September RoadTrip!

[gregandkarib]

We are planning a road trip this September from Reno to San Antonio. We have 10 days round trip if we allow for 1 day rest when we get back. We wanted to hit the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Dallas, and spend most of the time in San Antonio. We are also considering a stop in Bodie. We will be travelling with two toddlers and staying in a travel trailer. Does anyone have suggestions for family friendly campgrounds along the way. Should we cut or add certain stops? How long should we allow each way to drive? This is the first road trip we've planned with kids.

[Mass Tim]

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

This looks to be at least a 4000-mile round trip, so you'd be traveling around 450 miles each day of your 9 days on the road. That doesn't give you a lot of time to stop and take in the places along the way. You might want to rethink the extent of this trip, especially traveling with toddlers and pulling a trailer.

[PNW Judy]

We generally recommend not traveling more than 500-550 miles per day. However, this does not apply to trips when you're towing a trailer or when you have kids. You have both issues. I would say that 400 miles per day would be about the most you could comfortably do without it being a slog of marathon proportions. Having done my share of trips with kids and with both a truck/camper and truck/trailer combo, I really think even 400 miles per day is pushing it just due to the reduced speed and maneuverability.

Even if you take out all the side-trips, you're looking at almost 3600 miles, and still 9 days of traveling.

If you need to get to San Antonio, this is a situation where flying makes more sense. Or you need to add days.