As you all know I was married last March 27th.
We decided to postpone out honeymoon and now we have decided to plan one sometime this fall.
What we are thinking about is a Yosemite National Park vacation. We want to see the big Redwood trees or Sequois? And of course some of the waterfalls.
Here's a couple of websites we are looking at:
http://www.yosemitepark.com/SpecialEventsPackages_Packages.aspx
http://www.nps.gov/yose/

Or a Grand Canyon vacation. We want to go to the bottom of course & take a trip down the river.

Has anyone ever been there or can offer suggestions on how to make this a great trip?

Thanks!

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

Scratch the Grand Canyon idea in the fall. It gets coooolllldddd up there! Seriously. Late September snow squalls are not common but they aren't rare either. As for taking a raft ride, the last time I checked there was a 3 month waiting list.

Congratulations on the marriage!

Back seat of a W126....

__________________
2006 BMW M5 "Heidi" @ 109,000 miles
2005 MBZ C55 AMG "Lorelai" @ 165,000 miles
1991 MBZ 300E "Benzachino II" @ 165,000 miles
1990 MBZ 500SL "Shoshanna" @ 118,000 miles

(On the hunt for a good used M103 engine as of 6/10/23, PM me if you have one to sell!)

Lots and Lots of SEX!!!

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I believe that taking a trip down river in the Canyon is both, expensive and booked out many months in advance. Not sure as I've not done it myself but that's what I've heard. I do know a friend of mine who did that some years ago. He went of a week long trip on one of those big rafts where you camp out on the beach overnight and such. However I believe that his trip was booked a year in advance.

As for simply hiking down to the river and back. I've done it. Did it during spring break some years back. It was cold. It can be done rim to river and back up again in one day, though this is not encouraged and having done it once I will not be doing it again. We booked a room in Maswick lodge if I remember correctly. This is in two sections and we stayed in the Maswick south section as this was closest to the rim near the Bright Angel trailhed. I determined this would be an advantage when we got back up to the top again. I was right! The less distance to walk to your room when you get back up the better believe me. We started out at 04:30 in darkness with headlamps and flashlights and reached the river at aboug 11:00. We rested for an hour and then climbed back up again. Reached the trailhead again at 17:30. I could hardly move once I got back to my room I was so sore. I strongly recommend not trying this unless you are very fit and have done a lot of hiking in the year leading up to it. Remember that unlike most hikes where you typically climb a mountain and then walk back down again the GC is exactly opposite. You have to climb back up from the half way point and that can get to be really heavy going if you are not in good shape.

Not really trying to discourage you, merely trying to point out realities based on my experiences.

As for Yosemite...

There is really no bad time of year to see Yosemite (except perhaps mid summer?). However if you are looking to see the waterfalls I'm afraid fall is not the time. You want to be there in late spring when the snow melt is at it's greatest and the rivers are in spate. I was lucky to catch that time of the year purely by chance back in 1993, the only time I've been lucky enough visit it.

One must do hike if you manage it at that time is the "mist trail" from the valley floor up past "Vernal" and "Nevada" falls. Bring a poncho, you will get wet.

Search Yosmite's website for references to "the cables" up the back side of "half dome" Definately something worth doing if you can. You can climb up the chain ladder before its officially in use each year but it's a bit more difficult I believe. Anyway. Depending on what kind of accommodation you desire/require Yosmite can book out way in advance. I stayed in "Oakhurst lodge" in the town of Oakhurst just outside the park and had to drive in each day.

Hope this helps. Spend a lot of time researching these parks and activites. The National Park Service does have a very good website.

- Peter.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

We flew to London, rented a car, and spent one week driving around the UK and one week driving around France. Inexpensive and just the two of us in a foriegn land.

__________________
- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

That's a great idea. Probably a bit more expensive now because of the exchange rate.

Is DisneyWorld an option... lol

or go to DisneyLand in cali

That was what I was thinking too. Don't forget the blow up dolls and the air pumps. Also he should get to stay in the countryside where they have sheep.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Go visit your local travel agent's office.
They have a TON of info, can tell you the best deals for destinations from your city. Let them know if you have a budget and they can make recommendations that fit well with your interests and finances.

Forget all that nonsense. Take her to Denny's and then to the flea Market. That's what I did and I have been married to my wondeful wife Vickie for 27 years.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

What happened to the "good old days" when the word honeymoon meant something . . a whole lunar month of drinking mead and sweetened spirits donated by the in-laws!

my inlaws gave me a lot of BEER when I married their daughter. You see she's blind in one eye and blond in the other.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

The bottom of the Grand Canyon should be mild in the fall, so I don't think that should be an issue on the river. However, I was on the waiting list for 10 years before I got my private permit to run the river. Commercial outfitters should have spaces for two on a fall trip. It's 18 days to do the whole thing on an oar raft. Less on a motorized raft, but less fun too. You can do half by hiking in or out at Phantom Ranch. I think some outfitters may helicopter people in or out, but I'm not sure if that is still permissible. A commerical river trip will be pricey, probably around $3k per person I think. It's definitely a great trip though and fall is a better time than summer. I ran it in July and it was 113 degrees at Phantom Ranch and about 120 degrees in the inner gorge. Jumping in to 48 degree water at those air temperatures is unnatural.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13