Summer 2016 RV 1 month Where!?!?!?
Sorry for the very broad question, just starting to think about next summer. We'd like another RV trip. We have done 2, hired an RV and drove the California central coast are, and Yosemite. Trip 2 ...
Forum Discussion
You narrowed your "curiosity" down to 4 areas, any of which would be a great choice to spend a month of vacation. Since you're most interested in them, go for one of them!
Obviously the southwest would be the hottest, but the merit of the Grand Canyon-Mesa Verde-Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park scenario is that RMNP will be cooler, and the Grand Canyon being high elevation, it won't be as deathly hot as other areas of Arizona. If your trip could be more June than July, I'd suggest starting with the Canyon & Mesa Verde first, RMNP last. It's driveable from NC, and there is a lot to be said for the perspective one gains from driving across the plains - the size of this country, what the pioneers went through to go across with ox-drawn wagons (and how motivated they were), etc.
With a month's time, you could also do Yellowstone/Tetons and Glacier, with some great stops on the way there & back in the Black Hills and at Devil's Tower and Little Bighorn National Battlefield. Weather can vary greatly in these locations, and a mostly-July schedule would work quite well; Glacier isn't usually fully open until after the 4th of July due to snow on the (one) main road through the park. Lakes & rivers will be cold, but you can arrange - especially in the plains - to stay at CGs with pools so the kids can swim there. This trip is also driveable in a month from where you are.
The Northwest and Alaska are pretty long drives from your location; for those you might consider flying and renting an RV there. In Alaska, don't miss Denali NP!
Obviously the southwest would be the hottest, but the merit of the Grand Canyon-Mesa Verde-Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park scenario is that RMNP will be cooler, and the Grand Canyon being high elevation, it won't be as deathly hot as other areas of Arizona. If your trip could be more June than July, I'd suggest starting with the Canyon & Mesa Verde first, RMNP last. It's driveable from NC, and there is a lot to be said for the perspective one gains from driving across the plains - the size of this country, what the pioneers went through to go across with ox-drawn wagons (and how motivated they were), etc.
With a month's time, you could also do Yellowstone/Tetons and Glacier, with some great stops on the way there & back in the Black Hills and at Devil's Tower and Little Bighorn National Battlefield. Weather can vary greatly in these locations, and a mostly-July schedule would work quite well; Glacier isn't usually fully open until after the 4th of July due to snow on the (one) main road through the park. Lakes & rivers will be cold, but you can arrange - especially in the plains - to stay at CGs with pools so the kids can swim there. This trip is also driveable in a month from where you are.
The Northwest and Alaska are pretty long drives from your location; for those you might consider flying and renting an RV there. In Alaska, don't miss Denali NP!
