# Las Vegas to Oakland Road Trip, Aug 2015



## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

So everyone, I need suggestions and itineraries!

For years (and years) I have had this fantasy of going somewhere out west, renting a camper, and touring national parks and other scenic sights. Well, it may be coming true. I have a conference in Las Vegas next Aug (3rd - 5th). I started thinking about the idea of extending the trip to tour and mentioned it to a friend. Turns out she owns a 2007 RoadTrek (Agile model, 19'). She'll be at the same conference as me, so she has offered to drive her rig from Oakland to LV, then let me rent it (with my husband) and return it to her in Oakland. A custom private rental! I am psyched!

I need to come up with a potential itinerary. I am thinking a 9-10 day trip...leaving LV on the 5th (in the afternoon) or first thing in the morning on Thursday Aug 6th. I would like to return the van to my friend on Sat Aug 15th, then we would fly home to Maine that evening.

My understanding is that the national and state parks in Utah (Bryce, Zion, the Arches, Monument Valley) are spectacular. There is also Yosemite in California. Could we tour around Utah for a few days, then make a straight shot from Salt Lake City to Reno, then down to Yosemite, then on to Oakland in the time available?

I've never been to this part of the country so it will be all new to me (I have been to Glacier Nat'l Park and Banff). I know Death Valley must be avoided. But beyond that...wide open 

People with experience and options, I am looking forward to hearing from you!

L


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

I grew up doing summer road trips to Bryce, Zion, Arches, Monument valley.. you will LOVE the trip. (if you have time, a day in Salt Lake City would also not be amiss.) Aug, will be HOT and DRY. Take plenty of water, remember to drink it. Go the northern route through Tahoe/Truckee/Donner Pass and it will be easier. If you want to stay overnight in Yosemite, book it soon. (my parents were both working there when they met.) It can book up quickly. 

Death Valley is MUCH further south than you are planning to go. Also, plan your trip via miles per day to travel, not destinations. I remember some friends from back east coming out to visit when I was younger, and their plan was, Sea World San Diego after breakfast, Disney Land after Lunch, and dinner in San Francisco.  They had No concept of how far that actually was for driving, that San Diego to San Francisco was approx a 10 hour drive with reasonable breaks for gas/food/stretching.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I've always wanted to see Yosemite, so if I were in your shoes, I'd probably start by figuring that's part of the itinerary, then add in whatever else would fit. 

(I really enjoyed my visit to Thermopolis WY this summer, but that's going to be way off your beaten path -- those are big states out there!)


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

I second what BTackitt said, you have to plan in terms of miles.  The distance betwen things is a lot more then us Easterners are used to....  Also, pad the time you think it will take to get places and the amount of time you will want to spend there.  You always spend more time sightseeing (especially in peak tourist time) than you expect 

Personally, if you had to skip something on your list, I'd say skip Zion.  I found it a bit boring and not really worth the time.  However, I adore Bryce and wish I could go back there. 

And I guess I'm not visiting Maine in early August 2015.


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## Robert Dahlen (Apr 27, 2014)

If you've never been to San Francisco, it's just across the Bay Bridge from Oakland, so if you're so inclined, you may want to add that to your itinerary.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Robert Dahlen said:


> If you've never been to San Francisco, it's just across the Bay Bridge from Oakland, so if you're so inclined, you may want to add that to your itinerary.


Thanks, Robert. I have been to SF quite a few times and have seen lots of things, from the very touristy (Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz) to the more thoughtful (museums). Although I would love to see more, for this trip I think we are going to focus on national parks and wilderness.

L


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

This itinerary should be right up my alley, but I am brain-dead right now and not coming up with anything. August in Yosemite will be VERY crowded, so you should make reservations as soon as you can. There are many spots in the Sierra Nevadas that are a must stop for me, but if you have never seen Yosemite, it should be a requirement. The Utah parks are lovely. On the other hand, you could drive over to the coast and take Hiway 1 all the way north. I will keep thinking.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I'm going to add stuff to this post as I think of it. First:

valley of Fire State Park. Beautiful red rock formations and petroglyphs.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Fire_State_Park

These photo are from VoF on a trip back in 2007:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2313

More to come.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

If I am back home by August, I do hope we can meet....

The SouthWest is my home and I love it dearly, but it is ungodly hot in August, so plan your visits to higher elevations...

You may want to consider going straight to the Coast The Pacific Coast Highway is just spectacular.......Redwood forest, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Catalina Island...Oakland and San Francisco are wonderful cities. Yosemite is beautiful, but tends to be a parking lot during the season.

Come back in the Winter and I will show you Death Valley !!!


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

NapCat said:


> If I am back home by August, I do hope we can meet....
> 
> The SouthWest is my home and I love it dearly, but it is ungodly hot in August, so plan your visits to higher elevations...
> 
> ...





NapCat said:


> If I am back home by August, I do hope we can meet....
> 
> The SouthWest is my home and I love it dearly, but it is ungodly hot in August, so plan your visits to higher elevations...
> 
> ...


I vote for the coastal route also. And if you are in the PNW, you are welcome at my house!


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

NapCat said:


> If I am back home by August, I do hope we can meet....
> 
> The SouthWest is my home and I love it dearly, but it is ungodly hot in August, so plan your visits to higher elevations...
> 
> ...


Nappy is of course right. I missed the August date. I was at Valley of Fire in spring twice. The name might be too literal in August however.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

So I need to know...what is so fabulous about Yosemite? When I read "It's a parking lot in August," I get concerned. We have a big NP here in Maine (Acadia) which also turns into a parking lot in August (at least the Mt. Desert Island part does). When I am giving Maine travel advice, I try to steer people to other beautiful locations where they are not going to spend all their time fighting for parking places and battling crowds. So I am wondering...is Yosemite worth the effort or would I be wiser to focus on other, less popular locations and plan a Yosemite trip at another time?

The August dates are fixed, due to the conference I am attending, but the length of the trip might possibly be extended, if the itinerary requires it.

L


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Leslie said:


> So I need to know...what is so fabulous about Yosemite? When I read "It's a parking lot in August," I get concerned. We have a big NP here in Maine (Acadia) which also turns into a parking lot in August (at least the Mt. Desert Island part does). When I am giving Maine travel advice, I try to steer people to other beautiful locations where they are not going to spend all their time fighting for parking places and battling crowds. So I am wondering...is Yosemite worth the effort or would I be wiser to focus on other, less popular locations and plan a Yosemite trip at another time?
> 
> The August dates are fixed, due to the conference I am attending, but the length of the trip might possibly be extended, if the itinerary requires it.
> 
> L


Given the choice, I would not go to Yosemite in August. It is a lovely place to see, and if dates were fixed, like yours are, I might try to fit it in if I had never seen it. The Yosemite of my childhood no longer exists.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Jane917 said:


> Given the choice, I would not go to Yosemite in August. It is a lovely place to see, and if dates were fixed, like yours are, I might try to fit it in if I had never seen it. The Yosemite of my childhood no longer exists.


Thanks, Jane. I feel like I have more of a chance of getting back to California, than I do to Utah, so I am wondering about putting more energy into Utah for this trip.

Of course, we need to end up in Calif. to return the van.

L


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

go to bryce, go to bryce, go to bryce.....


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

telracs said:


> go to bryce, go to bryce, go to bryce.....


Bryce is awesome.

Truth in advertising, I have not been to this place (yet), but I am repeatedly told it is awesome:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509

They have a "Friends of bodie" day every August which will probably be worthwhile, but will probably draw visitors. Someone more local can probably get better advice about it.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

telracs said:


> go to bryce, go to bryce, go to bryce.....


Right now, on my tentative timetable, I have two nights at Bryce Canyon.

L


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

you will love that. I remember being there mid summer when I was about 8-10... and there was this HUGE storm in the middle of the night. We were sleeping in my Grandma's little Chinook camper:








Where the top popped up, and we kids slept up over the front seats. we woke up and watched the storm because the lightning was just COOL lighting up the canyon at night.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Well, my trip has changed quite a bit. If you recall, I was going to borrow/rent a RoadTrek from a friend. I had to finish the trip in Oakland to return it to her. Well, she was having some work done on it and while it was in the shop, it caught fire and burned up! She said the inside is totally destroyed and she is not sure it can be repaired. 

So...no camper for us. Now we are thinking of renting a car and staying at hotels/inns/B&Bs vs. camping. Since we don't need to end up in California, we can circle in Utah and Arizona to see Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. Still seeing the west but a different itinerary, that's for sure.

Even with the change, travel tips are welcome!

L


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

ouch, sorry about your friend's camper.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

http://www.cruiseamerica.com/


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> http://www.cruiseamerica.com/


I looked at CruiseAmerica, as well as some other rental companies, and only saw extremely negative reviews. Right now we're thinking car and hotel/motel and ditch the camping part of the trip.

L


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