This is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful, natural beauty that I have ever seen : the Grand Prismatic Sping in the Yellostone National Park (WY). This spring is the second largest hot water spring in the world.

It was the main thing I wanted to see during this trip (along with Monument Valley in the Navajo indian reserve). The Yellowstone area is as large as Corsica : to really enjoy it (and its numerous trails), plan at least 3 days. Even though many places have been defigurated by the terrible fires during the summer in 1988, there are plenty of scenes not to miss : the numerous geysers (the most famous and most predictable one being "Old Faithful" : the time of its eruptions can be predicted with a 10 minuted error margin, easy enough to schedule your journey accordingly), Upper & Midway Geyser Basins, Mammoth Hot Springs, the very nice Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (and its falls), Mud Volcano, ...

Don't miss Yellowstone's twin park, Grand Teton and its wonderful landscapes and views over the Rocky Mountains.

This is the most famous prison in the world : Alcatraz, also known as "The Rock", in San Francisco (CA). The word "alcatraz" means "pelican" in Spanish, and that name was given to the island at the time when these birds were its sole inhabitants. It then became the maximum-security prison for high-risk convicts, and hosted some of the most famous gangsters, like Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly or Robert "Birdman" Stroud. There is no evidence of any successful escape from the rock.

It has now become a tourist attraction (part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). If you plan to visit it, it is highly recommended to book your ticket in advance : it is not uncommon to meet a one week delay, especially during the summer season !!!

The Death Valley National Park, located to the west of Las Vegas, is the second largest park, after the Yellowstone. It shows a lunar landscape and the temperature in the summer is constantly over 40 degrees Celsius. To mention : Zabriskie Point.

It is a very tough journey for cars : you will often see along the road signs advising you to shut down the car airconditioning to prevent the engine to over-warm ! Don't look for shadow : there is none ! And take at least 4 liters of water per person for the travel. Should your car have a problem, don't leave it, but wait until someone helps you.

Sin city : Las Vegas.

Temptation is everywhere. Las Vegas is a kind of Disneyworld for grown ups ! A good part of the show is on the street... which are among the safest of the whole country. Not really a lot of things to see, but it is worth an experience. Especially at night. I must admit that I really enjoyed wandering around much more than what I expected. And lost a couple of bucks with a smile...

It is possible to be a winner in Vegas : bargains await you. I stayed at the Hilton for less than what I paid for a room in a crap motel in Provo, UT. The hotels have so many rooms that they have to offer good prices (especially during week days) if they want some return. So, don't hesitate to get in and ask for their tarrifs !!!

In Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon NP (and in Yosemite NP as well), you will have the opportunity to get to know these forrest giants : the oldest ones are more or less 3000 years old (no, I did not mistype it : 3000 years old !!!). If you want to have an idea of their size, have a look at the picture : it will tell you more than any word I could write.

All these old timers have their own name, mainly referring to American states or famous people... Don't miss the General Sherman (83 meters high, as much as a 27 stores skyscraper) and the General Grant.

The Grand Canyon is probably the most famous national park. You can enter it on the South Rim or on the North Rim. The South one hosts the most tourists, while the North one is much quieter.

I expected to be more impressed by the Grand Canyon. It is probably due to the fact that I had already seen so many wonders in the days before arriving here. If you plan to give you some thrill and fly over the canyon, than you'll have to enter through the South Rim !

This breathtaking landscape shows the Half Dome, an impressive monolith in Yosemite National Park. Completely different to what is to see in the neighbouring states parks (mainly in Utah and Arizona), Yosemite offers everything you could expect from a mountain environment. Even bears and wolves !

Don't miss the Half Dome, the El Capitan, and also the very nice Bridalveil Falls. Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias might be worth it if you haven't visited the Sequoia NP. Otherwise, I would not advise to loose your time heading there : it is very crowdy and you will loose a precious time trying to find a parking place. You will make a better use of your time (especially if it is limited) in following one of the nice trails...

For information purpose, Yosemite became in 1864 the first area in the world to be protected !

Los Angeles and its not less famous suburbs : Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Melrose, Santa Monica, Malibu, ...

I was very disappointed by the city of angels. There isn't really a must to see or visit, except maybe the Getty museum. Be sure however to take a walk on Hollywood Boulevard and look for your favourite actor's, actress', director's, singer's, ... star on the street. Otherwise, take a rest on Santa Monica's beaches and look for its famous lifeguards... ("Baywatch" is in fact filmed in Santa Monica and not in Malibu !).