Good day all,

We found this site last year and really appreciate the assistance and suggestions for our travels--thanks to everyone for such a great site!!

My family will be heading out on a seventeen (give or take) day trip and want to ensure we see as much as possible. We have eight in our family, and yes we have to travel in a 15 passenger van.

We will be leaving New Orleans to help at a Navajo camp for children by way of California before we end up in New Mexico.

Here is our intended route:

NOLA--San Antonio (see Alamo)
San Antonio--Balmorhea State Park, TX (swim).
Balmorhea--Fort Davis, TX (spend night / see National Park).
Fort Davis--Gila, NM (Cliff Dwellings at national park).
Gila--?? Perhaps Yuma, AZ??????
Then Santee, CA (Institute in Creation Research Museum).
Drive to Solvang, CA then drive up the coast HWY 1 to Santa Cruz
HWY 17 through Bay Area to Auburn.
While in Auburn day trips to Empire Mines and Sutters Fort.
Leaving Auburn down Hwy 49 to 108 and south down 395.
Death Valley--Vegas
Vegas--through Utah then south to Cortez, NM
Cortez--Casa Blanca
Casa Blanca--Albuquerque
Sante Fe--??
Then need new route home (have already been on 40 and 10 too many times).

If anyone has any route suggestions were I am undecided or
sites that must be seen, lodging, dinning, camping, etc I would really appreciate your feedback.

Happy travels to everyone!!!