Driving across country from NY and need advice!

Hi! I am new to this site but have been using it a lot to help plan my upcoming trip - so hopefully i get some responses!

I am leaving in a week to travel across country with my 4 year old son. I am in my early 30s. We recently experienced a great loss, and I'm hoping this trip will raise our spirits and help us heal. I have a general southern route for the way there...NY to Charlotte, to atlanta and new orleans, then through Texas to vegas and the Grand Canyon.

BUT, I have no idea which way to take back! I would love some suggestions on a route home, as well as good cities and kid-friendly places to stop along the way - both there and back. We are leaving 5/24 and ideally would like to be back by 6/10, but can take up to the 13th if needed.

All help is appreciated! Thank you!

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

The great thing about a cross country trip is that you've got a million options and possibilities, the downside is that you've got a million options and possibilities. With all of those options, and really no idea of what you and your son are interested in or what you and your son consider kid-friendly, it's very difficult for anyone else to narrow things down for you.

I would say if you are taking a southern route west, then I'd certainly go farther north to head back east. That could be going up to Utah and Colorado and making your way back along I-70. That could mean going even farther north, perhaps up to Yellowstone and MT. Rushmore and head back along I-90. You could do any number of things in between.

Is your final destination Vegas or are you continuing all the way to California, and if so, how much time are you hoping to spend there?

I will say that 2.5-3 weeks isn't a whole lot of time for this trip. You're going to need close to a week each way just to cover the miles, especially if you're going all the way down to Atlanta and New Orleans. As it is, covering the miles, plus spending a day each at all of the cities and attractions you've already listed, and you're already starting to run out of time. If you want this trip to be fun, and help raise your spirits, then one of the most important things I could tell you is to take your time, make sure you are able to stop and enjoy things every day. With that, I would strongly advice that you not plan to drive more than 500 miles on any single day, and keep that in mind as you continue to build up the plan for your trip.

Thank you for replying! We are stopping at Vegas and saving california for a different trip, or quite possibly skipping Vegas this trip as well. I have never been there myself and think it would be an entirely different experience with a young child! So from the Grand Canyon I was planning on driving through the petrified forest and painted desert and up to the four corners monument. I would like to drive the million dollar highway, and considered going to Rushmore, but was worried there weren't a lot of things en route from there to NY except Chicago. Aside from St. Louis, are there any other good destinations taking a north/central route?

Both my son and I are very laid-back and into almost everything. Throughout the trip we have a mixture of sightseeing, museums/historical sites, national parks, and then more touristy attractions- amusement parks, zoos, aquariums etc. I guess I would like to stop in Chicago or St. Louis, depending on the route back.