Not too many other options to think of on that run of 80 across NV! And poor Winnemucca does its best to be an oasis, b/c they know people REALLY want it to be by the time they (and their bladders) see that off-ramp; but really it is not.
As an oasis, it does suck. But it does have an interesting graveyard full of Basque shepherds.
I think it would be a shame to visit the west coast and see so little of the coast. The drive up California Highway 1 is very beautiful - much nicer than the inland highways. I don’t think it’s feasible to drive all the way up Highway 1 and see all the other things you want to see, but you might want to include some of it in your trip.
Death Valley isn’t very impressive if you just drive through it on the main highway. Most of the interesting sights are on side roads or in canyons. You have plenty of time to study, so try to pick a few places to see while you’re there.
Will you be going to the north or south rim of the Grand Canyon? The south rim is where most people go, and it has more amenities. On the other hand, the north rim is within driving distance of some other great parks, like Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches and Cedar Breaks.
You should be aware that there are two types of redwoods: the giant sequoias (which you’re planning to see) and the coast redwoods. The giant sequoias are the largest trees in total mass, while the coast redwoods are the tallest. I think the coast redwoods are prettier. Normally I’d suggest going to Humboldt County to see them, but since you’re not planning to go that far north, I’ll suggest Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Your proposed route is a little puzzling to me. If you start out in Los Angeles, it doesn’t make sense to drive up to Tahoe and then down 395. They’re just too far apart - like several hours of non-stop driving. Really, I’d expect the entire itinerary to be different depending on whether you start in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
I hope you’re aware that you can’t just drive into Yosemite. They don’t allow cars in the valley, and the hotels and campgrounds fill up early. It pays to make reservations.
The more I think about it, the more I think you are planning on doing too much in two weeks. First off, you’ll have to subtract a couple of days for rest, jet lag, and the like. That takes you down to 10 days or so. In early April, your chances of having all of the Sierras snowed-in is rather high. That could kill the whole trip. Better to concentrate on one area. If you base out of LA, you can hit Death Valley, Vegas, Grand Canyon, San Diego, more theme parks than you can imagine, and still have a couple of days to drive up the coast and see Monterey, Big Sur and the like.
yes, that is becoming clearer to me. I do love me a coast road one of highlights of New Zealand for me was the west coast road on South Island.
It is more of a “nice to do” if it is on the way to somewhere so potentially one to drop if it doesn’t fit in.
South, as I think North Rim is out of the equation for early April, but Bryce Canyon and Zion etc. look wonderful and I have a mind to do a large loop around the North side and back towards LA via the south rim.
Thanks to that Reader’s digest encyclopedia of the natural world I was indeed aware of that! :D, Big Basin Looks good and as I’m thinking the coast road drive is more of a must-do then it fits in rather well.
The best flights take us into Oakland hence the Tahoe route down to Las Vegas and then back up to Oakland taking in Yosemite. But of course as we get nearer better deals may emerge and return flights to other destinations of even open-jaw may be better.
I confess I’m a little confused at this, they charge by the car don’t they? and on the main site they say you can drive your car into and around Yosemite but in some areas shuttles are recommended.
If you do go up the coast highway from LA or environs, make a stop at Hearst Castle/San Simeon. This (to me) is much more interesting than Disney or other theme parks. And, as some have mentioned above, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a wonderful amusement park in a fun town surrounded with gorgeous natural vistas, plenty of good food and drink to boot.
You didn’t mention the Mendocino coast, but if you have a chance, it’s wonderful too.
Enjoy your trip!
Overall I think you are right, in fact I know you are. I often give exactly the same advice when people suggest jam-packed itineraries for UK trips. I should know better because as a family we do hate to be rushed and hustled from one thing to another. There is a lot to be said for just ambling with a loose plan in mind and enough time to just see what occurs and what you might find.
That’s how you find a genius little seafood restaurant inSorrento, or a achingly beautiful picnic spot in Carinthia with the fattest wild brown trout I’ve ever seen.
But hey, this is exactly the reason I ask the question. Dopers with local knowledge and experience are the best people to shape my thinking.
I shall now consider some options and think of an alternative itinerary.
Many thanks to all for your input.
Of course you can drive into Yosemite Valley. There’s a section of the loop road at the east end that’s closed to cars, but you can drive in to all the facilities. There is a good shuttle system so you don’t need your car to get around once you’re there.
Reservations are highly advisable. In April, you shouldn’t have a problem on a weekday, but the lodging will be full on the weekends. You can reserve up to a year in advance, if you know which day(s) you’ll be there.
Cars are allowed in Yosemite Valley. In fact, they just changed the main road to allow two-way traffic all the way around the loop. As far as lodging goes, if you can’t find anything in the valley, Evergreen Lodge and the new Rush Creek Lodge are just outside the entrance on CA120 and are both very nice.
I’ve done the trip to LA in 4 1/2 hrs on I5, although I live in the South Bay, so I have a bit of head start.
Do that in SF and you’ll likely be skinned alive. Or worse.
I have no clue what Jeff Lichtman is on about; these are the official size and road restrictions. So don’t bring your commercial lorry, you!
I just mapped out the trip on Google Maps - 2000 miles and 33 hours of driving, assuming no traffic or stops. IMO, that’s too much for a 2 week trip, especially if you’re talking about spending a few of those days in SF at the end. You’ll be seeing everything from the window of a car.
I’d cut down on a few of the stops, mainly Tahoe which doesn’t add much, and LA if you are going to hit the Six Flags near San Francisco. Concentrate on your time at the Grand Canyon, as the only way to really see it is from down inside, and Yosemite. You’ll also need some flexibility to deal with weather, as it’s still going to be winter up high.
When you chop it down, let us know. I could fill 2 weeks in Southern California no problem. For example, if the crew isn’t big on zoos, you could hit the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park and see everything in the “wild” instead. The Dodgers, Angels and Padres all have home games during those 2 weeks, so a game or three is in order.
As much as I hate to give our SoCal cousins the edge, I would say that if you had to pick one or the other, I’d go with SoCal. Just because of the kids. LA is more of a kids kind of town than SF.
So, rock on, and take The 5 to The 405 then get off on Topanga and good luck finding parking anywheeeere!!! 
HAH! You forgot the 101!
Another reason to block out more time for LA - looking for parking and avoiding gridlock. That’s OK, we can tell you where/when the major bottlenecks happen. (6am - 10pm on any day that ends with “-day.”)
We Californians go to the beach all year long, so plan on some beach time. There’s a good chance the weather will be perfect. The water is going to be cold, but the beach will be just fine as long as it’s not raining. The rainy season stops in late spring, so you might get some in April (although unlikely). The coast tends to be foggy in the summer, so spring and fall are often the best times to hang out at the shore.