2 week road trip from MI - What to see - what to skip

Grand Teton NP. The Grand Canyon is too far in the other direction. Don't forget that Yellowstone has it own Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
With just 2 weeks to travel and visit, the Tetons and Yellowstone will take all of that time. Have fun.

For just two weeks I'd skip the West and, instead, go east to Ohio and spend a couple/three days at Cedar Point the roller coaster capital of the world.
For the other states in the Midwest do Google searches for `_______ tourism' and put the state or city in the blank space and take your pick.

Hank MI wrote:
Can't see you doing Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon in one trip. Unless you want to drive non-stop and not see anything. You're looking a days of driving just to get to one or the other then the same to return. Now if you plan on driving around the clock to get there well maybe.

I probably don't drive as many miles a day as you will but last summer we drove from MI to the Black Hills. Then to Yellowstone and back home. A little over 3 weeks and we could have used more time. We saw a lot but there were things we didn't see. Honestly, as everyone else said, pick one or the other. There's enough to see and do and you won't have to spend the whole time driving. Try to cram in too much and it's no longer a vacation. It becomes a chore, rushing from one place to the other with no time to enjoy any of it.

X2 on the above.
You will be driving constantly. With only two weeks to visit BOTH places, your options to see anything are going to be very limited. Drive a lot and not stop to see hardly anything on the way out and back. Once you get to Yellowstone, you'll only have enough time to drive to the major attractions and spend little time at each one (Yellowstone is a HUGE place). Then drive to Grand Canyon and peek over the edge and then head for home.

People can suggest lots of great places for your family to visit, but you won't have time to really see or experience any of them if you keep to your 2-destination and 2 week schedule. How are those 2 teenagers and 2 tweeners going to feel sitting in the RV constantly? My suggestion: Pick only one destination and then enjoy it and those things in the immediate vicinity. For sheer variety, I would suggest Yellowstone, because then you can also hit Black Hills on the way there, Cody, Grand Tetons and Jackson (if you are an active family, lots of activities the teenagers may like around Jackson).

Can't see you doing Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon in one trip. Unless you want to drive non-stop and not see anything. You're looking a days of driving just to get to one or the other then the same to return. Now if you plan on driving around the clock to get there well maybe.

I probably don't drive as many miles a day as you will but last summer we drove from MI to the Black Hills. Then to Yellowstone and back home. A little over 3 weeks and we could have used more time. We saw a lot but there were things we didn't see. Honestly, as everyone else said, pick one or the other. There's enough to see and do and you won't have to spend the whole time driving. Try to cram in too much and it's no longer a vacation. It becomes a chore, rushing from one place to the other with no time to enjoy any of it.

Yellowstone is big. Easily spend a few days there in the area. I recommend the Yellow Bus guided tours of Yellowstone. You see more and learn more. Yellowstone is so big they have two tours; southern half and northern half. The live bears and wolves in West Yellowstone are also worthwhile.

Also The Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole are just South of Yellowstone. Grand Canyon is good too. The kids need to get out and run around a bit.
Might consider the Black Hills also as you are driving through.

Good luck. Your time will go fast. Colorado is also a great place to visit.

ryandykhouse wrote:
Planning a 2 week RV trip (class C) out west in early August. Traveling with 2 adults and 4 kids ages 15, 13, 9 and 6.

The two must see's on our list are Yellowstone and Grand Canyon.

Any input? Not afraid of driving. I don't want to be traveling every day but I know I'll also be anxious and feel like there's way too much to see to be in the same place for 3 days.

Thanks in advance!

Ryan

As has been said Pick ONE - My suggestion is Yellowstone - with Rapid City/Mt Rushmore and the Tetons with a run through Colorado either coming or going, just to see what you can visit on the next trip.

Too many miles and really not many smiles in a 14 day two week trip to YNP and the GC.

Can it be done sure but the fun factor/vacation part is lost, especially for the Kids. Look this over this family did it often and crammed a lot in - might be a very informative site.

Will wait to see what you decide then give additional info,

Best of luck,

With only two weeks, I would pick one or the other, take different routes going and returning and stop to see a few places along the way.

In the case of Yellowstone; along I-80, there is the Great Platte River Archway and Museum, Fort Kearny, and the original Cabela's in Sidney, NE which even has a campground.

If you were to take US-26 West from Ogallala, NE; there is Scotts Bluff National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Guernsey State Park, Register Cliff and Oregan Trail Ruts.

I-25 will take you to Casper and then US-20 will take you to Thermopolis where there is Hot Springs State Park, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, and the Legend Rock Petroglyph Site.

From Thermopolis, WY-120 will take you to Cody where there is the Buffalo Bill Center, Old Trail Town and the Nightly Rodeo. A loop of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Beartooth Highway with a stop in Red Lodge makes a nice day trip from Cody. Cody is not far from the East Entrance to Yellowstone.

Along I-90 are the Little Bighorn Battlefield, Devils Tower National Monument, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park and many other attractions in the Black Hills area.

A visit to Yellowstone should also include a visit to the adjacent Grand Teton National Park.

If you were to choose the Grand Canyon, there is a lot to see not that far away. In the Flagstaff area are Sunset Crater National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Walnut Canyon National Monument. Sedona/Camp Verde/Cottonwood are about an hour South of Flagstaff with Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well National Monuments, Tuzigoot National Monument, Palatki and Honaki Ruins, V-Bar-V Heritage Site, Verde Canyon Railroad, Fort Verde State Park, Cathedral Rock, Gold King Mine, Jerome State Historic Park in the area.

East of Flagstaff along I-40 are Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater,Homolovi Ruins State Park and Winslow Arizona where you can stand on the corner.

Welcome. We just learned that you are ambitious. I wouldn't attempt unless I had 3 weeks.