Parks of the American Southwest

The flight

Pisa, 05:50 check-in, 06:50 departure flight to Munich with Air Dolomiti. Perfect timing. So too from Munich to San Francisco. We land at 18:10, west coast time. At "ALAMO" they hand over the 7-seat Dodge Gran Caravan we booked from Italy. We take the wrong road and end up on Treasure Island. The mistake turns into something pleasant: in front of us stands the skyline of San Francisco lit up in the night, fantastic. There are half a dozen limousines and as many minibuses loaded with tourists. We don't stop long, it's late and we're in a hurry to reach the hotel. In the end we manage to get to the hotel.

At 06:30 in the morning, I find myself alone taking photos of the Cable Cars that the staff rotate by hand on the turntables to reverse their direction of travel. I go back to the hotel and at 08:00 we're all buying tickets (nice ones, like postcards) for the Powel-Hyde line, 2 rides, round trip, for $7 each. The Cable Car and the streets it travels are incredible. Climbs with gradients of even 15%, up and down to the Hyde Street terminus. A stretch on foot and we're at Fisherman's Wharf, the old fishermen's port re-equipped for tourism. We go to Pier 39 to see the sea lions. There are dozens and dozens of them, all on rafts, basking in a sun that isn't there and, in fact, for us it's a bit chilly, even though the clouds are clearing. We return to the hotel and have the car brought round: heading for the Golden Gate.

We stop at the first Vista Point, on the south side and we take endless photos. We cross the bridge and decide to go up the hill on the left where we see lots of cars. We exit right, take the ramp and through an underpass we start climbing. As we advance the panorama gets increasingly beautiful, but we only stop where you can't go any further except on foot. The scenery is exhilarating, with just a veil of haze, San Francisco presents itself to us with all the beauty of its skyline. The Golden Gate, the Downtown with the pyramid skyscraper. Alcatraz in the middle of the bay and hundreds of sailboats. We're sorry to leave these beauties, but we get back in the car and drive back over the bridge toward the south; at the end you pay the toll. Then we go down Lombard Street and climb Telegraph Hill.

We have breakfast in a small bar opposite the Powel Street Cable Cars terminus, cappuccino better than yesterday's and an enormous blueberry pastry, we spend $7 each. We have to cover 380 km to the entrance of Kings Canyon National Park and another 100 or so to reach Three Rivers. We arrive in front of the Kings National Park entrance at 15:00, to cover 380 km it took us 6 hours, but we stopped for at least 2. There's a ranger with a wide-brimmed hat, who welcomes us with a smile. We buy the National Park Pass for $50, it's the card that will let us enter with the car and 6 people on board into all national parks, saving a lot; keep in mind that a vehicle with a maximum of 6 people pays $20 in each national park. We make the 1st stop at Grant Grove to see the General Grant Tree, on SR 180.

But it's while heading toward Sequoia National Park (the two parks are attached and in reality are one and the same), travelling along a high mountain road, the SR198 Scenic Byway "Generals Highway", that the forest becomes increasingly like something out of a film. We stop at the General Sherman Tree, at the Tunnel Log, Parker Group and at all the most famous points. At the Tunnel Log we do three laps with the car (there's a loop) to get our photos. Then, to finish, we climb up Moro Rock. We reach the hotel, the Holiday Inn Express in Three Rivers, in pitch darkness.

This morning we have to cover about 480 km to reach Death Valley. First stop the Sand Dunes, then on to Furnace Creek where we have the hotel.

We set off and first stop at Badwater. We travel along the SR 178 and arrive at the lowest point in the United States, 282 feet (85.5 metres) below sea level. We're unlucky because we find Zabriskie Point "closed", as well as Artist Drive and Artist Palette. We visit the Golden Canyon and then cross the whole of Death Valley on the SR178 to reach Las Vegas. After about 150 km and 2 hours of travel we arrive in the city of gambling. We visit everything possible and in particular at the New York - New York where we go on the "Manhattan Express", the roller coaster that reaches 105 km/h.

We visit everything from the Aladdin to the Venetian, passing through the Bellagio and the Luxor. Then we watch "Mystère" by Cirque du Soleil. We go back out, and then to the Stratosphere Tower. We buy a package that includes the ascent and two "thrills," "Big Shot" and "X-Scream." Just being on the observation deck alone, at 350 meters high, with all of Las Vegas full of lights at your feet, is a spectacle.

410 km to cover. We'll do it in 6 hours, including the transit through Zion National Park. We also visit Red Canyon, and at 3:30 pm we enter Bryce Canyon. We do it from Rainbow Point and then come back and stop at all the Points up to Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. But here we get caught in a hailstorm that forces us to go back to the hotel.

It's snowing. After all, we're at almost 3000 meters. We set off for Moab, and first snow and then rain accompany us all the way to the hotel. We book the rafting from Fisher Tower at the Moab Adventure Center, for the day after tomorrow.

In the morning we get up and the sun is out. We'll visit Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park in the morning, and Arches National Park in the afternoon. We make our first stop at Mesa Arch. Then on to Green River Overlook and then to Grand View Point. We leave Island in the Sky and enter Dead Horse Point State Park. We enter Arches at 3:30 pm. Two photos at Park Avenue and Courthouse Tower, then we head to Balanced Rock. Double Arch, Delicate Arch and all the most famous ones. We return to the hotel in the dark.

Rafting. Truly engaging and adrenaline-pumping, riding over 2-meter waves is so much fun.

Today we don't have many kilometers to cover; from Moab to Mexican Hat there are 180, and another 30 to reach Monument Valley. We'll first pass through Mokee Dugway and Mule Point. In the afternoon we enter Monument Valley, stopping at all the most famous spots: the Three Sisters, John Ford Point, from which you enjoy an exceptional view and you truly expect to see the stagecoach chase from Stagecoach. The Hub and Totem Pole, which we can only admire from a distance—to get close to it and also be able to see Yei Bichei and the Sand Spring, you have to go on foot or on horseback with a guide. Then The Thumb and North Window and Artist Point.

Today Mesa Verde and the Grand Canyon. 680 km total. At Mesa Verde we visit Cliff Palace, and we arrive at the Grand Canyon at sunset.

In the morning we take a helicopter ride, and in the afternoon we visit the whole East Rim, from Bright Angel to Hermit Rest. It's a magnificent spectacle.

Today we'll arrive at Disneyland. First we make a short detour on Route 66 at Seligman.

A day entirely dedicated to Disneyland. We have a blast with all the attractions, and the final fireworks show is magnificent.

Today we visit Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

First Venice, and then we drop off the car and head to the airport to return to Italy.