on the road to...

Fly into San Francisco for a couple of nights, before picking up your hire car – or motorhome – and start on this epic trip. Best to allow two weeks to enjoy the splendour of Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Book hotels or camping sites in the national parks well in advance – they can get busy.

Highlights:

San Francisco – Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, ride the cable cars, see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yosemite – spectacular scenery including El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, excellent for walking and camping.

Grand Canyon – visit the south rim on this drive and see mile-deep canyons.

Los Angeles – Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Disneyland, plus fabulous beaches.

Best time to visit – late spring through to early autumn. Some roads around Yosemite or the Grand Canyon can experience snow.

Calgary to Vancouver via Lake Louise and Banff

Start your trip in Calgary. Stay at least one night before picking up your hire car or motorhome. Allow at least one week and add in a day trip to the wondrous Athabasca Glacier. If you have a motorhome, then park it up in nearby Banff and hire a car or take an organised trip there.

Highlights:

Calgary – Calgary Tower for amazing 360-degree views of the bustling city from the 190.8 metre tall tower.

Banff and Lake Louise – see bears and other wildlife. Visit Sulphur Mountain, named in 1916 for the hot springs on its lower slopes. Take afternoon tea at Chateau Lake Louise.

Vancouver – sea planes, Chinatown, Stanley Park, Gastown.

Best time to visit – June-August when it’s at its sunniest and driest.

Best car to drive – if it’s just the two of you, why not try out a Mustang convertible? For a family holiday to remember, hire a motorhome.