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Cross Country Road Trip Phoenix to Boston

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Cross Country Road Trip Phoenix to Boston

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Old Jul 15th, 2017, 02:45 PM
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Cross Country Road Trip Phoenix to Boston

Hi All! My husband, 5 year old Laberdoodle and I are planning a cross country drive from Phoenix to Cape Cod. I have an idea of how I want to get there (kinda) but not sure what real driving times are. We would like to be able to see things along the way, but with a dog they will have to be nature opportunities. We are a little flexible on dates when we can leave ( thinking right now of a start date
of August 29th with a stay at a friend's house in Heber/Overgard Az) - and need to be in Oak Park, IL on Sept. 7th. After that but we will be leaving Holland, Michigan on Sept. 10th. From there we need to arrive in Boston on Sept. 15th. After that we do not hit the road again until Oct. 8th this time heading back to Phoenix from NYC. On that portion we are looking to do parts of the Skyline, BlueRidge, and Smokey Mountains. With fall foliage in full swing we want to hop on and off the scenic routes maximizing drive time and still being able to see some beautiful vistas.
I would love some help in figuring our the scenic drives and how to factor them in both route wise and time wise ( in /Colorado/Custer State Park/Badlands and East coast portions of trip). We do want to get out of the car and can do hikes and overlooks along the way.
We would like to see Canyon de Chelly, a 2 night stay somewhere in Colorado with mountains, Custer Park, and the pretty drives there, Badlands with the scenic drive there. We know that Mount Rushmore will not allow dogs, but we think we can park and take turns checking it out (other suggestions welcomed). One other place we are thinking of is Niagra Falls.
Thank you all for route and itinerary suggestions! With Labor Day/Fall leaves I know I will have to start booking places to stay asap. We are not campers so hotels are the plan.
Liz
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Old Jul 16th, 2017, 06:57 AM
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I know people will tire of me saying this but your dialed in places you need/want to see are ideal to get a US map and put pins in it and connect the dots. Use different colors for heading east and west (to and back home).
You will also need to use the pet friendly motel search and you won't be able to take your dog into National Parks hikes (at least I think that is true).
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Old Jul 16th, 2017, 09:07 AM
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You can't hike or take a tour down into Canyon de Chelly with a dog so you'd have to see it from above or take turns. The majority of national park trails don't allow dogs.
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Old Jul 16th, 2017, 10:57 AM
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Thank you Gretchen and Patty for your thoughts. I have been playing with my maps and my questions delve more into what is the actual time driving around some of these areas and are their some shortcuts I can take and still get the scenic drives.
I do know all the restrictions on all the parks with dogs, though in many we are able to do the scenic drives and pull over for views.

In the Moab area is it worth going into the park or just driving along 128 and grab views from there.
In Custer Park / Mount Rushmore which of the scenic routes, or blend of them, would work.

On the Skyland, Blue Ridge and Smokies are there some suggested ways to jump on and off the scenic bylands and pop on again for great stretches of views.

Never having been in the area I was hoping for some first hand suggestions. I can stick pins easily but 20 miles of road can in actuality be 2 hours of driving.

Thanks!
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Old Jul 16th, 2017, 02:12 PM
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Once you head south from Badlands and Mt. Rushmore, head down through Yellowstone and Grand Tetons (of course you are running the risk by mid Oct. of running into snow). Leaving Wyoming, go through Flaming Gorge to Grand Junction then south on 550 through Montrose, Ouray, Silverton and Durango. You will see a lot of beautiful scenery. There are numerous hikes around Ouray, Silverton and Durango. Once you hit SW Colorado, you are in very dog friendly country and hiking with dogs is commonplace; even though they are not NP, they are still outstanding. Your only possible problem would be the possibility of the random fall snow in the mountain passes but should not be too bad. It's a short easy drive from Durango to Chinle and Canyon de Chelly. You also have the option to leave Durango and head to Monument Valley with a slight backtrack to Canyon de Chelly. From Canyon de Chelly, you can head south to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest or head west then south towards Page and see Horseshoe Bend. I would also recommend Lower Antelope Canyon but the dog may be a problem there.
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Old Jul 17th, 2017, 03:37 AM
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The drive around Canyon de Chelley to see both rims will take 2-5 hours depending on how many overlooks you stop at and how long at each. If you want to hike down into the canyon, you can do that at White House Ruin. One of you will have to stay at the car with the dog while the other hikes. Down/back quick look will take about an hour and a half or so depending on how you hike and how long to stay.

On skyline drive part of BRP there are cross roads fairly often, every 25 miles or so where you can get off. To the west at least in Virginia, there is a state road that I forget the number of that we've taken and it parallels sl drive between the drive and I-81. We found it more relaxing than 81 and faster than the sl drive when we had spent a few hours at 35 mph.

In the Moab area I would advise at least doing the drive through Arches with stops at the pull offs near the easy to see arches like Windows, Turret Arch, etc. I also would drive to the Island in the Sky Area of Canyonlands. The views from the pull offs are spectacular.

Weather wise, I would do the more northern route, Badlands, Rushmore etc. on the way out if possible and save Utah/Arizona for the end of the trip. October can have snow in the Rockies.
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Old Jul 17th, 2017, 07:14 AM
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Well, truth be told, my pins idea is for the gross picture of the trip, which then would allow you to fine tune the short parts and the time taken for the hikes and the sightseeing on scenic byways.
You mention Canyon de Chelly but not Mesa Verde? Interested? Different kind of ancients and living we found fascinating--mesa tops and valley floors.
I find google to be pretty reliable in timing.
emalloy's idea of jumping on and off the BRP and Skyline Drive is good advice. You will be travelling in peak sightseeing season in the fall and there is no way to gauge speeds/traffic at that time of year on those parkways--except it WILL be slow.
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Old Jul 17th, 2017, 10:20 AM
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It is faster to get out east from Michigan through Canada, but you will need a passport or enhanced driver's license. Also there are restrictions on dogs.
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Old Jul 21st, 2017, 05:34 AM
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We just drove from CT to the White Mountains of Arizona with our two dogs. We came down through Shenandoah and on into Asheville (We stayed two nights just outside of Asheville in Gerton at the 3Bs Inn (www.3bsinn.com)-absolutely fantastic (especially for the dogs). From there we headed through Great Smoky NP. We went through Hot Springs NP and then the rest of the way on I-40. We stayed at Residence Inns. La Quinta and Towneplace Suites (all very dog friendly). We took six nights on the road )but we stayed an extra night in NC). Driving mileage was no more than 550 miles per day.
We are returning to CT via Colorado, Black Hills and Badlands and then across.
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Old Feb 17th, 2018, 11:47 AM
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Recap of Cross Country Trip

I thought I published this, but I must have forgotten to hit post or some such thing!
Thank you all for the suggestions, we used many of them for this trip which was a lot of fun. Here are a few of our reflections and what worked really well for us driving with a dog cross country.

Hotel stays with a dog tend to be per stay, so if you are moving each day it can get costly. Marriott's for example charge $100 per "stay" were it 1 to infinity days. Drury Inns, Sheratons, La Quinta, and Red Lions all seem to have no fee or smaller fees.
Our dog was a quick learner, as we go further into our journey he figured out how to unlock the door and came bounding out to join us at breakfast. So from then on we ate in shifts!

Investing in a couple of boarding options along the way were life savers. In Custer State Park, Niagara Falls, and leaf peeping in Massachusetts/NY/CT we opted to board him for both our benefits. Custer State Park with all the winding roads and buffalo would have it un pleasant for all, buffalo included, Niagara Falls then allowed us to do more tours, and leaf peeping was a lot of time in the car. The thing is you need to plan in advance. You have to have the proper paperwork to take your dog out (and back into ) USA/Canada. Some states require different vaccinations for your dog ( one that was a three series shot regimen that took over 28 days to administer). Also planning the right amount of food, in case they do not sell the same kind you feed them in various states. I planned ahead and made reservations at all the places we boarded. That allowed me to research and read reviews, and send all required paperwork in advance.

Our route had us leaving Phoenix and spending the first 3 days in Painted Desert, Canyon de Chelly ( Thunderbird Lodge - perfect modest lodging in the middle of where you want to be) and Moab. Painted desert we could go on all the trails we choose with our dog though not into the gift shop/restaurants. There are a couple of picnic areas where we were all welcomed - and had packed a lunch. Which brings me to packing our car. We made it so to be able to reach easily for the dogs water bowl and food. I had individually backed his meals in baggies - which made it super easy to grab a bag, his bowls and be able to feed him. We kept in the inside door wells collapsable water bowls, his leash, and a small igloo thermos of water all ready. Places we boarded our dog were Paw Patch Acres in Custer area A+ , Camp BowWow in Oak Park A, Meadowview Pet Resort In Niagara Falls, Canada side A+, and Ledgewood Kennel B+ in Millerton NY.

In Moab we were not able to go into the Arches and other trails, but by driving on 128 we saw stunning vistas, lots of places to pull off and takes allowed hikes with our dog, and followed the Colorado river. There is one stretch towards the end where looking backwards is more stunning then forward. So plan to stop and get our of your car and take in the scenery.

Colorado is a dog lovers paradise. We stayed in Grand Junction, Breckenridge and Aspen. Great hiking, great restaurants that allow dogs (on patios), and beautiful scenery. If you are able in Aspen the Maroon Bells hike was amazing. We got up early and drove to the parking lot and got one of the limited parking spots. I think it filled up while we were organizing ourselves. There is a shuttle that allows dogs, but felt the extra early start was worth not dealing with it. Highlight of our time in Colorado was that hike!

Custer State park was amazing. We would have loved to spend more time there, but did feel we got to see all that we wanted to in the 2 nights. We did board our dog and were allowed into Mt Rushmore, boating on the lake, biking on the road, buffalo viewing ( actually were surrounded by them - unable to move the vehicle - so cool), and going into the museums. Dog was happier not being cooped up inside the car on all the panoramic drives full of hairpin, corkscrew and pigtail turns. We stayed at the Bavarian Inn which was close to where we boarded our dog and in the midst of what we wanted to see in the area.

Badlands was awesome too. Lucky for us we did not see the sign that said no dogs until we were exciting the third of our hikes to short view points. Surreal landscapes. We did see some big horns on our way out. If you want to stop at the Missile Site when you are leaving check the times. We got there and were only able to spend 15 mins before they closed.

We did do the Corn Palace - another whimsical stop that was neat. They allowed up to bring our dog into the building which surprised us, and it was fun to see the pictures from all the years of the various designs. Definitely a worthy stop along the way. We stayed at the Kelly Inn in Mitchell. Hotel was fine but the area itself was just strange. The night we were there was a Balloon Glow with food trucks and such. Sadly dogs were not allowed, but it did look to have a crowd and is an annual event.
Our next night had us staying along the Mississippi River at La Crosse. The drive to was the by-lane vs the highway and we drove through small towns, apple orchards at a slower pace. I must say I did get my fill of cornfields by the end of it. We stayed in La Crosse GranStay Hotel which was adjacent to a park that meandered along the river. The night we were there an outdoor music open concert was playing. It was great to be walking along the area listening to the Grateful Dead cover band and enjoying the view of the river with the parked Steamboats with their big wheels.

From there to Chicago where we visited my brother in Oak Park. We walked along the streets with a bunch of Frank Lloyd Wright houses. The little downtown area was cute with great restaurants. We did go into Chicago and walked along the river. Having been there often we just enjoyed walking around. We left one brother to visit another in Holland Michigan and stayed a few days there. Walking the beach, biking in the neighborhoods, and visiting towns along the lake was a lot of fun. Great place to visit!

Niagara Falls was next - we drove across the peninsula to get there and stayed on the CA side. Lovely visit where we visited all there was to see on the CA falls side and then biked up the coast to vineyards, roadside stands, a fort, and cutes towns. Before we left we grabbed our dog and walked along the US side of Niagara in the park and saw the falls from a different perspective. Totally worth doing.

We stayed in Albany, just a a spot selected to break up the ride to Cape Cod. We walked along the campus and downtown area. The next morning we had coffee and at a cute outdoor cafe and hit the road to our final stop for this part of the journey, Cape Cod.

Cap Code was wonderful, we rented a house for 3 weeks on the bayside in Eastham. Lovely time.
We then went up north for leaf peeping visiting in Lake Placid, CT and Massachusetts. We stayed at Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid - beautiful hotel in a great location, the Orchards Hotel in Williamstown, Ma and the Interlaken Inn in Lakeville, CT. On this part of the trip we boarded our dog for the 6 Ns and picked him up on our way to NYC where we visited with our daughters.
Our trip home was wonderful as well. We drove from NYC down the Skyline, Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains. So pretty with all the colors beginning to change and the beautiful vistas. We got out and hiked with our dog all over the place. Packed some lunches and stopped at restaurants along the way. We stayed in Roanoke and walked around the downtown with our dog. We drove up to the star overlooking the city and it was a great picture opportunity and a pretty view. We rented a cabin for a couple of nights in Standardsville, VA (Lydia's Cabins) fantastic stay and a great location to get on and off the Skyline Drive and do some longer hikes. We stayed in a lovely place In the Smokeys (Fryemont Inn Bryson City, NC) well that was a cabin in a lodge feel accommodations. Dinner and breakfast were included and with a key lock our dog was able to stay inside without us worrying about him escaping.

We spent 7 Nights driving from Winchester Va to Chattanooga TN. It seemed the perfect amount of time to stop and visit, to not feel like you were in the car all the time, and see what we wanted to without rushing or fretting if traffic was slow. Once we left this area we decided on more of a straight shot home. We just picked convenient places after driving for 6/8 hours. We were all ready to get home. A couple notes about our return - we chose ALB over Santa Fe. While we had a wonderful hike in the local area by some petroglyphs I would choose Santa Fe over here. We visited the Memorial in Oklahoma City which was moving. We stayed close enough by at the Sheraton which was nice. Amarillo was just a drive by though we stayed at the Drury Inn which was our first visit there. Nice staff working there and a comfortable room.

All in all it was a wonderful journey and we saw so many beautiful parts of our country. Many we would like to return to in the future.

It was very helpful reading others reviews in making our decisions on where to stop, where to stay and what to do. Thank you all!

Last edited by Az2cc; Feb 17th, 2018 at 11:52 AM.
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Old Feb 17th, 2018, 12:47 PM
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It sounds like you and the dog made out very well and had a fantastic trip.

Thanks for coming back and reporting.
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