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

Hi there,

Alright, here’s my own road book for 3 weeks (late June – mid-July 2025) — looking forward to your feedback!

We’re not hikers or hardcore adventurers, so I’ve focused the itinerary on what we consider the essentials. We’re flying into SF and out of Las Vegas (because of airfare prices!) and also because I’m skipping Yosemite (doesn’t really tempt us). I’m planning a day trip to Death Valley from LV (been there before — it lets you see the highlights, and that was enough for me at the time). We’re not going as far as Canyon de Chelly — already done, and it didn’t really wow me. Just to note, this is pretty similar to a trip I’ve done before that worked well for us, but I’m open to tweaking it based on your suggestions. The duration (23 days) isn’t flexible — even one extra day sends the ticket prices skyrocketing.

Here’s what it looks like: Day 1: Arrival in SF Day 2 – Day 4: SF Day 5: Monterey (the Aquarium and the bay) – Overnight in Monterey Day 6 – Day 7: Drive down Highway 1 to Los Angeles – Overnight Day 6, e.g., in St. Simeon or nearby, and Day 7 in LA Day 8 – Day 9: LA (possibly an extra day) – Overnights in LA Day 10: Drive to Kingman and sightseeing – Overnight in Kingman Day 11: Drive to Grand Canyon and start exploring GC – Overnight in Tusayan Day 12: Explore GC – Overnight in Tusayan Day 13: Drive to Monument Valley and visit – Overnight nearby (Mexican Hat, Kayenta, etc.) Day 14: More sightseeing in the area (Valley of the Gods, Gooseneck Park) and drive to Mesa Verde – Overnight in Cortez Day 15: Visit Mesa Verde – Overnight in Cortez Day 16: Drive to Page and sightseeing – Overnight in Page Day 17: Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend – Overnight in Page Day 18: Drive to Bryce Canyon NP and start exploring Bryce – Overnight in the area! Day 19: Explore Bryce => Question: It’s a 2.5-hour drive from Page to Bryce. If we leave early, can we see the highlights of Bryce on Day 18 and skip Day 19? I’ll admit, I don’t remember much (it was back in 2009!) Day 20: Drive to Las Vegas with stops along the way (a quick detour to Zion just to say we’ve been, Valley of Fire) – Overnight in LV Day 21: LV; Cirque du Soleil show in the evening – Overnight in LV Day 22: Day trip to Death Valley (or a lazy day and outlet shopping!) – Overnight in LV Day 23: Flight back at 4:10 PM, which still gives us time to enjoy the morning.

What do you think? Best regards,

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…

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,

We’re arriving soon at a hotel near Miami Airport for a 2-day weekday stay before heading west. We’d like to spend a day in South Beach and are wondering whether it’s better to drive there despite the parking costs and the hassle of finding a spot, or if there’s a cheaper alternative.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions! 😊

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,

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!

Let me introduce us quickly—I’m Matteo (21, originally from Paris, but I’ve been living near the Pyrenees and the Alps for the past 3 years), and my girlfriend Justine (21, grew up in the Alps). We’re starting to get really fed up with being cooped up and sitting in chairs (yep, we’re studying physics and geography at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon). So, we’re taking a gap year to make a slightly crazy project happen: hitting the road, meeting people, and most importantly—climbing, skiing, and exploring the mountains!

We’ve always been into the mountains: •🧗‍♂️ 6c-7a/b sport climbing, 6b trad •❄️ Skiing and ice climbing (grade 4/5) •🏔️ Alpine climbing in the Alps (Chamonix, Écrins…) and the Pyrenees—I’m training to become a High Mountain Guide

Our project in a nutshell: •Buying a van (or 4x4) converted in British Columbia around September/October 2025. Ideally, we’d go straight to the US to buy the vehicle there (but reselling might be easier if we buy in Canada). •Heading down to the US to climb at legendary spots like Yosemite, Tuolumne (if it’s too hot), Indian Creek, Moab, and Joshua Tree. •Heading back up to the Canadian Rockies around December for skiing, ice climbing, and winter alpine climbing (might be easier to buy skis there). •Selling the vehicle in Canada at the end of the trip (we need to be back in France by early March 2026 because Justine is preparing for the AMM). I’ve already been to the Rockies, but I want to go back in winter for ice climbing. It’ll probably be too cold to sleep in the van, so we’re hoping to find a small cabin, lodge, or chalet (ideally alone or shared to cut costs). Otherwise, we could work for a month or two at a hostel or something to get free accommodation and earn money to rent a place another month just for climbing. •Visa-wise: we’re hoping to get our Working Holiday Visa (WHV) (still waiting for a response) so we can work there during the trip. For the US, we’ll stay as tourists (no work visa—too complicated and expensive). Any feedback on the WHV or differences from a regular work visa would be great. •With our savings (we’re working in mountain huts this summer), we should be able to buy the van. For daily expenses, I’m hoping to tutor online (math and physics). We live pretty simply and resourcefully: we plan to sleep mostly in the van, cook for ourselves, wash in rivers, and make the most of free nature spots. We’re super motivated, pretty well-rounded when it comes to mountain sports, and we’re not afraid to live simply for a year (we’ve got other projects too: biking to Greece with our climbing gear, a trip to Patagonia for alpine climbing).

Questions and advice: Of course, a road trip like this raises a lot of practical questions. This is our first time embarking on an adventure of this scale, so we’d love to hear your experiences and tips. If any of you have done a long van trip in North America or a WHV in Canada, your insights would be incredibly helpful! Here are some of the questions we’ve got: How do we buy (and later sell) a converted van in British Columbia? We’ll probably land in Vancouver. Is it better to look for a vehicle on online classifieds, Facebook groups, or used car dealerships? Are there any pitfalls to avoid when buying? And for selling it a year later, any tips to make it go smoothly (best time to sell, paperwork, etc.)? What budget should we plan for van life in North America and Canada? If you’ve got any info or feedback on the cost of living in a van in Canada/the US, we’d love to hear it. We’re thinking about expenses like gas (a big one, I imagine!), van maintenance, car insurance, possible tolls, campgrounds or paid spots, etc. We’d like to get an idea of a daily or monthly budget so we’re not too tight. In France, we never stay at campgrounds—we prefer being alone or going where we want. Is that possible in the US and Canada? Any tips for saving money (free camping spots, useful apps…) would be great! Visas, borders, and paperwork: We’re hoping to get a WHV for Canada, but in the US, we’ll be on a tourist visa (90 days max with ESTA, I think). Has anyone combined a WHV in Canada with a trip to the US on the same trip? Anything we should know about crossing the border in a van (insurance, customs, how long we’re allowed in the US, etc.)? We want to avoid any administrative hassles, so any advice on this would be super helpful. Route and seasonality for climbing and skiing: We’re thinking of starting climbing in the US around fall 2025 (probably September/October). Is that the right season for Yosemite, Indian Creek, and Moab? Any must-see spots along the way? For winter, we’re aiming for December to March in the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Jasper, Golden…) for skiing and ice climbing. Any tips on ice climbs or major backcountry skiing spots? We’ve got all our climbing, skiing, and alpine gear—should we bring it all or buy some stuff there? Is the “Wilderness Season Pass” for winter in the Rockies worth it? We came across this pass that offers 7 months of unlimited nights in HI mountain hostels in the Rockies. Has anyone here tried it? Are the dorms usually crowded? Working on the road: To fund the trip, we’re planning to work a bit along the way. Any tips for finding work in Canada while traveling (peak seasons at ski resorts, WWOOFing, odd jobs…)? That’s it for our (many) questions 😅! If you’ve done a similar trip—or even just parts of it (van life, climbing tour, winter in Canada…)—we’d love to hear your experiences, or even if you’re in the area and want to share a few days of climbing. All your contacts, advice, and tips will be a huge help.

Thanks in advance! We can’t wait to read your replies and refine our project with your help.

Matteo & Justine

PS: I’m looking for a summer job from August to September, preferably in a mountain hut (extra help, replacements, etc.). If you’ve got any contacts, don’t hesitate! I’ve also posted on another forum about this with my CV and cover letter (DEMANDE dxsdxsdsxdsx - Forum de www.refuges.info).

Hi everyone! 🙂

We’re on the Roswell–Tucumcari leg. We’ll go through Fort Sumner. After visiting, there are two ways to reach Tucumcari:

Take US 84 to Santa Rosa, see its Blue Hole, then the almost ghost towns on the historic Route 66 (Cuervo, Newkirk, and Montoya). We won’t visit the Route 66 auto museum (we’ll do the one in Tucumcari). The other option is to take 252 and then 209.

The next day, we plan to head to our next stop in Las Vegas (the one in NM) by going up the Mesalands Scenic Byway (104).

Is the detour to Santa Rosa worth it? Are the historic Route 66 sections drivable?

Thanks for your tips! Marcalamar 🙂

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!!!

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!

salut a tous je prepare un tour du monde et je recherche des bons plans pour les logements aux etats unis avez vous des petits prix a me partager svp merci

Hi there.

I’m traveling solo to NYC for 10 days. Is the pass for multiple activities worth it? I don’t want to plan everything in advance and really want to take my time while avoiding crowds!

Thanks for your replies.

Boris.

Hello.

About these visits, is it possible to use an audio guide on-site? I can’t find any apps... In French for easier understanding.

Thanks for your replies.

Boris.

Hi there.

I’m heading to the US in September and stopping in Boston. I’ve got a baseball game booked for Sunday afternoon. Is Monday enough to soak up the highlights of the city, including Harvard?

Thanks for your tips!

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! We’re arriving in New Orleans on June 10th and need to get to our hotel in the French Quarter. There are four adults in our group. What do you recommend—one taxi for all of us, two taxis, or another option? (We land at 10:30 PM.) Thanks for your tips!

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!

Hello, This isn’t our first trip to the USA, which explains why some "classic" spots are missing from this itinerary. Could you let me know if anything should be changed, and also share your best recommendations for where to stay and how many nights to spend in each place? We’re leaving in early September and will be there for 13 days, no kids. Thanks in advance for your feedback, tips, and great deals! Arrival in L.A. Joshua Tree Flagstaff Grand Canyon Bryce Canyon Zion Ntl. Park Las Vegas (stopover) Sequoia Ntl. Park San Simeon Santa Barbara (2 nights) L.A. airport

We're planning a trip through Louisiana and would love to do a food and history tour led by a guide—but I’m only finding options in English. Do any of you have recommendations for an experience where the guide spoke French and the food was good? Thanks for your help

Hi there,

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!

Laura

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😉

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, 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?

Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙂

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, I’m planning a road trip through the American national parks starting from Denver in June 2026. The price of the pass is jumping from 80 € to 250 € on January 1st, 2026!!! Is it possible to buy the pass online before the end of the year to lock in the 80 € rate? If so, where and how do I go about it? Thanks for your tips. Arnale

Hi everyone, I’m planning a three-week road trip in the American West, starting from Las Vegas, roughly following the two-week itinerary here. I like the loop idea, but since I’ve got an extra week, I’m wondering if it’s better to take time for a break in a city or just spread out the stops a bit. Is it worth staying a few days in another big city like Denver to break up the drive? I like cities, but nothing’s really inspiring me. I’m also hesitant about Canyonlands National Park: is it really worth two days or more, or is it less impressive than others like Arches or Bryce Canyon? If any of you have done a longer road trip in this region, I’d love your advice on where to extend the trip, where to relax a bit, and which lesser-known spots are worth the detour. Thanks!

Hey everyone, we’re heading to the American West for 21 days in August. Two options for us: renting a regular car and staying in motels, or going with an RV. We’ve traveled a lot in Southern Africa on our own with a 4x4 roof-top tent, but the US is a whole different story. I’d love to hear your thoughts—budget-wise, we’re probably looking at similar costs. Thanks for your input! Thierry

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 🙂