The American Dream
Amazing trip with all the highlights, city's and natural beauty
We had a very complete trip that includes all the west America highlights. Adjusted to our preferred travel tempo, which was a little bit slower. We really liked the different accommodations and the flexibility and advice Authentik offered in designing our trip.
Very Good Tour plan but some Limitations
The trip specialist was generally very helpful and supportive. However, in several locations the only accommodation offerred was an hours drive or more away from the site of the attractions. Eg. Zion, Monument Valley, Yosemite and Grand Canyon. This would be very inconvenient.
Also, just before our planned visit, Death Valley was flooded. We did not hear any warnings from Authentik until after I contacted them 2 days before our visit and even then they told us we "COULD NOT ACCESS DEATH VALLEY" at all. However, when we rang Death Valley visitor office we found that we COULD ACCESS IT (including our booked accommodation) with a slight detour to a different entrance. So thankfully we did not rely on the advice from Authentik.
Some of the accommodation booked for us by Authentik were below expectations, especially the "Elan Hotel" in Los Angeles. It was a bit run down and tyhe carpets were worn and dirty. On top of that they want $40 per night for parking which seemd excessive even for LA. Then our room was right on the road so even with ear plugs in the noise was totally unbearable. (When we complained they did move us to another room which was much quieter for our next night).
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Beautiful journey
(Translated by Google) Very beautiful trip, good organization, some tours could have been scheduled in French as they were available (fixed on site).
Practical personal info:
To guide you, a GPS application similar to WAZE is "Magic Earth," it's free. In the app, you download the four states of the USA you will be traveling through while in France, you create your Favorites with your Hotels and visits in advance.
On-site, no need for internet connection, it works even in dead zones.
No time wasted on-site in programming.
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(Translated by Google) choice of hotels and great places, just some information and advice on visits not always up to date.
Very well organized road trip. No problems during our stay.
(Translated by Google) We greatly enjoyed this trip. The roadbook is very well done. As for the hotels, we did not encounter any difficulties; our reservations were taken into account. We had a few surprises, particularly at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, where we had to pay $94 for our parking. However, we had a 70 m2 suite at the Platinum Hotel in Las Vegas. This hotel is very well located in relation to the Strip. Some hotels are really isolated (Stovepipe Wells Hotel and Yosemite View Lodge) and have only one restaurant. We found Death Valley disappointing. The other parks we visited were much more interesting to us. Our first view of the Grand Canyon left us speechless, it is so magnificent; moreover, we discovered it at sunset. Antelope Canyon has magnificent colors when the sun enters the canyon; it is magical. We clearly preferred San Francisco to Los Angeles, and as for Las Vegas, we ultimately had a great time despite our initial reservations about the city. We would like to thank Virginie for her professionalism. [...]
Fabulous, it cannot be told, it must be lived.
(Translated by Google) Despite the long distances at times, we discovered beautiful landscapes what a journey.
Hotel room allocation
(Translated by Google) The downside of this wonderful trip was the room allocation in 8 out of 10 hotels. We ended up with rooms overlooking parking lots, rooftops (Caesar Palace), roads, and the highway! We were often disturbed by the noise of trucks leaving early in the morning and buses loading passengers. The worst was room 601 in the Eldorado building at the Le Garland hotel in Los Angeles. The room overlooked Highway 101, a very busy road, three nights being woken up from 4/5 in the morning!! If you like to rest, avoid this hotel. Moreover, we paid 120 dollars for parking for these 3 days. In Page, a beautiful place, we asked for a view of the lake instead of the usual parking, and they asked for 40 dollars more, which we refused. We had nice rooms during our stay but felt like we were non-priority travelers coming with Authentik. [...]
(Translated by Google) Magnificent journey made in complete relaxation thanks to flawless organization. We had only one problem with a hotel that mistakenly charged our credit card for the room, but after contacting Virginie, the issue was resolved and the hotel refunded us. Thank you to Virginie for her responsiveness.
(Translated by Google) We loved the services provided by the agency. Especially the incredible roadbook with all the necessary information on-site: map of each stage, recommended restaurants, and guide to suggested activities in the area. You can leave with peace of mind without having to prepare anything, avoiding unnecessary conflicts due to a lack of organization. I highly recommend this agency! [...]
Magical journey... we were blown away
(Translated by Google) The helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, the 4*4 excursion with the Navajos, Antelope Canyon are options not to be overlooked...it was a superb experience.
(Translated by Google) Very beautiful trip in the American West. We recommend planning a minimum of 3 weeks of road trip because the distances are long and there are many sites to visit. We couldn't do them all, especially the parks, which are very numerous and varied. We regret having only one day in Las Vegas; it needed another day to visit all the hotels. Los Angeles wasn't really a favorite except for Universal Studios, which is a must for families. Our favorite city was San Francisco, where there are plenty of beautiful things to visit. In conclusion, a very beautiful family memory and we can't wait to go back. A big thank you to Virginie, who was great before, throughout, and after our trip. We recommend this agency, which is very attentive to its clients, very responsive, and knowledgeable. [...]
(Translated by Google) From the very first video meetings with Alexandra, we could sense her mastery of what she was offering. She was able to understand our expectations and guide us toward choices we might not have made if I had organized this road trip on my own. Once we arrived, everything went perfectly; check-ins took no more than 30 seconds, while other travelers struggled a bit to find their way. In short, we only have good memories, and we can say that the cost of the service is well worth the extra enjoyment we experienced. [...]
Road trip WEST USA
Magnificent road trip with Authentik
(Translated by Google) To begin, before our trip the various video calls with our specialist Alexandra were very useful as she gave us very good advice.
Positive points: the cities and parks we visited were all magnificent and really worth exploring. The different stages proposed by Alexandra were perfect (number of km traveled per day/visits/accommodation/number of days). The hotels were generally all of good to very good quality. The complete guide to our road trip received in advance is really well done and provides very useful information. The Authentik blog is also very useful for finding information, even if some information could be updated. Possibility to take all or part of the hotels and excursions with Authentik. The 2 excursions carried out with Authentik (4x4 at Monument Valley and helicopter at the Grand Canyon) were really of high quality. The car rental with Alamo went very well despite a crack in our windshield during our trip (no additional cost, it was covered by the warranty).
Points for improvement: after confirming our trip we had to change several accommodations as they were no longer available and we had to manage to find a visit to Antelope Canyon as it was no longer available either. Our hotel for Yosemite was far from the park and required re-entering through checkpoints every day (loss of time).
Negative points: our hotels in LA and San Francisco have exorbitant parking rates. We thought we saw nearby parking lots with more advantageous rates, it would be interesting to provide this type of information to your customers. In San Francisco, in addition to the parking the hotel charged us "Guest Amenities Fees" for the wifi and outdoor games (a total of $324 to pay for 3 nights for parking and amenities). The hotels systematically require deposits which are sometimes refunded at check out but sometimes much later.
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Road Trip "the American dream" from July 27, 2024 to August 18, 2024
(Translated by Google) We had a wonderful family trip discovering the Great American West with its vast and splendid landscapes.
Mission accomplished for this family trip, which will remain etched in our memories.
A big thank you to Caroline Dion who accompanied us on this project, for her advice and responsiveness.
The real American dream
(Translated by Google) We return from our trip very satisfied. The selection of stops made with the help of Authentik allowed for a very good balance of the days, and the advice for accommodations was truly valuable in making the experience memorable. Only one hotel convinced us less, it was the Pioneer Hotel Lodge in Zion. The reception, the amenities, and especially the breakfast were not up to standard. Otherwise, everything was perfect. The responsiveness of the Authentik team is excellent. [...]
(Translated by Google) A long-awaited trip, where everyone had to find their place. We set off with three people, two adults and a teenager. The objective was to cover as much as possible at important stages and find moments of rest. We prioritized parks and decided to spend little time in big cities (San Francisco, LA, and Vegas).
We chose a few hikes in the parks to avoid just driving. The route was defined with Virginie: a more precise road book job, step by step with things to do and see during the trip and each stop, was done and it's important for going off the beaten path proposed in the road book. This work takes a lot of time but saves time on site.
It's a vast country and, unfortunately, we can't see and do everything. We particularly loved the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and Arches. Zion was quite crowded and a park for hikers—the Narrows are to be done early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Yosemite is immense: the Tioga Road is a must-do; the landscapes are magnificent and grandiose. You quickly end up driving a lot to get from one point to another, so plan your objectives well and check if it’s worth it... for example, a 1.5-hour drive to the start of the Mirror Lake trail, only to be told it's dry when we arrived... :)
The Pacific coast, when the iconic Route 1 is open, offers magnificent landscapes. Monterey didn't present significant interest and, if I were to do it again, I would drop this stop.
Los Angeles: one night might be a bit short, but arriving early allowed us to do the essentials—we strolled along Hollywood Blvd and enjoyed a sunset and a walk on Venice Beach.
Route 66... iconic, sometimes hard to follow, and a bit monotonous but an essential step towards the parks. Stopping in Kingman allowed us to avoid a stage of over 800 km towards the Grand Canyon, and it enabled us to make some extra stops here and there.
1.5 days at the Grand Canyon, helicopter activity canceled due to wind, but replaced with walks on a grand site, one word: wow!
Lake Powell, mostly for Antelope Canyon, beautiful and not too crowded with a great guide. Due to limited space, we did the lower canyon and didn't regret it. Monument Valley and a 4x4 ride in the evening off the scenic drive's paths, a must-do!
Arches: 1.5 days, a park where you can see the main spots by car or short walks, but we did the walk to admire Delicate Arch in the evening upon arrival and the Devil's Garden trail the next day. Two accessible walks despite the heat, quite a few people once you get off the roads.
Bryce Canyon: a small, magnificent park! You absolutely must do one of the hikes that allows you to descend into the canyon, such as the Navajo Loop.
Las Vegas: we decided to spend just one night and spent that night wandering from casino to casino on the Strip and Fremont Street, using the DEUCE's 24-hour pass ($8), a crazy city...
Death Valley... far too hot for hiking... we had 52°C, which reduced the possibilities. We couldn't explore this park the way we wanted.
Mammoth Lake: a bit of freshness in a mountainous setting with beautiful lakes, a short hike above the station to enjoy these magnificent lakes.
That’s the main part—22 days and 6,000 kilometers, lots of fatigue but memories full of the head and over 2,000 photos to sort through :)
Regarding the proposed hotels, nothing to complain about—standard to superior comfort, maybe prioritize hotels with included breakfast, the most important meal of the day. We had no unpleasant surprises. If I figure out how to leave reviews for each hotel... I will.
While gas prices are interesting, we found life remained expensive, especially food. We, therefore, favored picnics at noon. Some hotels being well-equipped, we cooked some evenings.
There would be so much more to say!
We greatly thank Authentik and especially Virginie for the help in constructing this trip and her availability before and during the trip.
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(Translated by Google) We spent 17 days almost exclusively in California: SF - Monterey - Morro Bay - LA - LV - Mammoth (via Death Valley) - Yosemite - SF.
During our stay in LV, we visited the Grand Canyon by helicopter and Red Rock Canyon by car (we highly recommend this park very close to LV.)
We rented a full-size SUV which was really comfortable.
Our tips:
* buy a cooler box upon arrival and some zip bags as there are ice distributors in all hotels; this allows for having cold drinks all day or taking sandwiches
* avoid trying to see too many sites and thus spending too much time in the car
* plan a significant budget on-site for activities and food
* include the coast between SF and LA in the trip if possible, it’s magnificent
* take a guided tour in LA and SF to see many places you wouldn't have thought to visit
* and of course, choose Authentik to assist you during the creation of your trip
Our only downside is the "Resort Fee" charged on-site by some hotels, which does not correspond to anything specific, but Authentik is not responsible for this practice and warned about it in the Road Book.
Thanks to Alexandra for her professionalism and good advice.
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(Translated by Google) Everything was magnificent. Certainly a lot of kilometers, but it was worth it. For us, the most beautiful city was San Francisco. You just have to expect to see a lot of "SDF" (homeless people). As for the national parks, they were all very beautiful, but if we had to choose one not to miss, it would be Yellowstone, followed by Bryce Canyon. Regarding the hotels, they were all very clean, well located. Just that the Best Western chain hotels serve a somewhat limited breakfast in terms of quality and choice. The excursions offered were also great. So in summary, everything was very good. [...]
An unforgettable experience
(Translated by Google) The suggestions for the stages allowed us to realize a long-standing dream due to the diversity of choices. I would describe it as a natural Disney because of the breathtaking beauty of the places. The road, the parks fulfilled us completely. We were also surprised by the ease in the 9 parks of very diverse visits from one another. Even on the road, it was a spectacle. There is also the welcome of the Navaros guides who impressed us during the excursions to Monument Valley and Powell Lake... I recommend you. Finally, the information and customer service from Mrs. St-Laurent who proved to be very precise and helpful for these 21 days. The APP and the paper road book for the main visits are a must. This trip was on point across the board as explained before departure. We only had to manage the movements...everything else was booked in advance! Thank you very much to your team, we will return. J P Synnett. [...]
(Translated by Google) We achieved our dream thanks to authentikusa and their service, a big thank you to Virginie Alessi and the program she concocted for us was magnificent!!
Always present by our side before, during, and after our trip!
We will keep an eternal memory of our superb trip!
We recommend authentikusa to everyone who wants to achieve their dream!!
Thank you again
Emilie and Laurent
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the American dream: a magnificent journey to take in a lifetime
(Translated by Google) We had a wonderful 3-week stay as a couple on the American west coast, in October 2023. We sincerely thank Virginie who accompanied us before, during and after the trip. Everything was organized to the highest standard and if we had any problems on site, we knew that we were not alone thanks to Authentik USA.
We put the only downside on "Dollar" the company where Authentik USA decided to rent the car. Indeed, unfortunately we are coming away from a mediocre experience with this franchise. The staff was anything but friendly. When picking up the vehicle, they forced us to take an electric car, which was hell once we left the big cities. Fortunately we were able to make a change mid-way and have a thermal car. The cars were not clean (dog hair and foul smell). Taxes added when returning the car without any explanation.
Fortunately, to overcome this bad experience, we had the help of our advisor, whom we thank.
Despite the automobile mishap, we strongly recommend Authentik USA for an American stay.
THANKS :)
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Amazing !
(Translated by Google) We loved our west coast road trip!
We highly recommend it, the landscapes are magnificent, the people are adorable, it’s worthy of a dream!
Special mention to Arizona which was our favorite of this road trip!
However, we liked San Francisco less, which is a city that has changed significantly since Covid, it is dirty and there are a lot of people on the streets. However, the Fisherman neighborhood is very nice.
American roads are super easy to drive so don't panic.
We therefore thank Alexandra who always put us in very good quality hotels with charm and great hosts.
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Thank you Authentik USA!
(Translated by Google) This is the second time we have gone via authentik USA and we are not disappointed.
We recommend authentik USA to everyone.
In terms of quality/price ratio, organization, advice, everything is perfect.
Émilie listened to our needs and desires, she helped make this trip go smoothly, thank you to her!
Excellent trip!
(Translated by Google) Very well organized trip, no problem with accommodation or rental car (we even got an upgrade)
An unforgettable road trip thanks to Authentik USA!
(Translated by Google) We rented a motorhome from San Francisco to Las Vegas via Yosemite or Mammoth Lakes, then a large loop in the canyons and nature reserves (Bryce, Zion, Antelope, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, etc.) for finish our trip by car (more practical in cities than a campervan and also for Death Valley where large vehicles are prohibited) from Las Vegas to San Francisco via Los Angeles and the coast (US1)! All for 7 people including a baby!
It wasn't easy to organize (especially since booking campsites is a bit technical) but not insurmountable for Authentik USA who orchestrated this whole trip very carefully: support full of advice in advance, no constraints or obligations (for example, we were able to book the hotels ourselves during the car part) and also follow-up during the trip with always the same person (Emilie) from start to finish, always very available and responsive.
We recommend with your eyes closed to go through them to organize your trip!
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Road trip West USA - great family trip
(Translated by Google) Fabulous trip of 3 and a half weeks in the western USA as a family with 2 adults and 2 teenagers.
What we liked the most:
The national parks are very beautiful, well laid out (parking and free shuttles); you have to take the time to stay there for a full day to hike there. The ideal would even be to be there 2 full days for Yosemite, Bryce Canyon/Zion Canyon and the Grand Canyon. There is a charge for admission to the parks, but with the America the Beautiful pass at $80, this expense pays for itself very quickly.
Our 2 teenagers really liked Las Vegas, a city that is not very ecological, but the contrast with the parks is quite impressive. We feel in another world and everything seems possible.
The duration of 3 1/2 weeks was the minimum for us. Indeed, it allowed us to take the time such as: visiting the main cities over 2 days (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas), hiking in the parks over the full day, sleeping in a Hogan in Monument Valley, doing car journeys of only 2 to 3 hours on average (less tiring).
Regarding the hotels, almost all are equipped with a coffee maker, fridge and microwave, which is appreciable for either having breakfast or dinner there because the bill for 4 people in a restaurant can quickly rise when the meal is not is not necessarily exceptional.
What we disliked:
Antelope Canyon even if it is a beautiful site, it is too touristy, the groups of tourists follow each other in the Canyon with a length of barely 400m, it is expensive for what it is. It is better to go see Peek-a-boo which is a little touristy canyon, longer and just as beautiful, the guide is passionate and fascinating.
Los Angeles: this step is not unavoidable; this city has no tourist attractions compared to San Francisco or Las Vegas. Hollywood boulevard is not exceptional. The city is so big that you have to do everything by car because there is little or no public transport. It often takes 1 hour to go from one tourist site to another without counting the traffic jams.
Beware of the price of hotel car parks in large cities, especially in San Francisco, it is very expensive (on average 40€ per day) so you have to plan for it in the travel budget because parking in the street is just impossible. in the city center.
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AWESOME
(Translated by Google) We are very satisfied with our trip with Authentik USA. We were very well advised and the excursions offered are excellent, especially our experience in Monument Valley with the Indians and the city tour in San Francisco with Eric.
Thanks to Caroline who challenged us during the trip and reorganized our route following the vagaries of the weather. This is a service that we would not have had if we had organized our trip on our own.
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A very nice trip, without a hitch and well prepared
(Translated by Google) The trip was beautiful. Impeccable support from Authentik: discreet but present when we needed it (especially before our departure). The roadbook, as well as information on hotel facilities, was very helpful.