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A 17 day, four state, 2000 mile road trip with kids? Why not.
The start of 2024 brought with it the news that we were headed back to the UK, which was not something anyone had predicted for the next twelve months. Armed with this knowledge, plans for a big summer road trip set to cover 3000 miles, to take us through four states & finish up at a wedding in Steamboat Springs were dashed. Hopes not lost, we decided to plan a huge road trip to leave the country with a bang.
We have a passion for exploring National Parks (in 2023 we scratched Sequoia and Kings Canyon, The Everglades and Biscayne NPs off the scratch map) so knew we had embark on a National Park road trip to cover as many of the diverse National Parks that this country has to offer.
Our objectives were:
· See as many National and State Parks as we could.
· Avoid the majority of the snow, as we would be travelling in the winter months and had no way to avoid this timeframe.
· Keep to a limited budget while still passing through as many states as possible.
· Ensure that the kids didn’t have to be in the car longer than three or four hour stretches.
We had a trial run of a long road trip in 2022 when we drove from the South of England to the Scottish Highlands, and then on to the Isle of Skye (read more about our Scottish Fling). Our children were 6 & 4 then, so we knew they had it in them to be in the car for up to five hours but nobody enjoys these long stretches of car time, do they?
We pulled together a hitlist and used Wanderlog to track our journey, making sure we had the stops in the right order to maximize fuel and reduce time on the road. I prefer it to Google Maps when planning a trip as it allows unlimited stops, and has an AI feature where it moves elements to schedule the best route. I always use Google too; when you're on your trip it is still the most accurate. We've added and removed stops such as Mesa Verde National Park as it was too big of a detour, and settled on a final route. I've researched and booked hotels, car rental and excursions, trying to make the most of our air miles credit card to help us with future travel (huge thanks to Kathleen at Triple Passport for her incredible advice) and so, without further ado…
2024 Great Big Road Trip
Las Vegas
Valley of Fire State Park
Hoover Dam
Sand Hollow State Park
Zion National Park
Bryce Canyon
Escalante
Peek a boo Canyon
Arches National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Goblin State Park
Canyonlands National Park
Moab
Petrified Forest National Park
Deer Canyon
Horseshoe Bend
The Grand Canyon
Las Vegas – Tournament of Kings show at Excalibur.
The mercury dips to a bone-chilling 32°F/0°C at the northern edge of our journey, while recent snapshots from Bryce Canyon National Park show a deep covering of snow. Flexibility might be our new best friend, but with thermals, thick coats, and hats at the ready, we're gearing up to explore the parks in a whole new light. Inspired by Dalton Hunter and his love of National Parks, we're embracing the thrill of experiencing these landscapes in a different season. Let's roll!
Packing list
Long drives with kids are never fun, but we are hoping to have prepared for every eventuality.
Chargers
Snacks, snacks and more snacks - especially given some of the stretches of road are incredibly barren and may not have many opportunities for meal stops.
Headphones, plus splitters and adaptors for iPhone for variety in the back.
Rubberneckers - travel card game. One child can get car sick so staring at screens isn't always advisable.
Our beloved YOTO machine, with a plethora of story cards. I will never stop recommending this to people, we love it. Its a nightlight, clock and story player, offers podcasts for kids as well as soundscapes, and holds 8 hours of battery without being charged or connected to WiFi. In my opinion its the better of the story boxes on the market, and we have a range of stories from Enid Blyton to The Magic Treehouse, Narnia and The Boy Who Grew Dragons series. The kids absolutely love it.
Sick bowl, tissues and wet wipes.
Large gallon bottles of water, plus smaller, portable bottles for the journey (and an emergency boy wee if we get stuck, it happens!)
Sleep masks - useful for car naps but also hotels with thin curtains, or early bedtimes.
Some cool board book board games with magnetic elements.
We've opted for a range of hotels, from 2* to 5*, in an effort to maximise our budget. In Las Vegas, we have nights in Caesars Palace and The Mirage, and in Moab and Zion we have found cute little roadside motels which look clean and welcoming. Most come with pools, although we are off season so have prepared the kids that it might be too cold to swim.
Lets hope were not crazy!
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