Taking a teenager on holiday can be hard work. I have one, so I should know. But surely a road trip across the States should please even the most cynical critic?
The plan was to start in LA, drive the coastal route to San Francisco, then join a bus tour through Nevada and Arizona.
“I’ve seen it all on the TV and films anyway,” complained my 14-year-old son, Tom, when I explained he’d be spending the summer travelling with his mum.
There are plenty of pleasing stops en route, including little villages selling art I wish I had enough space for in my luggage.
We stop at Half Moon Bay, where we go horse-riding and whale watching. I’m amused to discover this place produces more pumpkins than anywhere else in the world. We stay at Cameron’s Inn (www.cameronsinn.com), which has a London taxi, red pillar box and double-decker in the car park, just in case you feel homesick.
The San Francisco that greets us is more interesting, dynamic, gritty, urgent and messy than it appears on the big or small screens.
We walk from Fisherman’s Wharf on the harbour, with its fresh-fish restaurants (including one themed on Forest Gump), then through the Italian district, which is resolutely alfresco – the gelateria all claiming to sell the best ice cream on the planet. Tom agrees.
Our base is the Westin St Francis hotel, which has seen a number of high-profile Hollywood celebrities pass through its doors. Room 1219 is where the first million-dollar star allegedly killed someone. You can still stay in the room if you so wish. Tom loves all this gruesome history. Most teenagers do.
But Alcatraz (www.alcatraztickets.com) is his favourite attraction. You need to book a month in advance to go on the island itself, longer if you travel during the summer holidays. Don’t book the cruises around the island – it’s a bit like walking around the sweet shop rather than going in it.
The audio tour as you walk between cells – learning about the inmates, what they ate, where they slept, how they spent their time, and the attempted escapes – is fascinating. It sends shivers up my spine as we learn of the prisoners who died attempting to escape.
After the urban adventure, we embark on a four-hour drive to Yosemite. Our van driver and tour guide, Brian, a twentysomething from Memphis, Tennessee, buzzes with enthusiasm and boundless energy.
We camp overnight and take it in turns to play guitar around the campfire. But those flames are nothing compared to the 50C heat of Death Valley, where we head the following morning. The heat haze over the salt plains is hypnotising, and I’m deafened by the silence.
Our next stop is Las Vegas. I had worried that with so much out of his reach – gambling, bars, most of the shows, clubbing – Tom might get bored. Not at all. “This is incredible, mum,” he shouts. “It’s a city of lights in the middle of a desert.” We watch the jousting show at the Excalibur Hotel, and tour the strip in a white stretch limousine, stopping off at the Vegas sign.
A helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon also proves a big hit – even if, at $250, it’s quite pricey. Overwhelmed by the drama of the scenery, some passengers burst into tears. No film or TV show has ever done this place justice.
Continuing our journey, we stop off briefly at Lake Havasu to camp for the night, then make our way to the Joshua Tree National Park. The long fingers of yucca trees stretch out to visitors, some looking more rude than others, much to Tom’s amusement. There are huge boulders to climb and jump on, many shaped like skulls and eagles.
When we finally return home to the UK, Tom can’t wait to tell his friends about the summer he’s had. Now, every time one of these US landmarks appears on TV, he’s proud to say he’s actually been there.
Despite the searing heat, my 14-year-old reckons a road trip with his mum was definitely as cool as ice.
Sarah travelled with Intrepid Travel (www.intrepidtravel.com; 0844 4998487) on their eight-day Ultimate California Southbound small-group tour, from £815pp. Starting in San Francisco, it visits Yosemite NP, the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu and Joshua Tree NP, ending in Los Angeles. The price includes a mix of campsite and hotel accommodation, travel by private van, National Park entry fees and a tour of the strip in Las Vegas.