LA to denver with small children

[moving mom]

we're moving in july with two small children from LA to denver. i've mapped a trip that takes us on the i-15 to the 1-70... but am wondering if you all had suggestions about where to stop along the way. the kids are one & three, so we'll need lots of stops to burn off energy. open parks, kid friendly places... also, any suggestions on where to stay along the way? mapquest says it's a 15 hour drive. so we're thinking of breaking it up into 3 days of 5 hours in the car... i'm thinking the first stop will be vegas.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Three days seems like a great amount of time to make this trip so everyone in your family has a chance to get out and enjoy things.

While Vegas is certainly a great place for adults, the lights of the strip and the couple of more-family places still make it a place that kids can enjoy.

As you continue through Utah, there are several national parks along the way that could be great stops.

Once you get into Colorado, you could stop at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs for a little relaxation before making the final push into Denver.

And don't forget, most every town in america has some sort of park and playground. If you the kids need some time out of the car, that is always a cheap and easy option.

[Mark Sedenquist]

we're moving in july with two small children from LA to denver.

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

i've mapped a trip that takes us on the i-15 to the 1-70... but am wondering if you all had suggestions about where to stop along the way.

Your route has some of the prettiest rest stops in the nation. Here is a short article about some of them.

mapquest says it's a 15 hour drive.

Mapquest doesn't live in the real world of kids and traffic. By the shortest possible route, it is 1,015 miles and wil require every second of eighteen hours to cover that distance. Still very doable in three days, but you need plan on spending 6-7 travel hours each day. For that second night I would stay in Grand Junction.

Happy Planning!

Mark

[moving mom]

wow. this is such a great forum! i've been cruising around & the tips for roadtripping w/ small children are fantastic. i was really pushing for us to fly, but my husband has such fond childhood memories of roadtrips that i was willing to consider it. and now w/ all the info about stops along the i-70, i'm actually excited to do the trip. thanks mark!

any recommendations on where to stay in grand junction?

[moving mom]

i'm thinking of breaking up the the trip a little more... i'm thinking vegas, first night. and then grand junction for the third night.

but does anyone have an opinion of whether we should stay at cedar city or richfield for the second night? are there fun things to do w/ toddlers near either one?

[PNW Judy]

Gosh, mine were happier playing in any old school playground or park playground or on a beach or on a trail then they were at any kind of organized place designed to appeal to toddlers. I would think that either place would offer a fun place for the kids to play. And if the hotel has a pool, no matter the town or even the weather, my kids would have been happy playing in the pool for days.

So, excuse my ignorance, but what kinds of things are you looking for?

[moving mom]

i was looking for kid-friendly "must-see" sites along the 1-70 (if anyone knows of any). my kids are obsessed with trains, so anything train related would be cool.

i plan on stopping at parks & rest stops, but sometimes they're just too hot in the summer. and hotel pools don't work for us, since my 3 yr old dislikes water & my 1 yr old has tubes in his ears...

[AZBuck]

I can't speak for these, as I haven't actually experienced them, but a couple of years ago when I was planning a possible trip to the area with my train obsessed grandson, I did find a scenic train operating out of Leadville and a train museum in Denver.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

my kids are obsessed with trains, so anything train related would be cool.

The Ghost Train at Ely has a really fun ride, but the real treat for kids of all ages is that the working yard is open to visitors. If you stop in at the visitor center, they will give you a yard map, warn you about the moving equipment and then turn you loose to wander across the tracks! The other train ride can be boarded at either Durango or Silverton and both cities aren't that far a detour! Here is another story about the summertime runs of the railroad.

Mark

[moving mom]

Mark: you're the bomb. we're definitely going to check those out.

AZBuck: sorry didn't mean to leave you out. props to you too. =) my boys will love the trains you both suggested.