Cross country road trip help

[pammypooh]

My DH wants to plan a cross country road trip. He is talking about a two week trip and I am trying to get ideas for must see locations across America. Some of the places already on the list include: Mt. Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Nashville, and San Antonio...I know this is impossible to see everything in two weeks. Please help me narrow down some possible routes...A South and Southwestern adventure or the North and Northwestern adventure? Anyone ever do this?

We have 2 DDs ages 6 and 8, and we will more than likely trade the popup in for a travel trailer. Our starting point is the Philly area.

DH, even suggested seeing the Mouse a few days, then heading across the southern states toward Grand Canyon.

Thank you in advance for any ideas you may submit!

Pam

 

[helenabear]

Honestly never been out in that area (well been to DL, but we flew). Just giving you a friendly bump

 

[tar heel]

I think you need to narrow it down a lot or you won't get to spend any significant time anywhere and will feel like you are just driving and driving. You need some significant stops or everyone will get too tired to really enjoy the trip. The Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore are not near each other, so it may not be logical to do both on one trip. We used a family reunion in Winter Park, CO, as the impetus to drive from North Carolina to the Grand Canyon a few years ago. We had five days longer than you, but were at the reunion five days, so had the same basic amount of time. I think going to both the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore would have been too much, and I think going to Disney, too, would have been way too much. I would decide what your furtherest point will be -- ours was the Grand Canyon --and work out from there trying to catch places you really want to see. Take a somewhat different route out as going back and you can see more. Also, get some good guide books, such as Fodor's, for your main destinations -- try the library before you go to the bookstore. We did several national parks, saw three ML baseball games and took a rafting trip on the Colorado River. We had reservations at Mesa Verde National Park (highly recommended -- a trip highlight), the Grand Canyon, Atlanta our last night (July 4th) and the reunion. Otherwise, we winged it. We had AAA guidebooks for every state and tried to catch a few small sights as well as the big ones. We made a big deal about entering each state and stopped at the welcome center unless it was night. We also ate most meals at local places instead of chains. It was a wonderful, unforgettable trip. We're thinking about doing a long driving trip instead of Disney next summer.

 

[nativetxn]

Okay, you absolutely <i>must</i> see the Grand Canyon. And while you are in the area you should also see the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest.

There is a train that runs from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon. Book first class. It's wonderful fun. A troubador strolls through the car playing music, there is a <b>train robbery</b>. Well, that might have just been on <i>my</i> train But I've heard that it is a regular occurence. There was a bank robbery before we left the station, too. Very exciting Gun fights and getaways made on horse back.

Your girls would love it.

 

[jsmith]

I would agree-Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon in the same trip would be tough-however you can get Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone,and Grand Teton Parks, and if you really want to push it, Rocky Mountain National park in one trip.

You can also easily fit Mesa Verde, and Grand Canyon in one vacation and if you are interested in that sort of thing at all there are tons of historic sites in both Colorado and New Mexico that will give you a whole new perspective on American History. (Santa Fe new mexico was founded in 1596-it is the oldest city in the US after St. Agustine FL).
If you are planning to trailer camp in any of the national Parks you need to plan well ahead as those reservations fill up quickly. Also when planning for travel in the west with a trailer remember to allow extra time for mountain driving.

If you try to go to WDW and the Grand Canyon in the same vacation, all you will do is drive-think about the amount of time to drive from Philly to Florida-The add a minimum of three very long days to drive to Grand Canyon from Orlando-plus driving time from Arizona back to Philly-and you have nothing left for sight seeing or having fun.

 

[ahutton]

I know very little about the northern route until you hit Portland, Oregon... Then I can help because that is where DH is from. The souther route I've done once or twice, and many places in between. If you decide to go that way I'll be glad to help. Kath is right - the train from Williams to Grand Canyon is a blast and the train robbery is a regular thing, as are the musicians. I live in Central Texas and can help with sights and stops along the way here too...

The Best Western site has a great road trip planner, you can put in the start and end points, it will map a route and then list all of their hotels along the way and their phone numbers. We used that to determine how far we wanted to go in a given day and then called ahead a couple hours to get a hotel room so we didn't have to push on past where we wanted to.

Let me know if I can help more!!

 

[judi]

We took three weeks to go cross country. Started in NE Ohio and took the northern route stopping at Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands (they are awesome), Devils Tower, Wall Drug, Yellowstone (4 days), Grand Tetons, Zion, Grand Canyon, Sedona AZ, Phoenix, Painted Desert and that area and then back home. Had a lot of fun and did smaller stops on the way. Two weeks doesn't give you much time but is still do able. Have fun.