Help! First timer and don't know where to start with planning routes etc!

[Adam Booth]

Hi

I have just come across this very helpful forum as I was searching on google. Me and my Wife with our 2 year old, and my brother with his wife are coming to america in October for two weeks for a road trip on our first RV adventure! We are starting in San Francisco and are planning to head out towards salt lake city then down to the grand canyon through to las vegas then we are finishing in LA. We would like to have time at the end of the trip to take our little girl to Disneyland, we are open for any ideas. Leaving it a bit late I know but we have only just got married and time is flying past! Also do you think we will need to book RV parks in advance at this time of the year?
Any places that shouldn't be missed?

Thank you in advance for any information/advice you can provide

Adam

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums, from good old Sussex by the sea !

You will find a lot of info on this area throughout the forums for ideas and inspiration. With 2 weeks available you have a nice amount of time to explore. Is there anything in particular that attracts you to SLC ? I'm sure it is a lovely City, but with the RV you will be much more at home in natures surroundings, and you are near some of the best. Yosemite, Sequoia, Death valley, Zion and Bryce canyon are just a few of the National parks you could visit, plus places like Monument valley and Hoover dam are near to your route. Have you considered driving a complete loop and include the Pacific coast highway ? So yes, there are lot's of options and you need to do a little research and get some dots on the map and then we can help fill in the blanks and answer any further questions.

Our first RV adventure started from San Fran and you might pick up some ideas here

[DonnaR57]

Be aware that at age 2, some of the things in Disneyland could be overwhelming, or even scary, to the average 2 year old. The big characters, for instance, frighten children all the time. These characters are all over, but most often can be found in Toontown (near the back of the park).

Also, your little one will be too small to ride some of the attractions that would interest the parents. So Disney has invented the "baby swap". All of you wait in line for something, including the little one. When you get to the head of the line, you just tell the Cast Member (Disney employee), "We'd like to do a baby swap." One of you rides the attraction, and the other is escorted (with the little one) to a waiting area. When the rider returns, the little one waits with that person while the previous waiter rides. This works for larger groups, too. That way, parents of little ones do not have to forego every fun ride just for the pleasure of riding Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight, or the Snow White ride 100 times!

Realize too that you CAN bring stuff in a backpack that will appeal to a little one, regarding food and drink. So packing those little juice boxes and the child's favorite snacks makes little ones happier. Of course, Disney rents strollers as well, and every attraction has a place where strollers get parked!

That said - - enjoy Disneyland!


Donna

[Utahtea]

Also do you think we will need to book RV parks in advance at this time of the year?
Any places that shouldn't be missed?

If you plan on staying in Yosemite National Park you will need to make camping reservations. If you decide to camp at Zion National Park, I'd highly recommend making reservations at Watchman. You will need to know what size RV you are renting when making the reservations. Getting a campsite at Mather Campground at the S. Rim of the Grand Canyon that late in the season shouldn't be an issue unless the RV is over 30 feet. Then you will need to camp at Trailer Village if you want to stay at the S. Rim and you will want to make reservations there. If the RV is 30 feet or under and you plan on staying at Mather, I'd call a day or two before you arrive to make a reservation just to be on the safe side.

Once you decide on all the locations you are going to, we can help you more with campgrounds.

Utahtea