Dallas to Seattle Round - Planning stages

[james1]

My first ever post and planning a first ever long-distance drive this summer (the most driving I have done is a 500 mile non stop). Any ideas/suggestions/advise are much appreciated.

Since I've never done anything like this before, pls. let me know if I am out of my mind here. Traveling with me are my wife and 2 little children (2 and 4), and I am driving a Toyota Sienna 2 WD.

We are planning to travel middle of June going straight north, cutting across OK, and KS, travel east to Denver and hit Cheyenne, WY. (971 miles about 15 hours drive with little breaks here and there as needed, switching the driving every couple of hours with my wife). All that on day 1. Stop for night in Cheyenne, WY.

Next morning start early and hit Seattle in 17 hours (1235 miles) and reach late night. I hear from ppl. that they have done it - but I want to make sure that this is realistic. Pls. let me know if I am better off flying. TIA.

[Mark Sedenquist]

My first ever post and planning a first ever long-distance drive this summer Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! The distances you are trying to cover in the specified time periods with two little children -- simply impossible!
(971 miles about 15 hours drive with little breaks here and there as needed, switching the driving every couple of hours with my wife). The fastest possible driving time (with the change of drivers, road condtions slow down, fuel and food breaks) would be nearly 17 hours. If you were to reach this point in only 15 hours you would need to drive at least 95 mph for hours on end and I think the highway patrol might slow you down a little.
Next morning start early and hit Seattle in 17 hours (1235 miles) and reach late night.I wouldn't try this with two small children-- that is asking alot of them. Three professional drivers (shifting driving responsibilities) could probably cover this distance in 19 hours, but with just you and your wife and stopping a few times to let the kids relax and unwind -- I seriously doubt it could be done in less than 22 hours. Maybe one way you could do it -- but if you are going to return in this same scale of time back to Dallas -- it will be unsafe and not very fun for anyone in this car.
Pls. let me know if I am better off flying. In this case, I would fly and take a slightly more leisurely roadtrip in the Cascades.

Mark

[james1]

Thank you, Editor for your kind reply. It makes perfect sense, sorry my bad; I don't want to endanger my family in any way.

OK, so my family has 2 weeks in June and I'd like to drive to Seattle (family) spend 3 or 4 days there and the rest of the modified idea is as under -

1/2 day in Portland (see the Tea Garden)
Drive south the scenic route to San Fransisco and continue on to the Grand Canyons in AZ and head home to Dallas.

I would appreciate if someone can do a bit if hand-holding to plan this trip. Do you think this is crazy as well? If very crazy then, I can forgo the Grand Canyons part.

Thanks again.