ken56
Tennessee
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One month may seem like a lot of time but when you are rushing to get to places you don't get to see much. Not knowing what is in an area prevents you from planning how much time you want to spend in an area. If the objective is to just pull in and sleep for the night to say you were there then what's the point?
We did a 10 week big circle trip from Tennessee to the Olympic peninsula, down to the Grand Canyon then over to Galveston, then along the Gulf Coast to Alabama and then back home to TN......10 weeks was not enough time to invest seeing any particular area for very long to be able to see the sights. It's essentially a balancing act between driving and staying some place to see things.
I use the RVPARKY app to find overnight parks when we travel. It gives all the info needed to call a park with an estimated time of arrival so they can save you a spot. That said, we start trying to find a park at about 2 or 3pm to be able to get off the road by 5 at the latest. We have never been shut out and not found somewhere to stay. Destination places where you know you want to stay more than 3 days try to make a reservation in advance.
As far as it being your first trip, are you sure there are no issues with your trailer? Like others have said, use it in the driveway first for a few days to see if things work right like the water pump, the furnace, the air conditioner, the stove, the slides if it has them....just use everything. Load it up with the things you think you will need and see if you forgot anything. Granted, there is a Walmart usually nearby everywhere but....why buy another one if you have it at home and can bring that one with you.
Doing trips like this is a fantastic way to see our great country. If you don't see everything you want to this trip then it gives you an excuse to do another one. Something to look forward to.
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TenOC
On the road -- Full time
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1. MUCH TOO LONG FOR A MONTH TRIP -- More like 8 weeks.
2 The first SHAKE DOWN trip should be close to home such as a COE lake near home with a Walmart close by. You will make lots of mistakes on the first trip. Even if you have full hook ups dry camp without any hookups so you can experience boon-docking
3. One month trip Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde and the 5 National Parks in Southern UT. This will keep you very busy.
4. If you are over 60 (?) get the 50% senior discount card for NP and make reservation 6 months in advance. Campground fill up quickly.
5. The Tetons are best seen in early spring with the snow on the mountains.
6. If Seattle is the main goal, bypass all before Crater Lake and spend time on the Oregon coast/waterfalls/painted hills.
7. If you rush and do the long trip this year, what are you going to do next year?
* This post was
edited 03/25/23 07:01pm by TenOC *
Please give me enough troubles, uncertainty, problems, obstacles and STRESS so that I do not become arrogant, proud, and smug in my own abilities, and enough blessings and good times that I realize that someone else is in charge of my life.
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toedtoes
California
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Joined: 05/17/2014
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I recommend you visit the NPS websites for each park on your list. Pull up the "things to see and do" list for each park. Sit down with the family and go through the lists checking off each item any of you wants to see/do. Once you've done that for each park, break those items into two groups:
1. Those that can be done in 3 hours or less, and
2. Those that will take at least 3 hours
Now, plan on two items from group 1 per day and one item per group 2 per day. So, if you have 14 items from group 1 and 10 items from group 2, you will need a minimum of 17 days with no driving to see what you KNOW you want to see. That will allow for some downtime, meals, etc.
What I would recommend is to pick two of the smaller parks and plan to stay at each for a week with reservations. Then set some unreserved days before the first park, between the two parks, after the second park, and in Seattle to explore the areas and what's outside of the parks.
Save Yellowstone for it's own trip and spend time to enjoy it as much as possible. You have an RV, it's not like this is the only trip you can take. Slow down and see each park as fully as possible rather than rushing throught them to say "we've been there" and be too tired and stressed to enjoy it.
Think of it this way, your trip plan is like "It's Thursday, we must be in Brussells". It will be like a bus tour trip. Get on the bus, drive for hours, get off quick, see the Mona Lisa, hurry get back on the bus, drive for hours, get off quick, visit the Vatican, oh shoot we're out of time we didn't even get to see the inside, hurry get back on the bus...
Can it be done - sure. Do you REALLY enjoy your trip? Do you regret not being able to spend more time enjoying Paris and Rome?
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JimK-NY
NY
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If you want the blitz tour of several national parks, don't even bother with camping. Take a bus tour and leave the driving to them. The logistics of camping, and driving are going to be exhausting and you will be too rushed to see much of the parks.
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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Joined: 08/19/2009
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What are you towing and how big is the family.
A small popup with a 10yr old, is probably doable. A 25ft hard sided camper with 2 teens in the back seat is likely questionable for a station wagon. Have you towed before? Don't take the tow rating at face value. Odds are you can't max it out without exceeding other ratings.
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wildtoad
Blythewood, SC
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Joined: 06/05/2011
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Yes retirement is great, going on 23 years now. Retired at 47. Regardless, if it’s is supposed to be a fun trip for all concerned, less travel more stops, see more things.
Nope, not a reverse snow flake, been to every state, even those that have different political views than mine. I don’t go to large cities as a general rule, never have liked big cities. Seattle or most of it may be safer than I think. However, maybe I should have left that line out.
Grit dog wrote:wildtoad wrote:First thing to consider is travel per day, butt in seat time. And with current issues in Seattle why go there unless there is family to see. 5-6 hours a day is enough for us, and one one day. We plan on no more than 200-250 miles a day and then a couple of rest/explore days. RV trips should be relaxing not how many miles a day you can handle.
Have fun.
So, umm what are you even talking about, about Seattle?
Or are you just another one of those reverse snowflakes like the couple other ****** on here who now are making a stand by “not camping” in states they don’t agree with from a political perspective?
Or are you referencing the George Floyd riots that happened almost 3 years ago? If so, I’m not sure how to put this, but that was over….almost 3 years ago! Lol
250miles a day and a few days to relax in between each travel day? Ahhhh retirement must be lovely. Thank you for sharing that with us….
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Blythewood, SC
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fyrflie
Martinez, CA. USA
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I have done two 30 plus day trips in the last three years in a Class A towing a Jeep.
California to Tennessee during the month of June.
California to Georgia during the month of December.
I use the RV Parky app and Good Sam. Although I did make prior reservations for each stop, there was no shortage of open spots at rv parks across the states we traveled through.
As mentioned before, staying inside National Parks will require some pre planning.
Travel day consists of 300-350 miles per day. 5-6 hours each day depending on traffic, weather, etc. Some days may be shorter or longer, depending on where your next stop may be.
I also try to get fuel at the end of each day to limit stops along the way or combine potty, food, fuel in one stop.
Most parks can be seen in one full day but will of course depend on what you want to see and do.
Also, don’t forget to add some days in for grocery shopping, etc. We find that we need fresh vegetables about every 3-4 days.
Another thing to consider is Harvest Host. A fair amount of options to stay at Wineries, Farms, Breweries, etc. all for a yearly membership.
Also check into the National Park Pass. One fee $80, gets you into any National Park. Crater Lake for example, costs $30 to get in.
Good luck and have fun. It will be a great trip.
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2oldman
NM
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He's gone.
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time2roll
Southern California
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2oldman wrote:He's gone. With that list and distance he will need the extra time ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/wink.gif "wink")
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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wildtoad wrote:Yes retirement is great, going on 23 years now. Retired at 47. Regardless, if it’s is supposed to be a fun trip for all concerned, less travel more stops, see more things.
Nope, not a reverse snow flake, been to every state, even those that have different political views than mine. I don’t go to large cities as a general rule, never have liked big cities. Seattle or most of it may be safer than I think. However, maybe I should have left that line out.
Grit dog wrote:wildtoad wrote:First thing to consider is travel per day, butt in seat time. And with current issues in Seattle why go there unless there is family to see. 5-6 hours a day is enough for us, and one one day. We plan on no more than 200-250 miles a day and then a couple of rest/explore days. RV trips should be relaxing not how many miles a day you can handle.
Have fun.
So, umm what are you even talking about, about Seattle?
Or are you just another one of those reverse snowflakes like the couple other ****** on here who now are making a stand by “not camping” in states they don’t agree with from a political perspective?
Or are you referencing the George Floyd riots that happened almost 3 years ago? If so, I’m not sure how to put this, but that was over….almost 3 years ago! Lol
250miles a day and a few days to relax in between each travel day? Ahhhh retirement must be lovely. Thank you for sharing that with us….
So the fact that you’re more fortunate to have retired so early and apparently long since forgotten what it’s like to be busy and have many different pulls on your life and available free /vacation time means the OP can’t or shouldn’t enjoy a trip to the PNW from Texas and enjoy some of the country’s Nat Parks and scenery?
And has nothing to do with past events in Seattle. That was just a weird comment.
Guess my perspective is different having done many family road trips, from IL to the corners of the country and back. None of which I recall my parents having more than 2 consecutive weeks off. And the last almost 30 years where never more than 2 weeks was available save for once when I was laid off from my career position for not agreeing to move to Los Angeles and intentionally took a month plus before taking another job.
Heck I have gotten 4-5 weeks of paid vacation for years now and still can’t imagine how any normal family could take more than a few weeks, tops, consecutively. Between 1 or 2 parents jobs, kids sports/activities, pets, home maintenance and upkeep, etc…..
Those recommendations of taking an 8 week trip or similar as a working age family are either in the top fraction of 1% for being fortunate or senile and don’t remember whenever they were that age or just being antagonists because they can’t handle lots of driving so others should not be able to as well.
Regarding the tow rig and what RV, yes the OP may not have the right setup or knowledge but the question was not about that. Although worth addressing if the OP has any doubt.
And of course some moderation in how much can be crammed into a certain length of time will be needed. And is sage advice. But in no way does it even remotely prohibit a trip of that general length and trajectory.
Or to sum it all up, a persons gotta make doo with what they got. Be it equipment or time or desire to do something.
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