54 my journey
N
Grand Canyon, a true wonder
owhere matches the US for a road trip and a ‘circular’ tour linking three great cities and one of America’s most iconic scenic attractions is right up there with the best. It’s worth reiterating how easy driving is in the States and once out of urban areas freeways are invariably empty by UK standards. Plus fuel is ‘cheap’. My family trip started in Los Angeles where we were
lucky enough to stay with my niece in her palatial fi ve-bed en suite LA home. Our fi rst full day started with a leisurely breakfast in a sunny neighbourhood eatery before we headed off to Hollywood for a tour. With a wide choice of Starline tours to choose from – including the new Movie Locations Tour in partnership with Turner Classic Movies (TCM) – we opted for one of the three city tours taking in Hollywood and Beverley Hills. The next day was Universal Studios and as great as the theme park is, a whole new dimension opens up with the VIP Pass. It doesn’t come cheap – at some $200 more than the normal $92 entrance fee - but it includes a heck of a lot: valet parking; buffet breakfast in the lounge; front of line entry on every ride; a lavish and delicious lunch in
Moulin Rouge; three shows with preferential seating; an extended studio tour including visits to fi lm and TV sets and all with knowledgeable and passionate hosts. (
universalstudioshollywood.com/tickets/vip-experience)
Palm Springs Next morning we picked
up our Alamo rental car (having used the 30%
discount available through Selling Travel – go to alamo.
co.uk/sellingtravel) and headed through the desert for
California’s desert playground,
Palm Springs. It’s an attractive city with one of the largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture and has a new Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center to help showcase it. After a swift lunch in a diner we headed for Palm Springs’ famous Aerial Tramway (
palmspringsaerialtramway.us) the world’s largest rotating tramcar which offers the most fabulous views of the mountainside and desert beyond. At the top there is every amenity but the best bit is the Mt Jacinto National Park with its 54 miles of trails and some stunning views from various vantage points. We stayed in the colourful 245-room Saguaro Hotel
(
jdvhotels.com), a Joie de Vivre property, which is a perfect base for families with its heated outdoor swimming pool and two restaurants just a very short drive to downtown with a huge choice of places to eat; we chose a French brasserie. For daytime fun Palm Springs has several museums and, perfect for hot weather, a Wet ‘n’ Wild. The next day was our longest drive along a mix of freeways and country roads again crossing the desert – including the Joshua Tree National Park – to Grand Canyon West. Ranch
We checked into our Hualapai
cabin and spent a couple of hours playing at cowboys with horseshoe throwing, carriage rides, archery and, more big city than ranch, watching at very close hand a quite brilliant magician. After dinner we sat by a camp fi re toasting marshmallows and gazing in awe at the starlit sky before heading for bed.
The Canyon at dawn
Seven next morning saw us wrapped up against the chill watching the sun rise over the Grand Canyon, an absolutely magical sight. After breakfast we headed for the horseshoe-shaped, vertigo-inducing Skywalk with its glass fl oor and walls 4000 feet above the Colorado River and then to Guano Point, both offering awe-inspiring views of the mighty Grand Canyon. As the crowds started to build we headed from one of the world’s natural wonders to an urban equivalent dedicated to hedonism, Las Vegas. En route we stopped to stroll around and admire the incredible Hoover Dam which has amazed visitors since the 1930s. The car satnav took us straight into the Bellagio’s
sellingtravel.co.uk
Beverly Hills has some great architecture too
My Western USA journey...
Alan Orbell headed out of LA in his Chevrolet for the coasts, canyons and casinos of Palm Springs, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and San Diego
My magical moments Watching the sun rise over the Grand Canyon from the Hualapai Ranch and heading out on the Skywalk and Guano Point lookout early in the day; admiring stunning views of Palm Springs from Mt. San Jacinto State Park vantage points; taking a cycle ride along San Diego’s waterfront
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