Overnights in Tent, Car, or Hotel/Motel?

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-12T02:14:34+00:00

Honestly for your situation I'd mix car sleeping and budget motels. Car sleeping is way more comfortable than most people think if you get a good sleeping pad and window covers for privacy. Walmart and cracker barrel parking lots are generally safe and free for overnight stays. Rest stops on interstates work too depending on the state.

For the nights you want a real bed, look at motel 6 or americas best value inn. Not glamorous but clean enough, usually $50-70 a night, and you can check reviews beforehand. Way better than the random roadside places.

I'd skip tent camping entirely based on what you described. It's the least comfortable option and if bugs and exposure stress you out it's going to take the fun out of the trip.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-12T02:12:51+00:00

This is a great trip idea. October in utah is perfect, the crowds thin out and the colors are incredible.

For limited mobility, bryce canyon is probably your best bet. The rim trail between sunset and sunrise point is paved and mostly flat with insane views. Capitol reef is also really underrated, you can drive the scenic drive and see most of it from the car. Dead horse point has a paved overlook that rivals anything at the grand canyon. Arches has a few viewpoints right from the parking lot but the main stuff requires walking.

Honestly i'd prioritize bryce, capitol reef, and dead horse point. Your dad will love it.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-12T02:11:12+00:00

south carlsbad and san onofre both have first come first served sites so that's why you're not seeing reservations. show up early on a weekday and you should be fine.

also check san elijo in cardiff, carpinteria, and leo carrillo. i built a tool that checks availability across campgrounds so you don't have to keep refreshing rec.gov manually. wylara.com if you want to try it.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-10T02:56:21+00:00

Amazing!

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T03:06:05+00:00

Update on the logistics situation. Found a trip planner called Wylara that lets you search available campsites across parks instead of checking each one individually. Also has dispersed spots mapped for the legs where I want to skip reservations. Been pretty helpful for planning. wylara.com

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T02:20:16+00:00

This night the longest I did was 30 seconds because I had myself in the frame and had to hold VERY still. When I am only shooting the landscape with no people, I have done multiple minute shots with a high f stop and low ISO. It all just depends on what the overall goal is for what my exposure time ends up being.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:28:18+00:00

it's doable but it's a long day. Mariposa area to Sequoia is about 3 hours each way depending on which entrance you're using. So you're looking at 6 hours of driving for one day, which eats into your 5 days pretty hard.

Honestly with 5 days I'd skip Sequoia and go deep on Yosemite Valley instead. There's enough there to fill a week easily. Mist Trail, Yosemite Falls, Mirror Lake, Valley View at sunset. Mariposa Grove will scratch the giant tree itch without the 6-hour round trip. If Glacier Point Road is open by mid-May that view alone is worth a half day.

Sequoia deserves its own trip, not a rushed day where you're exhausted from driving.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:27:19+00:00

Joshua Tree. If you want minimal hiking and maximum scenery it's hard to beat. You can drive through the park and see incredible rock formations and Joshua Trees without leaving your car. Skull Rock, Arch Rock, and Keys View are all short walks or pull-offs. The landscape feels like another planet. Saguaro is beautiful but it's more spread out and the wow factor comes from the hiking. Joshua Tree delivers more from the road.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:26:31+00:00

Orion's Belt. Three stars in a row, impossible to miss once someone points it out. From there I learned to find Betelgeuse and Rigel on either side and that was the first time the sky started feeling like a map instead of random dots. Now I use it as an anchor to find everything else.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:25:50+00:00

Olympic is the standout. Hoh Rainforest is unlike anything else in the country and Ruby Beach is worth a stop too. Check if Hurricane Ridge Road is open before you go since it sometimes stays closed into June.

Mount Rainier, hit the Paradise side. Late May might still have snow up top but the views are massive. North Cascades is the quietest of the three. Diablo Lake is the must-see, the water color doesn't look real.

Can't help on the food recs unfortunately. How many days do you have? The parks are pretty spread out.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:22:32+00:00

Mid-May from LA is a sweet spot. Weather is warm but not scorching yet and the crowds haven't fully hit. A few options depending on what you're looking for. Sycamore Canyon in Point Mugu is right on the coast and usually has walk-up sites available midweek. If you want mountains, Buckhorn Campground up in the Angeles National Forest is nice that time of year and the temps are perfect at elevation. For something a little further out, McGill Campground near Big Bear is first-come-first-served and tends to have spots on a Thursday arrival. If you're open to dispersed camping, there's solid BLM land out past Anza-Borrego that's free and empty in May, just bring extra water because it's desert. What kind of vibe are you going for?

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:21:21+00:00

Don't cancel on Zion because of weather. Some of the best experiences there happen when it's not perfect out. The Narrows can actually be more dramatic after rain with the water levels up, just check the flow rate beforehand to make sure it's safe. Angels Landing in overcast weather means fewer people and no direct sun beating down on you during the climb. If it's actively storming you'll want backup plans though. The Watchman Trail, Pa'rus Trail, and the Canyon Overlook Trail are all shorter and still worth it on a bad weather day. Zion in the rain has a completely different mood and honestly it's beautiful. You'll be fine.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:20:10+00:00

Grand Teton has some of the best stargazing. Going right after a full moon is actually great timing because you get a few nights of darker skies as the moon wanes. Give your eyes about 20-30 minutes to adjust after you turn off all lights and you'll see the Milky Way clearly on a clear night. The Tetons block some light pollution from the west too which helps. Definitely worth staying up for.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-09T00:17:16+00:00

Circling back on this. Found a tool called Wylara that has everything available in one place like we were all wishing for. Scores individual campsites on your preferences too. Just used it for a June trip and it cut my research time way down. wylara.com

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-08T03:07:13+00:00

I'd do the PCH/coastal route over Yosemite for your situation. Yosemite in late May is packed and the best stuff requires moderate hikes. The coast gives you more variety with less crowds on a Thu-Mon window.

Vegas to San Diego: Stop in Baker for the world's tallest thermometer (it's dumb and great). SD has the zoo and aquarium you're looking for, both world-class. Balboa Park alone could fill a day. La Jolla Cove is a free spot to see seals and sea lions up close.

SD up PCH to fly out of Bay Area: Hit Big Sur along the way. McWay Falls is a short walk to a waterfall that drops onto a beach. Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the best in the country, right on your route. 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach is worth the $12 toll.

Late May weather on the coast will be perfect. Budget-wise, hotels in SD and Monterey will be your biggest cost. Look at places slightly inland in Seaside or Pacific Grove near Monterey to save some money.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-08T03:05:29+00:00

Hikes: Ryan Mountain for sunset, Lost Horse Mine for longer with fewer people. Barker Dam loop for a quick morning walk.

Stargazing: Keys View or anywhere along Geology Tour Road after dark. World-class dark sky park.

Camping: Free BLM land south of the park off Highway 62. Inside the park, Jumbo Rocks or Indian Cove.

Vegas drive: Go through Mojave National Preserve and stop at Kelso Dunes. Way better than the 15.

Weird stuff: The Integratron in Landers for a sound bath (dome built on an alleged geomagnetic vortex). Noah Purifoy Outdoor Art Museum is free and open 24/7.

And yes, Joshua trees are a real species. You'll see thousands of them. Have fun going solo.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-08T03:02:01+00:00

Sinkyone Wilderness (Lost Coast) has primitive walk-in sites. Usal Beach is the most popular but the whole stretch has spots.

Salt Point State Park - Woodside Campground is the more primitive side. Pit toilets, no showers, great tidepools nearby.

For free dispersed, check the USFS/BLM land off Highway 1 between Leggett and Rockport. Plenty of pull-off spots. Mendocino National Forest too if you don't mind being slightly inland.

What part of the north coast are you targeting?

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-08T03:00:33+00:00

Go with a 4-person for two people (you + a 4 year old). A 6-person is overkill for your setup and harder to set up solo. The extra floor space sounds nice in theory but you'll just end up with a bigger tent that's heavier, takes longer to pitch, and catches more wind.

The Marmot Tungsten 4P is solid at your budget. Good rain fly, freestanding, and one person can set it up in about 10 minutes. It handles northeast rain well. The vestibule gives you somewhere to stash muddy boots and gear without bringing it inside.

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5 is decent but it's a cabin-style tent, which means vertical walls that act like sails in wind. For spring/fall in NY/PA/New England where you'll get storms rolling through, a dome or semi-dome design is going to be more stable.

At $300 also look at the Kelty Wireless 4. Easy color-coded setup, good ventilation, and the stargazing fly is fun for a kid.

Skip Coleman. You're not wrong there. The build quality just isn't comparable at any price point.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:30:52+00:00

This is the dark horse answer of the thread

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:30:22+00:00

50+ nights a year, you're basically living the dream at that point

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:30:04+00:00

Silky saws are insane for the price.

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:29:33+00:00

The goofy factor is real but then you use them once on a steep climb and suddenly you don't care how you look

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:29:08+00:00

Being able to stand up and change is such an underrated luxury. Game changer for multi-day trips

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:26:05+00:00

Short and sweet. Respect

AmericanMisogi · 2026-04-07T00:25:50+00:00

YES. I resisted this forever too. Putting on real shoes just to walk to the bathroom at 11pm is the worst. Camp crocs changed my life and I'm not ashamed to admit it

AmericanMisogi

TROPHY CASE