RI to Grand Canyon with 3 kids, am I crazy?

Hi all,

(first time posting)

We're at the beginning stages of planning a summer trip from RI to the Grand Canyon and back with 3 kids (11, 9, & 6) and an camper (pulled by a truck). We'll have just over 3 weeks to do it. I'd like to be on the road for an average of 6 hours a day. We're looking at taking a more northern route out there (also hitting Mt. Rushmore on the way) and a little more southern route on the way back.

First of all, I know it's technically doable, but does anyone here have experience with kids around that age driving for that many days/hours per day? Are we insane?

Also, any other tips for the trip would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

It is certainly possible to achieve this trip and make it enjoyable with time for sight seeing in each direction. You are probably looking at around 17 days of driving for 6 hours per day to include Rushmore, but that does leave a bit of time to sight see as well on these days. Some days you might want to go a little further and other days not so much so that you end your days in places that interest you, add to that the other days you have available to spend as and where you want and things should remain 'sane'. There is so much to see and do in Colorado and Southern Utah, I would consider doing Rushmore as part of another trip, perhaps with Yellowstone ?

Kids of that age usually travel well as long as you give them breaks from the vehicle to run around and let off steam with regular stops. That can be done somewhere as simple as a town/city park. It's not insane at all, you can create great family memories from such a trip. To make it more memorable, let the children have a say in the plans and get them to keep a diary of their day with a few words and/or pictures of things they enjoyed and what they got up to.

With popular spots like the GC and other NP's it is important to book in advance if you wish to stay in the NP campgrounds. If it's this summer then it might already be too late and you would have to look at nearby alternatives which also start to fill as the NP campgrounds are full.

Thanks for the tips. We are planning for next summer (starting early I guess). I'm on the fence about Mt. Rushmore, not sure we'll ever get out that way again (at least not with the kids), so if we have a chance we want to see it.

Mt Rushmore is worth seeing, that is for sure. But I am not sure that in this case, on this trip, it would make sense to detour all that way. The costs to the trip to the GC might be too great. On top of that, the alternatives as you travel through UT and CO are spectacular.

At this early stage I would start with a large map and see all the places of interest along the way. Check out the many alternative routes you have, to see which one would please the family more. Get the children to do some of the research into the many places which might interest them, as well as campgrounds which they would enjoy.

You're in for a great adventure and family bonding time. Probably the first of many.

Lifey