Help! Travelling with Baby LA to Santa Fe

[Jessie]

Hi forum,

I'm planning a road trip from LA to Santa Fe for this summer (late May / early June) with my three month old daughter and a friend of mine. I need the forum's help and advise please!:

1 - Itinerary. Can anyone help us put together a good, safe itinerary that takes in all the big sights along the way, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Sedona etc....

We're really not restricted by time, but we've budgeted about 2-3 weeks for the drive.

2 - Safety. How isolated are those places in reality? how close would we be to help if we broke down or over heated?

Does anyone have any advice, tips etc for traveling to those places with a baby that's so young?

3 - Driving an RV. We're going to rent a camper as I think that will help us on the safety front (ie we can keep ice packs, cold flannels in the freezer in case my little one gets over heated) and it will help her as she only has to get settled to one new place, rather then new hotels every night.

I'd love advice on driving RVS with babies as well. Like, do they need to be in car seats the whole time? How common is it for RVs to get overheated? especially if we were driving through somewhere like Death Valley.

I think traveling with a 3/4 month old baby is an optimal time really as they're so portable and relatively undemanding (compared to toddlers for example), but I want to make sure she'll be completely safe the entire time!

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and tips!

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

2-3 weeks will give you plenty of time to really explore the many great areas of the southwest, and you have a whole ton of options to pick from. This isn't a site where you'll find people to build an itinerary for you, and if that's what you really want, you should consult a travel agent, but if you come up with one yourself, we'll be happy to let you know what we think and offer some modifications you might not otherwise think of.

Safety should be a concern, but its one that people often worry too much about. Certainly there are risks on the road, but there are risks involved in everyday life, and as long as you are using common sense, traveling isn't necessarily any more dangerous that being at home.

A properly working car should be able to handle any conditions you'll find even in the desert, and if you are getting a rental, then you should be getting a car in good condition.

I would also make sure that renting an RV is really the right choice for you. They certainly can be a great way to travel, but people shouldn't assume it is the right choice for all trip. An RV is certainly going to cost more, to rent, drive, and then pay for campsites. Yes, your baby will have to be in a car seat, even in an RV, and you might find dealing with that is more difficult in an RV, as opposed to a car where it would be within arms reach at all times. In a car, you still could keep things cool by using cooler with ice, or even a small electronic cooler. Again, an RV might be the right choice, but I wouldn't just make that assumption without putting some thought into it.