u/naradot

Hi all, my wife and I are headed up (we're driving up from our place in LA) to Sequoia park for the weekend. We're getting there Friday afternoon and leaving Sunday afternoon. We're staying in Three Rivers.

We plan to hike and drive for the majority of Saturday, but how early do we have to get there for parking? We reckoned parking at about 7:30am~8:00am at the general parking lot but figured there'll be a ton of people for July 4. Any recommendations?

On a side note, what are some other parking places or shuttle access if we are too late?

TIA!

My wife and I just finished a 10 day trip of Sicily. We started in Catania and drove all around the island; Catania -> Noto -> Marzamemi -> Siracusa -> Ragusa -> Agrigento -> Favignana -> Scopello -> Zingaro -> Palermo -> and finally back to Catania to board our flight.

10 days was probably not enough for every landmark, but we wanted to go on a full island trip to see what fit our interests best. Here's some of my personal takeaways!

What we loved about Sicily:

1. Favignana was probably the best part of the trip for us. We stayed two nights and spent one day doing a boat trip. All around, the vibe in Favignana was perfect - laidback, relaxed, and plenty of time to bike around the island.

2. The food! I can go on and on about how delicious the tuna was, how many different types of pasta dishes we tried, and most importantly, how much food! There were so many meals where we thought we were about to blow up because we had so much food. And the desserts were all so fantastic! Especially the pistachios and lemon flavored dishes. And the granitas were absolutely delicious!! (Shoutout to whoever made almond granitas)

3. So many flowers and nature! As both lovers of nature, we were so delighted to see so many vibrant colors all across the island. We couldn't take our eyes off the walls of flowers every LIDL had and the amazing sunsets the island boasted each evening.

4. Most importantly, the people of Sicily were so kind to us. Even though we didn't speak a word of Italian, everyone (and I mean every person we spoke to) was patient, always greeted us, and treated us like one of their own. So much kindness all around!

Some things that could be improved.. 😅

1. The infrastructure and roads of a few parts of the island (especially Palermo) could be improved, IMO. I've driven in other parts of Italy before, but driving in Palermo was a bit more chaotic to me than others. There seemed to be no rules to traffic, with drivers popping out of nowhere or making turns unexpectedly. The roads also had no lane markings or they were almost completely erased. The lack of accessiblity for pedestrians was also a bit stressful. It was difficult crossing streets without having to signal drivers beforehand. A lot of potholes as well!

2. A lot of smoking, especially in areas where there were families and kids. As a former smoker myself, I understand the urge to smoke after a nice meal or a few drinks, but there seemed to be no limits to where people smoked. In different parts of Asia where I used to live, there are now designated spots to smoke so that people around won't be affected by the secondhand smoke. I think it would be great if the city can start to designate certain areas where people can/can't smoke!

Overall, we had a lovely time on the island. My wife and I could not stop talking about how we would love to be back in the near future. Thank you so much to the people of Sicily for making this trip so memorable for us. Grazie!