RW

Family of four looking to do something completely different for next summer's vacation. (YIPES!) We would like to spend 6-8 weeks traveling the US with a travel trailer. (Starting and ending in Florida) Any ideas on "must see" areas, fabulous campgrounds, or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. This mom is very nervous about breaking away from the typical resort/spa type of settings, but this would certainly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks so much!!!

utahtea

We've been camping for the last 25 years. We had a travel trailer for 9 years when our two sons were young so I speak from experience. It's FUN!

With 6-8 weeks you have enought time to do a big tour of the US. Highlights I would include in a trip like this would be:

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico.

Petrified Forest National Park and Grand Canyon National Parks in Arizona.

Glen Canyon National Recreational Area (Lake Powell) Arizona-Utah border. If you can take the all day boat trip out to Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Escalante-Grand Staircase National Mounument, Scenic Hwy 12 from Bryce to Torrey, Utah, Capitol Reef National Park, Moab, Utah and nearby Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Dinosaur National Monument in northern Utah,

Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area, Utah-Wyoming border.

The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming. Devils Tower National Mounument in NE Wyoming.

Mt. Rushmore, Badlands National Park and Custer State Park in South Dakota.

Swing south to Rocky Mountain National Park & Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado before heading back to Florida.

We really like the campgrounds in the national parks. Capitol Reef is one of our favorites.

Summer is going to be hot in the west. The earlier you can start on your trip, the better. You might want to spend nights at campgrounds with electrical hook ups to run the air conditioner (if it has one) since the trailer probably doesn't have a generator. Watchman campground in Zion National Park has electrical hookups.

Camping in a trailer with all the benefits of home is hardly roughing it but we also enjoyed being in the outdoors when ever we wanted to. When we camped we all had chores so Mom wasn't the only one working! I prepared the food, DH cooked, DS did the washing and drying of pots, pans and utensils. We used paper plates to cut down on work.

If you do a trip like this I would suggest purchasing a National Park Pass for $50 at the first park you visit. It will save you a lot of money!

Also I would get a camping directory. I've always like Trailer Life Campground, RV Parks & Service. If you have AAA they also have campground directories but I've found it's best to have both because they usually don't both list all the campgrounds.

We had our boys keep journals. I also kept a journal and I would have dupulicate copies made of our vacation pictures and I would corresponding pictures on the opposite side of the page that was written on. It makes wonderful keepsakes.

If you want more information, feel free to e-mail me.

Utahtea

x

DEFINITELY do several preliminary weekend trips. That will help you get a better handle on what to take, leave behind, bring to eat, do, etc.

Gretchen

We did this with our three children when they were 14,12,10. Six weeks! It was a terrific trip. We tent camped--drove a van, stayed in hotels part of the time and camped other parts. We spent several days at Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon and Yosemite (by the river and up on Tuolumne Meadows) camping. If you are going to camp in national parks start now to make reservations. Then we spent a week at a dude ranch in the Grand Tetons. We got a big map and all of us worked on the itinerary. I think it is important to spend some days in one place in order for the children to get adequate rest and get ready for another long day in the car.
Our circle started in NC to Ohio across Kansas, dropped south in Colorado to see the Sand Dunes, to Mesa Verde and Canyon de Chelly, to Grand Canyon, Las Vegas (Hoover Dam), Los Angeles (Universal City), up the state to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Yosemite, through the park to Nevada, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole (ranch), Yellowstone, across Wyoming to the BadLands (very interesting), Mt Rushmore, Rochester,MN (to visit friends), and through Indiana, etc. back to NC. Have a great time!!

travellyn

This is a strong second for the idea of taking some practice trips on the weekends before you start a 6-8 week adventure. You can develop a packing list based on what you forgot, or found out you didn't need, on the first few weekends. (It's more likely that you'll find out what you can do without.)

You may want to buy a tent for these weekends, and consider taking a tent on your long trip so that you can get a little time apart. A tent would allow 2 people to spend the night outside the trailer, or let you split up to do different things for a couple of days. (E.g. Dad stays with the kids in a campground for an extra day or two while Mom gets a "city fix".)

You should try various types of campgrounds. There are the privately run KOA types, developed national forest and national park campgrounds, as well as pulling off a side road and camping informally in a pretty spot in a national forest or BLM land, where it's permitted. I like the last version best, but it's not always possible.

Donna F

We spent one fabulous summer with a travel trailer. July was spent wandering the Smokies thru Virginia. We only got as far as the top of NC before we headed home to NH for a commitment. Then we spent August exploring PEI and Nova Scotia. It's really great to wander and spend as much time as you like in an area. Our son was about 11 at the time, so we brought his bike. Kids really need some quiet time of their own such as just swimming or beachcombing (around the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is great). Don't try to put on too many miles. If we didn't like a place, we only spent one night. It's a great opportunity to explore. Check the local newspapers for activities your children will enjoy that aren't necessarily top tourist attractions. The caves in Luray VA are great but so was attending a story time/chicken bbq and Indian dance in a small Maryland town. You can probably buy anything you forget. I enjoy shopping in different markets to see what they have (fresh peach juice on PEI!) and we can try some different foods. That was the summer we spent a lot of time talking and our son learned to be comfortable being away from home. Make sure each person brings along some books and games for quiet times. You'll have a great time.