TRAVEL-202609-uswest/itinerary.md

# 🌴 US West Coast Trip — September/October 2026

## The Group

- KT, VT — Sofia, Bulgaria
- MS, LK — Vancouver, BC

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## Destinations

- San Francisco (base: Daly City)
- Yosemite National Park
- Sequoia / Kings Canyon National Parks
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas

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## Bookings & Reservations

| | Dates | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| [🏠 Airbnb — Daly City](bookings/airbnb-sf-daly-city.md) | Sep 19–22 (3 nights) | $1,049.54 CAD | Auto-pays Sep 7 |
| [🏕️ Cabin — Yosemite (Wawona)](bookings/cabin-yosemite-wawona.md) | Sep 22–24 (2 nights) | US$933.75 | ✅ Paid |
| [🌲 Cabin — Sequoia (Miramonte)](bookings/cabin-sequoia-miramonte.md) | Sep 24–27 (3 nights) | US$771.16 | Auto-pays Sep 8 |
| [🏙️ Airbnb — LA (DTLA)](bookings/airbnb-la-dtla.md) | Sep 27–30 (3 nights) | US$860 | ✅ Booked by KT · ⚠️ complete online check-in form |
| [🎰 Las Vegas stay — candidates](vegas_stay_options.md) | Sep 30–Oct 3 (3 nights) | US$500–1,392+ | Shortlist only; resort fees may be extra |
| [🚗 Car Rental](bookings/car-rental.md) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (14 days) | ⚠️ TBC | SFO round trip; rent and return by MS |
| [✈️ Flights — KT & VT](bookings/flights-kt-vt.md) | Sep 19 / Oct 3 | — | ✅ Dates confirmed (details later) |
| [✈️ Flights — MS & LK](bookings/flights-ms.md) | Sep 20 / Oct 4 | CA$1,369.76 | ✅ Booked (OMK75H) · UA1333 / AC573 · bag CA$69/direction extra · LK away from group Sep 22–27 |

**Expense split:** [`expenses.md`](expenses.md) · [Tricount](https://tricount.com/tOMVasoAGxPeQkMAJP) (opens in the app).

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## Timeline

| Date | Day | Location | Notes |
|------|-----|----------|-------|
| Sep 19 | Sat | Daly City (SF area) | ✅ Airbnb check-in after 3 PM · KT & VT land SFO 1 PM · public transit / taxi · confirm they can check in without MS |
| Sep 20 | Sun | San Francisco | MS & LK fly YVR → SFO (UA1333, lands **12:11 PM**), rental pickup ~1 PM · KT & VT use public transit / taxi until then · afternoon start — trim [plan ↓](#sep-20--san-francisco-golden-gate--waterfront) |
| Sep 21 | Mon | San Francisco | [See plan ↓](#sep-21--san-francisco-downtown--classic-sf) · Downtown, cable cars, Chinatown (BART day) |
| Sep 22 | Tue | Yosemite | LK leaves the group (until Sep 27) · Check-out SF by 11 AM · Depart 7 AM · [See plan ↓](#sep-22--sf--yosemite-valley) · Wawona check-in (flexible) |
| Sep 23 | Wed | Yosemite | [See plan ↓](#sep-23--yosemite--glacier-point--mariposa-grove) |
| Sep 24 | Thu | Sequoia | Check-out Wawona by 10 AM · Drive Hwy 41 (~3 hrs) · [See plan ↓](#sep-24--yosemite--sequoia) · Gilmore Cabin check-in from 4 PM |
| Sep 25 | Fri | Kings Canyon | [See plan ↓](#sep-25--kings-canyon) |
| Sep 26 | Sat | Sequoia / Kings Canyon | Extra park day — TBD |
| Sep 27 | Sun | Los Angeles | Check-out Gilmore by 11 AM · Drive to LA · [DTLA Airbnb](bookings/airbnb-la-dtla.md) check-in from 4 PM (1100 W Temple St) · LK rejoins the group ~5 PM |
| Sep 28 | Mon | Los Angeles | TBD |
| Sep 29 | Tue | Los Angeles | TBD |
| Sep 30 | Wed | Las Vegas | Drive LA → Vegas (~4.5 hrs, I-15) · no LA → LAS flight needed |
| Oct 1 | Thu | Las Vegas | — |
| Oct 2 | Fri | Las Vegas | — |
| Oct 3 | Sat | Las Vegas → San Francisco | KT & VT fly LAS → Bulgaria · MS starts drive back to San Francisco · overnight stop / endpoint TBC |
| Oct 4 | Sun | San Francisco | MS returns rental car at SFO and flies SFO → YVR · coordinate flight time with car return |

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## Detailed Day Plans

> **Option to look into — Alcatraz:** ferry from Pier 33, ~2.5–3 hrs round trip. No car needed. If the group wants it, best slotted into the **Sep 21 morning** (BART day) — reach Pier 33 via the F-line streetcar, then do downtown after. This avoids clashing with the Sep 20 morning, which Marin Headlands wants for the pre-fog bridge view. **Sells out weeks ahead — reserve early.**
> **Mondays:** some museums (incl. the de Young) are closed — check before counting on them Sep 21.

### Sep 20 — San Francisco: Golden Gate & Waterfront

> **Sights menu:** see [`sf_sights.md`](sf_sights.md) for the full candidate list.

*Car day after MS arrives and collects the rental. The order and scope depend on the flight arrival time.*

- **Morning** Drive to **Marin Headlands / Battery Spencer** — the classic Golden Gate Bridge panorama; go early before fog and crowds
- **Late morning** Cross back over the bridge → **Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center** & Fort Point underneath
- **Midday** **Palace of Fine Arts** → **Crissy Field** (bridge + skyline)
- **Afternoon** Drive **Lombard Street** (the crooked block) → park near **Fisherman's Wharf**
- **Late afternoon** **Pier 39** sea lions → **Ghirardelli Square**; dinner on the waterfront

### Sep 21 — San Francisco: Downtown & Classic SF

*BART day — park the rental in Daly City, ride in to skip downtown parking.*

- **Morning** BART Daly City → **Embarcadero**; **Ferry Building** marketplace for breakfast
  - *Optional:* **Alcatraz** — early ferry from Pier 33 (F-line streetcar from the Embarcadero); book ahead
- **Late morning** Ride a **cable car** (California St line) over Nob Hill → **Union Square**
- **Midday** **Chinatown** (Dragon Gate) → **North Beach** (Little Italy) → **Coit Tower** views
- **Afternoon** **Alamo Square** Painted Ladies; optional **Golden Gate Park** (de Young / Japanese Tea Garden)
- **Evening** BART back from Powell St → Daly City

### Sep 22 — SF → Yosemite Valley

> **Sights menu:** see [`parks_sights.md`](parks_sights.md) for the full candidate list + seasonal notes (firefall, water levels, etc.).

- **7 AM** Depart SF
- **Morning** Tunnel View (Hwy 120 entrance) → Bridalveil Fall (5-min walk) → Valley View (Merced River framing)
- **Late afternoon** Cook's Meadow Loop — 1 mile, flat, Half Dome framing, good golden hour
- **Evening** Wawona check-in (flexible)

### Sep 23 — Yosemite: Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove

- **Morning** Glacier Point — best light on Half Dome early
- **Midday** Mirror Lake — 2-mile paved loop via free shuttle (low water in Sep but great views)
- **Late afternoon** Mariposa Grove — relaxed pace

### Sep 24 — Yosemite → Sequoia

- **By 10 AM** Check out Wawona
- **Morning** Drive Hwy 41 south (~3 hrs)
- **Afternoon** Giant Forest Museum (orientation) → General Sherman Tree (shuttle) → Congress Trail (2-mile paved loop, better than just the Sherman stop)
- **Late afternoon** Moro Rock
- **From 4 PM** Gilmore Cabin check-in

### Sep 25 — Kings Canyon

- **Morning** Grant Grove & General Grant Tree — quieter than Sequoia
- **Midday** Kings Canyon Scenic Byway descent
- **Afternoon** Zumwalt Meadow → Road's End
- **Return drive** Canyon walls spectacular in afternoon light

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*Last updated: August 2026*