Trip Out West
I am trying to break up the winter boredom by starting to do some early planning for our summer 2016 trip. I am looking at a East to West trip. I would be starting in Canada near Detroit. I would probably take Route66/I40 down and take I80 back. I am planning on not following these routes exactly, just using them as rough paths. I plan on allowing 4-6 weeks in the summer, due to work I cannot change the time of year or length and we really want to get out west while the kids are young as the wife and kids have never been west of the Mississippi. From years of past experience we know that 6hr driving per day for most days works for us for driving (3hr drive in the AM, lunch/gas, 3hr drive in the PM with time for dinner/relax in the Evening) on driving days. We also know that we want to spend most of the trip across the country driving with minimal stops, and spend as much time as possible hitting the big landmarks out west like Grand Canyon, Vegas, Hoover Dam, Disneyland, Hollywood, Sequoia NP, San Francisco, Napa, Yosemite NP. Because we are a family, we will likely make most stops at family friendly full hookup locations like KOA type parks where the kids can unwind after a long day in the car. We also like seeing any kinds of sights natural and built but are looking for "bucket list type ideas". So I have a series of questions for planning a trip this big and cross country:
1) would you plan every stop, plan just the big stops with a rough amount of time to get there or just go with the flow
2) how far in advanced do you need to book to get into some of the big places like Grand Canyon
3) are there alternate places to get the same WOW of Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite without the big summer crowds. Or are there other suggestions for minimizing the crowds at these big attractions ie time of day, days of the week etc
4) any suggestions on roads to take, sights to drive past, stop and take a picture at, stay an extra night to see along the way
5) The family wants to try boondocking in the desert. I would be interested in some 1 night along the way options for semi-boondocking, maybe minimal serviced, well spread out, official campgrounds that will give the family the "in the middle of the desert" with no hook-ups feel.
Thanks
1) would you plan every stop, plan just the big stops with a rough amount of time to get there or just go with the flow
2) how far in advanced do you need to book to get into some of the big places like Grand Canyon
3) are there alternate places to get the same WOW of Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite without the big summer crowds. Or are there other suggestions for minimizing the crowds at these big attractions ie time of day, days of the week etc
4) any suggestions on roads to take, sights to drive past, stop and take a picture at, stay an extra night to see along the way
5) The family wants to try boondocking in the desert. I would be interested in some 1 night along the way options for semi-boondocking, maybe minimal serviced, well spread out, official campgrounds that will give the family the "in the middle of the desert" with no hook-ups feel.
Thanks
