Trip out west

I'm with the group that enjoyed road trips as a child, and don't think that even the 4-year-old will suffer too greatly from it, as long as you allow for shorter driving days and plenty of time for the kids to play. For that reason, I'd mix your campground choices between state/national parks and private CGs geared for families (KOA and a few others come to mind). Access to swimming at least every few days is a must in the summer, especially if you want to concentrate on the parks in the southwest. Yes, it cools off at night, but that camper can get plenty hot during the day if it's not being airconditioned, and it takes a while for the heat to dissipate. I would definitely recommend opting for sites with at least electric hookups. As far as kids enjoying the ride, travel games - counting animals, license plates, etc. - can fill the time nicely, and if the kids aren't prone to carsickness, some books to read or videos to watch (for SOME of the time on the road) can be good too. I might be wrong, but it seems that kids that young won't yet be so hooked on electronic stuff that the scenery and the things you see & do in the parks will go right over their heads.

With a month, you might be able to fit in not only Grand Canyon & the southern UT parks (Zion, Bryce, etc.), you could probably also fit in Yellowstone & the Tetons. I'd make sure to plan to spend at least one full day at Grand Canyon, 1 in Bryce, 1-2 in Zion (depending on the hikes), 3 in Yellowstone and 1 in the Tetons.

From living on that part of the country and taking vacations starting as a child in the area you are interested in I think that Desert Hawk's post was great and can only add one or two things.
He mentioned Palo Duro Canyon State Park it is a great park with RV camping DOWN in the canyon! It is the second largest canyon in the USA and would also recommend the outdoor show Texas and the cowboy chuckwagon dinner that is in canyon good memories.
I can still remember my first ride on the Durango Silverton Railroad and my first time walking down and through the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde

Allworth wrote:
Yellowstone!

If I had to choose with small children, I would go to Yellowstone rather than the Canyon.

(I have whitewater rafted the length of the Canyon and have spent weeks at Yellowstone so I am more than familiar with both.)

Kids will be much more interested in geysers, buffalo and bears than in a hole in the ground, no matter how impressive to adults.

Ditto! The kids would love Yellowstone and so would you!

The west is BIG and you’ll only be able to scratch the surface even with a month. I too would choose Yellowstone and the Tetons over Grand Canyon. Mostly because it’s spectacular country and there’s more variety to see. But the Canyon is impressive in its own right and it’s close to the many national parks in Utah. And that far south you could also hit southern CO and check out Mesa Verde and the Durango-Silverton train ride. It’s getting a little expensive but it’s quite a trip. If you do that take the open cars. You’ll come back with a faint coating of coal dust but you’ll have experienced it rather than watched it through a window.

You’ll just have to plan a few loops and see what you can cover with them while allowing enough time to enjoy it without excessive driving. Most kids are interested in dinosaurs and the park is in NE UT and NW CO so it’s more conducive to a northern loop. We took our boys there when they were young and the youngest especially was fascinated with it. Friends used to joke they had a masters degree in dinosaurs after talking to him.

Recognizing that tastes differ, I think places like Cedar Point and Disneyland aren’t even an also ran. Overpriced, overcrowded and with little to offer other than rides and junk food. But then, kids do like that stuff. We traveled all over the western national parks with our two granddaughters for years. I think my wife wanted a trip to DL so she asked my youngest granddaughter, who was then 14 or 15, if she wanted to go there, knowing I’d do it if she did. It backfired, my GD said no, not if it means we can’t go camping. I was really proud of her. :B

If making that trip in summer remember that southern UT will be pretty hot during the day, though it does cools off at night. Zion’s one of my favorites and it’s tolerable in the shade, Bryce is 8000’ and cooler. I don’t know what your RV is or how you camp, but there’s a lot of public land in the west that you can dry camp on and not be hindered with reservations if that’s your choice. Onece you decide where you want to go and how people on the forum can give you some good campsite options. One certainty, you will be making more trips.

If you travel I-70 there is the Museum of Western Colorado's Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita which is hands on for kids. Nice scenery on that portion of I-70.
Driving through Oklahoma City on I-40, there is The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum which would interest kids. Disneyland in Anaheim would interest them.

We did the loop from California through Vegas, grand Canyon, to Albuquerque, then north through Colorado and on to Yellowstone and home through Idaho when our kids were small. We saw a lot of great scenery and had a great time. What made it special for the kids was the fact that we hit every single zoo on our route. Those kids loved looking forward to the next zoo. Still today, 40 years later, whenever they take a vacation in a new area, they check out the zoos.

Memories of going 60 mph and seeing the inside of a windshield are not really memories.

I have fond memories of family trips when I was a kid, much of which consisted of riding in the car for long distances. We had our games we would play and, thankfully, none of us got carsick. Going through Wyoming we often counted dead rabbits on the road. No electronic games in those days but we managed to entertain ourselves. The biggest challenge was getting my dad to stop so we could use the restroom. ;) Oh, and we didn't have air conditioning, either!

big_murph_279 wrote:
The wife and I were talking today and I think we are going to plan a trip out west next year. We live in North Carolina. I would like to se the Grand Canyon and anything else that would be good for a 4 and 9 year old. We need some ideas of things to do and places to stay so that we can start planning the trip and the budget. Thanks in advance.

My wife & I are retired teachers. We traveled many summers with our two kids. They both are into traveling & camping now & they have been doing both with their children. Who are all great travelers & campers just like their parents were.

I'm sending more things than one could do in a summer, but you can pick & choose what would be neat for you guys.

I-40 Through New Mexico and Arizona - Things To See:
Near Santa Rosa just Off I-40, Santa Rosa Lake State Park would be a nice place to overnight. Never been there myself.

NM State Parks are a good bargain. $10 without electric, $4 more for electric. Most have nice showers (no extra cost) & no entry fee or day fee on top of camping fee as in TX & CO.

Easy to get to Santa Fe by taking US 298 at Cline's Corner ( Exit 218) to I-25 then South on 25 to Santa Fe & on to ABQ & I-40. At I-25, this is the Glorieta Pass & Pecos Area: Civil War Battlefield and Pecos Nat'l Historic Park, the remains of an Indian pueblo.

Santa Fe & Bandelier Nat'l Mon't area of New Mexico -A Trip Report 2012.

Los Alamos is a very neat small city in itself. Free bus system with very neat buses. Very pretty setting up in the high country. Somewhat of a gated community as well. We only drove through & stopped at a SuperMarket. A nice town. http://www.visit.losalamos.com/
http://www.losalamosnm.us/transit/Pages/default.aspx

More on the Santa Fe Area Expanded & ABQ.

Just minutes north of Albuquerque (off of I-25, exit 242) in Bernalillo, is Coronado State Monument where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 300 soldiers and 800 Indian allies from New Spain—entered the valley while looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Next to it: There is a Bernalillo city campground (used to be a state park) at the entrance to the State Monument. Wasn't a bad site some years ago, haven't been there in some time. Coronado Campground

The ABQ Aquarium is really neat, small but excellent. ABQ Zoo, not so much at least last time there (2011).

Cliffs Amusement Park, never been to it, but might be neat for the kidos. Likewise, Several Albuquerque Water Parks.

Likewise, the Rail Runner Train would might be something interesting to do in ABQ & Santa Fe Area.

A lot of Historic Route 66 Attractions along the way as well. Along I-40 there will be sections of the Old Route 66 by some of the small towns:
Route 66 Info

Historic 66

More Route 66

Over by Grants (I-40 W from ABQ): El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.

Oh, yes, in most of the western states, even in the hot southwest states, normally one does not to run the A/C at night to cool off. It usually cools down greatly at night out this way. Higher elevations & low humidity are factors. Therefore, one does need to have electrical hookups as one does back east.

An old post Flagstaff - Gallup - Grants- Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Plus

Grand Canyon Plus

Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon North Rim & Utah

Petrified Forest can be seen in a few hours driving through it. I have two places I would recommend near the Petrified Forest if needing to spend a night:
Homolovi Ruins and Lyman Lake State Parks of AZ. Homolovi Ruins State PARK, Winslow, Arizona -not too far from the Nat'l Park. On I-40 Take exit 257 for AZ-87 toward Second Mesa 0.4 mi; Turn left at AZ-87/I-40 Bus/E Second St (signs for AZ-87/Second Mesa) Continue to follow AZ-87 1.5 mi; Turn left at Honani Rd. Never been to this one. The other one we have stayed at (after a visit to PFNP) is Lyman Lake State PARK. It is not too far from PF Nat'l Park, but off the interstate some miles.

Just in case:

This was a neat place to camp and visit (have not been to in it many years), even with a museum nearby, all close to Gallup at Red Rock/Churchrock just off of I-40 east of town. It was a state park when we used it.
http://www.campingroadtrip.com/campgrounds/campground/campground/11212/new-mexico/red-rock-state-park

Blue Water Lake State Park, by Grants, west of Albu'que on I-40. Bluewater not a bad area, but more of a fishing site. But not at all bad for an overnight, even some hiking trails. http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/bluewaterlakestatepark.html

El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.
http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

More on Santa Fe (Eating):
We had very good Asian from Jinja Bar & Bistro in Santa Fe last summer. Just stumbled onto it in a thunder/rain storm. We did carry out, but it was a very nice restaurant.

Someone at the AAA office recommended Tortilla Flats in Santa Fe; it prove to be very good as well.

Normally, we would eat on the Plaza, from Cart Vendors, such as Roque's Carnitas. Cart Cuisine, but they were not there that week-end. Due to the 'Santa Fe Indian Market', "a 91-year-old Native art market", we didn't find the normal street food venders on the Plaza. We did eat once at one of the 'Indian' vendors, but the lines were extremely long. Also at a roasted corn vendor.

A little on the Chama Area. The very neat Cumbres Toltec Steam Train runs from & to Chama & Antonito (Colorado); turns soon after Cumbres Pass Station & head cross country to Antonito. One can do a halfway trip (which we did a few years ago), a 'free' meal at halfway point (price included in tickets). Good food there & plenty of it.

Two neat stops, north of Abiquiu, worth a see would be the Echo Amphitheater, a Natural rock formation, and the Ghost Ranch Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitor Center, located on U.S. Highway 84 just one mile north of the main Ghost Ranch entrance, has exhibits and a gift shop. A very nice museum in "O´Keefe Country." The Echo Amphitheater is past the visitor center some miles.

Lots of Sites & Sights in the Colorado Springs Area. Normally, we have stayed in the Woodland Park Area to see CO Springs Area.

One could drop by Cañon City on the way to Ouray via US 50 or bypass Cañon City via US 24 out of CoSprs (through Woodland Park). We enjoyed the Royal Gorge Rail Road Train ride in 2012.

In West Texas, Near Amarillo: Never been to the state park, but have read about it & would like to make it over there someday. Palo Duro Canyon State Park as well as Caprock Canyons State Park, from what I have read, seem like very neat areas to see.

Southeast of Amarillo & Southwest of Quanah: Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway would make a neat place to check out. One I would like to see. Has a Bison herd I have read.

Ditto, Copper Breaks State Park near Quanah sounds pretty cool (as in neat to see).

Sorry, joegray, but have been there, done that with children. It depends on how much time you have for the distances involved and activities you want to do. Memories of going 60 mph and seeing the inside of a windshield are not really memories.

Don't listen to some of these guy's
A famly camping trip is an adventure that makes memories, that will last a lifetime.
Sure you will have some long days, but there is lots for kids to do and see, if you want to take the time to plan and look for these places. Go for it and have a great trip.