Here we will discuss the planning phase of the road trip, including the itinerary, flight, rental car...and much more!
Further details about the daily activities and accommodation recommendations can be found in Part 3, while I'll be addressing some frequently asked questions in Part 1:
15-Days Road Trip exploring Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and California - Part 1: FAQ
Make an Itinerary
Naturally, you'll need an itinerary to kick off your planning! Below is the itinerary I followed, which includes both cities and national parks. Feel free to adjust it as you like by adding, removing stops or varying the number of days spent in each location. I chose Las Vegas as the starting point for my road trip as I found good flight deals from Luxembourg, where I live. However, you can choose another starting location for your journey, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Day 1 – Las Vegas
Day 2 – Gran Canyon ( through Route 66)
Day 3 – Gran Canyon
Day 4 – Twentynine Palms /Joshua Tree National Park ( stops: Oatman, Amboy - through Route 66)
Day 5 – San Diego
Day 6 – Los Angeles (stops: Newport Beach, Laguna Beach)
Day 7 – Los Angeles
Day 8 – Pacific coast - Morro Bay (stops: Malibu, Santa Barbara, Solvang)
Day 9 – Pacific coast - Pacific Grove (stop: Carmel by the Sea)
Day 10 – San Francisco (stops: Monterey, Santa Cruz)
Day 11 – San Francisco
Day 12 – Yosemite National Park
Day 13 – Yosemite National Park /Mammoth Lakes
Day 14 – Death Valley/Las Vegas
Day 15 – Las Vegas
Book your Flights
It's time to book your flights! Before doing so, you might want to check all the entry requirements for the US, such as the ESTA for EU citizens.
I flew to Las Vegas with United Airlines, and everything went quite smoothly. On my way to the US, I missed the connection in New York, but since there are so many flights from New York to Las Vegas, it was easy to get accommodated on the next available flight.
If you are planning to book your flight with United Airlines, it could be useful to know that even if you book the cheapest fare, which is Basic Economic, you are still allowed to bring with you a carry-on bag in the plane if certain conditions are met. More specifically, carry-on bags are included in the Basic Economy fare if you're flying to Canada, South America, across the Atlantic or on an international flight across the Pacific. I decided to travel with only a carry-on bag and so it was very important to have the bag with me on the plane.
I often use Skyscanner to compare all flight options. It's a flight comparison tool that helps you find the best routes and deals worldwide. It can also show you the cheapest destinations for your travel dates, the most affordable travel dates for your chosen destination, or the cheapest places to visit in each month of the year if you have some flexibility. I highly recommend using Skyscanner as a starting point for your flight research. In addition, start the search at least 3 months before your trip if you are planning to fly during peak travel seasons. This gives you a better chance to find good deals and avoid last-minute price hikes.
Reserve your car
As for the flights, starting your search for a rental car early provides a better opportunity to find great deals. Given the distance I planned to drive, I chose a Cadillac XT5, which performed exceptionally well!
Below some points to keep in mind when booking a rental car:
- Make sure the car comes with air conditioning if you're traveling in the summer.
- Opt for the Collision Damage Waiver with zero excess insurance if you don’t want to worry about anything during your trip.
- including the GPS is very expensive! Instead of doing so, buy an unlimited data e-sim which enables you to use map applications online. I personally opted for Holafly eSIM.
- Check if you need an international driving permit. In addition to an ID card, a driving license and a credit card you may need an IPD if your license is written in non-Latin characters. I suggest to check directly with the car agency if an IPD is required in your specific case, as regulations vary between states in the US.
Rentalcars.com is one of the most popular and dependable websites for car rentals. It frequently offers reservations with free cancellation, providing you with a great deal of flexibility if your plans change. Here’s a handy tip: keep an eye on the prices on Rentalcars.com. If you book with free cancellation, you can always cancel and rebook the same car if you notice that the price has dropped.
Book the accommodations
Whether you prefer to book your accommodations before your trip or on the day of your stay is entirely up to you! Booking while traveling offers greater flexibility and might lead to better deals. However, keep in mind that you may have fewer options, especially during the summer when many hotels are often fully booked, and it may be stressful not to know where to stop.
No matter which option you choose, I highly recommend booking your accommodation in advance if you plan to stay inside the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. These locations are frequently sold out.
Personally, I opted to book in advance and made all my reservations through Booking.com and Trip.com. I recommend creating an account on both sites, as this allows you to level up through your bookings and access better deals. As for Rentalcars.com, these sites frequently offer reservations with free cancellation. Therefore, it can be useful to monitor the prices and re-book if the rates drop.
All the hotels I booked, except for those in Las Vegas, offered complimentary parking. Parking fees can be quite expensive, especially in cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco , so be sure to look this up when booking a hotel.
Keep in mind that also some activities are frequently sold-out so don’t forget to book them in advance. For example, if you’re interested in visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco, the Hearst Castle in Cambria or the Universal Studios in Hollywood, I recommend to book the tickets in advance. Here the links:
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Very nice blog ! Thanks for the tips ;)