The four jewels of California. Southwestern United States trip

Magnificent ocean landscapes, giant trees which rise in the blue of the sky, enchanted valleys dominated by majestic granite peaks with waterfalls, deserts with fiery white dunes seemingly inhospitable. They look like places from different continents, but they are all in California, a few hundred kilometers apart. I'm the Big Sur, the Sequoia, the Yosemite and Death Valley, creating the contrast of this amazing country that more than anything else in the world, contains a relatively small number of the major ecosystems and landscapes completely different. 3100 meters from the Tioga Pass to the lowest point of the U.S., 85 feet below sea level at Badwater, a week to live intensely, enjoying pristine wonderland where nature reigns supreme among whales, elephant seals, eagles and black bears that waiting to be seen.

 

Wednesday, Monterey

It 'time to greet the beautiful San Francisco, who recorded surely among the most beautiful cities ever seen. We'll collect the car from Avis in an office two blocks from the hotel and set the GPS useful, we leave in the direction of the Pacific, specifically for the Monterey Peninsula. Given the beautiful day, we decided to start with a walk in Point Lobos Reserve ($ 8 per car) and walk along the pleasant path that leads to Bird Island, an island completely covered with cormorants, passing between small and picturesque bays and white sand emerald water. A short distance we reach Caramel by-the Sea, elegant town full of art galleries and exclusive shops, beautifully overlooking a white sandy beach a mile long. From here begins the 17 Miles Drive, the road of the richest ($ 9 per car), good overview with several stopping points, including Cypress Grove, lone cypress tree overlooking the ocean, and several golf course where deer and fawns graze l 'grass of the million pound villas. We end the day reaching the motel Comfort Inn Munras Monterey (€ 75 triple on Expedia), which features an outdoor pool, but the low temperature does not tempt certainly get in costume.

That evening we eat in a restaurant (Restaurant Ellis) in the nearby shopping center Del Monte, where we eat a fabulous coast of America ($ 10) while David dives into the kids menu (fried chicken nuggets, fries, ice cream, coca, crayons and toys for $ 3 ).

Thursday, San Simeon

This is an area where summer fog and that's inevitably rise with the gray sky. We decide to wait a little hope 'of the sun before leaving for Big Sur, and after a decent breakfast included in the price of the motel, on the occasion to visit the center in Monterey, historic town in California. Nothing special, you can visit the Custom House, where they had to move all goods coming from Mexico, the Colton Hall, here was signed the first constitution of California, and the more touristy Fisherman Wharf, modeled after that of San Francisco local shops and restaurants specializing in seafood. Nearby, far more interesting is the Caramel Mission, one of the most attractive of California missions built by Father Serra ($ 5). That's timely exit bright sunshine and it is the perfect time to start the Big Sur, more than 100km of road through a wild coastal landscape, with fantastic views of the ocean and mountains. Among the most spectacular are the Bixby Bridge, which offers 79 meters from its breathtaking views over wild beaches surrounded by lagoons, several national parks including the Pfeiffer State Park where a short walk you reach the McWay Fall, Coastal Waterfall which flows directly onto the beach of a bay inserted in a natural colored unreal. The wild and winding road continues up to Piedras Blancas, a long beach where he lives a rare colony of elephant seals and the delightful, bizarre creatures that you would be watching for hours. We make a stop in San Simeon at the Courtesy Inn ($ 76 triple mediocre breakfast included), which has an indoor pool with spa facilities, and took the opportunity to take the first bath of the trip, to the delight of Davidino (beautiful warm! ).

Friday, Three Rivers

This morning is dedicated to visiting Hearst Castle, built fairy tale of the 30s-40s ordered by a millionaire press barons, William Randolph Hearst with fabulous marble pools, 115 elegant rooms, for which we booked from home visit mandatory Wizard (Experience Tour, $ 24). Facilities at the Visitor Center and pick up the tickets, as we advance, we can join a tour prior to our own. You climb on a bus that runs through the hill until you reach the magnificent castle, through a park infinity. The tour begins at the amazing Neptune Pool, entirely made of marble columns and the reproduction of a greek temple. It then accesses one of three guest houses, Casa del Sol and continue the impressive Casa Grande, with halls worthy of the state apartments. The tour ends in the indoor pool, the Roman Pool, which recalls the ancient Roman baths. Then leave the Pacific, moving toward the mountains, which will accompany us in the coming days. The temperature changes abruptly abandoning the coast and the thermometer well over 30 degrees. We reach Three Rivers, gateway to Sequoia Np, where I was staying at the Best Western Holiday Lodge ($ 120 with an excellent breakfast), and we relax a few hours in the heated outdoor pool at last beneath the scorching sun. Mexican dinner at a restaurant nearby (about $ 40 in three).

Saturday, Sequoia, Yosemite

Today, very full and long transfer. The morning is dedicated to the discovery of the beautiful Sequoia, a very relaxing park, few people and beautiful walks in the shadow of the huge redwood. These immense giants astounding high as 90 feet, with base circumference of 30, seems to be the ants before them. Stop at the Visitor Center where we make the first walk on the Sentinel Trail. Given the height, the temperature has dropped a bit 'and is very pleasant. Continuing a few miles, you reach the parking lot where the trail begins down to the Sherman Tree (20 minutes), the largest tree on the planet. From here also the Congress Trail, 2 miles from some of the world's tallest specimens. Shooting cars through the whole park west, a road fairytale always surrounded by enormous redwoods, to arrive at Grant Grove area, where we walk the final path leading to the General Grant Tree, a Christmas tree of all the States. After a relaxing picnic in the redwoods, we start by following the endless road that leads up to another beautiful park: the Yosemite, where we arrive after nearly 4 hours of curves up and down mountains. The Yosemite Valley is presented to us with the beautiful view-point that is seen from Tunnel View, simply extraordinary. A few more miles and we reach our resort, Yosemite View Lodge ($ 180 triple) in El Portal, practically at the entrance of the park. Unfortunately, despite having booked with 6 months in advance, all the resorts (more convenient and cheaper) in the park were completed. After the now classic refreshing bath in the pool, take advantage of the cuisine available in the room to make us nostalgic for the "two strings", in truth quite a pound of spaghetti eaten on the terrace!

Sunday, Yosemite

This morning, immersed in American climate, we cook a good bacon directly in the room ... after a few minutes we do playing the fire-fighting system! Why not explore the magnificent Yosemite, surely one of the best spots to be found anywhere in the world. We start from Yosemite Falls which are virtually deserted in the early morning, while a couple of hours will certainly be besieged by many tourists as one of the most easily accessible. Although it was only late June, the water flow rate is rather low, we see that this year the snow has melted early. The falls are still splendid. Throughout the Yosemite Valleydove admire the majestic peaks of granite colors and crystal clear Merced River up to the parking lot of Curry Village. Here we take the shuttle that operates in the park and go down to the top of the path that leads to Vernal Fall. The distance is not great (about 3 km return), but the climb is pretty tiring. Effort will be rewarded by the sight that have waterfalls, absolutely beautiful, a majestic flow of water which flows from a granite rock, with splashes that make us take a nice shower. Wanting the path continues to the Nevada Fall, but it seems a bit 'too much. After a picnic, spend the afternoon the excursion to Glacier Point about an hour's drive from the valley floor. The view we have from this vantage point to over 2000 meters above sea level is incredible, with Half Dome in the foreground, all the waterfalls and the majestic and magnificent Yosemite Valley. That evening we eat at the hotel restaurant, it seems expensive but the portions are enormous and we are satisfied in full ($ 54 in 3).

Monday, Death Valley

What an incredible day today, moving from 3000 metridel Tioga Pass to the desert of Death Valley below sea level. A long transfer but very fast on roads and deserted, so not at all stressful. The Tioga Road opened early this year, in late May, and in fact the snow is seen only on the highest peaks. Rapidly achieve Olmsted Point, where we follow the signs with a short walk leads to a very good vantage point, similar to Glacier Point. We continue along the wide road where does not even seem to climb up to 3000 meters, passed by beautiful alpine lakes, majestic mountains and endless pastures, such as Tuolumne Meadows up to the Tioga Pass. From here the road descends quickly until Mono Lake, an immense lake with bizarre rock formations. From here the road crosses a wide valley across the Eastern Sierra, with rugged peaks higher than 4,000 meters, take a short detour to admire the Convict Lake, an idyllic mountain lake surrounded by mountains. The 395 goes straight and fast moving only a couple of towns, until you reach the crossroads with the 190 which leads to Death Valley. Following a road truly panoramic, in an environment completely different from the one admired far, wide desert landscapes, dunes and cactus solitary. At one point the signs to turn off the signal conditioner: the road goes uphill and the water temperature reaches extreme levels, then returning regular downhill. That brings us to the stovepipe Wells, the resort style motel country where we spend the night ($ 116). Marks the temperature 48 degrees, the air is suffocating, yet when it comes out wet from the pool seems to be cold. We have dinner in the only restaurant in the area, one of the resort and eat discreetly with $ 50 in three. The sun goes down, the mountains take on unreal colors, and white stovepipe near two of us seem magical emotions that only the Death Valley can offer.

Tuesday, Death Valley, Las Vegas

At 5.30 we are awake all three, and randomly within a few minutes we decide to get up to go to the dunes with the light and the cool dawn. Indeed, climb the dunes in the summer is undertaking to accomplish only at dawn. Park the car on the roadside, we go barefoot on the sand dunes, the temperature at 6 is "only" 32 degrees, you are really good and started to run like crazy up and down the dunes. Unbelievable, it seems to be in full desert of the Sahara, the gentle curves of the dunes at this time appear in all their beauty. We return to the resort where we do a nice breakfast buffet ($ 8), so we are starting to explore the Death Valley that we want to visit within 13 with a temperature more bearable. We walk along the Badwater Road with several stops: at Devils Golf Course are surrounded by rock salt, while at Badwater, the lowest point of the States to -86 meters seems to be starting a highway made entirely of white salt. Fantastic and take the detour of Artists Palette, with rocks that take many colors, to the last stop at Zabriskie Point, the most beautiful vantage point of the park on rocks by the colors and shapes unreal. Our tour ends at the California Las Vegas (where we had been in 2000), where we return the car at the airport before reaching the hotel Excalibur (€ 60 on Expedia) where we will stay 3 nights to recover from the fatigue of travel and to rest and have some fun 'as just reward for Davidino km borne by car and the many treks made without complaining. In the evening we take a stroll in New York and MGM hotels.

Wednesday, Las Vegas

Day relaxing by the pool, under the hot sun of Las Vegas and its 40 degrees. In late afternoon we take the Deuce bus that crosses the Stript, a bus stop hallucinating that stops at every 10 minutes. For almost 2 km to employ half an hour. We're going to discover some truly amazing themed mega-hotel and we had not had time to see the last time we were here. We start from Caesars Palace, ancient greek-roman style, very luxurious and well maintained, complete with giant Trojan horse, impressive fountains and avenues that reproduce ancient Rome complete with artificial sky. We see the impressive display of Atlantis, with statues that come out of the water and fire spectacular games. Alongside this is the Bellagio, with its enchanting show of dancing fountains, really should not miss. Every 15 minutes starting a show differently. For dinner we rediscover the blowout in the mega all-you-can-eat, opt for the Tropicana and we are really good, and as quality as the price also is much less crowded than the more famous (buffet $ 15).

Thursday, Las Vegas

Another relaxing day and evening to explore the usual mega-hotel. With the super modern, fully automated monorail go to Luxor, and then with the usual appalling bus to reach the area at the Venetian. Nothing new, just to see David, who walks around with his mouth open! We reach the Treasure Island just a few minutes before the start of one of the most spectacular free show, the pirates against the sirens. Managed to carve out a special area in the crowd witnessing the human and classical triumphant explosion of fire, dance and sensuality in perfect style Las Vegas, unbelievable. End with the Mirage, the tropical forest in the lobby and the volcano erupting in the garden.