What can we gain by skipping Yosemite and flying to SanFran?

In general I agree with #7... Zion is more dramatic than Sedona for sure. But I do think the Sedona area is underrated by many people on TT, mainly because the town itself is a bit of an affront. The drive there is spectacular, and the easy walk up the West Fork of Oak Creek almost compares with Zion for scenic beauty (almost!). And there's so many great areas away from all the new-age tourist nonsense and vacation-home sprawl.

So if you are collecting "see-before-you-die" places on this trip, Zion and Bryce are the way to go. But if the part of your trip between GC and San Fran is more about slowing down and relaxing a bit while still taking in some great scenery, you can't go wrong spending a few days around Sedona and Flagstaff.

Sedona's not a bag town. I've seen plenty a whole lot worse.

I meant "not a bad town." It's funny how you get the fashionistas decrying expansion of towns like that while in the same breath complaining about high prices in said places. Children, if you restrict the supply through development restrictions, want to guess what happens to the price?

That's why the locals want to put up boom gates Willy - so their little pile of concrete, crystals and aircon skyrockets in value. But even if you're pro-development, the sprawl around Sedona is getting close to tragic (given the natural beauty of the place...).

Hi. I live in Las Vegas.

I'm wonderfully encouraged to see the terrific advice given: visit Southern Utah. That's a wonderful time of year to see Zion and Bryce, and there are terrific hikes in both parks for less-experienced hikers. I might add that I've trekked and climbed in just about every major and minor range in the Americas (N and S), and for my money, Springdale UT is one of the most pleasant towns in which one can kill time short of the Argentine Patagonian Andes.

As a climber, I know the magic that is Yosemite, but agree that it would really make your trip more of a driving trip than simply keeping closer to Vegas.

And now, let me make a local pitch: Las Vegas is actually a wonderful place, and you may find yourself wanting to spend more time here. It's far less expensive than most US destinations in terms of cost/quality (for example, rooms in most of the larger casinos can be had for $70/night, and go as low as $25 for the Orleans, which is actually not a bad place).

Better still, go to Red Rock Canyon and/or Death Valley. Ride some of the rollercoasters on the Strip. Get drunk by the pool at the Mandalay Bay (or the Aladdin). Visit some of the remarkable restaurants away from the Strip. And if you want a large mountain, drive up to Mt. Charleston. They have a beautiful campground there that is almost always less than full.

And if you absolutely MUST see the Sierra Nevada, you have some great choices:
fly earlier to SF, and drive from there (a lot quicker); or
drive to Bishop from Death Valley (another 2.5 hours on), and enjoy the beauty from the eastern slope.

The southwest has an embarassment of riches in terms of fun things, and if you are committed to the Grand Canyon and SF, Yosemite might stretch your schedule a bit thin.

Note:
- I do not vote for the Hoover Dam as a stop on a tour. IMHO underwhelming, and huge amounts of traffic. If your drive to the GC takes you this way, don't plan to cross at noon on a Saturday. YIKES.
- Sedona is lovely, and expensive. Warnings about budget-busting there should be taken seriously.

I liked Hoover Dam. Drive across to the Arizona side and park for free and walk back - it's quite impressive, given you have to drive over it anyway. And I know Lake Powell is politically incorrect, but Glen Canyon Dam is impressive too. These things are not dime a dozen, and should be appreciated. I agree with you though #14 on Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley.

Thank you so much to everyone who replied - all of this advice is great.

Opinion seems to be converging on a circuit taking in Bryce and Zion NPs - I think that's probably the option we'll go for.

Thanks also for the advice on Hoover Dam. I've actually seen it before myself and was slightly underwhelmed by it. But it's definitely worth a look and we'll try to swing by it (taking account of the "avoid Saturday at noon" advice from Danhedonia.

We'll let you know how we get on on our return...

The advice we give from Grand Canyon ( South Rim ) is that if travelling GC to Las Vegas at a busy time, DO NOT travel via Hoover Dam, unless you have a burnig desire to see it. There are security checkpoints, bottlenecks, and construction. Look at the highway map and take the highway ( AZ 68, I believe ) from just north of Kingman over to Bullhead City and cross the river to Laughlin, and then continue over to U.S. 95 north which will take you to Henderson, east of Las Vegas. ABout 20 more driving miles and a whole lot les headache. SOme visitors told me just in the past few days about major delays they encountered last week at Hoover Dam.

I took the Hoover Dan route about a year ago, and it took an extra hour because of security and construction. Having seen it before it's not something I welcomed, but if it's a first-time trip I'd say bite the bullet and go there anyway.

I agree with Willy about Hoover dam. The dam is a relic from a time when massive engineering projects were undertaken with style and verve. Its not only impressive, its beautiful. I guess I have to cash in my Sierra Club membership for saying so, but there it is. BTW, I think Glen Canyon dam is less impressive and not nearly as architecturally interesting - you'd be better off driving by the Vermillion Cliffs than Glen Canyon on your way up to Utah.