Crossing the country

[Deleted]

I've wanted to take the family for a trip across the country for years and years now. It's been on the books for this summer for awhile.

Im getting cold feet. I wanna see the country. I'm not sure about that much time in the car.

Have others done this? How long? Which parts? Am I crazy?

We are only planning on across and back the top... Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Seattle... Anything I shouldn't miss, if I maintain the courage to go....

Any helpful advice?

[Deleted]

I don't like RVs ... I also don't see how they will save me money, really? We will tent half the time, hotel half the time. My sister is in Seattle.

[Deleted]

Sounds amazing.  I second the RV idea.

Buy a travel guidebook to the U.S. I did it when I moved to Oregon because they are so helpful for seeing places that you would never think of, which will help keep you guys busy and give you plenty of stops.

[Deleted]

With the RV's the kids will be able to walk around some, play games, have more space.  There won't be packing and unpacking at every hotel. 

[Deleted]

That is true. We do have a rather large vehicle though, and my kids are rather adept packers. I've been trying o get them down to one 17 inch suitcase lol, although we aren't there yet. 

Ill look at the RV idea, just to know. 

I also want o clarify it won't be all summer! It's only 3 weeks or so, so I have to plan well to see what we want. And that makes driving more intensive, so maybe that's what I'm worried about...

[Tennesseer]

Back in the mid '60s, my family did a six-week cross country trip during the summer. From Massachusetts to upper and lower California and back. My mother's mother lived in North Dakota so that was our first destination. From there to SD, WY, UT, NV, CA, AZ, back to UT, WY, SD and ND. Then on back to MA. We stopped to visit all the national park along the way.

We pulled a camper which unfolded and slept six (which was the size of our family)-it also had a propane stove inside. As a 15-year-old I didn't like the idea being away all summer but looking back it was an educational experience and am glad we took the trip.

[kittensaver]

Rent a small RV - like a weekend camper. Stay in campgrounds where the kids can put their sleeping bags in a tent (or sleep under the stars) and you and DH can have the camper to yourselves at night

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I personally believe every family should take a weeks-long car trip together.  Three years ago, we did the North--South route:  Massachusetts to Florida for three weeks.

We (DH, 2 kids (14 and 11) and me) drove in my minivan.

We took 3 days to get to our first destination in Florida stopping in Maryland and Savannah, Georgia for overnights.  

Once in Florida, we spent about 10 days in the Tampa area visiting family, then 3 days at Disney, and 4 days in Key West (with many stops along the way to the various destinations).  

It was ALOT of driving.  DH did most of it because he sort of enjoys it.  We had a few moments of feeling trapped, but as someone said to us before we left:  "no one else can hear you or your kids screaming/crying/swearing when you're hurtling down the highway at 70 MPH with the windows closed".  

I'm glad we did it.  The kids remember it fondly and we are still a family that loves each other (any scars seem to have healed, LOL).

We are also toying with a East-West trip in the next couple of years before they head off to college, so obviously, we are either insane or happily peripatetic.  

Summon all of your patience and courage and go for it.  Your kids will always remember the trip.  Any bad/tough/disappointing times along the way will fade with time or become hilarious family memories.  We only hold our children for a few years -- take every chance you can to expand their horizons.  

Happy trails!!!!!

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Oh, and we stayed in hotels -- usually Residence Inns because the rooms are really apartments with full kitchens -- gives us room to spread out and lets us cook a real meal (to avoid the constant fast food places on the highway).

[justme]

My family did that when I was 9 and my brother was 12. Six weeks with our van and a pop up camper, going to a new place every other day or so. Texas to Arizona, up to Nevada and then back across to Texas (and well eventually back to Florida but we didn't stop for more than a night to rest between Fl & Texas). It was really fun and I loved the trip. Actually was just reminiscing tonight telling someone about it! To be fair we drove from FL to Canada every other summer, so spending a long time in a car wasn't foreign to my parents or us kids. To be honest, the only negative is I kinda of wish I was older when we did it - or that we did it again when I was older. Oh, and that digital cameras existed, would have a lot more pictures to remember.

Not sure how much the adults would like tenting it a lot if that's all you had, but I remember the campgrounds being almost as fun as the sight seeing. A lot had movie nights and there were other kids to play with and a camp store where we could get stuff. When all you have is a little pop up for the whole family it sure pushes the kids outside more!

[giramomma]

May 6, 2013 18:13:42 GMT -5 oped said:

I also want o clarify it won't be all summer! It's only 3 weeks or so, so I have to plan well to see what we want. And that makes driving more intensive, so maybe that's what I'm worried about...

I'm guessing your kids are older. We pretty much only do driving trips with our kids. We've found that for us, taking two weeks to travel 15ish hours one way works the best. That way, most of the time, we end up staying in one spot for 2-3 nights. Two years ago, we did a 14 hour trip (one way) in 10 days, and we were really pressed to do lots of sight seeing. 

In your situation, I would be worried too, about the drive and ability to sight-see.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

I did a semi trip like that in 2010.  Went from TX north to MN and then west to WA and down to CA (was moving from TX to CA).  It was amazing!  I was in my sedan with a tent and stayed at hotels or campgrounds (depending upon my preference).

Some places I recommend:

-Camping/canoeing at the Boundary waters in MN.  It is amazing up there and so still.  You can go Lake to Lake and not see anyone but still be close enough to drive in for meals (I so don't cook).  I started at Ely, MN and camped at Moose? Lake but there are lots to choose from. 
-Near Mt Rushmore there is an awesome park that look like it is out of the Flintstones.  The diner even looks like the one Fred got the ribs at  .
-I would stay at the Grand Tetons instead of Yellowstone.  It is prettier (the mountains are amazing!) and it seemed less crowded.
-There is a nice park next to the Space Needle in Seattle.  It has an awesome water play feature where your kids could play for free. (Be a good YMer!)
-If you make it down the Oregon coast, take Highway 1 and store in Astoria.  Have your kids watch the Goonies first then go (that's where it was filmed!)
-Hit the Tillamook cheese factory! Lots and lots of cheese... more than you ever wanted to know about it but really interesting 
-Definitely hit Crater Lake if you are going through Southern OR,  It is not far off I-5 and is beautiful!.  

Can u tell I'm a total nerd?

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Oh, if you go back through UT and CO, take Hwy 40 (not the Interstate).  Stop at Cherry Hill park? in UT (It is a waterpark and campground).  Go through CO on Hwy 40 and stop in Dinosaur and Hot Sulphur Springs.  The Rockies are amazing in the summer with lots of fun stuff to do. 

[Deleted]

My kids are 14 and 11. They can do 9-10 hour in a car fine, I've just never strung a lot of them together . Last time I pulled a nine home from NH, I drove it all, sick... This time husband and I can split the driving at least, but it will be a lot. 

My kids have pulled 24 hour travel days to get to Romania, drive, plane, drive or train... But they have been horrid exhausting. No way you can string them together. But driving will never be like a 10 hour flight at least. 

Im back and forth ... Part of me just wants to go all summer nd do everything on Mardi Gras list! I'll be looking up some of those, but I'm not sure if we'll get very far south... Maybe if this goes well we'd o it gin one day?  

[alabamagal]

We are bad parents, we never did that with our kids.

But my parents took my three kids "out west" when they were 9, 11 and 12. They went in an RV. Hit all the big spots. So my kids have been places I never went .

I would highly recommend it.

[tskeeter]

oped, plan for some climb on rocks time.  For both the kids and the big kids.  It's not the things you put on your itinerary that will make the trip.  It's the things you do on the spur of the moment.

Take time to see Mt. Saint Helens.  It's about a three hour drive from Seattle.  While much of the devastation is re-growing, it's still pretty impressive and the interpretive centers are outstanding.  Great study in geology and vulcanology.  

[Abby Normal]

When we've done long car trips, we done some geocaching on the way. It gives the kids something to look forward to and think about.  We'd find three or four during the day. It gave us a nice break every few hours and broke up the monotony. But it does mean extra stops.

[movingforward]

My family took a 4 week cross country trip when I was 15 yrs old one summer.  My parents also allowed me to bring a friend.  To this day it is one of the best times of my life.  We went from NC to CA.  We went in just a regular car (Nissan Maximum, I think) and stayed in hotels.  We spend 2-3 days in AZ seeing the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and the Painted Desert.  Then stayed in California for several days visiting Yosemite, Tahoe, San Francisco.  Don't chicken out on this one.  Your kids will remember it forever. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

May 7, 2013 12:49:59 GMT -5 movingforward said:

My family took a 4 week cross country trip when I was 15 yrs old one summer.  My parents also allowed me to bring a friend.  To this day it is one of the best times of my life.  We went from NC to CA.  We went in just a regular car (Nissan Maximum, I think) and stayed in hotels.  We spend 2-3 days in AZ seeing the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and the Painted Desert.  Then stayed in California for several days visiting Yosemite, Tahoe, San Francisco.  Don't chicken out on this one.  Your kids will remember it forever. 

If worse came to worse and mutiny was at hand, you could always turn around and drive back home.

But, don't.

Oh, and if you want to stay at one of the National Parks you should have had reservations, like, yesterday or even last year.  Hop online now to the national parks website to see what you can still reserve.  

DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[damnotagain]

AAA, this was a beautiful stop in a six week drive in my 20s . The Shining was written here. It has been completely redone . Since I was there in the 70s again in the 90s . Estes Park is beautiful.

www.stanleyhotel.com/?gclid=CO369ovNhLcCFUHe4AodmDoAhw

The redwoods in Northern California are a must .

[cael]

oped, I haven't read the whole thread but: when I was 13 and my brother was 10 my parents took us across the country, on a train, to visit my aunt and uncle in Portland, OR. It was the best trip we ever took together. The train took a northern route out there, spent a week-ish in OR then we bussed to LA and took a southern route back home. We'd never seen more of the country than New England/Philly so seeing it go by on a train was really amazing. We didn't stop to see sights during the train rides but we saw plenty of stuff in the PNW while we were there - my aunt and uncle were really into road tripping, so we saw the redwoods in northern Cali, went to Mount St. Helens and all sorts of other stuff. My parents couldn't afford a sleeper cabin for us so we slept in our reclining seats, which was fine for us as kids but dunno how it was for my parents as adults. I remember one night my mom shaking me awake to look out at the milky way - we were going through Idaho or somewhere really dark and it was the most amazing night sky I've ever seen.I realize the train isn't for everyone but it was awesome for us!

[plugginaway22]

About 8 years ago, when airfare from Baltimore to Las Vegas was about 175$, we flew the 5 of us to LV, rented a big SUV, and then did the driving.  We have such amazing memories of that trip.  Did the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Sedona, and all the little places in between.  Even stayed at a nice LV hotel for 2 nights to just relax and swim in the pool (kids were 18, 16, and 9). 

Then did the same kind of trip with youngest child, flew to Jackson Hole, WY, did Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, visited relatives in Montana.  I LOVE the west!!! 

[Deleted]

So, you paid for one way car rental? That's an idea. I'm not sure i could do it that Inexpensively flying and renting, hmmm... Will check it out. I had looked up say, flying to SD, renting round trip from there, since that is the first place we want to really see, but it was no way feasible, comparatively. 

I like the train idea too, we love trains... But I do want to see some spots along the way ....

[Deleted]

Thanks for all the ideas guys and the encouragement...

[plugginaway22]

Oped, sorry, No, those were round-trip tickets!  Car rentals were maybe 400 for the 10 days plus gas.

[toomuchreality]

May 6, 2013 18:00:28 GMT -5 oped said:

I've wanted to take the family for a trip across the country for years and years now. It's been on the books for this summer for awhile.

Im getting cold feet. I wanna see the country. I'm not sure about that much time in the car.

Have others done this? How long? Which parts? Am I crazy?

We are only planning on across and back the top... Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Seattle... Anything I shouldn't miss, if I maintain the courage to go....

Any helpful advice?

When I was growing up we traveled for about 2 weeks every summer. Usually in a truck and camper. Now that I'm older, I'm glad I went, and glad I saw the things I did. I didn't mind it as a teenager, but always felt like it was too long. But I think a lot of that has to do with being cooped up with my bro and sis (4 yrs younger) in a very small place, for so many hours every day, while driving. I remember wishing we would stay in one place for awhile.

Suggestion: Don't stop at the side of the road and make your kids pick asparagus or wild berries for hours, then help can them. That sucked! So did being woken up at 3-4 in the morning, to go dig clams at low tide and then having to help bottle/can them. I don't even like clams. Yuck!

Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy!
It can be fun!

[Deleted]

Ok. I understand now  

Yeah, flights and rentals aren't as inexpensive now. At least what I've found ...

Thats ok. I'm beginning to believe we can handle it ( probably... Lol)