The Pacific Coast – the United States

We have been tempted by the West Coast for a long time – mainly because of National Parks, but also cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas). The West Coast has a more varied landscape than the Atlantic Coast – within 1 hour the landscape can change from desert to mountain. This part of the USA delights with its contrasts (rich mansions and hordes of the homeless, palaces and decaying caravans – houses in the desert).

California differs in many respects from other US states – not only because of the Mexican (majority) minority, but also in terms of prices (gasoline is the most expensive in the US), Death Valley (the lowest point in America) and the Sierra Nevada mountains (Mount Whitney – the highest peak in the US outside Alaska).

Travel journal

Day 1

We go by car to Gdańsk and we leave the car in the parking lot near the airport (P6)
22.40 – SAS flight from Gdańsk to Stockholm Arlanda – 1h05

Day 2

6.35 – Austrian Arlines flight to Vienna, 2h15
10.05 – Austrian Arlines flight from Vienna to Los Angeles, 11h45
At the airport in Los Angeles, we wait about 2 hours until passport check-in (we must show hotel confirmations and a return ticket).
We go by bus for free to the “Dollar” car rental, where we rent a Hyundai Accent car for PLN 1200 for 16 days.
We go to downtown LA with its skyscrapers, from the outside we watch the Walt Disney Concert Hall (original, modern building) and then to El Pueblo near Olvera Street. We find parking for $ 9 (flat rate). We walk down Olvera Street with Mexican handicraft stalls and Mexican restaurants. At the bar we eat 2x meat burritos and 2x meat quesadilla, 2 coffees, Fanta, cola – $ 40.

We go to the Union Station (with equipment from the 1930s) and take the metro (the Red Line) to Hollywood Highland – ticket for $ 1.75 + “tap” card separate for everyone for $ 1 (children also). There are a lot of homeless people in the subway in general and doesn’t make a good impression when it comes to safety.

We walk in Hollywood on the Walk of Fame with the stars on the pavement of famous people and visit the Dolby Theater, where the Oscars are held. In the street, a lot of people dressed up as famous people and imitating or parodying them. We take the subway back to the Union Station and drive about 1 hour to Victorville.
Overnight at the Red Roof Inn in Victorville

Day 3

For breakfast we go to downtown Victorville to the bar “IHOP” (International House of Pancakes) – 3x set of 5 pancakes with syrup (1x $ 6.99), scrambled eggs with bacon and potato pancakes and 2 pancakes ($ 13.49), 2 coffee (1x $ 2.99).
We are going to Joshua Tree National Park (entry under the US National Parks Pass – for a period of 1 year for USD 80 – entry costs USD 25 per car with passengers without a pass). We visit the Visitor’s Center, which houses a small museum and a cafe.
In the Park, we go to the Barker Dam – the trail from the parking lot about 2 km leads to the water reservoir and on the way there are rock drawings. Then we go to the Skull Rock and the Cholla Cactus Garden with cholla cacti. The park is dominated by a desert landscape with rocks and Joshua trees (short-leaved yucca).

From the Park, we go to Twenty-Nine Palms to the “Denny’s” restaurant – 2xhamburger with fries, 2x spaghetti bolognese with salad, 2 lemonades (free refill), coffee (free refill) – USD 43.63. We’re driving through the Mojave desert – we pass only trailers (mobil homes) and crumbling houses – a sign on the way that a gas station for about 100 miles (in California, 1 gallon of gas for about $ 3.39, in Arizona 1 gallon for about $ 2.95).
Overnight in Ash Fork at the Ash Fork Inn Motel – next to the Route 66 Museum.

Day 4

In the morning we have breakfast at a bar in Ash Fork – 4 x omelettes with tomatoes or with cheese and with toast, 2 coffees (refill free), water – $ 29.80.
We visit the Route 66 Museum (free) in Ash Fork – mockups, old cars and a variety of Route 66 souvenirs.

We take route 66 to Seligman. We walk around Seligman – it’s full of bars and souvenir shops. We eat ice cream at the iconic Snow Cap Drive-In bar – $ 2 a piece. There are cars from the 50’s and 60’s on the main street. We go to Grand Canyon National Park (entry 30 USD per car or as part of the US National Parks Pass) from the South Rim side. We go to the Visitor’s Center and to the Mather Point viewpoint – the view over the entire canyon, the Colorado River is not visible at all. We go by bus (for free) to Kaibab and walk back along the path along the edge of the canyon.

We go by car to Grand Canyon Village (not interesting) and then to Tusayan. We eat lunch at a Mexican restaurant – nachos with sauce, 2x burritos with rice and beans for kids, 2 x large burritos (1 x $ 16), water, pepsi.

We go back to the National Park and drive the Desert View Drive to the Desert View viewpoint – we watch the sunset, from here you can see the Colorado River. In the evening it gets cold – around 10 degrees Celsius. We go to Flagstaff and spend the night at “Motel 6” in Flagstaff East.

Day 5

We eat breakfast at “Denny’s” – 4 x scrambled eggs from 2 eggs, 3 x toasts (each 4 pcs.), coffee (refill for free), water, 2 pancakes – $ 30 + tip $ 5. We drive towards Page and on the way we stop at the Horseshoe bend on the Colorado River (free entry) – from the parking lot you have to walk about 2.5 km one way. A climatic place – the Colorado River curves by the rock, creating a horseshoe.

We are going to the Antelope Canyon – we book the entrance to the Upper Antelope in Poland through the website of the “Navajo Tours” office – entrance is USD 60 / adult and USD 30 / child – we take an off-road car to the entrance to the Canyon and then we go inside with a guide – the guide shows where to do the best photos – there is a lot of people inside – the trip takes about 1h15.

We go to Page to Glen Canyon Dam – a dam on the Colorado River – from the Visitor’s Center (free entry) view of the iron bridge and the 210 m high dam, behind which is the artificially created Lake Powell.
We go to Page to a Chinese restaurant with a buffet – USD 13 per person (children too) – a large selection of food (shrimps, spring rolls, chicken or beef in sauces, rice, noodles and desserts – cake, jelly) – drinks separately paid.

We drive about 2 hours to the Monument Valley in Utah (entry by car for $ 20, no one charges us because we are late) – from the terrace there is a view of various types of rock formations in the shape of e.g. gloves, elephants or camels. Next to the Visitor’s Center there is a small museum with photos and an exhibition on Native American history (not very interesting).
We go to Blanding and stay overnight at the Four Corners Inn – a large room with 2 beds and breakfast.
In the evening we are looking for a place to sit, but everything is closed and no alcohol is sold in the town.

Day 6

In the morning we eat breakfast at the hotel – cereals, fruit, muffins, coffee / tea.
The weather changes – it gets cold around 0 degrees Celsius and it starts to rain and snow.
We go to Cortez and then to Mesa Verde National Park (entry by car $ 20 or under the US National Parks Pass). At the entrance there is a Visitor’s Center with an exhibition on Native American culture. You take a winding road uphill about 20 miles. First, we visit the Chapin Mesa Museum (a little modern museum on Anasazi culture) and the Spruce Tree House (a house built into the canyon wall, closed to the public due to maintenance).

Then we go to the Square Tower House (view of the houses with square towers) and to the Sun Temple (from there a good view of the Cliff Palace). Then we drive along the Cliff Palace Loop road – view of the Cliff Palace (the largest cliff estate with round kivas used for ceremonial purposes).

On the way, we stop at Far View Sites (brick houses) and leave the Park for Cortez.
We eat lunch at “Denny’s” restaurant in Cortez – chicken sizzler, hamburger with fries, 2x tomato spaghetti with salad, 2 coffees and water – $ 26 + tip $ 5 (free for children). In Cortez we go to the Lakeside Lanes bowling alley, but all the lanes are full.
At the liquor store, we buy a bottle of California wine (average $ 9). We go to Dove Creek and stay overnight at the Country Inn.

Day 7

Breakfast at the bar in Dove Creek – huevos rancheros, chili bean omelette, 2 x set (pancake, chop and scrambled eggs), 2 coffees, water. In Utah gasoline costs 1 gallon for $ 3.19.

We’re going to Moab and Arches NP (entry 25 USD / car or under the US National Parks Pass). The Visitor Center with a cinema, where a film about how the rock arches were created is shown. First we go to Balanced Rock (rock on a pole) and to Windows (rock windows) and Turret Arch – both very atmospheric places. Then we go to the Delicate Arch – a symbol of Utah and the most interesting place in the Park – from the parking lot, you go about 5 km up a steep trail to the place from where you can see the Delicate Arch (the trail requires some effort).
We go by car to Devils Garden and on foot we approach Landscape Arch (the longest arch is about 100 m) – an easy and short trail to approach.
We’re going to Moab and having lunch at Wendy’s restaurant – 8 burgers, 2x large fries, 2 coffees, 2 drinks (free refills) – 2 burgers for $ 6.
We’re going to Price and overnight at the National 9 Motel – $ 59.95 + taxes $ 7.30 with breakfast.

Day 8

Breakfast at the hotel – waffles (you make yourself), toast, cheese, yoghurt, cereal, juice, coffee.
We’re going to Salt Lake City (SLC) – on the way we drive to Help with an old gas station and wooden houses.

Parking in the SLC center is $ 10 (full day). We go to the shopping center “Creek Center” financed by the Mormons and to Temple Square (free entry, no entry inside the Temple). We visit the Visitor Center with a model of the Temple and Mormon history (more specifically The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), later the Assembly Hall and Tabernaculum (great hall). Later we go to the Research Center (library), where you can look for your ancestors – Mormons, and to the Church History Museum (free entry, children’s play area).

We watch the Lion House from the outside and go to Beehive House (visiting for free with a guide – “sister”) – the house of the prophet Brigham Young, where he lived with …. 55 wives.
We have lunch in the German bistro “Siegfried’s Sausage” – 3 x cutlets with noodles and potato salad (1 x $ 9.99), sausage with pasta and salad, coffee, water, dark beer “Bohemin” (1x $ 4.50) – good food and large portions.
We go by car on the highway to Park City – an Olympic town with a ski jump (Winter Olympics in 2002) and the main street with wooden houses, pubs and restaurants.
We go to Beaver and spend the night at the EconoLodge motel – $ 58.99 + taxes ($ 65.63 in total) with breakfast.

Day 9

Breakfast at the motel – cereal, toast, jam, muffins, coffee, juice.
We’re going to Bryce Canyon NP (entry 25 USD / car or under the US National Parks Pass). In the Visitor Center you can see how the rock spiers (hoodoos) were formed. We ride the Rim Road Scenic Drive to Rainbow Point (the highest vantage point at an altitude of about 3000 m above sea level) and then to the Natural Bridge Viewpoint (rock arch) and to Inspiration Point (view of the amphitheater with rock spiers – an atmospheric place).

We are going towards Zion NP (entry 30 USD / car or as part of the US National Parks Pass). We drive from the east entrance through the Zion Mount Carmel tunnel to the Visitor Center. From there, we take the Scenic Drive through Zion Canyon for free by electric bus to Weeping Rock (about 20 minutes) – you have to walk a short trail to a waterfall or rather water falling from the rock.

We take the bus back to the Visitor Center and drive towards Las Vegas. On the way, we have lunch at a Chinese buffet restaurant – $ 11.50 / adult and $ 8 / child – great selection of hot and cold dishes (even sushi and desserts available) – drinks extra paid.
Overnight in Las Vegas at the “Royal Resort” hotel.
In the evening we walk along the main street – The Strip.

Day 10

We eat breakfast in the “Denny’s” restaurant – 4x scrambled eggs, toast, porridge, orange juice, 2x pancakes with syrup, water – $ 24 + tip $ 4 (discount from the hotel 20%).
We visit The Strip – we mainly visit hotels with casinos – first we start from the “Wynn” hotel (one of the prettiest – floral ornaments) and then we go to the “Palazzo” hotel and to the “Venetian” (Murano glass chandeliers, recreated canals of Venice ).

We watch the fountains show in front of the Bellagio Hotel and travel (for free) by train from the Bellagio Hotel to Monte Carlo. On the way we come to the “Mirage” hotel and to “New York New York”. We take the train (for free) from the hotel “Excalibur” (in the style of a Disney fairy tale castle) to “Mandalay Bay”. We visit one of the most interesting hotels – “Luxor” in the shape of a pyramid with a Sphinx.

We eat lunch at the “Denny’s” restaurant – lemonade, coffee, water, chicken nuggets and spaghetti with tomato sauce (children’s sets for 4.49 USD), 2 x cheeseburger with fries.
In the evening, we visit “Coca Cola”, “M & M’s” and “Bubba Gump” stores (the last one is more a restaurant and a seafood store – the waiter is called by pressing the “Stop, Forrest Stop” button).

Day 11

We eat breakfast in the “Denny’s” restaurant – coffee, orange juices, 4x scrambled eggs with 2 eggs, toast, 2x pancakes with syrup.

We drive to the Hoover Dam and stop at the “Las Vegas” road sign on the way. Parking at the Hoover Dam is $ 10. We pay $ 15 / adult and $ 12 / child for entering the Visitor Center and guided tours of the dam (short route). The tour begins with a short film about the history of the dam, then takes the elevator down to the power plant and looks at the turbine halls. The tour ends on a terrace overlooking the dam and the Colorado River.
We go towards Barstow – on the way we drive to Calico Ghost Town (closed, only outside). We have lunch in the restaurant “Peggy Sue’s 50’s Dinner” located on road 15 in Yermo – an atmospheric place in the style of the 50’s – 2x hamburger with fries, steak with chips, cheeseburger with potato salad, 4x meringue cake (nut, chocolate and lemon) , “Budweiser” beer, glass of red wine (1x $ 3.85), cola, orange juice, coffee.

On the way, we drive to Barstow with the Route 66 Museum and murals referring to “Mother Route”. At the liquor store – a bottle of wine for $ 7. We go to Visalia and spend the night in “Motel 6”.

Day 12

In the morning we go to Exeter – a town surrounded by citrus plantations and vineyards with murals in the streets. At Frosty King Bar – 3 x hot dogs, chicken sandwich, water – $ 14.40.
We go to Sequoia National Park (entry 30 USD / car or as part of the US National Parks Pass) from the Hammond side to the Foothills Visitor Center (small exhibition) and further to the Giant Forest Museum (modern museum) – routes that allow you to observe the sequoia up close. We are going to the 83 m high General Sherman sequoia (the largest tree in the world) – from the parking lot we walk along a short trail among trees and sequoia tunnels. The road to the Tunnel Log, which is an overturned sequoia with a crossway for cars, is closed.

We go to Kings Canyon National Park (both parks connected to each other – the same fee) to Kings Canyon Visitor Center, where there is a restaurant (coffee for $ 2.50 and lemonade for $ 2.50) and further to Grant Grove. From the parking lot, we follow the trail to see the General Grant sequoia (about 80 m). From the Park, we go down the winding roads towards Fresno (from 2400 m to 100 m above sea level).
We eat lunch at the “Denny’s” restaurant in Fresno – 2x spaghetti with meatballs, 2x spaghetti for children, 2 x fries, 2x lunch, coffee.
We go to Stockton and overnight at Motel 6 Stockton – Charter Way West.

Day 13

Breakfast at “Denny’s” restaurant in Stockton – 2x pancakes (2 pcs), 2x scrambled eggs with toast and sausage, 2x Junior French Toast (toast, scrambled eggs and sausage), 2 coffees, orange juice.
We go to Oakland to the parking lot near the Coliseum BART station (parking $ 3 for the whole day). We take the BART train to San Francisco to Powell station – $ 9.60 per person return (children the same).

We go by cable car from Powell to Hyde – ticket 7 USD / person (children the same) – old atmospheric cable car goes up and down towards the waterfront. On the way, we get off near Lombard Street – the windiest street in the world and the most photographed. We get on the same ticket and exit at the last Hyde station.

We walk along the waterfront (Fisherman’s Wharf) with a view of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge – we see the Maritime National Historical Park (for free, old ships only from the outside), Musée Mécanique – a museum with old slot machines (free, you pay for using from a slot machine from 0.25 to 1 USD), Pier 39 with shops and restaurants and lounging Californian sea lions.

We eat ice cream at the “Tom & Jerry” ice cream shop – a small cup of one flavor for $ 5.70. At the pub, we try oysters ($ 1 each) and take lemonade ($ 4) and IPA beer for $ 7.
We go by cable car from Powell-Mason station to Chinatown (tickets 7 USD / person). We eat dinner in a Chinese restaurant – 3x fried rice with chicken, fried noodles with chicken, wonton with meat, water. We go on foot to the City Lights Bookstore – an old bookstore – cult among beat generation poets, and then to Montgomery station. On the way we come to a chocolate shop “Ghirardelli” – 4 chocolates for $ 2.40.
We take the BART train from Montgomery station to the Coliseum. From the car park we drive to the “Motel 6 Oakland Airport” hotel.

Day 14

In the morning we go to the “Denny’s” restaurant for breakfast – 2x Junior French Toast, 2 juices, 2 coffees, 2x scrambled eggs with toast, 2 x pancakes (2 pcs.).
We’re going to Sonoma – tolled crossing over the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge for $ 5. First we go to Bartholomew Estate Winery – tasting 5 types of wines for $ 15 – museum and wine shop – trails and picnic areas around.

We go to the Gundlach Bundschu Winery – tasting 5 types of wines at the bar for $ 20 – next to it a barrel cellar and a place to rest. We return to San Francisco and drive to the Battery Spencer viewpoint (free) – the best place to admire the most famous Golden Gate Bridge from 1937, almost 3 km long – from the parking lot you have to walk up the path to the viewpoint. Then we drive through the Golden Gate by car ($ 7.70 southbound only – license plates are scanned and the toll can be paid within 48 hours via bayareafastrak.org).

Then we drive towards Monterey and on the way we have lunch at the “Denny’s” restaurant in San Jose – 2x spaghetti in tomato sauce for children, 2 lemonades, 2 coffees, 2 x spaghetti with meatballs, 2 x fries.
We are going to Carmel-by-the Sea located on the Pacific Ocean – an atmospheric place with galleries and restaurants – it looks best in the evening when lit by lamps. We go to Monterey and overnight at Motel 6 Monterey North Fremont Street.

Day 15

We eat breakfast at “Denny’s” restaurant in Monterey – 2 coffees, 2x scrambled eggs with toast, 2 x Junior French Toast, 2 juices.
We ride the famous road 1 over the Pacific towards Big Sur – viewpoints on the Ocean and small sandy beaches in coves along the way. The road behind Big Sur is closed due to damage during mudslides. We go over the Bixby Creek Bridge to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (we do not enter the Park) – only around the Lodge we walk on paths covered with redwood (a kind of redwood). Road 1 along Big Sur is one of the most awesome in the USA.

We return to Carmel-By-The Sea to visit the Catholic mission founded in the 18th century by the Franciscans – the San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo mission (entrance $ 9.50 / adult and $ 5 / child) – church and monastery with inner courtyards with vegetation, tomb of Juniper Serra.
We go through Salinas on route 101 to San Simeon to see Hearst Castle (entrance $ 25 / adult and $ 12 / child) – we manage to make the last tour at 3.40 pm. First, you take the bus uphill to the Castle and then you visit the outside (Neptune swimming pool with fragments of Greek temples) and inside the Castle (Casa Grande) with a guide. The facade of Casa Grande was modeled on the Renaissance Spanish cathedral, and the furnishings in individual rooms were imported from Europe (the most interesting room with a fireplace in the Gothic style or a room with billiards tables). There was also a cinema and an indoor Roman Pool in the Castle.

We return by bus to the Visitor Center and go by car to Point Piedras Blancas – there is a colony of Californian Sea lions on the beach (for free) – you can watch the sea lions from the wooden jetties.

We go towards Santa Barbara and on the way we have lunch at the “Denny’s” restaurant in San Luis Obispo – 2x spaghetti in tomato sauce with salads, 2x double cheeseburger with french fries, french fries, lemonade, water. We pass through Santa Barbara – a city with atmospheric restaurants with a wooden pier over the Ocean. We take the highway to Ventura and overnight at Motel 6 Ventura Beach.

Day 16

We eat breakfast in the “Denny’s” restaurant in Ventura – 2x Junior French Toast, 2x scrambled eggs with toast and sausage, 2x pancakes (2 pcs), 2 juices, 2 coffees.
We ride the highway through Malibu (magnificent oceanfront mansions on the way) to Los Angeles. We stop in Santa Monica – all day parking for $ 14. In Santa Monica there is a pier with restaurants and slot machines and with the famous sign marking the end of Route 66.

We go to the LA neighborhood – Venice – we park on the street for $ 2 for 1 hour. We walk around Venice Beach – wide Ocean Front Walk with performances artists, painters and souvenir sellers. At a coffee shop – espresso for $ 2.05 and chocolate chip cookies for $ 1.50 / unit. We go to the “Dollar” car rental to return the car and take the free bus to the airport in Terminal B.
15.15 – Austrian Airlines flight to Vienna – 11h30 – lunch and breakfast.

Day 17

12.05 – arrival in Vienna
12.55 – Austrian Airlines flight to Stockholm Arlanda – 2h
From Arlanda airport, transfer by bus 968 (Flygbussarna) to the center of Stockholm on Cityterminalen – 1h – 119 SEK / adult, and children free. The bus station is located next to Stockholm Train Station. At the “Pressbyran” kiosk – 4x cinnamon rolls (1×12 SEK), water, 4x hot dogs (1x 15 SEK), 2 coffees (1x 30 SEK).
17.32 – train ride to Nyköping C – 1h15 – 95 SEK / adult and 5 SEK / child (children only for a seat reservation, tickets bought online about 3 months in advance).
From Nyköping train station, we take bus 515 to Skavsta airport – SEK 30 / adult and SEK 20 / child, approx. 10 minutes
20.30 – “Ryanair” flight to Gdańsk – 50 minutes
We pick up the car from the parking lot and we go to Warsaw.