Thank you so much for the answers to my first post. I think we will fly into Vegas to rent the RV. I wanted to have everyone take a look at my sample itinerary and tell me what you think. It will be me, hubby and three girls (10,10,14). Is it too ambitious? Are there things you would add or take out? We will be traveling in early June.Day #1 - Fly to Vegas, rent RV, get groceries and drive to Hoover Dam/Lake Mead. Stay at Lake Mead RV campground.Day #2 Drive to GC and stay at Trailer Village.Day #3 GC and stay at Trailer Village.Day #4 Drive to Arches with a possible stop for a Rainbow Bridge and a boat ride on Lake Powell. Stay at Canyonlands Campground or Moab Valley RV park.Day #5 Arches & Canyonlands. Stay at Canyonlands Campground or Moab Valley RV park. Which do you prefer?Day #6 Arches & Canyonlands. Stay at Canyonlands Campground or Moab Valley RV park.Day #7 Drive to Bryce.Stay at Ruby's Inn RV park.Day #8 Bryce. Stay at Ruby's Inn RV park.Day #9 Drive to Zion. Not sure about where to stay. Should we just remain at Ruby's Inn?Day #10 ZionDay #11 Drive back to Vegas and catch flight home.

Day 3 looks a bit ambitious. As for day 9, it's a long drive from Bryce to Zion. It doesn't look that far on the map but doing it will reduce your time at Zion. There are a number of RV commercial CG outside the Zion gate. Going to the North Rim of GC would save you a lot of driving time. There are CG at Jacobs Lake. Personally I think the North Rim is better because there are a fraction of the number of people visiting the South Rim. Either way you'll be driving past the Pipe Springs NM. It's a small NM and the guided tour is something your girls might enjoy about the daily life of the people who lived there. They had a herd of dairy cows and made cheese there. Takes maybe an hour to see.

If you're renting an RV, do we assume you don't have transportation other than the RV? If so, this is a BIG factor in your enjoyment of this adventure. Keep in mind, it's not easy to maneuver an RV to go get a pizza or around some national park roads. Regardless, it's a bit ambitious depending on how much you'd like to do at each location. I understand vacation limitations, but consider eliminating one of your parks just to allow more time for fun in the others. If you like to hike, there are many hikes for early teens - or just ask at the park visitor centers. At Grand Canyon, consider onsite Mather Campground - close to the bus system so you may not need a car. (no hookups, but the nearby Trailer Village does - also in the park, not sure if it's within walking distance to the park busses). Zion National Park - Watchman Campground, next door to the visitor center where you catch the bus up the scenic route not open to traffic. But book soon, they'll be all sold out (see my blog post "Best Site in Watchman Campground, Zion National Park" . We also really enjoyed staying at Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park. The geology ranger led hike was very interesting depending on what your kids are interested in. You should check, but maybe the orchards would be bearing fruit so you could pick your own (we were there in May - no fruit). Also there are amazing hot fresh baked cinnamon rolls and fruit pies at Gifford House right by the campground. Here's a blog post about our favorites at Capitol Reef NP: Top 10 Experiences at Capitol Reef National Park Whatever you decide, ENJOY! What a great trip for the kids (and you!).

You plan sounds very good to me. You're getting a 'taste' of the parks and I'll bet you'll want to return for more!I would eliminate trying for a boat ride on Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge. You don't have enough time.Ruby's is a good place to stay for Bryce. The free shuttle stops there and it has a good laundry and restaurant. Definitely try to walk down a trail in Bryce if you're all able. Wall Street is preferred but a tough one up! It's like a fairy wonderland down there. :)Definitely move to Zion rather than staying at Ruby's to tour Zion. Either stay in the park at Watchman campground or just outside in Springdale, UT. The free shuttle makes stops in Springdale. You'll need to use the shuttle anyway to tour Zion - no vehicles allowed. Get off the shuttle and let the kids splash in the river.I think you'll all have fun on this trip. It definitely takes a lot of planning, doesn't it? You just do what you can in the limited amount of days you have. It's better than not seeing these parks at all.

Day 4, the drive from Trailer Village to Moab will be an all day affair at 427 miles. I wouldn't plan on any other stops on that day.Don't know why agesilaus said it was a long drive from Bryce to Zion as that can be done in a couple of hours.Ruby's Inn is a good place to stay for Bryce. If you want to see more and get an experience, take the 2 hour (the longer of the two rides offered) horse back ride down into the bottom.

I'm not sure where you are from, but one absolutely important thing to remember when hiking out west is that you'll need a lot more water than you may think you do. I'd carry a minimum of a liter (quart) each even for the kids. Get everyone a small daypack to carry it in.

Road trip itinerary | Good Sam Community

TrailerTravele1
Explorer
Jan 03, 2017
If you're renting an RV, do we assume you don't have transportation other than the RV? If so, this is a BIG factor in your enjoyment of this adventure. Keep in mind, it's not easy to maneuver an RV to go get a pizza or around some national park roads.

Regardless, it's a bit ambitious depending on how much you'd like to do at each location. I understand vacation limitations, but consider eliminating one of your parks just to allow more time for fun in the others. If you like to hike, there are many hikes for early teens - or just ask at the park visitor centers.

At Grand Canyon, consider onsite Mather Campground - close to the bus system so you may not need a car. (no hookups, but the nearby Trailer Village does - also in the park, not sure if it's within walking distance to the park busses).

Zion National Park - Watchman Campground, next door to the visitor center where you catch the bus up the scenic route not open to traffic. But book soon, they'll be all sold out (see my blog post "Best Site in Watchman Campground, Zion National Park" .

We also really enjoyed staying at Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park. The geology ranger led hike was very interesting depending on what your kids are interested in. You should check, but maybe the orchards would be bearing fruit so you could pick your own (we were there in May - no fruit). Also there are amazing hot fresh baked cinnamon rolls and fruit pies at Gifford House right by the campground. Here's a blog post about our favorites at Capitol Reef NP: Top 10 Experiences at Capitol Reef National Park

Whatever you decide, ENJOY! What a great trip for the kids (and you!).
agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2017
Day 3 looks a bit ambitious. As for day 9, it's a long drive from Bryce to Zion. It doesn't look that far on the map but doing it will reduce your time at Zion. There are a number of RV commercial CG outside the Zion gate.

Going to the North Rim of GC would save you a lot of driving time. There are CG at Jacobs Lake. Personally I think the North Rim is better because there are a fraction of the number of people visiting the South Rim.

Either way you'll be driving past the Pipe Springs NM. It's a small NM and the guided tour is something your girls might enjoy about the daily life of the people who lived there. They had a herd of dairy cows and made cheese there. Takes maybe an hour to see.

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