Western Parks and New York

Parteza

5:15 am, everyone in the car, we load the luggage and under a light rain we set off for Malpensa. Luckily there's no traffic and at 6 we're already in front of the airport with a full hour to spare. To fly we chose Lufthansa (flight booked in March, 600 euros each), and after a stopover in Dusseldorf we arrive in New York right on time. Here, after the ritual customs checks, we change terminal and go to check in for the flight that will take us to Las Vegas. Tiredness starts to set in, jet lag too, and our faces show it. Finally at 20:00 local time we depart and after 5 hours of flying (Continental 125 euros) we arrive in Las Vegas at 22:00 local time.

Here we take the Shuttle for $6 (but I'd also recommend the taxi, there's little difference in price and it's faster) which takes us to the Luxor (25 euros each per night), where we take possession of the rooms, leave the suitcases and go for a wander around the casino, but tiredness makes itself felt and so we decide to go back to the room and after about 26 hours we throw ourselves onto the bed. What a marvel!!

Death Valley

At 8:00 we take the Taxi that takes us to the airport where we pick up the car from Hertz. The choice of which company to rent the car from was very carefully considered, to avoid surprises. That's why we chose a big company, taking out every possible insurance, and this allowed us to travel worry-free. In the end they gave us a Kia Sedona 6-seater 3.0 petrol. Not a bad car, we travelled comfortably and all the suitcases fit without any problems (rental cost 590 euros for 10 days). Once we've picked up the car we set off for Death Valley, which we'll visit entering from the southern entrance so as to cross almost all of it. The spectacle is unique, but what we'll remember is the heat, 52°C, it dries you out so remember to bring lots of water, at least 4 litres each. They seemed like a lot to me too but I assure you they're all needed and above all there's nothing there.

We visit Bad Water, the lowest point of the American continent, -88.5 metres, but above all the hottest on the planet. Then, still by car, we drive along Artist Drive, and visit Zabriesky Point. Marvelous views with peculiar colours. At this point it's 13:00 so we stop at Furnace Creek where we visit the Visitor Centre and buy the annual pass for the parks ($80, if you're going to visit more than 3 it's worth it). We eat a good Hamburger ($15 each), get back in the car and go to Beatty where we stay at the Beatty-Stagecoach Hotel and Casino. Not a bad motel, we swim in the pool, eat in the hotel restaurant, visit a mega candy shop, play a game of cards and then off to bed.

Zion Park

Wake up at 6:45 heading for Springdale – Zion Park. The drive is quite long, 400 km. We do a stretch of motorway 15 and then take the scenic drive 9 heading south. We stop in Hurricane to eat at a Burger King and cross the border with Utah, remembering to put our watches forward by an hour. In the afternoon we arrive at the Best Western Zion Park (36 euros per person), take possession of the room (there are 4 of us and it's comfortable), leave the luggage and take the free bus that takes us to the park's visitor centre. We enter the park always using the free bus and decide to walk the trail towards Weeping Rock: it's given as 1 hour but at our pace after 20 minutes we're at the destination. So we decide to also do the Riverside Walk, a nice 30-minute walk along the river. At the end of the trail you could continue walking in the stream but we don't have sandals so we turn back.

Along the way we encounter deer and squirrels. Dinner is at the restaurant near the Motel (be careful, it closes at 22:00) and an evening in the garden looking at the moon.

Bryce Park

Wake up at 7, breakfast and set off for the Emerald Pool trail, three beautiful little lakes (but nothing compared to Italian alpine lakes). Around 12 we take the car and begin the transfer towards Bryce along the beautiful scenic road 9. We have lunch in Hatch along the way at a small restaurant, Adobe Café. Excellent. We arrive at Bryce via scenic road 12 and unload the car at the Best Western Ruby's Inn (28 euros per person). We enter Bryce Park with our car heading for Rainbow Point, the last point on the road, and come back towards the hotel stopping at all the viewpoints. Particularly very beautiful (starting from the last) the first three from which you admire a beautiful panorama, but above all the last with a view of the hoodoos; a wonderful spectacle in the light of sunset.

Dinner at the motel (lots of people since it's the only one so close to the park) and unfortunately we can't visit the park in the evening because it's closed.

Bryce Park

Wake up at 7, breakfast and set off for the walk among the hoodoos. We drive to Sunset Point where we take the Queen Garden loop that leads to the base of the Hoodoos. The trail joins the Navajo loop and we take it in the direction of "Wall Street". Fabulous. The trail leads from the base to the top of the canyon and the colours and shapes of the rocks are inimitable and beautiful. In total it takes 1 hour and a half, stopping often for photos. In the afternoon we set off for Torrey along the scenic road, arriving at 17:00 at the Best Western Capital Reef (28 euros per person). A swim in the pool and relax in the hot tub with a view of the surrounding canyon. We do the laundry and then dinner at the local restaurant Patio, with a waitress typical of the area. After dinner we stop to look at the stars but because of the cold we retreat to the room to sleep.

Canyolands - Arch Park

Wake up at 7, breakfast included and set off for Moab with an intermediate stop to visit Canyonlands. We always follow the scenic roads from which you can admire fabulous and always different landscapes. At Canyonlands we drive, as is now our habit, along the whole road that crosses the park and stop to admire the viewpoints. We reach the end, at the Overlook view: from here we take the trail that leads to the final panoramic point: stunning. While walking you get a certain sense of vertigo looking down and the 360-degree view takes your breath away. After the walk we resume the journey towards Moab where we arrive at 15:00, stopping at the first restaurant "La Acienda" where we eat some good Mexican food. We go to the Moab Valley Inn (25 euros each) and at 17:00 we set off to enter Arch Park.

The evening visit is planned so as to be at Delicate Arch at sunset, which we reach at 19:00, the ideal moment to see the colours of the sunset. The trail is a bit uphill but it's worth it. We come down as night falls, stop at the supermarket to buy something and have dinner in the room.

Arch Park

Wake up at 7, breakfast included and our visit to Arch Park continues: it's very beautiful but it disappoints us a bit. We had read in many guides that you would see lots and lots of arches, whereas in reality to see them you really have to look for them. We liked the previous parks more but this one deserves it too. We go into the park following the signs for Landscape Arch and continue on to Devil's Garden where we admire Double O Arch. The trail has some difficult points where you need a bit of balance and agility. It's not exactly suitable for those who suffer a lot from vertigo. On the way back by car we stop at the various viewpoints. Balance Rock (the one from Wile E. Coyote) is worth it. We have lunch in Moab at an Italian restaurant "Jay's Pasta" and set off for Monticello. We arrive at the Day Inn (36 euros each, double room) at 16:00 and in the afternoon relax in the pool.

Dinner at the Lamplight restaurant, simply excellent! Two mega steaks with fries and vegetables, 1 plate of fried shrimp for $57 for two). A game of cards and off to bed.

Monument Valley

Wake up at 7, breakfast included and set off by car for Monument Valley. We drive along the beautiful I163 road, arriving around 10. We pay $5 each to enter since the park is managed by the Indians and isn't included with the annual pass. Once we arrive at the entrance we're given a rough map of the valley and asked whether we prefer the organised tour or going with our own car, we choose this option. The route is compulsory with 11 viewpoints in the valley. The road is rather rough and sandy: in certain points it's a bit difficult but our driver gets us to the destination excellently. With a 4x4 they wouldn't give us any trouble. The best viewpoint is no. 9 (Artist Point) from which you get an excellent view. The complete tour lasts about 2 hours. There's no possibility of doing walks but you can appreciate the landscape from the car.

At the end we stop at the local souvenir shop that sells products made by the Navajo. To have lunch we move to Kayenta at the McDonalds and then head towards Page to the Best Western Arizona Inn (41 euros each, quadruple room). Crossing the border with Arizona you have to put your watches back an hour, and we head towards Lake Powell: we visit the visitor centre and book the guided tour for the following morning (in English). A stop at the Supermarket to buy dinner and then relax in the Motel pool (to be honest the water was freezing so no swim). After dinner a meeting to plan the following days and then off to bed.

Antelope Canyon

Wake up at 7, breakfast included, and at 8:30 we're at the Glen Dam for the guided tour (5 dollars): we see the dam from the inside and walk along the crest. Once the tour is over we head towards Antelope Canyon, which we've heard a lot of good things about. All the organized tours are full and you can't get in on your own. We decide to go to the starting point of the tours anyway and luck is on our side. For 31 dollars we manage to get a Navajo tour. They take us by jeep to the mouth of the canyon, crossing the desert. Once inside the Canyon we're left speechless by how beautiful it is! The colors, the shapes, the horizon disappears and the three dimensions blend together. A Navajo guy accompanies us and shows us the best angles for taking photos. A paradise for photographers. Quick lunch and departure for the Grand Canyon.

We arrive at 4, unfortunately the sky is cloudy but the view is still very beautiful. We stop at the various viewpoints: the panorama is similar but it's nice to discover the different angles. We take tons of photos until sunset. As soon as the sun goes down we take the road to the Motel which, to our surprise, is on the complete opposite side from where we thought. The Grand Canyon is a very large and very crowded park, structured like a small town, with hotels, roads, little shops, and even a railway passes through. It's different from what we expected: it's not a deserted place in every sense: there are lots of people, lots of trees, it's almost cool. In any case, the sheer drop gives a certain sense of vertigo. The motel is the Holiday Inn Express (38 euros each for a quadruple room), we have dinner at Wendy's (a kind of McDonald's) and then off to sleep.

Grand Canyon

Wake up at 7, breakfast included, and at 8:00 we continue the Grand Canyon tour with the park Buses that take us to the various points you can't reach with your own car. The points all look alike: for us the best were Desert View because it was the first and it really struck us, and The Abyss Point, from which there's a beautiful view of the canyon, as well as a nice "cliff" effect. Tired and hungry at 2 pm we do some shopping and move to Tusayan for lunch at the Steak House. Then we set off on the journey towards Las Vegas. We arrive as the sun is setting and, weaving through the traffic on the Strip, we reach the Paris (unmistakable, the Tower is there) and park in the very convenient hotel parking lot. We go to the reception and the guy at Check-in is very kind and generous; in fact he assigns us 2 rooms on the 31st floor, telling us to check if they're to our liking.

We go to the assigned floor: everything is very luxurious and we, a bit scruffy and very casual, feel out of place. Finally we reach the rooms, insert the key and, magic, the door opens onto a suite worth 3450 dollars a night! Huge with a view of the strip, fabulous! We think they must have made a mistake since we had booked a room for 44 dollars each. So we take a few photos being careful not to touch anything and go back to the reception to ask for an explanation since we imagined our credit cards being drained. The guy with a smile confirms several times that everything is fine and that it was a "gift" for us, the cost is the same, nothing changes. Not entirely convinced, we go back to our suites and drop off our bags. Shower and whirlpool bath, and evening on the Strip. We play the slots and Carlo is the luckiest since he wins 20 dollars, but our real win was the suite.

We wander through the various casinos until past 3 and then off to bed in the canopy bed.

Las Vegas

Wake up at 9, the night in the suite was rejuvenating. Today the day is dedicated to shopping in one of the Las Vegas outlets. The prices are really good and we take advantage of it. At 5:00 pm we return the car to the Hertz Rental Car at the Paris and in the afternoon we rest and enjoy the comforts of the Suite, whirlpool bath and pool. In the evening we watch the Bellagio fountains and the eruption of the Mirage volcano. We'd also like to see the pirate attack at Treasure Island but the show is canceled due to wind. Off to bed early because the alarm is set for 4.

Towards New York

Wake up at 4 and check out, fearing extra charges on the bill but everything goes smoothly; at 5 we take a taxi to the airport where the flight to NY is at 7. Departure on time and at 3 pm NY time we arrive in Newark. Transfer by limousine (booked before leaving) towards the Hilton Garden Inn in Times Square (a real bargain, 65 dollars each per night for an excellent hotel in a strategic location). We leave our suitcases and take a look around to get our bearings. Dinner at ESPN watching baseball and then off to bed with a bit of trouble from the jet lag (3 hours).

New York - Harlem

Wake up at 7:30, breakfast at Starbucks and then off by subway (with a weekly pass) towards Harlem to attend the Baptist service and visit the neighborhood. The service lasts 2 hours but it's just like in the movies. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting Chelsea with a visit to the old station and the aircraft carrier. Dinner based on shrimp at Bubba Gump in Times Square (not to be missed).

New York - Down Town Lady Liberty Brooklyn

Wake up at 7:00, breakfast at Starbucks and then a visit to the financial district: Wall Street, Ground Zero, City Hall and the nearby neighborhoods. A stop at Battery Park and lunch at Pier 17. In the afternoon, ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty and the immigration museum. A walk on the Brooklyn Bridge and a visit to the neighborhood. Return to the bridge at sunset with a view of illuminated Manhattan. After 25 km of walking, dinner in the room and off to bed to rest our feet.

New York - Empire and Rockfeller Center

Wake up at 7:00, breakfast at Starbucks and up the Empire State Building (with the City Pass bought at home we save the time of queuing for tickets and also a bit of money), destination the 86th floor, 310 meters high, with a 360° view over NY city. Down again and shopping at Macy's. In the afternoon, visit to the Upper West Side with entry to the Museum of Natural Science and History (Citypass). To visit it you'd need a whole day, it's truly enormous. We limit ourselves to the 1st floor and the 4th with the famous dinosaurs from Night at the Museum. We continue with a visit to the Rockefeller Center, the Apple Store and the shops on 5th Avenue. In the evening, dinner at ESPN with a final downpour (it's the first rain in over 2 weeks of traveling).

New York - Central Park and Guggeneim museum

Wake up at 7 and, as always, breakfast at Starbucks. We visit Central Park, it's so big that we get lost in it. As soon as you enter you gain 2 degrees in temperature. We visit the Metropolitan Museum (CityPass) which is immense: for this reason we linger in the Renaissance, Impressionist and contemporary art sections. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the Guggenheim Museum (City Pass). It's worth visiting just to see the building, which is very particular. Inside it displays modern art works. We conclude the visit of the Upper East Side passing again through 5th Avenue. Dinner in the room and a quiet evening because we're exhausted.

New York - Little Italy and China Town

In the morning, visit to the neighborhoods of Soho and Greenwich Village: mostly residential but very different from the areas visited on previous days. In the afternoon we stop by Little Italy and Chinatown. Today's tour ends earlier than usual to allow ourselves a bit of rest. Today we only walked 10 km.

New York - MOMA

Wake up at 8:30 since the MOMA only opens at 10:30! We go visit it (City Pass), saving a ton of queuing by already having the tickets. The 4th and 5th floors are beautiful, with very famous works. We have lunch at Subway and in the afternoon relax between Central Park and shops for last-minute purchases. At 6:00 pm at the hotel to pack the suitcase, dinner at Bubba's and evening in Times Square. Our vacation is about to end: we're sorry but so happy to have taken this fabulous trip. The USA is a truly unique nation, to be visited at least once in a lifetime! We might just come back.

Return Home

Free morning: rest, browse the internet and take a short walk. The weather is bad too. At 12:00 we take a taxi to Newark where the Lufthansa 747 awaits to take us home.

Conclusions The trip was truly beautiful, it's worth spending a bit of time planning everything so as to see as many things as possible and avoid unpleasant surprises. In any case, if you need any advice we're available. Bye