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16 Day itinerary in United States, North America

Campervan In The West

Wide open spaces and natural wonders! The America of your dreams is to be discovered on this great trip to the American West. On the program, the two iconic cities of California, the endless forests of California, the desert landscapes of Arizona and beautiful canyons. Few countries in the world can... Read More

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Carolina

By Carolina

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Easy
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Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English

GUIDANCE

On Some Day Trips

starting point

San Francisco

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Skiing/Snowboarding

Hiking

Kayak & Canoe

Rafting

Snorkeling/Diving

Cycling

Nature & Wildlife

Explorer Trips

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Discover the most beautiful parks in the West

2

Feeling of freedom

3

Stay close to nature

4

Enjoy some beautiful sunsets

Itinerary

Lodges/Camping/Glamping expand_more

Day 1

place Arrival at San Francisco

Arrive at San Francisco Airport, hop in a cab or take the BART to downtown where your hotel is located. Enjoy your first moments in San Francisco by strolling through Union Square and Market Street, San Francisco’s main street with many shops, restaurants and its famous Ferry Building.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Guesthouses, B&B
Day 2

place Discover San Francisco

Day planned for the visit of the most European city in the United States. Start the day by walking along the city docks to Pier 39 with its famous seals. Continue your walk through the Marina District to the Golden Gate Bridge. From there, a magnificent view of the city and Alcatraz prison awaits you. For the afternoon, dive back into the city, passing Golden Gate Park to the Haight & Ashbury district. Here, Thrift stores, record stores, wacky souvenirs are available. End your day quietly by strolling in the district of Castro, a mythical place of the queer movement, and by having a refreshment in Dolores Park to admire the sunset over the city.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Guesthouses, B&B
Day 3

place San Francisco / Lake Tahoe – 320km

It’s the big day, this morning you take possession of your little cocoon for the next 15 days. Take the Bay Bridge across the bay, as the name suggests, to Oakland. Continue on the road to Sacramento, the capital of California. Stroll through Old Sacramento with its many restaurants, bars and shops. Stop by the California Museum to learn more about the Golden State. Get back behind the wheel on Route 50 through the forests to Lake Tahoe. Favorite place for city dwellers who want to spend a long weekend between lake and forest. Your campsite is located on the lake, very close to South Lake Tahoe. Sunbathe at the beach, hike at Emerald Bay State Park to enjoy the view of the lake or enjoy water activities such as kayaking, standup, …

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 4

place Lake Tahoe / Yosemite – 335km

This morning, take route 395 south. Drive a few miles through Nevada, where your first stop is, Topoz Lake. Admire this large lake in the middle of the mountains which forms the border between California and Nevada. Continue along Route 395 along the West Walker River to Sonora Junction. Route 395 continues south, changing landscapes with hot springs and small creeks. Your next stop is Mono Lake. This high-altitude desert is located next to the high mountains of the Sierra. You will find tuff towers lining the shores of a million-year-old lake like ghosts, the salty vestige of an ancient inland sea. Learn more about the lake at the interpretive center. In the afternoon, you enter Yosemite Park via Route 120 or better known as TiogaPass. Stop at Tuolumne Meadow and enjoy the tranquility of this meadow at the bottom of the mountains. Go deep into the forest and the mountains to reach your campsite. Take a good look around to see wildlife such as black bears. You sleep in Yosemite Valley, very close to the start of many hikes, including the Four Miles Trail which takes you to Glacier Point with an unbeatable view of the park.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 5

place Yosemite / Sequoia – 278km

After a beautiful night in the heart of nature, drive down pretty Route 41 to Bass Lake. From here, take the small country roads 274 and 222 to find yourself almost alone among forests, meadows and lakes. Continue along the back roads, passing Pine Flat Lake, to the entrance to Sequoia Park. Make a short stop at the General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park to discover these gigantic trees. Continue along the winding road through the park to your campsite, which is located at the Lodgepole Visitor Center. Enjoy your perfect location to hike the Tokopah Trailhead which leads you to the TokopahFalls.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 6

place Sequoia / Mojave National Reserve / Needles – 586km

Leave early for this long day on the road. Pass by the former industrial town of Bakersfield which today offers great culture to its population with its iconic Fox Theater. Enter desert landscapes by taking Route 58 towards Barstow. This is where you cross the famous Route 66. Take a break in Calico, an unpretentious little ghost town. This allows you to stretch your legs in a Western atmosphere. Take the road back on Route 15 towards the Mojave National Reserve. Find yourself in the middle of this desert and explore the Kelso Dunes which are among the largest sand dunes in the USA. Wait for the sunset for a magnificent spectacle. Your campsite is located in Needles about an hour’s drive from the reserve.

Day 7

place Needles / Zion – 430km

This new day on the road takes you to the city where everything is possible, Las Vegas. Cross the Strip and its world famous casinos. Try your luck at the slot machine. Then, go experience old Las Vegas which gets a new life with cultural facilities as well as its neon classics. Exit Sin City and take Route 15 to the Valley of Fire Highway. Appreciate the flamboyant color of the rocks while doing the short White Dome hike. Take the road to your final destination, Springdale at the gateway to Zion. Nestled at the foot of the cliffs, this small town offers superb landscapes. Relax in a café or at your campsite.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 8

place Discover Zion

This morning you are not driving. That said, we advise you to get up early to take advantage of the early morning freshness of the park. Go on a canyon adventure of The Narrows Hike with the right equipment because your feet will be in the water. If you want to gain height, explore the Angels Landing course with a great view of the park at the end. You can also rent bikes to ride the Pa’rus Trail.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 9

place Zion / Grand Canyon North – 196km

After this resting day, take the road towards the Grand Canyon. Drive on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway through Zion Park to enjoy the park’s rugged scenery one last time. Go down road 89 and stop at Kanab. Nicknamed “Little Hollywood”, the city has been the setting for many western films. Learn more at the Little Hollywood museum. Continue on Route 89 which takes you directly to the Grand Canyon Highway. Cross the forest and then the Kaibab Plateau before arriving at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Your campsite is at the end of the road. This part of the Grand Canyon is less frequented by tourists and allows you to be more peaceful. There are many points of view available, such as the Bright Angel Point and the Coconino Overlook. If you want to get down the Canyon, walk part of the 22 km North Kaibab Trail. In the evening, admire the sunset over the canyon.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 10

place Grand Canyon North / Lake Powell – 206km

After spending the night under a starry sky, turn back into the Kaibab forest. Go south around Vermillion Cliff National Monument on Highway 89. Cross the Colorado River on the Navajo Bridge. You can stop at the interpretation center to take the second almost identical point on foot. Continue on route 89 and go up towards Page. Before arriving in town, stop at Horseshoe Bend Viewpoint, the famous bend in Colorado. Pass through the town of Page, then cross Colorado River again at the Glenn Canyon Dam. You arrive at Wahweap Bay at Lake Powell to spend the next two nights.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 11

place Discover Lake Powell

Start the day with a visit to the Antelope Canyon with its spectacular colors. Then take a break from the road and venture out onto Lake Powell. Rent kayaks for the day alone or with a guide, rest on one of the many beaches, take a boat ride to admire the many canyons of the lake. Take advantage of your evening to have a drink at the Lake Powell Resort.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 12

place Lake Powell / Sedona – 272km

After a day without driving, get back behind the wheel of your van on route 89 heading south. Much of the road will be desert, with the feeling of being in the heart of a wild west film. Just before arriving in Flagstaff, the landscape becomes greener. Mythical town on Route 66, downtown Flagstaff offers many small restaurants, bars and cafés with memories of the great era of the famous route. Continue on Highway 89 toward Sedona. You begin one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the United States by crossing Oak Creek Canyon. Don’t hesitate to make stops on the road to take in the views. Your campsite is located very close to downtown Sedona, perfect for strolling through the very pleasant city center. Sedona is named “Dark Sky” by reducing the light at night to enjoy incredible starry skies.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 13

place Sedona / Joshua National Park – 630km

Leave the tranquility of Sedona to make your way to the 5th largest city in the United States, Phoenix. Known for being a sunny city all year round, the metropolis also offers an ideal quality of life for its population in terms of nature, recreation, cultures and food. Learn about First Nations history at the Heard Museum, sip an iced coffee in hipster Roosvelt, … Change direction and head west on Hwy 10. Your next stop is Joshua Tree National Park where you will spend the night there. Enter through the park through the Cottonwood visitor center. Take the Pinto Bassin Road which crosses the park to your campsite. Enjoy the sunset and admire the panorama of the park from Keys View. Tonight is the last opportunity to take advantage of the absence of light pollution to marvel under the stars.

Accommodation:

  • Lodges/Camping/Glamping: Camping
Day 14

place Joshua National Park / Los Angeles – 204km

The last day on the road begins with a stopover in Palm Springs, a city loved by Los Angeles residents to spend the weekend outside of the city. This is also where the world famous Coachella festival takes place. Go up the mountain with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. From up there, enjoy the many trails and viewpoints of Mt San Jacinto. Travel the last kilometers of your roadtrip to your final destination, the city of angels. Spend the end of the day and the evening by the beah in Santa Monica or Venice Beach to relax from this long journey.

Day 15

place Discover Los Angeles

One last time, go on a exploration this time to discover Los Angeles. Climb up to Griffith Observatory for one of the city’s best vantage points. The Hollywood sign is also visible there. Runyon Canyon is also a great vantage point of the city as well as the beautiful homes of the Hollywood Hills. Walk down to the La Brea district where you find the Farmer’s Market and The Grove an open shopping center. Perfect for eating out and shopping. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is also right next door. At the end of the day, make the most of your last night to socialize with locals at one of Silver Lake’s many bar restaurants or go dancing all night long in West Hollywood.

Day 16

place Los Angeles Departure

Head to the airport and say goodbye to your van with whom you lived for almost 2 weeks. You have seen things! Get on the plane with memories in your head.

What’s Included

Accommodation expand_less

  • Guesthouses, B&B
  • Camping

Transport expand_less

  • Car rental of a GMC Savana style campervan (mileage 100miles /day, one wayfee, bedding kit, kitchen)

Extras expand_less

  • Helpline 24/7
  • American taxes
  • Full insurance for car rental

Not Included expand_less

  • International flight
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals except ones mentioned in INCLUDED
  • Optional activities
  • Entrance fees to the national parks
  • Anything not mentioned above

About Carolina

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FROM PRICE PER TRAVELER

$2,091.00 USD