USA Roadtrip
Los Angeles
A few days spent in LA was enough, to take in the famous sights of Beverly Hills, stroll down the Walk of Fame, get a selfie in front of the Hollywood sign and capture the nightlife as you celebrity spot your way through the bars and clubs. A trip to the Warner Bros studios was a must, seeing the sets for some of the top rated TV shows on the planet and seeing where the magic happens, a very cool experience. LA has a very laid back vibe, feeling very cool, glamourous and all being close to the beach, helps to see why so many of the rich and famous love it so much.
Las Vegas
Taking a journey through Death Valley, heading to Las Vegas was exactly how you would imagine a USA road-trip to be, think long straight roads that disappear over the horizon, deserts and mountains either side of you, roadside diners and motels on route, you have the Death Valley experience. As we drive, we start to see the outline of a city appearing ahead, Las Vegas. Discover the Strip and the iconic hotels of the Venetian, New York New York, Caesars Palace and of course the Bellagio, with its famous fountain display. Getting a photo taken in front of the Las Vegas sign just south of Mandalay Bay and if you’re in the party mood, a pool party at the classic Flamingo hotel. Just outside of the city itself lies one of the most famous National Parks, found on many bucket-lists, the Grand Canyon. We woke early to take a helicopter ride through the Canyon, flying deep into the rocks and views of the Colorado River at sunrise, sights and memories that still give me goose bumps today.
Yosemite National Park
Around 6 hours drive from Las Vegas lies Yosemite National Park. The journey itself offers some amazing viewpoints, more discovery of Death Valley, its mountain ranges and historical hot-spots. As you drive into Yosemite National Park, you will be mesmerised by the changing scenery and seasons the deeper you travel. Famous for its giant ancient sequoia trees, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Captain and Half Dome, Yosemite is a true gem and highlight of a West Coast road-trip. Various hiking and walking trails allow you to immerse yourself in some of the most incredible natural sights, leaving you speechless. We chose a wooden cabin to spend our 2 nights at Yosemite, heading into Yosemite Village for local restaurants and bars to refuel for the following day of exploring.
San Francisco
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge was one of the first stops I wanted to make when we arrived to San Francisco. We hired bikes and rode through Golden Gate Park exploring the area before arriving at the bridge, it was our second attempt as our first day the weather was cloudy, but when the blue skies appeared it was an incredible view. Later that day we chose to take the tram around the city, the steep hills and roads were just like how I remembered them from the movies. We arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf, exploring Pier 39 and the seals resting spot, before boarding the ferry across to Alcatraz Prison where we had a guided tour of the island and within the prison itself. A very surreal experience and despite the warm weather in the city, found the breeze coming across the water made the island feel very cold.
Santa Monica
Our final stop on the trip was back down to Santa Monica. We chose to take the drive back to LA from San Francisco, just for the love of the roads and all the landmarks we could take in on route. Our last night found us at Santa Monica pier, where we enjoyed the nightlife, vendor foods and found the sign for reaching the end of Route 66.
While our route didn’t quite cover the famous Route 66 trip, we ticked off some major bucket-list destinations and saw some beautiful locations both city and of mother nature herself. One of the most memorable travel experiences to date and that was only a start…there is still so much to explore!