A Road Trip Through The West Coast And The National Parks Of America

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A hands-on guidebook for an unforgettable, familial road trip.

The United States extend over 9 833 517 km² (11760787996830yd²) and count a multitude of cultures and landscapes. During one month, my family and I crossed 5 states in the West of the country and met very friendly, welcoming people. Here are some tips to plan an extraordinary road trip of yours, based on the story of our adventure.

What? A road trip through the West Coast and the national parks of the United States of America, from San Francisco to Los Angeles

How long? One month

Which itinerary? San Francisco, California – Yosemite National Park, California - Las Vegas, Nevada – Monument Valley, Navajo Tribal Park, Utah – Durango, Colorado – Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
…show more content…
We walked along the Pier 39, visited the Financial Quarter, ate typical Chinese pastries in Chinatown, climbed the famous Lombard Street, took a Cable Car, heard the seals laughing on Pier 39, and crossed the Golden Gate. After these exhausting days in the bustling city, we went to the Yosemite National Park, the first national park of our adventure: a resourcing escapade tinged by the scent of cypress. Invigorated, we hit the road again. Next stop: Las Vegas, and so on… Altogether, we spent one week in the cities and two weeks in the national …show more content…
Yet, it is essential to avoid running late and being unnecessarily frustrated. You won’t be able to see everything, anyway. So take it easy and enjoy every moment of your exciting adventure!

Before the wonders of the national parks, we were at first somewhat disappointed not to explore them more in depth. Because we didn’t have much time (one month flies so quickly), we decided to make only one trek per park. With hindsight, we are very pleased to have had a glance at so many different parks, different atmospheres, and surroundings!

4. Avoid expensive tourist attractions

…like a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. Prefer interactive activities where you are the actor of your entertainment such as trekking in the wilderness, biking in the canyons, rafting down a river, swimming in a lake. Not only these cost you less, but they let you with magic, long-lasting memories of shared moments with (new) friends and family.

We rent a boat and spent one day on the Lake Powell, Utah. Being a one-day captain, lunching on the deck … a great experience for the whole family! We also rafted down the Colorado River in Moab, Utah, with an organized group (see . We swam in the rapids, we lunched with fantastic people and felt like real adventurers.

Rafting,

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