Advice/reccomendations for the USA & Canada...

Stustaff

Hi so its two weeks now till my wedding in Vegas :lust .
Our honeymoon is then two months road trip travelling the USA and Canada.
I would love any suggestions of good places to visit/shoot and anything that is a must see or do.

My itinery is

Sept 4th
5 days in Vegas
3 days in Zion NP
3 Days in Bryce Cayon Np
3 days in Lake Powell
3 days at Grand Canyon
2 days at Monument Valley
2 days at Mesa Verde NP
3 days at Arches NP
1 night - somewhere
2 days at Salt lake city
4 days at Yellowstone NP

Then lots of driving! with overnight stops of at least one night and maybe more if we like it at

Yellowstone - Ranchester WY - Rapid City SD - Sioux fall SD - Fargo ND - Hill city ND - Duluth MN - CANADA - Nipigon ON - Wawa ON - Sault Ste Marie ON - Sudbury ON - Toronto ON - Niagra Falls - Kingston ON - Montreal QC - Quebec City QC - Madisom ME - Augusta ME - Portland ME - Portsmounth NH - Boston MA and then a flight to Washington DC for 4 days before coming back home to the UK.

So any thing specific I should see or that is just off that route any tips etc?

Even if you can only add one thing Id really appreciate that.

Thanks

BrettG

That sounds like a great trip, congrats!

With regard to the Canada leg, you might want to consider heading south before Sudbury (at Espanola I think) and seeing Manitoulin Island. There's a ferry (the Chi-Cheemaun) from there to Tobermory and then a straight shot (well more or less) to Niagra Falls.

http://www.ontarioferries.com/chi/english/schedule_fares.html

Of course, you'd miss the east side of lake Huron doing this, but I've always liked the scenery and view on the ferry ride.

Stustaff

OH cool info Brett cheers.

claudermilk

Wow. Looks like an awesome trip. Just a couple of things for the places I've been.

Run some searches for Monument Valley tours, some of the best photo ops are on the guided-only tours & there was one outfit with a website that caters to photographers. It's well worth the price IMHO.

In Mesa Verde, definitely do the Balcony House and half day tours (the shots of the people circled around a reconstructed kiva on theour literature is from that tour). See my site in Portfolio/Landscape for some shots from those. Definitely go to the Lodge restaurant--it's fantastic; we adjusted our food budget to allow a couple more visits on our stay.

I assume that you are staying in Moab for the Arches visit. You also have Canyonlands NP on the other side of the highway, north is the Islands in the Sky area, and south is the Needles area. Both are worth the visit. If you can find it (I have forgotten the name), there is a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in Moab that was great.

I will assume your Lake Powell stop is including a visit to Antelope Canyon. I have yet to visit, but it's on my to-do list.

In Zion, if you can handle the height, Scout's Lookout/Angel's Landing is a most-of-the-day hike, but the incredible views up there are worth it. Make sure to explore the Eastern side of the park also. Kolob Canyon is a nice, less-traveled hike.

docwalker

I just got back from Vegas so take a look at my thread. I am no expert but I can point you to some great locations. The new wife and I had a great time. I now have over 20 gigs of photos to process. If I get them done before Sept I will let you know. You might find a location you want to visit from them.

wxwax

Have you read the Vegas thread?

Stustaff

Cheers folks, Its a weird one because UK travel companies dont really tailor holidays to national parks all the info we get in a brochure is that if you stay in Vegas you can visit X or Y national park, no more info than the name.

So had to arrange most of it myself and have obviously have been looking into it but there is just soooo much to see, reccomendations from people that have actually been are so valuable.

Im currently counting the days and we are both getting really excited/worried/nervouse etc

wxwax

The drive from the Grand Canyon to Moab is amazing. Patch will remember what roads we took (he made sure we went through Capitol Reef) but the scenery is constantly changing and always wonderful.

docwalker

Go see Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon if nothing else while you are in Vegas. It is worth the trip.

Seefutlung

You are totally missing not only the most interesting state in the union, but also one of the most beautiful and diversified locations on earth. California (Las Vegas, Nevada butts up to California).

1,000 miles of coastline, sandy beaches, rocky coves with cliffs 100 feet plus high teeming with marine mammal life (Sea Lions, Otters, Seals, Gray Whales (longest migration of any animal on earth), Blue Whales (largest creature to have ever lived on the earth) on top of those cliffs are Redwoods stretching into the clouds.

Highway 1 along the California coast is considered as the most beautful and scenicly specatular road in the world.

Sand dune deserts. High and Low Deserts

Mountains 16,000 feet high (Mt. Whitney) and from Mt. Whitney one can look down into the lowest spot in North America, Death Valley at -300 below sea level.

Lake Tahoe- Indians called it Big Blue- incredibly beautiful

Yosemite (google Ansel Adams for photographic opportunities)

Kings Canyon (home of the Sequois - largest plant on earth)

Sierra Nevada Mountains (home of the oldest living organism on earth - Bristlecone Pine)

For Culture: Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monetrey, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Santa Monica, Hollywood, et cetera

World Class Museums
World Class Zoos
World Class Concert Halls (just a single example - Hollywood Bowl)
World Class Amusement Parks (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Sea World, et cetera)
World Class Sporting Venues (Professional Baseball is in full swing and Professional Football is starting)
Sailing/Fishing(salt and fresh)/Diving (sea and sky)/Cycling/Golfing(world class venues i.e. Pebble Beach, Trump National)/Surfing/ et al

Don't know what you enjoy ...but be assured that California probably has it, including world class resturants and wines ... California is an adventure you will never forget.

Stustaff

Cheers Doc.

Seefutlung sounds like calafornia is great, I have been there twice now and love it just dont have time for seeing everywhere unfortunately.

Oakley

Doesn't look like your going to hit British Columbia. Too bad - cause it is THE place to be in Canada --- and one of the most beautiful places on earth to take photographs.

But it does look like you've got a good trip planned. Just don't forget to breath!