DestinazioneUSA.com - The Italian portal on the United States

cortid writes "A Trip through USA: 4.500 crossed miles. 13 visited parks, 10 States crossed. A marvelous experience that we try to tell

1° Day. Milan - Chicago
Milan Malpensa (6.45) - Amsterdam (8.20)
Amsterdam (10.55) - Chicago (12.30) (fused schedule +7)
I arrive to Chicago at the 12.30 (in perfect schedule). After the dispatch of the customs formalities we withdraw the car, already rented by the italia, and we direct there in Downtown to the hotel. After a refreshing bath in the swimming pool of the hotel we direct there, afoot in the neighbor Michigan Avenue, the principal street in Chicago.

2° Day. - Chicago
It wakes up times 8.30. After a pantagruelica breakfast directs there to the Navy Center and makes a turn on the panoramic wheel. Really beautiful. Then in auto we cross "Lake Drive" tasting us the lake beaches and the lake Michigan. Finally gives the big heat, we surrender to the temptation and we direct there on a beach to make a marvelous bath among the skyscrapers. For the supper all from Billy Goat (in the undergrounds in Michigan Avenue..... not to lose).

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3° Day - Chicago - Albert Lea.
Departure from Chicago at the 8.15. With the interstate 90 cross the vedre Wisconsin. Overcome the Mississipi we enter nela Minnesota. Very beautiful run. Arrival to Albert Lea at 16.00 o'clock. Pernottamento to the Country Inn (pleasant).

4° Day - Albert Lea - Wall
It covers her harder than the trip. Departure at the 8.15. It visits to Sioux Falls (to avoid) and then continuing toward west we reach the Missouri. Great show. Overcome the Missouri (fused schedule +8) we reach the Badlandses first National Park that we visit. Here after having purchased the pass for all the National Park we taste there a really notable show. To sleep we have to actually continue to Wall where pernottiamo in an Econo Lodge and we dine to the nice Wall Drug quartierino style Western.

5° Day - Wall - Rapid City
Departure times 8.15. At 10.00 o'clock we are to the M.te Rushmore. Unbelievable, stupendous, marvelous. Very interesting the passage from the east desert of Rapid City to the green and the south forests of the same city. The Black Hills are a whole forests and lakes and the M.te Rushmor it towers in the mean of the park. In construction, and therefore of smaller interest, the Crazy Horse. Pernottamento to the Ramada Hotel and supper from Boston's nice local years 60.

6° Day Rapid City - Cody
Departure times 8.15. Desert landscape actually to the entrance of the Wyoming. Then sceneries "almanacs." You leaves the Intersate 90 after 2.000 kms from Chicago and him it continues for Cody through impervious footsteps (he arrives to around 3.100 m.s.l.ms.).
With a sequence of panoramas "mozzafiato" we reach Cody city native of Buffalo Bill. Here it seems that Bill is still alive. It feels it out of the world. Pernottamento to the Holiday Inn and supper from local typical Irma western.

7° Day Cody - Yellowstone
Departure times 8.15. At 9.30 o'clock we reach the entry of the park of Yellowstone. From here crossing the Grand Loop it is visited the park. Through the Hayden Valley they are met an unbelievable series of Buffalos. But the show of the Artist point I believe he/she will remain in our minds for the whole life; the fall, the canyon, the colors......... Stupendous.
I have lunch to T. Roosvelt and standstill to Mammoth Hot Spring: a calcareous formation that from far it seems a glacier. Finally to the Old Faithful Geyser. Every 75 minutes this gayser "it satisfies" people's miles in attended. It is worth to also visit the Old Faithfull Inn (if place is found it is beautiful to sleep here).
We dine to the Grand Village and pernottamento in the same hotel.

8° Day Yellowstone - Idaho Falls
Departure to the......... ...8.15 (so much to change).
Gone out of the park of Yellowstone him it enters the Grand Teton N.P. An immense highland with a landscape type "alpine" with lakes and mountains around 4.000 ms. To the Lake Jane we make an excursion in boat and a small walk to see the Hidens Falls. Amusing.
For the time of lunch we are in the gioiellino western called Jackson Holl. In evening, after having left the Wyoming we come to Idaho Falls.

9° Day Idaho Falls - Salt Lake City
Departure to the usual one now and after having entered the Utah we reach toward midday Salt Lake City. Very interesting city (above all the part related to the temple of the Mormons). The boys start to have nostalgia of the Italian food and therefore to satisfy him to them goes from "Fresh." All added eats well.

10° Day Salt Lake City - Moab
Departure at the 8.30. The road actually to River Green it is not anything of detail, pleasant but normal. Then from the alternative of the The 70 the show decidedly improves. More it draws near us to Moab and the show becomes anymore beautiful. The rocks more and more redheads, the warm colors more and more. Few kilometers before Moab we find the Arches N.P.. Just entered him it realizes that he is in a Superb place. We amuse making a series of strolls to see the most greater number of "D'Arco" in stone. The punishment is actually worth to absolutely arrive at least to the Landscape Arch. The walk to the Delicate Arch we postpone to the following evening. Pernottamento to the Moab Valley inn.

11° Day - Moab (Canyonlands N.P. and Arches N.P.)
It wakes up times 8.00. Departure for the Canyonlands N.P. formed from the Green River and from the Colorado River. Very beautiful park that offers a first idea of those that /they are the Canyons. I reenter in Hotel and relax in swimming pool. Then toward evening, return to the Arches for the excursion to the Delicate ones. The temperature is very elevated (superior to the 40° Cs). We start there toward the Delicate Arch and after an oretta of walk (badly that we have brought a lot of a lot of a lot of water) he reaches the Delicate Arch. WONDER. Every other comment is superfluous.

12° Day Moab - Kayenta.
Departure times 10.15 (today we are picked up comfortable). At 12.30 o'clock we are to Mexican Hat to the entry of the Monument Valley. Here we are in full Indian reserve. After some kilometer we reach the entry of the Monument Valley. 25 excavated street kms (cost of entry 15 $) they allow a complete visit of the valley. It seems to live in a film western. The show (and also the warm one) it is notable. In evening we reach Kayenta. Pernottamento to the Holiday Inn and supper in the Hotel.

13° Day. Kayenta - Grand Canyon
Departure at the 8.30. After having crossed the earth of the Navajos (impressive the poverty) we enter the Grand Canyon N.P. After the visit in the tower of the water (Indian tipicità) we continue toward the South Rim detaining us in the various panoramic points. Very beautiful. after lunch he takes the shuttle (free) that it conducts us in the most panoramic points (Pime Point). We finally reach our Hotel to Tussayn. He/she dines in steak.

14° Day - Grand Canyon - Page
Departure times 8.35. At 11.30 o'clock we are to Page. The Lake Powell N.P. it begins as soon as after the obstruction of the dike. it strikes the color of the artificial lake (over that extension). After a pò of relax in the hotel (Holiday inn) rather than to make the navigation directs there toward Lone Stone. There is here the greatest beach of the lake where the Californians and their immense Caravans come to spend the vacations. The beach is long more than two kilometers. Really beautiful. He/she dines in the restaurant country.

15° Day - Page - Las Vegas
Departure at the 8.45. After having coasted along the Lake Powell we direct there toward the Zion N.P. Characterized by the red flooring this small park it is decidedly superior to our expectations. At 15.30 o'clock we reach Las Vegas; visit in the tower of the Stratosphere (380 ms of height) and street for casino. The everything is inenarrabile. He/she dines to the Venetian and reentry to the Motel.

16° Day - Las Vegas
Day devoted to the visit in Las Vegas. The various hotel-casinos are unbelievable. We visit: the Bellagio, the Paris, the Desert, the Excalibur, the Charles Mountain, the MGM (with mega room games), the Luxor, the New York (touching the presence of thousand of shirts on the enclosure of the hotel in memory of the facts of September 11). The evening we pass to the Venetian, to the Mirage and the mythical Cesar Palace. At night Las Vegas is an enormous amusement park (for adults).

17° Day - Las Vegas - Mammoth Lakes
Departure times 8.30. Direction Death Valley where we enter toward the 11.00. The temperature is torrid (almost 50° Cs) but damp is not elevated for which he is not badly. After having seen Zabriskie point, we go down for some kilometer toward south for verede the artist Shovels. You perceives in distance Badwather (the lowest point in USA) and then toward west we begin a road in slope that will bring us out of the Valley of the Death (to every kilometer there are some cisterns of water for the motor that reaches some worrisome temperatures). To the evening we reach Mammoth Lakes to 2.500m on the level of the sea. Beautiful and fresh!

18° day - Mammoth Lakes - Mariposa.
Departure times 9.15. We take for the Tioga Pass that, once reached, it represents the tallest point of our trip (3.300 m.s.l.ms.). Overcome the footstep him it enters the Yosemite N.P. The landscape is a lot "alpine" and in summer is I deprive of water; the consequence is that the falls are "dry." Impressive El Captain the biggest monolite of granite on the earth. We go out of the park and we reach Mariposa where pernottiamo. Here I find a shop of musical tools and I amuse some.

19° Day - Mariposa - Lemoore
Departure at the 9.00. We reach the Redwood N.P. Very beautiful. The redwoods are immense and here..... we also see the bears!!. We launch us in an unlikely scaling reaching the panoramic point of the park; so much work but has been worth of it.
In evening to Lemoore for pernottare in a Best Western.

20° Day - Lemoore - Monterey
Departure times 8.30. After having taken for west we have to cross a base soldier. Expresses controls and street.... decidedly following a tortuous road we overcome the last obstacles and we reach the Pacific ocean.
Visited Carmel (jewel) we cross the mythical 17 miles drive (entry 8 $) admiring the Lone Cypress, the Leos Marini and of the villas from dream. Raggiungioamo, finally, the Best Western of Monterey. Chamber with sight on the ocean and unforgettable bath in the ocean Pacific.

21° Day - Monterey - San Francisco
Departure times 9.30. After having crossed "Splendid" government n° 1 (one of the most beautiful roads to the world) we reach S. Francisco. We cross the Golden Gate, we give a glance to Sausalito (very nice) we cross the Richmond Bridge and we reach Berkley where we visit the university. Then through the Bay Bridge we reenter to S. Francisco. He/she dines to the Fisherman's Wharf and inevitable purchases.

22° Day - San Francisco
I find again times 10.00. We cross the Scenic 49 Mileses. Crossed really very beautiful that allows to visit the Garrison, and to see the endless beaches of Frisco. Passage for Chinatown, then to the Telegraph Hill and the famous Lombard Street.
He/she dines in Chinatown

23° Day - San Francisco
I find again times 9.30. We take the Cable Car (the streetcar typical of San Francisco) and we direct there to the Fisherman's Wharf for then to reach the Pier 39 afoot. After lunch, always afoot, to Ghirardelli Square and finally reentry in downtown with the Cable Car. Finally, for a good supper, still to Ghirardelli Square.

24° Day - San Francisco - Italy
I find again times 9.30. At first we make a pantagruelica breakfast and therefore we transfer there to the airport where we redeliver the cars and we go there to the terminal.
After 10.30 hours of flight we are to Amsterdam and after a further hour and half we reach Malpensa. End of the magnificent Trip.
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