route 330, which we took to get back to the highway, passes through a place called “Cowboy Country”—and it’s true. We saw guys in Stetsons with huge pickups, the road turned into a trail with cows wandering on it, and we had to honk to get them to move. The trail to I-70 was full of potholes—the 4X4 came in handy. Had a picnic by Vega Reservoir: the booth at the entrance was empty, but people left cash in envelopes for camping fees. Anyone passing by could’ve taken it, but it’s an example of US trust and honesty!

Glenwood Springs: A small town famous for its hot springs pool—they claim it’s the largest in the world. I don’t know about that, but it has a great look. Unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance those days! Blew our budget by staying at the Hotel Colorado, a huge 1893 building with a real atmosphere in its grand lobby and fake fireplaces. Fire pits in front of wooden chairs in the garden with mountain views—just really great.

Aspen: The billionaires’ ski resort, but surprisingly, parking was free for 2 hours. Rare to see a place for the super-rich that doesn’t scream “not for you” (like Palm Beach, for example). A former mining town completely redone, every shop occupied by a luxury brand. There’s even a thrift shop run by sweet retirees—funny as hell. Two ski lifts to start directly with your skis, but we didn’t see the price—they were still closed. Lots of houses that aren’t huge but are cute, though looking at real estate prices made us think, “Is there an extra zero on that listing?” A 6-bedroom villa for $52 million? Wow. The mountains around are gorgeous—no wonder it became what it is.

Another fancy resort nearby: Vail, more modern in its construction. The restaurants opted for a “Schwarzwald” decor—kind of odd.

Denver: Nothing really stood out for us in this city, except the Design Museum—the Kirkland, where a local painter collected furniture and supplies from Arts and Crafts to Postmodern. Just really great. Entry is included with a visit to the Denver Art Museum, which has diverse collections—from Impressionism (they have a Manet, a Van Gogh, a Cézanne, several Sisleys) to photography. The best part for me was the “Ancient Americas” totems—huge, impressive wooden sculptures, painted, the kind you’re more used to seeing in Polynesia or Easter Island. Personally, I didn’t know Natives made them too. That’s what museums are for!

Back at the airport, where I had to tag my own luggage (you have to do everything yourself with these US airlines). The tag said SLC/CDG! But we were supposed to connect through JFK. Turns out, they’d put us on a DEN/SLC/CDG flight without telling us. In the end, we gained 30 minutes on our original arrival time in Paris!

There you go—hope this inspires other travelers! !

Hi everyone,

We’re planning a road trip on Route 66 in 2027 with our two kids, who’ll be 7 and 4 years old.

My husband would prefer to do it in an SUV, while I’d rather go in a camper van.

What are the pros and cons of each option?

Thanks for your input!

Hi everyone! 🙂

A little request for help from those who’ve stayed in Sedona—we’ll have almost 3 full days there. I’ve done some research on different sites, but I’m still confused.

It seems that some spots require, in addition to the America the Beautiful Pass (which we’ll already have from the start of our road trip), the Red Rock Day Pass since they’re within Red Rock State Park. This would be for park and parking lot maintenance.

Here are the hikes we’re eyeing: Boynton Canyon, Devil’s Bridge, Birthday Cave, Airport Mesa, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Crescent Moon Ranch.

We won’t be able to do all of them—we’ll have to choose 🤔 and cut some 😢.

On top of that, there are the two scenic drives: Red Rock Scenic Byway and Oak Creek Scenic Drive.

Does the America the Beautiful Pass cover everything, or do we also need the Red Rock Day Pass? And if we do, which hikes require it?

Thanks for your answers, and have a great afternoon! marcalamar 🙂

Hello,

On a repéré 2 ou 3 trucs à faire sur la HITRR. Selon les possibilités de voyage ce sera sur un mois d'avril / mai ou octobre.

Selon le classement de madame: Coyote Gulch, Reflection Canyon, Zebra Slot

Pour Coyote Gulch, possible de faire en une journée avec Jacob Hamblin sans escalade ? Ou quel itinéraire conseillez vous sur une journée pour profiter au mieux ?

Pour Reflection Canyon, 2 jours en backpack, pas impossible à mon sens même si jamais backpacké, c'est une question d'organisation et d'ici là on a le temps de s’entraîner et s'organiser. Visuellement est ce que le niveau d'eau est bas en octobre d'habitude ? Je dirai oui après les fortes chaleurs d'été ....

Sinon Zebra et Tunnel, puis Devils Garden au sunset sur le retour. Petite journée cool.

Bonjour,

Je n'envisage pas d'acheter le pass car je ne devrais pas le rentabiliser, mais en regardant pour acheter des billets pour l'EBS ou pour Top of the Rock, il faut réserver des dates et créneaux horaires ce qui ne m'arrange pas.

Comment ça se passe alors avec le pass ? Besoin ou pas de réserver ? Si c'est plus souple, peut-être prendrai-je le pass quand même. Je précise que j'ai déjà pris des billets pour la statue de la liberté avec accès à la couronne.

Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.

Cordialement, Caussat

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 there, The first stop on our trip is Memphis. How much time should we spend there to see the must-see spots? Of course, I’m thinking of Elvis Presley’s house, but I don’t think Memphis is just about that. Any suggestions for accommodation for 4 people? Thanks for your feedback!

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! !

Hello à tous ! Comme les voyages de cette année n'ont pu avoir lieu et qu'ils vont, pour la plupart, être repoussés à l'année prochaine, on en profite pour étoffer et améliorer un peu l'itinéraire initialement prévu. Du coup, j'ai une question : Est-ce quelqu'un a déjà emprunté la Smoky Mountain Road pour rejoindre la Hole in the Rock Road ? Si oui, quel est l'état de la piste (j'aurai un Wrangler) sachant que Google Maps m'indique 3 heures à partir d'Alstrom Point ? Et enfin, y a-t-il des choses à y voir (après le Smoky Mountain Overlook) ? Merci d'avance,

Bonjour à tous

Après avoir du renoncer à notre projet 2020 dans l’ouest américain suite à l’annulation des vols de fin juin et avec l’actualité actuelle non propice aux voyages ( bon, nous avons quand même pu partir 10 jours dans les Cyclades en plan B) j’envisage, si la situation s’améliore, un nouveau projet pour l’été 2021 avec un départ mi juillet ( au lieu de notre préféré fin juin..).. on va essayer d'y croire!!

Cela donnerait ceci : une boucle Denver pour limiter les frais de location de voiture en faisant un oneway.

Itinéraire prévu, sans les détails.. toute la 1ere partie jusqu'à yellowstone devait se faire en 2020..😕

Samedi Jour 1 : Arrivée Denver. Nuit à Fort Collins Dimanche Jour 2 : Cheyenne–Custer - Nuit à Custer Lundi Jour 3 : Mont Rushmore- Badlands National Park – Nuit à Rapid City Mardi Jour 4 : Rapid City – Deadwood – Devils Tower - Buffalo (3h) – nuit à Buffalo ou Sheridan Mercredi Jour 5 : Buffalo à Cody par Bighorn canyon - Nuit à Cody ( 3h30) Jeudi Jour 6 : route vers Gardiner via Chief Joseph scenic highway et rock creek vista. Nuit à Gardiner Vendredi Jour 7 : Yellowstone – Nuit à Yellowstone Samedi Jour 8:Yellowstone – Nuit à Yellowstone Dimanche Jour 9 : Yellowstone – Nuit à Yellowstone Lundi Jour 10: Yellowstone – Nuit à Yellowstone mardi Jour 11 : Grand Teton – Nuit à Grand Teton ou Jackson Hole (1h30) Mercredi Jour 12 : randonnée le matin vers Grand Teton puis route vers Salt Lake City (5h) Jeudi Jour 13 : route vers Moab (4h) - fin de journée à Dead Horse State Park- Nuit à Moab Vendredi Jour 14 :Moab - Arches NP– Nuit à Moab Samedi Jour 15 : Moab – Canyonlands NP- Nuit à Moab Dimanche Jour 16: matin Moab ( fin de visite- ou activité) – puis route vers Colorado National Monument. (2h15) via la 128– Nuit à Grand Junction Lundi Jour 17 : :Glenwood Springs – Idaho Springs (3h30) (après midi Shopping) - Nuit à Denver Mardi jour 18 : journée Denver. Vol en fin de journée Mercredi jour 19 retour Maison

Pour info, nous connaissons déjà le principal de la partie Moab pour l’avoir fait en avril 2016. Je peux éventuellement ajouter 1 ou 2 jours.

Qu’en pensez vous ? Pur l’instant, j’ai l’impression que les tarifs hôteliers sont pus chers ??

Merci pour vos avis Prenez soin de vous Marie

Hier sur RMC chaîne 23 très intéressant et à priori pas vu de discussion sur VF !

Etat de Washington mais frontalier avec Montana, Idaho, Oregon....

https://www.programme-tv.net/programme/culture-infos/r1549312445-au-coeur-des-cataclysmes/10571349-deluges/#chaine=rmc-story-203

Vaste zone au Sud/Ouest de Spokane en direction de Portland. Paysages grandioses !

Qui a des infos, par curiosité ...

bonjour à tous pendant le confinement le moyen de voyager c'est de préparer le prochain voyage sans dates bien précises mais en espérant mai /juin 2021 nous avons prévu une boucle de Houston, san Antonio, Austin, dallas, memphis, nashville, natchez nola, Houston, dans les grandes lignes la durée et les dates ne sont pas définis ainsi que le départ et l'arrivée je regardais entre dallas et memphis vu la distance à part hot sprints je ne vois pas Grand choses où faire une étape avez vous des idées d'étapes une où deux merci

Bonjour,

Je suis en train de chercher des parcs nationaux qui sortent un peu des super classiques et je suis tombé sur ce parc au sud est de Bryce Canyon.

Je m'intéresse particulièrement à ce point sur la photo ci-dessous qui me rappelle beaucoup l'Algarve. Savez-vous comment vous rendre à ce spot ?

Merci 😏

Bonjour,

Le but de ce 8ème voyage aux US, du 21 avril au 07mai (soit 17jours vols inclus) est le festival de jazz, à la Nouvel Orléans, du 02 au 05 mai. Mais que faire avant ?? A l’ouest, rien de nouveau : le Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston) déjà vu, A l’est, la Floride (Miami, Tampa) déjà vu, Le nord, Nord Est : (Memphis, Nashville, les Appalaches) déjà fait… Restait une possibilité : la route 66 de Chicago à Oklahoma city, puis Little Rock, Shreveport, Lafayette. Pour le moment, le vol, la voiture et l’hôtel à NOLA sont réservés, tout le reste est open. Le programme pourrait être le suivant : J2 et J3 22 et 23 avril Chicago J4 24 avril Springfield (Illinois) J5 25 avril St Louis (Missouri) J6 26 avril Springfield (Missouri) J7 27 avril Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) J8 28 avril Little Rock (Atkansas) J9 29 avril Shreveport (Louisiane) J10 30 avril Lafayette J11-12-13-14 et 15 NOLA J16 et J17 vol retour

Avez-vous d’autres idées soit pour un autre itinéraire soit sur cet itinéraire. Merci par avance.

Bonjour les voyageurs,

Nous avons nos billets pour Denver pour août 2020. La priorité est de faire cette année Yellowstone. Nous démarrerons donc notre circuit en allant vers Yellowstone. J'ai bien des idées pour la suite du circuit mais j'ai un peu de mal à tout faire rentrer les cases et quelques manques sur les nuits étapes. Je vous donne mon itinéraire en espérant avoir quelques bons tuyaux . Pour info, on voyage en famille avec deux petits gars qui auront 11 et 7 ans lors du voyage. J 1 Paris- Denver J2 Denver - Rocky Mountain et nuit à Cheyenne J3 Cheyenne- Casper et nuit à Casper J4 Casper- Cody en passant par Thermopolis nuit à Cody ? J5 Cody- Gardiner nuit à Gardiner J6 Gardiner- West Yellowstone nuit à West Yellowstone J7 West Yellowstone - Grand Teton nuit à Jackson ou alentours? J8 Jackson- Rock spring et nuit à Rock spring J9 Rock Spring - Grand junction nuit à Fruita j10 Grand Junction- Durango nuit à Durango J11 Durango - Mesa verde nuit à Alamosa ou Pagosa springs J12 ? route vers Great sand Dune 1 ou 2nuits à Colorado Spring J13 ou J14 J14 J15: Colorado Spring -Denver nuit à Denver

Je voudrais bien caser deux nuits ici ou là pour se poser un peu , notamment en fin de séjour. Les hôtels de J1 à J6 sont déjà réservés. Merci d'avance pour vos conseils. Laetitia

bonjour

je suis en train de préparer notre voyage aux US l'année prochaine (en fait je peux même dire que j'ai bien avancé 😉 )

Voilà le topo

nous allons fêter nos 20 ans de mariage l'année prochaine, l'idée de départ était donc de renouveller nos voeux à Las Vegas , puis tant qu'on y est pourquoi ne pas faire les parcs alentour ... De fil en aiguille je me suis concoté le circuit suivant :

Jour 1 : Luxembourg- Las Vegas

Jour 2 : Las Vegas

Jour 3 : Las Vegas : wedding day

Jour 4 : Las Vegas - Kingman

AM Car & Camping material PM Hoover Dam - Boulder

Jour 5 : Kingman - Sedona AM Selingman – William PM Sedona

Jour 6 : Sedona – Grand Canyon South AM Sedona , Slide rock State Park PM Grand Canyon Scenic Road

Jour 7 Grand Canyon AM Grand Canyon Trail PM Grand Canyon Helico

Jour 8 Grand Canyon - Lake Powell AM Grand Canyon Desert View PM Marble Canyon – Lee Ferry – Lac Powell

Jour 9 Lake Powell AM Horseshoe Bend PM Plage

Jour 10 Page – Monument Valley AM Antelope Canyon PM Navajo National Monument – Monument Valley

Jour 11 Monument Valley – Monticello AM Monument Valley Scenic Drive – Mexican Hat PM Valley of Gods - Goosenecks State Park

Jour 12 Monticello - Moab AM Mill Creek PM Corona Arch

Jour 13 Moab (Island in the Sky)

Jour 14 Moab (Arches) AM Scenic Drive & trails PM Delicate Arche & trails

Jour 15 Arches- Cairneville AM Grandstaff Canyon PM : Goblin SP -Little Wild Horse Canyon

Jour 16 Caineville – Boulder AM Capitol Reef : Fruita Area

Jour 17 Boulder – Kodachrome AM Scenic Drive 12

Jour 18 Kodachrome - Bryce AM Willis Creek Slot Canyon PM Bryce Canyon

Jour 19 Bryce – Red Canyon - Kolob AM Bryce Trails

PM Red Canyon & Cedar Breaks Jour 20 Kolob Canyon - Zion AM Kolob Canyon & Kolob Terrace Road PM Zion

Jour 21 Zion – Snow Canyon AM Zion Trails PM Snow Canyon

Jour 22 Snow Canyon – Valley of fire AM Snow Canyon Trails PM : Valley of fire , scenic road

Jour 23 Valley of fire - Las Vegas AM Valley of Fire , loop road PM Las Vegas

Jour 24– Las Vegas

Jour 25 Las Vegas - Frankfort

Nous partons avec nos deux ados , j'envisage d'alterner camping dans les parcs , hotel et Airbnb.

J'ai deux questions pour des champions ..

1- est ce que mon itinéraire est cohérent ?

2- l'aspect camping m'inquiète un peu ! EN effet nous ne sommes pas familiers du montage/démontage de tente mais cette formule m'apparait comme la plus simple pour dormir au coeur des parcs sans exploser le budget ... Je pensais prendre la tente que nous avons actuellement et acheter sac de couchage & Co au Wallmart , qu'en pensez-vous ?

un grand merci pour vos avis éclairés ..

ISa

Bonjour a toutes et à tous,

Moi et ma compagne allons partir aux USA en juin 2020 pour faire un circuit combinant une partie de l'ouest américain et Yellowstone. Je pensais m'y prendre en avance mais pas tant que ça au final donc je vous demande de me donner vos avis sur le circuit pour l'instant imaginé:

J1 arrivé à Las Vegas - réception de la voiture de location (ou peut etre seulement le lendemain) - nuit sur place

J2 route pour Hualapai Hilltop puis nuit au camping de havasupai dans la reserve

J3 visite des cascades et nuit au camping (je sais que les réservations sont normalement de 3 nuits mais tant pis nous n'y resterons que deux.

J4 route vers grand canyon - nuit bright angel lodge

J5 - rando dans le canyon nuit au camping de bright angel (si nous arrivons à avoir le permis..)

J6 - route pour Page - visite antelope canyon - horsheshoe bend - nuit à page (motel red rock)

J7 - route pour zion - nuit au zion lodge

J8 - nuit au zion lodge

J9 - route pour bryce canyon - nuit dans le lodge du parc

J10 - bryce canyon - nuit idem

J11 - longue longue route de presque 10h pour jackson hole nuit dans le GT probablement colterbay village

J12 et J13 Grand teton et nuit à colter bay

J14 - route pour yellowstone nuit dans le parc

J15 J16 J17 yellowstone et nuit dans le parc (le programme est à effectuer je vous avoue je n'ai pas trop regardé)

J18 route pour jackson hole et retour en france

Voilà l'idée de base. Pas de monument valley ni de death valley ou autres parcs (tellement nombreux) car nous ne pourrons pas rester plus longtemps. Peut être que certains points sont à améliorer? Laissez tomber Havasupai (pas simple quand même) pour le remplacer par autre chose?

Je vous remercie par avance pour vos commentaires

Bonsoir , j’ai besoin d’aide pour organiser mon voyage en Californie !! J’arrive à las Vegas le 11 septembre et je repars de Los Angeles le 25 septembre J’aimerais faire le grand canyon dormir sur place une nuit et ensuite prendre la route pour San Diego en passant par la plus belle route !!! Pourquoi pas faire un arrêt si il y a un magnifique endroit et dormir sur place , et de San Diego à Los Angeles en passant également par de magnifiques route peut être Malibu ou autre mais je ne sais pas comment m’organiser et j’aimeraisnvraimen que mon voyage soit inoubliable ... !!! Merci à tous pour vos réponses 🙂

Hi everyone,

Let me introduce myself. I’m 45 and traveling with my husband and my daughter, who’ll be 17 soon. We’re used to road-trip-style vacations, in the US or elsewhere. This will be our 5th trip to the US. We’ve already visited several states: New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Florida, Wyoming, South Dakota, California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. I’d like to plan another trip starting from Denver to Colorado and New Mexico, which we haven’t explored yet, with a stop in a part of Arizona we haven’t visited before. So, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this itinerary if you’re familiar with the area. We’ll be traveling in the summer of 2026—admittedly not the best time for this route, but it’s the only time we can all get away for long enough. I’m also tied to the dates for Cheyenne Frontier Days, which we want to attend at the start of the trip. Thanks in advance for your input!

Day 1: Departure from Frankfurt > Arrival in Denver around 3 PM. Night in Denver

Day 2: Denver > Cheyenne Quick visit to Denver Drive to Cheyenne in the late afternoon 2-hour drive Night in Cheyenne Day 3: Cheyenne Frontier Days Night in Cheyenne

Day 4: Cheyenne > Estes Park (Rocky Mountains) Frontier Days during the day. Departure in the late afternoon for Estes Park 2-hour drive Night in Estes Park

Day 5: Hiking in the Rocky Mountains Nights in Estes Park

Day 6: Estes Park > Glenwood Springs We’ll take the day to drive the scenic route and stop at various viewpoints. Night in Glenwood Springs

Day 7: Glenwood Springs Hiking the Hanging Lake Trail + relaxing in the hot springs Night in Glenwood Springs

Day 8: Glenwood Springs > Montrose Visit Colorado NM along the way 3.5-hour drive Night in Montrose

Day 9: Black Canyon Night in Montrose

Day 10: Montrose > Farmington Visit Durango (without taking the train), Ouray, or Silverton along the way? 3.5-hour drive Night in Farmington

Day 11: Farmington > Chinle Bisti Badlands until early afternoon 3-hour drive Night in Chinle

Day 12: Chinle > Sedona Canyon de Chelly in the morning 4-hour drive Night in Sedona

Day 13 - 14: Hiking in Sedona Nights in Sedona

Day 15: Sedona > Tucson Saguaro West Park 3.5-hour drive Night at a ranch in Tucson

Day 16 - 17: Tucson City visit in the morning + ranch activities in the afternoon Nights at a ranch in Tucson

Day 18: > Wilcox Chiricahua NP 1-hour drive Night in Wilcox

Day 19: Wilcox > Alamogordo White Sands in the late afternoon 4.5-hour drive Night in Alamogordo

Day 20: Alamogordo > Carlsbad White Sands in the morning Bat viewing in the evening at Carlsbad 4.5-hour drive Night in Carlsbad

Day 21: Carlsbad > Albuquerque Cave visit in the morning Quick stop in Roswell 4.25-hour drive Night in Albuquerque Day 22: Albuquerque > Santa Fe Visit Albuquerque 1-hour drive Night in Santa Fe

Day 23: Santa Fe Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks in the morning Visit Santa Fe in the afternoon Night in Santa Fe

Day 24: Santa Fe Bandelier in the morning Visit Santa Fe in the afternoon Night in Santa Fe

Day 25: Santa Fe > Alamosa Taos Pueblo along the way Great Sand Dunes in the late afternoon Zapata Falls Night in Alamosa

Day 26: Alamosa > Denver 4-hour drive Departure around 7 PM

Looking forward to your suggestions, corrections, and feedback!

Hi there, Just back from 25 days in May 2025 in the American West—here are some practical tips that might help you plan your trip.

Flight: 2 tickets for 1270 € with British Airways (Lyon-LA, SF-Lyon) SIM card: 12GB from Sim USA for 39 €. Useful for looking up accommodation every late afternoon. 12GB was enough for us. Car rental: Booked with BSP Autos. 21 days = 538 € for a Jeep Compass SUV picked up at LA airport and dropped off at SF airport. An SUV isn’t essential at all, but since we had one, we did take some easy dirt roads. Driving is straightforward, highways are toll-free. Gas: Averaged $3.80/gallon = 1 €/liter. We drove 6700 km and spent $500 on gas. Big price differences between states, and even between stations in the same state. We checked Google Maps/fuel for the best deals. Water: Not recommended to drink tap water. We refilled two 3L bottles regularly at visitor centers in the parks and froze two 1L bottles overnight to keep water cool during the day. Money: Bring cash for tips and gas—sometimes cheaper when paying in cash. Accommodation: Averaged $100/night. Only the first night in LA was booked in advance. For the rest of the trip, we found places to stay (mostly motels outside the parks) near where we were each late afternoon by checking availability on Booking, among others. No issues finding places in May—the advantage was the freedom to improvise. For example, we’d planned to do the loop counterclockwise: LA, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon. But seeing the forecast (3 days of snow and freezing temps at GC), we headed straight from JT to Las Vegas, did the loop clockwise, and by the time we got back to GC, the weather was perfect. Weather: Aside from the first 3 mixed days, we had perfect weather—20-30°C, except Death Valley (37°C) and SF (15°C). Food: Depends on your appetite. For us, snacks during the day, a bigger meal in the evening, plus miscellaneous extras—our budget was $40/day. Miscellaneous: The "America the Beautiful" pass is a must—80 $. Website: For us, the best site was roadtrippin’. Our itinerary: LA, Joshua Tree, Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Colorado National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Natural Bridges, Gooseneck Point, Canyon de Chelly, Painted Desert Park, Petrified Forest Park, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Route 66, LV, Red Rock Canyon Park, Death Valley, Sequoia Park, Yosemite Park, Big Sur-Monterey, San Francisco. 25 days—we didn’t lounge around, but we didn’t rush either. We took time in each park to drive the scenic routes, visit viewpoints, and do at least one hike (max 2 hours) per park.

Happy travels!

Hi there, I’d planned to visit Cathedral Valley, Goblin Valley, the Burr Trail/Northom loop, Factory Butte, and Moonscape Overlook, as well as the Capitol Reef scenic route over three days. The scenic Highway 12 would be for the following days.

Since I rented an AWD SUV, I was planning to contact an outfitter for Cathedral Valley, but they suggested that instead of doing Cathedral Valley with them and the rest solo, they could take me to the four most relevant sites mentioned in the title. Their plan is to start at sunrise at either Temples of the Sun/Moon or Moonscape Overlook and then hit the other three afterward. What do you think? Thanks! Louis

Hello, As always when you're impulsive, you do things first and ask questions later 😇

I booked a round-trip to NYC (Newark) from 10/17 to 11/01, 2025 at a good price. Now I need to figure out what to do 😎

The initial idea was to go to Nashville. Why? I don’t really know. For info, we’ve already been to NYC and Washington D.C.

That said, I opened an Excel sheet and put this together:

D1: Arrival at Newark around 9 PM. Pick up car and overnight near the airport D2/3: Philadelphia D4: Lancaster (Amish Village) then drive to Shenandoah NP. Overnight in the northern part of the park (Front Royal?) D5: Scenic road - Overnight in Charlottesville D6: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Troutville D7: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Boone D8: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Asheville D9: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Gatlinburg D10: Smoky Mountains - Overnight in Gatlinburg

That’s where things get tricky.

If I add 2 nights in Nashville, it really tightens up the end of the trip in terms of mileage.

I thought about doing:

D11/12: Nashville D13: Mammoth Cave > Lexington D14: Fayetteville D15: X D16: Drive back to Newark.

But honestly, I’m not happy with the end.

So I thought about adding Gettysburg by adjusting things and shortening D4, which I felt was too packed: D1: Arrival at Newark around 9 PM. Pick up car and overnight near the airport D2/3: Philadelphia D4: Lancaster (Amish Village) - Overnight in York D5: Gettysburg - Overnight in Front Royal D6: Shenandoah NP Scenic Road - Overnight in Charlottesville D7: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Troutville D8: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Boone D9: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Asheville D10: Blue Ridge Parkway - Overnight in Gatlinburg D11: Smoky Mountains - Overnight in Gatlinburg

This leaves me with 5 days to get back to NYC. Maybe via the coast?

What do you think?

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, I just got the "congratulations" email last night letting me know that our first-choice access to The Wave for June 16, 2025, was approved in the March 1st lottery draw! We thought we’d missed out since we hadn’t heard anything on the 1st or 2nd of March... It’s true that for the past two years, it’s no longer 10 and 10 people like before, but 48 and 16 who are allowed to enter the site through the two lottery processes. That helps balance out the surge in applications that must come with the place’s growing global fame... I haven’t found any info on this, but does anyone know how many applications are typically submitted each month per date for the Advanced Lottery? So, my somewhat lucky track record for 3 attempts: 2 successes for April 2009 and June 2025, and one miss for September 2011. We’re still a little nervous about the likely high temperatures, with hardly any shade or water on-site 😛. At Easter 2009, it had snowed a bit the day before... From what I remember, the access trail from Route 89 to Wire Pass Trailhead was doable without a 4x4, with a bit of ground clearance and careful driving (obviously no storms). A simple Toyota RAV4, like the one we’re planning to rent, should be fine in dry conditions? We’ll be heading there from Page on the morning of 06/16 (how long’s the drive?), then heading to Kanab for 3 nights in the evening. Thanks for any tips you might have! 😉

Hello everyone, and a big THANK YOU to all the travelers who took the time to reply to my last post and tell me that doing South India in 28 days was a sweet utopia. My dear friends, you were absolutely right. After 4 days in Goa, I settled for exploring all of Karnataka and its beautiful UNESCO-listed temples, and I loved it. Kerala and Tamil Nadu will have to wait until next year when I can take 6 weeks off.

But the purpose of this post is to ask you which guide or website would be best to prepare for the BLUES TRAIL I’d like to do in September or October 2025 over a month: 3 weeks to travel the route, enjoy Nashville a bit too, and the last week to explore Louisiana. I saw that *Le Routard* has a guide on Louisiana. Where else can I find more info?

Thanks so much for your help. Take care of yourselves and happy travels. Régine

Hi everyone, We’ve made up our minds—this summer, we’re heading back to the USA. Our last trip to the American West was in 2017. Back then, I planned my itinerary with help from this forum, and it was perfect. I’ve drawn inspiration from a few travel journals and some really interesting websites to sketch out a rough route. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this itinerary. Let me know if I’ve missed any cool stops along the way or if some things seem unnecessary. My husband and I love hiking, nature, and photography, but we’re not into museums and aren’t big fans of cities. We’ve sorted our ESTA, checked out hotels, and already booked some with cancellation options. All that’s left is the flight tickets and renting a vehicle.

If you’ve got any tips or great deals, we’d love to hear them. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to share their thoughts!

USA ITINERARY, DENVER/DENVER LOOP, YELLOWSTONE 2025

DAY 1: FLIGHT FROM MARSEILLE, ARRIVAL IN DENVER Arrival in Denver / pick up rental vehicle /

Estes Park, Rocky Mountain (note: a permit is required)

DAY 2: ESTES PARK / ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Rocky Mountain

DAY 3: ROCKY MOUNTAIN / CHEYENNE / FORT LARAMIE / CUSTER

Cheyenne (giant boots, The Wranglers store) Fort Laramie Custer and its Bison statues, Wyoming State Museum (free) Custer State Park

DAY 4: CUSTER, BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Crazy Horse Memorial Mount Rushmore Rapid City (Chapel in the Hills, Presidents’ statues) – hometown of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Badlands National Park

DAY 5: BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Badlands National Park Wall Drugstore (Wall Drug)

DAY 6: WALL / SHERIDAN

Devil’s Tower (1 hour) Buffalo, quick stop Deadwood, an old gold rush town with a well-restored downtown

DAY 7: SHERIDAN / COOKE CITY

Bighorn National Forest Bighorn National Recreation Area (secret arch to find) Chief Joseph Highway, stop at Indian Summit Cody, hometown of Buffalo Bill

DAY 8: COOKE CITY / YELLOWSTONE

Roosevelt Mammoth Hot Springs Norris Basin Lake Village

DAY 9: YELLOWSTONE

Canyon Village South and North Rim Mud Volcano Lake Village

DAY 10: YELLOWSTONE

Lake Village Madison via Norris Basin, Porcelain Basin Old Faithful, Firehole, Midway Basin

DAY 11: YELLOWSTONE

Old Faithful

DAY 12: YELLOWSTONE

Old Faithful West Basin

DAY 13: YELLOWSTONE / GRAND TETON

Grand Teton via the West on Teton Park Road

DAY 14: MORAN / MANILA

Grand Teton via the East route Pilot Butte (wild horses, pronghorns) Rock Springs Red Canyon (visitor center, well-maintained loop)

DAY 15: MANILA / VERNAL

Rock Springs Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Dinosaur National Monument

DAY 16: VERNAL

Dinosaur National Monument

DAY 17: VERNAL / GRAND JUNCTION

Fantasy Canyon (2 hours) Colorado National Monument West entrance

DAY 18: GRAND JUNCTION / MONTROSE

Colorado National Monument East entrance Black Canyon of the Gunnison Crested Butte (lovely spot)

DAY 19: MONTROSE / ALAMOSA

Black Canyon of the Gunnison (3 hours) Great Sand Dunes National Park

DAY 20: ALAMOSA / COLORADO SPRINGS

Great Sand Dunes National Park Paint Mines Interpretive Park (2 hours) Garden of the Gods in downtown Colorado Springs

DAY 21: COLORADO SPRINGS / SILVERTHORNE OR DENVER

Bass Pro Shop (outdoor gear store) Outlets in Silverthorne or visit Denver

DAY 22: SILVERTHORNE OR DENVER

Wash the vehicle / fill up with gas

Flight departure at 4:30 PM (tentative)

DAY 23: ARRIVAL HOME Arrival in Marseille at 11:15 AM (tentative), then back home

DAY 24: BACK TO WORK!!!

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