West Coast USA 2005: Tips and Tricks

It's been an interesting article looking back on the details of a trip taken over 6 years ago! I have added the best and worst from our trip below, with some recommendations if you're thinking of doing a similar itinerary.

Rebecca
Favourite Photo:

Lone Cypress, Monterey

Highlights:

• Any of the National Parks
• Reliving my childhood at Disneyland
• Vegas, as a non-drinker, non-gambler I still don't get sick of Vegas

What would you do differently next time:

• Spend more time in Sedona, we really only drive through and there is so much more to the area
• Spend at least one night on the Strip in Vegas, we've been there so many times to see family and never stayed on the strip!

Recommendations:

• We had excellent weather, May was a perfect time of year for this trip
• Book ahead at the National Parks, I don't know how many people we ran into that we're trying to book that day and had to drive 1+ hr out of the park to find accommodation
• Buy food and snacks from the grocery stores and take them with you, then you can have impromptu picnics along the way

DH
Favourite Photo:

Kings Canyon National Park

Highlights:

• Grand canyon, pictures don't do it justice
• Driving down Hwy 1
• Death Valley - who builds a castle in the middle of nowhere?
• The big trees of Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks, as with the Grand Canyon pictures don't do them justice

What would you do differently next time:

• I wouldn't miss anything, I would make it longer though to see more National Parks

Recommendations:

• Don't be put off by the Americanism you see on television, it's nothing like the country itself.
• Hire a car, it's the best way to see what you want when you want
• Make sure you see the Grand Canyon by helicopter
• Stay at the Golden Gate B&B in San Fransisco - great location