Tips for trip from Houston, TX to Yellowstone with 4 kids Summer 2014

[g4mommy]

Hello! New to the forum. I would love any advice on where to stay and visit on a summer trip from Houston to Yellowstone with four kids. Ages 2 (almost 3), 4, 11, and 15. The dates will be in Late June or early August. We are open and flexible with dates. I know it is a very long way, but 10 days is the max we can be gone and that's stretching it, would prefer 8. We will be traveling via car and would like to stop in Ouray for a couple of days for sure, but if anyone has overnight ideas they would be appreciated. Tent camping (weather permitting), KOA cabins, or moderate hotels are our preference. We have an RV but it is just too big to pull that far.
We've done the Disney thing several times, and usually make a beach and river trip each summer, but I would really love for my children to experience some of the natural beauty of this area and just have a fun family road trip!
Thank you for any tips.

[g4mommy]

Our 67 year old parents may also choose to be on the trip, just as a sidenote.

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to RTA.

I think you might be underestimating the distance and travel times. It's going to be a 3 day drive in each direction with basic stops and that could be tough on Kids and parents. To really enjoy Yellowstone you really need a minimum of 3 or 4 days there. It's doable, but you would need all your 10 days to visit Yellowstone with little else than basic stops along the way. Ouray would add drive time and I can't see that a couple of days there is feasible, if you can't find more time.

Have you considered visiting Colorado's parks, maybe into Utah for this trip and visit Yellowstone when you have more time.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA forum!

You are starting with a math problem before you even start the other parts of your planning. It is a minnimum of 3 days to get from Houston to Yellowstone, and Yellowstone is a huge park where you need 2-3 days just to see the high points. I'd really say 3 considering the size and ages of your group, plus throw in 1 more for the tetons. So that's a pretty full 10 day trip right there.

The problem is that doesn't leave time to spend "a couple days" in Ouray and really it doesn't Work if you'd rather limit your trip to 8 days either. If you really have your heart set on either of those goals, then I think yellowstone is out for this trip and you'd be better off just focusing on colorado.

[Lifemagician]

Taking into account that with a larger party every stop, even at rest areas, will take longer. As well, with children you should really consider more frequent stops and considering the age of your parents, they are most likely to appreciate stopping a little more often than you would plan.

I'd agree with the above. Leave Yellowstone till you are able to devote more time to a trip, and enjoy Colorado. You could spend a month in CO and not see it all. Special attractions for the children could be the Durango to Silverton Railway, the attractions at the Royal Gorge Bridge and the Garden of the Gods is very special too as is the Rocky Mountain NP with the Trail Ridge Road. There are fantastic hot springs at Pagosa Springs and of course, Mesa Verda would be a must in my books.

A good map of Colorado will give you lots more to choose from.

Lifey

[DonnaR57]

Reading this thread aloud to my husband, we both asked, "if you have an RV, why not take it on a trip with you?" With 4 kids and adults, you are looking at 2 hotel rooms. Even the gas or fuel used to pull the RV might save money on the hotel rooms. And of course, that's exactly what an RV is for: to take on vacations.


Donna