In mid-August we're going to a wedding in Las Vegas. (Note to self: make sure we RSVP'd...) We figured since that's only 500+ miles from Monterey we should see Kitty, Mike and the new baby. (Well, I guess he won't be quite so new in August. But he'll be new to us!) So we're flying to San Jose a week earlier than the wedding and renting a car.
After we've annoyed them for a few days we'll take a few days to drive down to Las Vegas. Any ideas on what to see in between? (Suggestions to "hang out in Death Valley" filed to /dev/null...)
Posted from cwinters.com; read original
Actually, don't discount Death Valley. With all the rains this year, it's blossomed spectacularly. I read in the newpaper that the NPS has had to bring in additional rangers from other parks to meet the high demand. But by mid-August it'll probably be too late to see any difference.
As to other choices: Depending on the route you want to take, if you go thru the eastern Sierra, there's lots of beautiful areas to see (the western sierra is mostly desert -- better in the winter). Personally I'd recommend Mono Lake. Go thru the Tioga Pass to Lee Vining. Afterwards you can take 395 down to Las Vegas.
Re:Death Valley and other choices
lachoy on 2005-04-01T15:27:53
Mono Lake indeed looks beautiful, thanks. I hadn't planned to totally ignore Death Valley, I just figured some smartass might make a "take a long walk off a short pier"-type suggestion
:-)
If you go the way that Yahoo maps suggests for Monterey to Vegas, you'll be driving right through World Famous "Kramer Junction", aka Four Corners, the place that proves that in the middle of nowhere, anyplace is someplace. The rocket ship that used to be out in front of the Astro Burger (IIRC) isn't there anymore, but you'll have plenty of time to wonder why Captain Beefhart used to live out there in the Mojave Desert, or come to understand why he made the music that he did
And Randsburg would be slightly out of the way if you go that way.
If you take the Tioga Pass, Bodie is slightly out of the way, but after you get over Tioga Pass and hit the 395, going slightly north to the Mono Lake overlook is worth the view anyway (though by then you will have seen the view coming down from Tioga Pass).
Re:You may be driving through /dev/null
runrig on 2005-04-09T07:36:24
Also, if you decide to go the Mojave route instead of Yosemite/Mono Lake, you may want to start the trip out by just driving south through Big Sur (where you should always stop for the photo op at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park). Then if you feel like taking the short route to Vegas, you can head over from Paso Robles to the I-5, or head further south on the 101 if you feel like taking a longer route.Re:You may be driving through /dev/null
runrig on 2005-04-09T07:43:38
The cafe at Lucia (a back patio table w/a view) was also a worthwhile stop last time I was there. That was years ago...the highway has been closed every time I've been back that way:( Re:You may be driving through /dev/null
runrig on 2005-04-09T07:50:19
FYI, Lucia.
