Originally Posted by
jim87
My friends are locked into 12-26 and 27 in SF, 28 in Napa, 31 Vegas, fly home the 6th at 7 pm. They have read this threads feedback, send their thank yous, and affirm that the Grand Canyon is not negotiable, but wonder if replacing Yosemite with Sequoia NP might help intinerary.
Sequoia is NOT an improvement to their already overloaded schedule.Sequoia is a MUCH more visitor-friendly park in summer than winter. While there are many impressive sights in Sequoia, a LOT of them are OFF the highway, and require walking....or
possibly SNOWSHOEING or Cross-Country Sking to reach at this time of year. Most of Yosemite's most famous vistas can be seen from a roadway...most of Sequoia's can not. Chains are not just a good idea, but almost manditory, and are NOT going to be provided with a rental car in SFO. Roads are more subject to closure due to snow and ice than the entry/exit to Yosemite. Further, they will still be at the mercy of the weather in the mountians and the CA's Central Valley (Tule Fog) Yosemite is much more visitor friendly in winter.
And getting reservations in EITHER of these park's accomidations this late is going to be difficult.
If they insist on the schedule as they have locked it in, here's my best suggestion...
DON'T TRY TO DO ALL OF CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, & NORTHERN ARIZONA BY CAR IN AS FEW DAYS AS THEY HAVE.
If they *must* go to Yosemite...
Take a SFO to Yosemite 1 day motorcoach tour.
If they *must* go to the Grand Canyon...
Take a Las Vegas to Grand Canyon scenic flight or 1 day motorcoach tour.
Take advantage of the low-cost airfares, bus fares (
www.megabus.com), and train fares (yes, even Amtrak) rather than flogging themselves driving hundres of miles a day in a rental car in potentially dicey road/weather conditions.
Not that I expect they will listen to this good advice...
...but when they need a vacation, after returning to Spain from their vacation, they can't say that the forum did not warn them.