CAnative - Thank you for the positivity. We'll definitely take your advice regarding Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Can you be more specific about areas of interest in MA, DE, and VA? We've actually added Slide Rock State Park (in the AM) to the itinerary. I don't know that we'd be able to add anything extra to the East Coast leg at this point though.
wec67 - Thank you for sharing your experiences! We'll look to mimic your three days in NYC (maybe just two). However, it's highly unlikely that we'll be doing the same for Boston 'and' DC (perhaps just DC), as we intend to spend at least five days, of our two weeks on the East Coast, with family in NC. Post DC, we wish to do a trek down to Roanoke via the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm sure that'll occupy a day or two or three of our 14-16 days out east. Pending on whether or not there's any roll-over from the days we've scheduled for Leg #1.
Last edited by A.O.Reed; 06-06-2013 at 10:53 PM. Reason: clarification
Per everyone's input here, and conversations with others, things are looking as follows:
HOME, San Diego, CA
LEG #1 (two weeks)
Zion National Park, Springdale, UT (#2 days)
Drive through Bryce Canyon > Scenic Byway 12 > Arches >
Rocky Mountain National Park > Estes Park (possibly not enough time to stay)
Mount Rushmore, Keystone, SD (Arrive PM #1 days)
Amana Colonies, Amana, IA (#1 days)
Chicago, IL (#1 days)
Family - Lafayette, IN (#2 days)
Friend - Cleveland, OH (Afternoon)
Family - Buffalo, NY (Niagara Falls) (Arrive PM #1 days)
LEG #2 (two weeks)
Family - Holyoke, MA (Arrive PM #2 days)
New York, NY (#1 days)
Family - Newark, DE (Arrive PM #1 days)
Washington, DC (#2 days)
Blue Ridge Parkway (possibly camp)
Family - Roanoke, VA (#2 days)
LEG #3 (two weeks)
Family - Greenville, NC (#5 days)
Nashville, TN (Arrive PM #1 days)
Memphis, TN (Afternoon - Maybe)
Family - Norman, OK (#2 days)
Carlsbad Caverns, NM (Early AM - Maybe)
Sedona, AZ (#2 days)
Slide Rock State Park, Sedona, AZ (Early AM - Maybe)
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ (#2 days)
HOME, San Diego, CA
Possible Stops:
Family - Fort Worth, TX
Family - Tucson, AZ
Joshua Tree National Park
Keep in mind...a lot of this is still loosey-goosey.
Last edited by A.O.Reed; 06-06-2013 at 11:58 PM.
What is the best route from the I70 (off the the 12) to Arches, from Arches to Rocky Mountain National Park & Estes, to Mt. Rushmore? Which highways should we be taking?
RoadTrip Guru & Enthusiast
Take 12 to Hanksville, then 24 to I-70. US-191 will get you to Arches and Moab.
Take 128 through Castle Valley to get back to I-70. Best way to RMNP depends on whether you want to enter from the west or the east. To the west, I would get off at Dillon and take US-6 over Loveland Pass instead of using the tunnels (sightseeing detour), then get back on I-70 to US-40, take that over Berthoud Pass to Granby, then US-34 into the park. To the east, get off I-70 just past Idaho Springs, then take 119 to Nederland, then 72 to 7 to Estes Park.
To Rushmore, take US-34 out of Estes Park to I-25 north to US-18 to Lusk, stay on 18 to 89 to Custer, then US-16 to 244 toward Keystone.
Your third leg looks quite overstuffed at this point. It's 2 weeks, but 7 days are already part of family stops. If you spent 4 days combined at Sedona/Grand Canyon that's not going to leave you any time to stop anywhere else, much less add in additional detours to Carlsbad Caverns, Fort Worth or Tucson.
We drove that route from Estes Park to Mount Rushmore, except the other way. As you near Lusk, WY be on the lookout for the sign for Lost Springs, WY population 1 on US 18. We all did a double take and then had to stop for a photo-op at the sign.
glc - Wow! Thank you very much for your detailed instruction. This will definitely come in handy. Just curious; why do you recommend the Dillon route over Loveland Pass rather than the tunnels detour?
No comparison.
Because it is a spectacular drive, with magnificent views. Make sure you have time to stop at the top, walk to the lake and generally take in and enjoy that wonderful ambiance.Originally Posted by A.O.Reed
The tunnel is no comparison.
Lifey
Michael - We're struggling with managing our time on the east coast. How much time might you suggest us allotting to driving alone. Maybe a better idea of this will give us an idea of exactly how to spend our time and what to cut out. We're playing with either adding NC to the 2nd leg (somehow) or omitting stops in TN. That said, we'd need to stop somewhere (twice even?) between our NC to OK stretch. Hmm...
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