Grand Canyon to San Diego

jaca2865 · Sep 1, 2014

Guys
Am driving from The Big Hole in the Ground (Grand Canyon) to San Diego next May and looking for anyone who's done it before for hints or tips on best, most scenic and good stopping places, route to take.
Thanks guys
Jim

boatman · Sep 1, 2014

Sgt Bilco of this parish is yer man for this,
But I think he flew out to the States yesterday for around 3 weeks ish
So if you hang on a bit he could probably point you in the right directions :thumb2

Schtum · Sep 1, 2014

North Rim or South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Jim....? Personally, I'd recommend the North Rim, it's much less touristy and I enjoyed the drive in over the Kanab plateau.

Arsey · Sep 1, 2014

Are you wanting to drive it as quick as poss or take a few days ?

If the latter then I would recommend driving south from the Canyon towards Phoenix and then hang a right to San Diego.

That way you could stop off at Slide Rock and Sedona

Otherwise if you take a more direct route you would go via Kingman and Lake Havasu.You could also take in Palm Springs.

To be honest,east of San Diego isn't that scenic once you get into the desert.

The old town of Julian is definitely worth a stop, even just for their famous apple pie, but that's only a couple of hours before San Diego.

I've done the area by RV and a few times on a bike but I'm sure others like Bilco will have better ideas.

jaca2865 · Sep 1, 2014

Guys
Many thanks indeed for all the info.

FTR we have done it before a very long time ago when John Wayne gave us directions

Back then it was via Phx and then we turned right all the way to SanD.

This time we have a day to do it from the South Rim and I was trying to steer away from the Phx route.

So, thanks again. Keep it comin'

Jim

We are travelling

JPR · Sep 1, 2014

Kingman and Lake Havasu.!
Probably the weirdest place youll ever visit.

jaca2865 · Sep 1, 2014

Now im intrigued JPR. What kind of weird? Even weirder than Fife??
C'mon Mike S. 15-0 and you to serve!!

sven · Sep 1, 2014

I haven't travelled any further south than LA, so can't really offer advice on travelling down to San Diego.

As Schtum says, the North Rim is nicer as it's less commercialised, although the South rim probably has the better viewing points.

Williams is a really nice little town, but Route 66 was pretty dull on the whole,especially across the Mojave Desert. Death Valley was fantastic if you can fit it in.

Schtum · Sep 1, 2014

JPR said:
Kingman and Lake Havasu.!
Probably the weirdest place youll ever visit.

Bullhead City, Needles just over the State Line in California.....all that area struck me as a bit weird and bloody hot. If you're in that area, it'd be good to take in the ghost town of Oatman with its gunfights and its burros.....http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/89

edzt · Sep 1, 2014

I did this years ago. We took a bit of a wander to get there. Flagstaff to Sedona is great, Jerome is weird and wonderful.
We then cut back to go through the Tonto national forest, down to Tombstone(bit boring and bloody hot) crossed the border(by foot) into Nogales(s***hole) then back through the Cactus national park thingy.

I can't remember what road it was, but you're near the Gila river for a while then it turns into real desert, that was enjoyable.....Yuma then San Diego

I must admit I loved Southern Arizona. Not so much the scenery but the people, real Republican 'good old boys' somehow seemed to live up to the America I expected....first time I'd seen guys on radical chops, no helmets AND large handguns on their hips

JPR · Sep 1, 2014

Jaca ,Lake Havasu?
You've heard of it.
Guy bought London Bridge and rebuilt it in the Mohave Desert.
Think Stratford on Avon ,but 130 in the shade.
Double Decker Buses,Red telephone boxes,HP Sauce,Union Jack T Shirts.
Real home from home,but in the middle of the feckin desert.

jaca2865 · Sep 1, 2014

Once again guys, many thanks. This is all good stuff and helping me get our plans together.
Im getting an idea of the places you mention. I have fond memories of SanD albeit out there on business so was shown round the nicer parts in our "down time" with close looks at the Border in-between. Now its a chance to go there and relax. Its our friends 50th when we are there so taking him to Gas Lamp Q for a few social
Sherries and comestibles

Fun fun fun.
Cheers
Jim

edzt · Sep 1, 2014

jaca2865 said:
Once again guys, many thanks. This is all good stuff and helping me get our plans together.
Im getting an idea of the places you mention. I have fond memories of SanD albeit out there on business so was shown round the nicer parts in our "down time" with close looks at the Border in-between. Now its a chance to go there and relax. Its our friends 50th when we are there so taking him to Gas Lamp Q for a few social
Sherries and comestibles
Fun fun fun.
Cheers
Jim

It is a lovely city, I thought La Jolla was a cool place

Arsey · Sep 1, 2014

jaca2865 said:
Once again guys, many thanks. This is all good stuff and helping me get our plans together.
Im getting an idea of the places you mention. I have fond memories of SanD albeit out there on business so was shown round the nicer parts in our "down time" with close looks at the Border in-between. Now its a chance to go there and relax. Its our friends 50th when we are there so taking him to Gas Lamp Q for a few social
Sherries and comestibles
Fun fun fun.
Cheers
Jim

My favourite place to eat in town is The Gaslamp Strip Club on 5th Ave.

Despite the name,you won't find many naked ladies but you will find amazing steaks which you cook yourself on charcoal grills.

I go there most months and it's always fantastic.

jaca2865 · Sep 1, 2014

My kinda place Arsey. Sounds right up our street.
We all like a bit a steak. Thanks for that.
Jim

John Roberts · Jan 2, 2015

jaca2865 said:
... I have fond memories of SanD albeit out there on business so was shown round the nicer parts in our "down time" with close looks at the Border in-between. Now its a chance to go there and relax. Its our friends 50th when we are there so taking him to Gas Lamp Q for a few social
Sherries and comestibles
Fun fun fun.
Cheers
Jim

edzt said:
It is a lovely city, I thought La Jolla was a cool place

Interesting to read these two quotes, I had the same opinion of San Diego, I remember thinking of it as 'heaven on earth' when I got back home.

However, a couple of weeks after I came across a letter in a copy of the National Geographic Magazine where it said "... here, in San Diego, where we have the biggest slum problem in the US..." :blast

jaca2865 · Jan 2, 2015

.............and so, Ladies and Gents, the moral of the story is not to believe all you read

thanks for adding to the thread John and hope you have many fond memories.

we head out there in May. Cant come quick enough funnily enough

Jim

John Roberts · Jan 2, 2015

Fair enough, I could add "never believe all you see perhaps!

Oh, and it certainly was a tremendous holiday, did the loop from LA, Pacific Coast Highway, San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Phoenix and back to San Diego via Yuma and a lot of desert (wonderful). LOTS of fond memories, I'm sure you'll have some too, enjoy!

jaca2865 · Jan 2, 2015

That sounds a cracking trip John. Lucky you. Ours is a mini version i would say.

if you can recommend anything along our way - Vegas, Canyon, SD to LA - then I would be very grateful please.

can't wait till May!

cheers

jim

Schtum · Jan 2, 2015

jaca2865 said:
if you can recommend anything along our way - Vegas, Canyon, SD to LA - then I would be very grateful please.

If you're into hot rods, street rods and classic American cars, there are a number of events in the San Diego area on different nights of the week during the summer -http://sandiego.about.com/cs/familyfun/a/car_shows.htm

Having been to the street shows in El Cajon and La Mesa on consecutive nights, they're certainly worth going to. I see they don't begin until early June though....

Grand Canyon to San Diego

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