79 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
79 lines
3.6 KiB
Markdown
# 🌴 US West Coast Trip — September/October 2026
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## The Group
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| Name | Travelling from |
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|------|----------------|
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| KT | Sofia, Bulgaria |
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| VT | Sofia, Bulgaria |
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| MS | Vancouver, BC |
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| LK | Vancouver, BC |
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---
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## Destinations
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- San Francisco (base: Daly City)
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- Yosemite National Park
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- Sequoia / Kings Canyon National Parks
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- Los Angeles
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- Las Vegas
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---
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## Bookings & Reservations
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| | Dates | Cost | Status |
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|---|---|---|---|
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| [🏠 Airbnb — Daly City](bookings/airbnb-sf-daly-city.md) | Sep 19–22 (3 nights) | $1,049.54 CAD | Payment due Sep 7 |
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| [🏕️ Cabin — Yosemite (Wawona)](bookings/cabin-yosemite-wawona.md) | Sep 22–24 (2 nights) | US$933.75 | ✅ Paid |
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| [🌲 Cabin — Sequoia (Miramonte)](bookings/cabin-sequoia-miramonte.md) | Sep 24–26 (2 nights) | US$542.73 | Payment due Sep 8 |
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| [🚗 Car Rental](bookings/car-rental.md) | Sep 19–30 (11 days) | ⚠️ TBC | Confirm with KT |
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| [✈️ Flights — KT & VT](bookings/flights-kt-vt.md) | Sep 19 / Oct 3 | — | ⚠️ Confirm with KT |
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---
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## Timeline
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| Date | Day | Location | Notes |
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|------|-----|----------|-------|
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| Sep 19 | Sat | Daly City (SF area) | ✅ Airbnb check-in after 3 PM · KT picks up rental car at SFO |
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| Sep 20 | Sun | San Francisco | — |
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| Sep 21 | Mon | San Francisco | — |
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| Sep 22 | Tue | Yosemite | Check-out SF by 11 AM · Depart 7 AM · See Day 1 plan · Wawona check-in (flexible) |
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| Sep 23 | Wed | Yosemite | See Day 2 plan |
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| Sep 24 | Thu | Sequoia | Check-out Wawona by 10 AM · Drive Hwy 41 (~3 hrs) · See Day 3 plan · ✅ Gilmore Cabin check-in from 4 PM |
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| Sep 25 | Fri | Kings Canyon | See Day 4 plan |
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| Sep 26 | Sat | Los Angeles | Check-out Gilmore by 11 AM · Drive to LA |
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| Sep 27 | Sun | Los Angeles | TBD |
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| Sep 28 | Mon | Los Angeles | TBD |
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| Sep 29 | Tue | Los Angeles | TBD |
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| Sep 30 | Wed | Las Vegas | Car dropoff at LAX · ✈️ LAX→LAS (tickets TBD) · All 4 to Vegas |
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| Oct 1 | Thu | Las Vegas | — |
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| Oct 2 | Fri | Las Vegas | — |
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| Oct 3 | Sat | — | KT & VT fly to Sofia ⚠️ airport TBC (LAS or LAX?) · MS & LK return to Vancouver TBD |
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---
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## Detailed Day Plans
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### Day 1 — Tue Sep 22: SF → Yosemite Valley
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Depart SF by 7 AM. Enter via Hwy 120 for Tunnel View, then Bridalveil Fall (5-min walk, right there). Valley View next for the Merced River framing. Cook's Meadow Loop in the late afternoon — a flat 1-mile walk with Half Dome perfectly framed over open meadow, ideal for golden hour photography. Wawona check-in is flexible.
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### Day 2 — Wed Sep 23: Yosemite — Glacier Point & Mariposa Grove
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Glacier Point first thing for the best morning light on Half Dome. Back to the Valley for Mirror Lake — easy 2-mile paved walk via the free shuttle (water level is typically low in late September, but the Half Dome views along the path are still excellent and early fall colour is starting). Mariposa Grove in the late afternoon at a relaxed pace.
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### Day 3 — Thu Sep 24: Yosemite → Sequoia
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Check out and drive south on Hwy 41 (~3 hrs). Giant Forest Museum to orient, then shuttle to General Sherman Tree. Follow directly with the Congress Trail — a 2-mile paved loop past dozens of named giants, genuinely the better walk. Cap the afternoon with Moro Rock in the late afternoon light.
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### Day 4 — Fri Sep 25: Kings Canyon
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Grant Grove and General Grant Tree in the morning (much quieter than Sequoia). Then the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway descent — one of the most dramatic drives in California. Zumwalt Meadow at the canyon floor, then push all the way to Road's End before turning back. The canyon walls in afternoon light on the return drive are spectacular.
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---
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*Last updated: April 2026*
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