Vacation / Photography planning (Page 2): Have you considered the timing of your trip in terms of whether it would be better to do the northern or the southern portion first? For...

Glenn K

Have you considered the timing of your trip in terms of whether it would be better to do the northern or the southern portion first? For example, if you're leaving soon, it might be better to dive south now and reach coastal CA before the worst of the summer heat sets in. Conversely, if you're thinking of an Autuum trip, it might be better to get in the northern portions first. FWIW.

fotowerks Loc: San Diego, CA

You will kick yourself if you miss Carlsbad Caverns. I am writing this from an RV park in the last week of a two week vacation. The American Southwest is so full of great opportunities for a photographer. But I must say, I can't tell you how spectacular Carlsbad Caverns is. Also, because this area has had a long history of mining, there a lot of ghost towns that make for great opportunities. Here are a few other suggestions: Three Rivers Petroglyphs, White Sands National Monument, Pima Air and Space Museum, and Bisbee AZ. But this just touches on it. The internet is your friend. Search for images in the areas that you will be traveling to and you will get a feel for what you might like to shoot. Search the Convention & Visitors Bureaus for those areas as well as places of interest and activities. Sounds like you're driving so I suggest that you plan the next day, the night before so that if you would like to stay where you are for another day, you can. If you plan it too tightly you will feel rushed or too restricted. Have a great time and good shooting!

MtnMan Loc: ID

Wow. This list has laid out my bucket list for the next twenty years. Wife retires next month and we are off to the races. Well, we start with a cruise to Alaska in May followed by Switzerland in June (I have two days of work there...Ahhhhh...). Then we'll return and head out with the Fifth Wheel for some of the stuff suggested here. Thanks for the stimulus!

silverhawk Loc: Born a West Virginian, Living in Virginia

When you get to Vegas, be sure to attend the "Freemont Street Experience" on Freemont Street one evening. Something you won't want to miss.......check these videos to see why!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPgjCH5t9So&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUGX03Xy4ss

QUOTE:"The Largest LED screen in the world. The canopy towers 90 feet above the ground and spans the length of five football fields. Featuring more than 12 million LED modules and 555,000-watt sound system..The Fremont Street Experience In Las Vegas. We were lucky enough to see The Doors."

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=freemont+street+experience&oq=freemont+s&aq=1&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_l=youtube-psuggest-reduced.1.1.0l4.1271681l1274634l0l1277805l10l10l0l1l1l0l253l1609l1j4j4l9l0.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

You have more than enough suggestions on where to go at the moment. Someone here eluded to timing. Very important. Desert travel in the summer isn't fun for those but the desert enthusiast, Yellowstone when it is 5 degrees isn't very fun for those not liking the cold. If you like the outdoors, various habitats have peak blooms for botanical types, migrating species of fauna are seasonally and elevationally motivated, so it all pays off to do a bit more research with the locations already provided.

Have fun. Do the both of you enjoy photographing? Birding, photographing, and geocaching can get both of you enjoying the same area at the same time. Trail hiking is also an option if you are able enough for that.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

silverhawk wrote:

You can "Google" these and view "Im... (show quote)

Easy day trips from Phoenix. Superstition Desert in Spring the wildflowers are world class. Sedona & Oak Creek Canyon. Apache Trail. Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior.

Iowegan

WOW!! Thanks everyone for your excellent ideas and suggestions.

The idea of timing weather/temps is a vital component, after I had heat stroke in 1980. I found that I can take heat, but have troubles with high humidity and the temps. Then, I'm in some trouble.

We were planing on the the thing starting probably in late August, and wrapping up sometime in October.
That was my thinking when mentioning Seattle area first, then sliding on down to the "hotter" climes. :)

PrairieSeasons;
We were going to drive, and will probably work through South Dakota (Rushmore), then to Devil's Tower,(we were there before and loved it!) on over to Yellowstone area for a few days(~week). Then work over to Utah, and meander around there for however long we want.
Since temps will be high enough still, then on over to the Seattle area.
We're reviewing an Alaska cruise while there (Seattle), looking like a 10-12 day side-trip.

Then, on down the Coast to the other items on the (ever-expanding) list. :)

I sincecerely appreciate all the suggestions, and tips.

CocoaRoger Loc: Cocoa Florida

There's not a lot in Sacramento but if you're going to be there you might consider Old Sac downtown, the railroad museum and riverfront and the bridge over the river downtown lit at night. But if you have the time I would drive 2 hours to San Francisco or up in the Sierra's. If you DO visit SF head north over the Golden Gate Bridge and take the first exit called Alexander Ave. Go left underneath the highway 101 as if you want to head back south over the bridge but just as you appear to be heading back onto the highway take the road off to the right that takes you up to the Golden Gate National Rec. Area. At the very first turn out park and get out of your car and walk out over Battery Spencer and the view is incredible. You've seen it on commercials and other tv programs. You are literally standing above the Golden Gate Bridge with SF across the bay. Also, in Mill Valley there is a place called Muir Woods which is old large redwood trees. Needless to say, following Hwy 1 along the coast of Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties and north or south will offer thousands of views of the coast.

CocoaRoger Loc: Cocoa Florida

Oh, one more possibility in Marin is Mount Tamalpais. You can drive up to the very top and walk around and get tremendous panorama's of the entire bay area weather permitting. I would go up late afternoon when the sun is sinking in the west providing shadows and contrast. Remember, if it's foggy it usually stays low and localized so you'll still be a couple thousand feet above it on top and that in itself could offer some nice photo's too.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

CocoRoger wrote:

Oh, one more possibility in Marin is Mount Tamalpais. You can drive up to the very top and walk around and get tremendous panorama's of the entire bay area weather permitting. I would go up late afternoon when the sun is sinking in the west providing shadows and contrast. Remember, if it's foggy it usually stays low and localized so you'll still be a couple thousand feet above it on top and that in itself could offer some nice photo's too.

If you are gonna be around Carmel, CA- DO NOT MISS: PT LOBOS State Reserve just south of town. Maybe the most densely populated few acres of stunning landscape shots ever I've seen. If you go once, you'll go back again.

CocoaRoger Loc: Cocoa Florida

wlgoode wrote:

quote=CocoRoger Oh, one more possibility in Marin... (show quote)

Yep, the entire west coast is a photographer's dream! California itself is many states rolled into one. North and central coast, Redwoods, southern coast and beaches, high deserts in the north and low deserts in the south, central valley, Sierra's, big cities, ghost towns

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Many good suggestions have already been given. However, I would add that when in Sacramento DO NOT waste your time and money at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. There are gardens that I did get get to, but the animals and butterflies are only so-so. Not many turtles to see either.

CocoaRoger Loc: Cocoa Florida

If trains and trainyards are your thing, besides the museum downtown there's the huge trainyard in Roseville, just northeast of Sacto.

Iowegan

In fact, my Sister lives in Sacramento, and was going to be there for a few days, playing around out of that area. :)

CocoRoger, I like your avatar. Another of those things on my list of must do's, before the curtain is drawn.

CocoaRoger Loc: Cocoa Florida

Iowegan wrote:

In fact, my Sister lives in Sacramento, and was going to be there for a few days, playing around out of that area. :)

CocoRoger, I like your avatar. Another of those things on my list of must do's, before the curtain is drawn.

I lived in Sacto for 16 years. The avatar is on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall about an hour drive NE of Beijing. My bro in law is a somewhat high ranking communist official in their judicial system.