Finally made up my mind, Krug all the way! US Road trip with F & J Flights

[AnnaB]

A trip report from our USA trip and first travel in J & F (Part 1 of 3)

It has been a long and interesting journey. Everything from real luxury to (to be honest) pigsties that should not call themselves hotels.
Unfortunately, our travel computer started wreaking havoc after about a week and my planned trip report that I should have written while on the road, was no longer... so here I am with heaps of paperwork and I will try and do my best to keep it interesting.
We started our journey with a limo ride from our house south of Perth. Great little company came and picked us up, red carpet and champagne (or more like sparkling wine) to take us to the airport. Off course, things aren’t always smooth no matter how much I plan… so after about 15 minutes we had to turn around and go back when he discovered that he did not have his phone on him. Not the greatest way to start a holiday, but at least we discovered it in time

Check in was easy, lovely to walk down the blue lane to J at Singapore Airlines and get our tickets. For you who has been in the Perth lounge, you know it’s a bit small and offerings can be a bit so-so. Today it was quite good, lounge was not too crowded and food was great.

Boarding was so nice… nice to get on first and just take it easy with a glass of champagne while waiting. Plane had a 1-2-1 configuration so not too bad. Meals were outstanding as per usual. Arriving at Singapore we had a 7-hour stopover and rather than pacing the we checked into Aerotel that was airside and got ourselves a small room for the time. Room was way better than expected, small but functional with comfortable bed, shower, tv, free bottles of water and best of all, access to the outdoor pool. I went for a swim and took it easy for a while in the Singapore night.

Flight from Singapore to Seoul was quite crowded, even in J. The flight was just full and the air hostesses were run off their feet. You could see they were working so hard but never once did the smile leave their face or did they fail to stop of you needed something or asking a question. They were just amazing. So an hour before landing, I went up to them in the galley and thanked them all for a beautiful flight and told them that they had done an amazing job. They were really happy to hear so and gave me my first ever Singapore teddy I should also add that I did send in the feedback form to SIA and told them about the flight and complimented the crew. That was before my computer died, that is

As we had to disembark our plane for the Seoul stopover we headed for the lounge, a 5 minute walk away. The lounge itself was nothing to write home about. A couple of hot meals, some long-life sweets and cans of soda or water. Thankful that we did not have to spend much more time there.

New crew on the plane but same seats. Since I had the Lobster Thermidor (BTC) from Sin to INC I thought I would try the Grilled beef tenderloin steak (BTC) on the second leg. I am glad I did as it was amazing. Best steak in a long time. The only problem was that I was so full I could hardly breathe *lol*

Arriving at LAX at 6.30am I expected a real mess and a lot of time through customs and immigrations. It was way smoother than I thought it would be after reading some of the threads here. We were off the plane, through and picked up our luggage in less than an hour. We took the shuttle bus to our hotel, which was the Marriott Airport Hotel. I chose that one as we needed a night’s stay somewhere to get our bearings right and also as I have Gold status and it might assist us in getting an early check-in when arriving that early in the morning. They were doing renovations at the property but still had a dedicated counter for elite members… which I would say did not work at all. Sometimes I had to wait longer than others in the normal line. Check in was not a problem, and they had upgraded us to a junior suite… very nice until we got to the room.

Thing is that I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke, not that I don’t like it but if I am in a room where someone has smoked I quickly develop a cough and unless I get out of there it will escalate and I have to seek medical attention. Best case scenario I can deal with it with my inhalers.

Anyway, we got to the room and while it was nice and even though it is a non-smoking property, someone had smoked in the rook and I picked it up in 2 seconds. So we had to go down to the reception again and ask for a room change. There was a bit of grunts and moans and faces from the guy behind the counter but they managed to find another one for us on a different floor. New room was way better, just a normal room and not a suite, but it was recently renovated and looked fresh. The hotel also has a lounge that was open 24/7 which was great as we were still on Perth time. The lounge has coffee and tea and small snacks all day and night and its situated on the top floor with views of LAX. I could just sit there and watch the planes take off and land all day. It never stops... it’s such a busy airport its fascinating. Lounge itself has breakfast, afternoon tea and evening canapés. Soft drinks included but if you want anything alcoholic there is a charge. I think we paid $8 for a beer plus tax and tip.
A really great start to the trip, nice to sit back and be able to relax after a 35 hour long journey. Another plus was that they had good coffee

LA and Santa Monica
From Inglewood we moved to Santa Monica for a few days. Stayed in a family run hotel called Carmel Hotel in central parts of Santa Monica. Location is perfect, hotel… not so much. You get what you pay for, that is true in many situations where this is one. I was very well aware that it was no luxury at all means, but clean and tidy in the right location and that is good enough for me.
I don’t really know what I think about Santa Monica and LA. I think when it comes to SM and you have done the touristy stuff I am quite over it. Same with LA… I even skipped doing certain things as I got so sick and tired of not only the crowds but also all the scammers, people trying to take you for a ride etc. I guess I got to see some of the worst sides LA has to offer. I think it was a lot of driving all the time to get somewhere and driving between sights. I did love Universal Studios though, it was really a treat for my grown up inner kid I could not wait to leave the overcrowded city and highways.
Car was booked through AmericaCarRental and picked up at Thrifty. Ended up with a Kia Sorrento which served us well during our 3 weeks.

Out of LA we checked into Hilton Anaheim, which is a huge hotel. It runs so smoothly it’s amazing, it’s like a big factory. When I booked I was Gold but by the time we got there I was a mere Blue ☹ Still I got priority check in which was a nice surprise. We got the booked room which was overlooking Disneyland but I have to say it was not worth it. It is so far away you can hardly see the fireworks. Nice hotel but so anonymous. No restaurant (but several outlets in the building like Starbucks and Baja Fresh) so breakfast was a bagel and coffee. There was a lot of fast food restaurants around the place but nothing really nice unless we took a taxi further away from Disney.

San Diego
Or real road trip started with the drive down to San Diego. Nice to see traffic getting less and hitting the road. Here was were our unplanned journey started. We only knew we needed to be in a certain place at a certain day but no hotels or real plans on how to get there.
In San Diego we stayed a bit on the outskirts of town, at a Days Inn that was a nice surprise. Large, nice, clean rooms with comfortable beds and free parking. I think it was around here we decided to go with Wyndham hotels throughout our unbooked days if we could as we could utilise our accumulated points to pay for the last few days stays.
In San Diego I just loved the USS Midway, we spent over 5 hours there and it was just a great day. I would love to go back and do a few more days as it seemed to be such a great city.

From San Diego we hit the roads, our goal was Canyon Country and we did not have much time to get there. Hotels were booked a day or two before we checked in. First day we had quite a drive from SD to Camp Verde where we booked a room at another Days Inn. My first option was in Sedona, but they did not have any available rooms and booked out. The drive itself might not look like a lot, but it took almost 8 hours with merely a few stops. Following the Mexican border, then we decided to take a smaller road to cross over north… ended up at a roadblock where border patrol were asking for passports and visas But he let us go as soon as we opened up our mouths and heard the Aussie accent Location was good for what we needed, there was a decent Dennys Diner next door and the pool a welcome sight after a long hot drive. Arizona had the hottest days on record with 107F while we were driving through.

From Camp Verde we left early to visit a local national monument called Montezumas Castle. It’s a permanent Indian dwelling over 5 stories and 370 sqm that is built into a cave on the mountainside. They think it is from around year 1400.



Driving north we took the smaller road through Sedona. It is an amazing town and next time I will have to book in for a couple of days stay here. It is just beautiful and I think I would just like to lay back here and do nothing. We headed north to Grand Canyon and it is just amazing. It is just huge and it is hard to fathom how big it really is. Being another hot day, we decided to just walk short bits and drive east on road 64, stopping along the way and had lunch with a view. That afternoon we ended up in Holbrook (or what I jokingly called the town that God forgot). It’s just motels, a few diners and desert for as long as you can see. Amazing sunset though and a comfortable bed.



Next day we did a straight drive north towards Page in AZ. Did a small detour along the way to see the Oljato Monument Valley. Again, it was just grand… Beautiful views! We did try for a drive down through the valley but realised after a few minutes that without a decent 4WD we would not make that little round trip in less than 4 hours as the road (or more like a sand track) is so bad and you could easily get bogged.



In Page we had a 3 night stay, we changed the hotel a few days before and was now opting for Travelodge. Not much to choose from in the middle of the desert but I really liked this little town. Main reason for people to go here are of course the Antelope Canyon but also the Horseshoe Bend. The town don’t have much to offer, but all you really need. But I really liked the sense of the close-knit community that this town has. Listening to conversations at the restaurants, post and shops you get the feeling that they all know and care about each other and I really liked that.
We did a tour of the Antelope Canyon and I have to say that it is amazing! We opted for a 12.30 pm session as the light pillars would be at its best at that time. The canyon itself is just beautiful but the magic comes out best on the camera. You can’t see it with your own eyes but when you snap those shots, they are amazing. Well worth a visit I say.



Continuing on our journey through Canyon country we took road 12 through Bryce Canyon to admire the landscape as we travelled along and ended up in a small town called Torrey on the rim of Capitol Reef. Unfortunately, we did not have any time to explore the national parks around there but I would much like to go back and do so when we have time. It was just so nice, serene and quiet. We stayed at the outskirts of town (that was not big in the first place) and the only problem I could see was that there was nowhere to go. No seating outside, no café or anything. There was a service station with an incorporated Subway. If I go again I would definitely get myself a camper chair.

 

[AnnaB]

A trip report from our USA trip and first travel in J & F (Part 2 of 3)

From here we made our way towards San Francisco over the Rockies. The only place where I could find availability was at a Days Inn in St George. It ended up not being too bad, but the pool looked like they had a serious chemical imbalance so I opted out.

Next overnighter was in a small town at the base of the Yosemite called Bishop. I really wanted somewhere closer as it became a long drive, but this was all I could find except for Las Vegas and we didn’t want to do that. This would have to be the worst place ever. I booked a non-smoking room and they gave me a smoking one. So they gave us all they had left and that one should not have been rented out in the first place. It was disgusting. If I could have changed hotels I would, but after 10 hours on the road and no other hotel in town had any rooms left I just sat down and cried. I didn’t want to take off my shoes because my feet would get dirty. The carpet was filthy, the sofa full of unidentified stains, food leftovers behind chairs and furniture, toilet seat broken, light in the bathroom was a cord you had to plug in, garbage bins overflowing with bags thrown all around it outside the door and then to top it off… an aircon (new unit too) that measured in at 85dB… and turning it off was not an option as it was over 100F outside. I just cried… I was so tired and it was disgusting… But at least the bed was clean, mattress looked new so we decided to just get some food, go to sleep and leave early.
We found a local diner in town… seemed ok as the locals were all there… how bad could it be? So just put the name Jacks in Bishop in your memory and remember to never, ever go there. The food must have been cooked for people without teeth because it was all so overcooked it fell apart when I tried to get it on the fork On the upside though, hubby had a great time at the bar down the road, playing pool with some locals. That would probably be one of the good things about this town, it was very nice and a great few hours out of the hotel.

The next day we left as early as possible, driving through Yosemite. We really wanted to do road 120 over the mountains but it was still closed because of the snow melting from winter so we had to go around and did 108 through Stanislaus National Forrest instead…. This would have to be the best drive of the trip. Small, winding roads up the mountain, gorgeous views and plenty of places to stop. We did lunch at a stop a bit up the road overlooking Sardine Falls. I could really feel the change in climate and had to stay in the sun or I was freezing. Driving further up it got colder and colder and eventually on the top we found it!! SNOW!!! From 105F in the valley in the morning to about 55F at the top. We parked the car and got out into a snowball fight…. I have to say that he won, but only because I was holding two cameras



That night we spent at a Travelodge at Angels Camp on the other side of Yosemite. This was such a nice surprise. It was lovely, fresh and clean. Just renovated and yet again, another lovely little town. People here were so nice and welcoming. It’s mostly famous for the fact that Mark Twain based his short story “The celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County”. The town seem to try and thrive on that but it really can’t. They have an older part city centre that is just lovely but unfortunately it also has a lot of closed down businesses. This is another place where I would like to spend some more time. Nothing really to do but sometimes it is nice just to sit back and enjoy the surroundings.



San Francisco… what can I say…. What a surprise… or disappointment. Don’t know if I had high expectations but I was not prepared for the weather. I had to dig out all the winter clothes from Perth as it was so cold! Cold, wet and windy! All year round apparently… Alcatraz was interesting, the Wharf was kind of nice but nothing worth a repeat visit. Lots and lots of homeless people. I could easily have left after two days. We stayed at a motel down the wharf called The Wharf Inn. Brilliant location… on the map. But it doesn’t tell you that you will have tourist buses idling outside from 6.30am to 10pm, and the slamming metal bins, garbage handling etc all night. I did not get a decent sleep our entire stay. I guess we could have changed rooms for one facing the parking, but they were fully occupied so no luck.

Our plan was to drive the scenic route road 1 from San Fran to LA, but nature had other plans. It turned out that the road is partially closed for about a year due to the fact that parts of it has fallen into the ocean or is about to, especially around Big Sur. We decided to drive a little bit or road 1, then around and back out to the coast. We stayed in a place called San Simeon, not much there, you could go down to Hearst Castle, but we had limited time and the way they do their tours you need all day to see it.
The nice surprise here was Big Sur restaurant. It looks horrible both inside and outside but they had some lovely food and it was a real treat at the end of a long day. Then I ended the day by enjoying the sunset over the Pacific Ocean from the views from our balcony... accompanied with a nice scotch
From here we were on our last days in the car, heading for Vegas. Drove through Death Valley and I wish I booked a stay out here as it was just so eerie. Had some fun motel stays but not too bad only to get to our final place on the east coast, The Palazzo. We booked Prestige by the Palazzo, which is their take on an Exec lounge. Check in we had to drag our bags through the casino to get to the lounge floor for check in. Not one offer to take the bags or bell boy in sight?! Never mind, we checked in and got this absolutely gorgeous suite. I bet that our bathroom at The Palazzo was bigger than most of the rooms we stayed at the last 3 weeks. It was a treat!
The lounge serves breakfast, arvo tea and evening drinks and canapés. But it would have to be the weirdest lounge I have ever visited. As we stepped out of the elevator the first night, this older guy, about 80+ grabbed his (as old) partner by the arm and RAN to the lounge, along with a lot of others. I was chuckling a bit but got the picture when we got there… It was mayhem! Not a nice, relaxed lounge where you can have pre-dinner drinks and snacks but more like a school cafeteria. People were running for the food and tables, cleaning out the plates as they came out. Food quality getting worse and worse as the kitchen ran out, kids running around screaming, children cleaning out full plates of chocolate even though there were a long queue behind them! Patrons in shorts, singlets and thongs, young women with shorts so high cut their butt was hanging out… I could go on and on… but to be honest, I was chocked! I have never seen anything like it, except perhaps at a free for all buffet, but this is supposed to be a lounge.
Breakfast was not much better when we kept looking at this woman with her huge handbag, pulling out zip-lock bag after zip-lock bag and filling it with what she could find at the breakfast buffet. Not blinking an eye, doing it in front of everyone and all the staff! I could not believe it!
While I did love the room, hotel and the location I am not sure I liked Vegas. I am not a gambling person and we did do a few shows I would not return for that alone. If I did go back, I would go back to the Palazzo and Prestige as I did love the fact that I could get a coffee at any time of the day and I do love breakfast even though this one was not great. I also loved the pools and it was a great stay all and all before leaving for Washington DC.
LV airport was also an interesting experience. This would be the only airport in the world where I have checked in outside in 105F. The good thing though was that with VA Gold we got our bags on the plane for free and also priority check in. I have also never seen people checking in bags at the gate before, nor have I seen people bring on full size suitcases onboard to try and cram them into the overhead lockers! But I have to say it was an amusing flight

Washington
I can say one thing about Washington DC and that is that I love this city! It is so nice and green, so walkable and I love the fact that I can rent a bike and go for a ride around all these amazing monuments. We pre-booked a tour of The Capitol and though it was one of the few ways of seeing any building from the inside, I was a bit disappointed as it was merely 25 minutes. I would have loved to spend more time in the rooms they showed but I guess they try to get as many visitors through as possible. I could just grab a cuppa and sit on a bench at National Mall and watch people. We also made the trip out to Arlington Cemetery. They were a bit short until I asked for a certain lot and realised I had relatives buried there, then they were very helpful, offering us a free shuttle ride as it was far away. We did opt for a walk instead and as it was so nice to go to a different part then where all the tourists go. It is a beautiful serene place… until you get closer to where JFKs gravesite is and again, tourist mayhem. Many of them seem to forget that this is a cemetery, a final resting place and they should treat the place with respect. It’s not a spectacle. The changing of the guards at the grave of the unknown soldier are also a must see if you are ever in the area.
We did go to the 911 Pentagon memorial as well but it is not really something I would go out of my way for. The Holocaust museum on the other hand was really good but if you want to go you need to book your tickets.

 

[AnnaB]

A trip report from our USA trip and first travel in J & F (Part 3 of 3)

From DC we took the train to our final stop on the US west coast, New York. Our hotel was a small boutique hotel a couple of blocks from Grand Central Station. Location wise it was great but if I go again I would probably stay on the east side of Manhattan or Brooklyn instead. It felt a bit too businessy and there were not many eateries close by that was open in the evening. My highlights in NYC would have to be Scandinavian House lunch, Century 21 shopping, Wicked the musical, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Patek Philippe exhibition, 911 memorial and The Library.

Then we were off to one of our final highlights of the journey! Our first-class Suites flights with Singapore Airlines!!! Flying JFK-FRA-SIN. Sooo excited!!! We got to the airport and found our check in desk. It was unmanned at the time but there were some staff around and at the other desks so we stood in the Suites line…. And everyone just ignored us. They called up economy passenger after economy passenger and just ogling us. After about 10 minutes a lady came to the business class desk and called us up… and they seemed very surprised when they saw that we were actually flying first class and looked a bit ashamed. Never mind, we got Priority TSA but there were so much people that it would have been roughly the same time as the standard line.
The lounge at JFK is the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. Not a bad lounge with a seated dinner menu and another smaller menu for other seatings. Knowing what we were to expect onboard we opted for the smaller menu. He had the curry (and it was excellent) and I went for the Clubhouse burger that some people had been raving about and it was good… not as good as Gordon Ramsays Burger at Planet Hollywood in LV but it was nice. Dessert was chocolate cheesecake and Haagen Daaz ice cream.



Boarding was also a bit of a joke Had to elbow our way to the gate but not an issue when we got there. I was so excited, like a kid at Christmas!! And it was sooo nice, lovely staff greeting us as we arrived, helping us with the bags and trying to pronounce my last name (Dutch of origin, not even I can pronounce it properly) but I just asked them to call me MsRoseAnna. We had booked the two middle suites on row 3 for a double. I just loved the space… it was so nice. We had a really nice FA called Judy and she was great with a sense of humour. She asked me what champagne I wanted and my husband and I looked at each other and just both blurted out “both?” It was a bit of a joke but I decided to start with the Krug. As a starter, I could not go passed the caviar with a shot of vodka. Amazing! I could do this every day! I was so excited I forgot to take photos of the menu! But I did have a nice salad, then scallops and prawn fettuccini and an orange ice cream dessert. Oh, and more Krug. It is a very, very nice champagne!



I then felt a bit tired, asked to have our bed made and a Macallan scotch nightcap. I changed into our lovely SIA PJs. I am so amazed over the bed we had. It was like sleeping at home almost. So nice to be able to stretch out properly, having our own space and it actually felt private even though we were constantly surrounded by others.



In FRA we had to disembark and we were met at the gate by an escort that guided us to the Lufthansa VIP Lounge, about 5 minutes away. I was so full I could not even think about drinks or food but opted for a refreshing shower. By the time I was done it was time to go back to the gate. Back in the plane they had a new crew onboard. I was surprised as well that I was given a new set of PJs and another amenity kit. This time a different design bag that can be used as a handbag.
Second flight I had to try the Dom instead…. But I have to say that I think that Krug is just a liiitle bit better. Feeling a bit under the weather I decided to try and get some sleep. Woke up with a killer migraine and took some tablets. Didn’t feel all too well and a bit queezy… and then it hit! I had to run for a bathroom… I have to be the only one that get sick on my only First Class flight! I am up the front of the plane and I am spilling my guts out… just a little bit, but anyway ☹ I think it was a combination of migraine and air sickness as hubby and I ate the same and I only had about 3 glasses of champagne and one scotch. After an hour or so I dug into my med kit and got some ondansetron (takes away nausea) and I was feeling better. The staff was so worried about me and I kept telling them I was ok. What are the odds of air sickness during the best flight of the trip?

I did get some lovely yoghurt with fruit and coffee for breakfast after my nausea went away. I just feel as if I spent most of the flight feeling sick, rather than enjoying the ride. One thing is for sure, I have to do another Suites flight

Landing in Singapore we were off, got our luggage (love those priority tags), through customs and immigrations, in a taxi, at the hotel and checking into our room within 45 minutes! Staying at our favourite hotel, Pan Pacific Singapore at the Marina Bay, in a club level Harbour View Studio Room.



I just love this hotel, the views over the harbour, the food, drinks, staff… everything! I think it’s the combinations of factors. The dedicated check in, we had a nice breakfast at the lounge when we arrived, the room was gorgeous with fruits and chocolates waiting for us. Fantastic views over the Marina Bay Sands, a Nespresso machine for coffee, huge bath sheets (not just towels), great turndown service, the high-quality food and drinks at the lounge, breakfast, arvo coffee and coughtail hours. It’s just everything and we would return here at any time we are in Singapore.



This would be the end of a very long story short I am sorry if it got a bit long but I tried to cram in 6 weeks without pushing into every detail of it and still mention the good parts.
My highlights would have to be:
- Page and Antelope Canyon
- Washington DC
- Drive over Yosemite
- Angels Camp

What I would want to go back to would be Sonora, Death Valley and hiking a in the National Parks.

What I don’t want to go to again is LA, SF and some other parts of California. I would probably prefer smaller towns on weird outback roads. I would also stay longer in each place and perhaps consider a campervan to get settled a bit more. We had a lot of 1-night stays and it was just not enough time to settle in.

I definitely have to do First Class again, especially considering the fact that this one got a bit spoiled ☹ Good excuse for more great champagne

I am happy to share more photos if you would like, just let me know if there is anything special you would like to see. I have over 30GB of pictures and decided to just post a few.

Thank you for reading, I hope I did not bore you with the details. In the end, it was an amazing trip that I could not have done without the help from AFF. So thank you for the tips and input!
XOX

 

[cove]

Well you got the Krug and the caviar!
So the little fails were not too bad.
In 1984 we did Days Inn and they were ok. I felt they were trying. These days our staff use Ayres around Southern California as our business budget for travel is a bit higher now.
We live part time in Marina del Rey which is closer to LAX than Santa Monica.
Great photos and yes Krug is really good.

 

[Major]

Those photos in Arizona are just amazing. Many thanks

 

[Steady]

Thanks RoseAnna, it was good to travel along with you.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Great trip report RoseAnna.

I've been in many US national parks in the last 40 days and 5,000 miles including Yellowstone, Zion, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon and would definitely recommend you include them in any future trips.

Great comments about the weather. So much different in San Francisco itself to even 10 kms out of town. I think I've seen 15 degrees in SF and 44 degrees in Las Vegas in the last month and even some remnant snow (skiable) at Lake Tahoe.

 

[ozjuice]

Everything looks amazing and great TR.
I not long got back myself and particularly loved Zion National Park and Seqouia National Park. Sadly Yosemite was still closed but i was there last year so not such a loss as i spent more time at the wonderful Lake Tahoe. .

 

[GDSman]

Really enjoyed your report

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for the TR and some lovely photos - especially Arizona.

 

[NoName]

Thanks for the report!

FYI for anyone wanting to visit Yosemite - it's open all year round. Does not close. What closes is Tioga Rd (HW120) to vehicular traffic between Tioga Pass & Crane Flat usually between about November and May. This is what stops you from being able to drive through Tuolomne Meadows and out the eastern entrance. The last northern winter was particularly cold and long for them and as a result Tioga Rd did not open until the end of June. Glaciar Point Road also closes in winter so again you won't be able to drive to this part of the park. You can still hike all over if you wish.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Loved reading your trip report, MsRoseAnna. Your photos in Arizona and Canyon Country are amazing and take me back to one of my favourite trips. So sorry that you didn't get to enjoy your Suites adventure to its fullest, but that just means you have to do it again!

 

[drron]

Beautiful photos.
The US is certainly a mecca for road trips.

 

[AnnaB]

Great trip report RoseAnna.

I've been in many US national parks in the last 40 days and 5,000 miles including Yellowstone, Zion, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon and would definitely recommend you include them in any future trips.

Great comments about the weather. So much different in San Francisco itself to even 10 kms out of town. I think I've seen 15 degrees in SF and 44 degrees in Las Vegas in the last month and even some remnant snow (skiable) at Lake Tahoe.

I would love to go back, especially to Arizona and Utah. Also do Zion and Sequoia National Park. There is just so much to do and so little time. Then probably travel east on smaller roads and small towns

In 1984 we did Days Inn and they were ok. I felt they were trying. These days our staff use Ayres around Southern California as our business budget for travel is a bit higher now.

I found that it was not so much the motel chain or name as the towns themselves. Small towns, with little jobs and not so many tourists seemed to be run down and badly managed, while towns with more jobs, closer to larger cities and such were a lot better.

I will probably still do the same next time though, just book as we go along. Its quite nice to just live day by day No plans and just go with the flow

 

[cove]

For anyone wanting to do a US road trip just remember the interstate highways are divided and you can do at least 400 miles a day without any issues so you can pick spots that are a long way apart in your itinerary. It is a good idea to become a AAA member and upgrade with their towing service.
Dont bother with an RV as the motel quality is pretty good along the way.
Yes Arizona and Utah are amazing and so is a quick ride on a train out of New York City.

 

[ozjuice]

Thanks for the report!

FYI for anyone wanting to visit Yosemite - it's open all year round. Does not close. What closes is Tioga Rd (HW120) to vehicular traffic between Tioga Pass & Crane Flat usually between about November and May. This is what stops you from being able to drive through Tuolomne Meadows and out the eastern entrance. The last northern winter was particularly cold and long for them and as a result Tioga Rd did not open until the end of June. Glaciar Point Road also closes in winter so again you won't be able to drive to this part of the park. You can still hike all over if you wish.

Yes you are right but the problem with this is that Tiogo pass is actually half of the reason to visit Yosemite and if you're travelling from Nevade / Vegas then the access from the West is far too long to go around. As you say, the winter this season was exceptional which is why it was closed and the Lakes at Mammoth were all still frozen. I was unlucky this year but very lucky last year.

 

[Dr Ralph]

For anyone wanting to do a US road trip just remember the interstate highways are divided and you can do at least 400 miles a day without any issues

Absolutely. I would also add:

1) The interstate roads are usually quite good. But very fast flowing. Speeding seems quite normal in the US and the police don't seem to care as long as you aren't either doing it in a dangerous manner or exceeding the speed limit by more than 30%. As just one example over the 8,000 kms I have traveled since July 1 I recently took the interstate between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Posted speed limit was 70 mph for most of the trip. If you actually traveled at that speed you were in grave danger of being in an accident because you were traveling too slow. Needed to travel at last 75 and preferably 80 mph. Even at that speed very large numbers of cars still over took me. It's not unusual to see cars over take marked police vehicles and exceed the speed limit to do so.

2) Unlike Australia there will be plenty of rest areas to take a break from the driving.

3) Within short distances there will normally be places to stay at reasonable hotels just off the interstate. So if you didn't want to drive further for the day it will be very easy to find suitable accommodation options that would normally not need to be booked in advance.


Over the past 5 years I've driven more than 30,000 kms in the US. I still have quite a bit of driving to do on my current trip and I'd have no hesitation in telling anyone that it's very easy driving in the US. Car hire is ridiculously cheap. On average I'd say it was 1/3 of the price of Australia. Given the drama of airport travel (the TSA is never easy). I actually prefer to drive over short to medium distances in the US if I have the time to spare.

 

[NoName]

Yes you are right but the problem with this is that Tiogo pass is actually half of the reason to visit Yosemite and if you're travelling from Nevade / Vegas then the access from the West is far too long to go around. As you say, the winter this season was exceptional which is why it was closed and the Lakes at Mammoth were all still frozen. I was unlucky this year but very lucky last year.

I don't want to hijack this thread any further but will make two quick points:

- Agree not being able to see the Tuolomne Meadows area easily is a bit of a drawback but still plenty of fantastic and more famous attractions in Yosemite Valley with Glaciar Pt still being quite easily accessible via the Four Mile Trail if you want to hike.

- Vegas to Yosemite Valley via the Big Oak Flat Road entrance takes only 1hr more than via Tioga Pass. Yes you miss out on Death Valley and some other attractions in the eastern Sierras but in pure time it's not much longer.

 

[kermatu]

Thanks for the report. Brought back some nice memories of Arizona in particular.

 

[RB]

Thanks for the report. I read it all in 1 go & felt the highs & lows that your style of writing portrayed. Excellent photos & I really enjoyed how you coped with the inevitable challenges.
I hope you get another chance at enjoying Suite travel as I am sure I would enjoy your summary of the experience