Anyone drive to DL from Ohio or nearby??

[Our 2 Princesses]

I was wondering if you could tell me how your road trip turned out? How much time you took to drive to California and what you saw along the way? I guess I would just love to see some sample itineraries and maybe an overall cost. I have a dream road trip planned in my head, culminating with several days in DL and a couple days in Yosemite. Our oldest dd (we have 2 dds)graduates in 2014 and we would love to be able to do this trip. TIA!

 

[rizzo0904]

I've never done it, but I've visited numerous places in between.

You could stop northwest of Denver and visit Dinosaur Nat'l Park for some really cool river rafting.

Drive through Utah and visit Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches.

Visit the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and Death Valley.

On the way home, go south.

Spend time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

And maybe do a Mississippi River Boat ride either on the way out or back.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

I've never done it, but I've visited numerous places in between.

You could stop northwest of Denver and visit Dinosaur Nat'l Park for some really cool river rafting.

Drive through Utah and visit Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches.

Visit the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and Death Valley.

On the way home, go south.

Spend time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

And maybe do a Mississippi River Boat ride either on the way out or back.

Thank you for all the suggestions!

 

[tessieg]

We considered it! My idea included stopping at: St.Louis, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas before a CA tour. In the end, we found so many things we wanted to see in CA that we were afraid we'd already be exhausted when we got there! Our kids are younger than yours though. Plus we didn't think we'd have enough vacation time to make it work--we were counting on a week to drive there with sightseeing, and another 3-5 days of intense driving back. SO instead we are flying into San Francisco and visiting SF, Yosemite. Monterey, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Hollywood, Anaheim and San Diego. Two weeks.
I think with the cost of gas and all the hotels it isnt much more expensive to fly and have a rental. But I definitely think a road trip could be fun, especially with older kids, and I would love hear all about it if you do go!
Tessie

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

We considered it! My idea included stopping at: St.Louis, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas before a CA tour. In the end, we found so many things we wanted to see in CA that we were afraid we'd already be exhausted when we got there! Our kids are younger than yours though. Plus we didn't think we'd have enough vacation time to make it work--we were counting on a week to drive there with sightseeing, and another 3-5 days of intense driving back. SO instead we are flying into San Francisco and visiting SF, Yosemite. Monterey, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Hollywood, Anaheim and San Diego. Two weeks.
I think with the cost of gas and all the hotels it isnt much more expensive to fly and have a rental. But I definitely think a road trip could be fun, especially with older kids, and I would love hear all about it if you do go!
Tessie

Your trip sounds awesome! Hope you have fun!! I was thinking we would stop and take our dds to the St louis Arch and then stay in Springfield. Then we would stop in Amarillo and then somewhere near the Grand Canyon. Now that I really think about it, next year may be the only year we could take our oldest dd on this extensive of a trip. We'd have to move our Dream cruise again though! Decisions, decisions...

 

[doris1976]

Everything and everyone is in such a rush now days, that a road trip like that with kids is not something people do much anymore.

I think it would be a great idea and one that will build up a lot of memories for the future. Even if some of these are bad, these will fade and only the good and funny ones will be what is remembered.

It would be nice to have some stops planned along the way, but also have some days when nothing is planned but the drive and that way you can stop anywhere where something of interest shows itself.

 

[estherhead]

I've done this. When I was 17. 21 years ago.

It was my father & mother. My sister and her fiance. My grandma. And my best friend. In a Ford Aerostar. Yup, it was tight. We did have a car top carrier.

But it was amazing. As I recall, we took 2.5 weeks is all. On the way out we took the southern route (we live in southern Ohio) through St. Louis. Then zipped through Oklahoma and Texas. Our stops were at the Grand Canyon, the petrified forest, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequioa, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, San Fransisco, Monteray, San Diego, Oceanside (we had friends there that we stayed several days with), and LA. Not in that order. We didn't visit Disneyland . On the way home we did a northern route through Denver (we didn't stop.)

It was a whirlwind. But it was on that trip that we discovered my grandma had cancer. She died a year later.

Since then I've driven to Yellowstone from here, that's the longest. I had no desire to continue to the west coast. And I love road trips.

I'll tell you this, the entire way out we were all in serious road trip mode. So relaxed and happy and just a delight. Once we turned to home, we drove nonstop. Literally. Not even a McDonalds. We just ate from the cooler and gas stations when we filled up. It's been a long time but I think it took us 36 hours straight. The only thing I've ever done that was more grueling than that was my flight home from Moscow Russia. THAT was exhausting.

But that drive home, OY! My dad and I were just talking about it the other day and that only his utter exhaustion allowed his nerves to relax enough to sleep while I, his 17 year old daughter, drove through a snow storm with road construction in Rockies from midnight to 5 am. And I did a good job too.

I wrote a trip report of our Yellowstone drive. It might give you a good idea. Just add on an extra 1,000 miles each way. It's still active on the Trip Reports on this board. Something like 4,000 miles of love? It was several years ago now.

Would I recommend it? Of course. But not for everyone. I'm a chill, well planned but go with the flow person. And I love adventure and scenery. I have an excellent relationship with my dh and parents and sister and her husband. And I organize people and keep the peace for a living. So I can't say I'm normal. And my kids aren't normal either. They inherited the chill attitude of their dad and I.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

I've done this. When I was 17. 21 years ago.

It was my father & mother. My sister and her fiance. My grandma. And my best friend. In a Ford Aerostar. Yup, it was tight. We did have a car top carrier.

But it was amazing. As I recall, we took 2.5 weeks is all. On the way out we took the southern route (we live in southern Ohio) through St. Louis. Then zipped through Oklahoma and Texas. Our stops were at the Grand Canyon, the petrified forest, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequioa, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, San Fransisco, Monteray, San Diego, Oceanside (we had friends there that we stayed several days with), and LA. Not in that order. We didn't visit Disneyland . On the way home we did a northern route through Denver (we didn't stop.)

It was a whirlwind. But it was on that trip that we discovered my grandma had cancer. She died a year later.

Since then I've driven to Yellowstone from here, that's the longest. I had no desire to continue to the west coast. And I love road trips.

I'll tell you this, the entire way out we were all in serious road trip mode. So relaxed and happy and just a delight. Once we turned to home, we drove nonstop. Literally. Not even a McDonalds. We just ate from the cooler and gas stations when we filled up. It's been a long time but I think it took us 36 hours straight. The only thing I've ever done that was more grueling than that was my flight home from Moscow Russia. THAT was exhausting.

But that drive home, OY! My dad and I were just talking about it the other day and that only his utter exhaustion allowed his nerves to relax enough to sleep while I, his 17 year old daughter, drove through a snow storm with road construction in Rockies from midnight to 5 am. And I did a good job too.

I wrote a trip report of our Yellowstone drive. It might give you a good idea. Just add on an extra 1,000 miles each way. It's still active on the Trip Reports on this board. Something like 4,000 miles of love? It was several years ago now.

Would I recommend it? Of course. But not for everyone. I'm a chill, well planned but go with the flow person. And I love adventure and scenery. I have an excellent relationship with my dh and parents and sister and her husband. And I organize people and keep the peace for a living. So I can't say I'm normal. And my kids aren't normal either. They inherited the chill attitude of their dad and I.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me. I am so glad you all got to enjoy that trip with your grandmother before she passed away. What wonderful memories! We were thinking of doing the same route you all took. Stopping in St Louis and then the Grand Canyon on the way out and then on the way back stopping at Rocky Mtn National Park. I will definitely read your trip report. Thanks again!!

 

[mmlover74]

I didn't drive to DL when I moved to AZ almost 10 years ago. When we drove thru Illinois, we saw a sign that said Lincoln's parents home...so we stopped there. We did drive St. Louis and just stopped when we saw something interesting.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

I've done this. When I was 17. 21 years ago.

It was my father & mother. My sister and her fiance. My grandma. And my best friend. In a Ford Aerostar. Yup, it was tight. We did have a car top carrier.

But it was amazing. As I recall, we took 2.5 weeks is all. On the way out we took the southern route (we live in southern Ohio) through St. Louis. Then zipped through Oklahoma and Texas. Our stops were at the Grand Canyon, the petrified forest, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequioa, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, San Fransisco, Monteray, San Diego, Oceanside (we had friends there that we stayed several days with), and LA. Not in that order. We didn't visit Disneyland . On the way home we did a northern route through Denver (we didn't stop.)

It was a whirlwind. But it was on that trip that we discovered my grandma had cancer. She died a year later.

Since then I've driven to Yellowstone from here, that's the longest. I had no desire to continue to the west coast. And I love road trips.

I'll tell you this, the entire way out we were all in serious road trip mode. So relaxed and happy and just a delight. Once we turned to home, we drove nonstop. Literally. Not even a McDonalds. We just ate from the cooler and gas stations when we filled up. It's been a long time but I think it took us 36 hours straight. The only thing I've ever done that was more grueling than that was my flight home from Moscow Russia. THAT was exhausting.

But that drive home, OY! My dad and I were just talking about it the other day and that only his utter exhaustion allowed his nerves to relax enough to sleep while I, his 17 year old daughter, drove through a snow storm with road construction in Rockies from midnight to 5 am. And I did a good job too.

I wrote a trip report of our Yellowstone drive. It might give you a good idea. Just add on an extra 1,000 miles each way. It's still active on the Trip Reports on this board. Something like 4,000 miles of love? It was several years ago now.

Would I recommend it? Of course. But not for everyone. I'm a chill, well planned but go with the flow person. And I love adventure and scenery. I have an excellent relationship with my dh and parents and sister and her husband. And I organize people and keep the peace for a living. So I can't say I'm normal. And my kids aren't normal either. They inherited the chill attitude of their dad and I.

Would you be able to post a link to your trip report? I tried to find it and couldn't. Thanks!