.Hi, what do you think about some virgin RVers taking their 2 boys (ages 5/11) from central Florida to Arizona within 6 days? We can rent an 25 foot Class C for super cheap if we do it that way. My husband has a business meeting in Pheonix, so we worked out a rough route on Googlemaps, stopping briefly in some notable areas like perhaps Tallhassee for a few hours (the capital, good for homeschoolers like my boys), New Orleans for a night, San Antonio (Alamo) for a night, and then booking it to Arizona (not knowing anything of note in between San Antonio and Grand Canyon).....and staying a night in or around Grand Canyon and then heading to Pheonix the next day for his work meeting....all within 6 days? Sorry for our ignorance but we have never traveled cross country or anywhere, really, we have flown everywhere we have needed to go in the past, but I have a yearning to RV and thought this would be a good start to decide if RVing is for us. A couple of disclaimers: We have camped before, and I didn't love the tent thing. I am very picky. I don't like bad smells (worried about renting an RV that is clean enough), I don't like loud areas to sleep in (I need quiet). We do travel extensively, about 6-8 times a year, but I'm very picky about the hotels. I say this while I do note that because I have two boys, I do a lot of things out of my comfort zone to allow them to have a good boy-hood. Could this be the worst mistake ever? Should we just go rent a Class A and go a couple of hours away first?

In my opinion, it would be way too aggressive for 6 days especially with small children. Google maps says it's 36 hours driving time at the posted speed limit which you won't be able to do in an RV. You also have to factor in rest stops for the driver and fuel stops, possible road construction and traffic or accident delays. You would be driving or sleeping most of the time and won't really be able to enjoy the trip. Driving an RV is more stressful than driving a car. You will also need another stop between San Antonio and the Grand Canyon because it's 16 hours of driving. Also if this trip is in the summer the temperatures will be very hot out west. I think you're right about renting an RV and taking a trip closer to home before you head out west. If you had more time (10 days to 2 weeks) it might be doable.

7 days there and 7 days back. Not 7 days round trip. JMHO

That is certainly a reasonable amount of time for the one way trip if you believe there is nothing to take your time to stop and see. When was a child we made many trips at an even faster pace, kept track of what we found so we might visit those places on a later trip. moved about as fast through our working lives, it was not until retirement that we could slow down and visit more of the places we discovered on our on road trips, e.g. Michigan to Central Florida as six days instead of two (or one very long drive). but always, even in those 50s and 60s cross country road trips, we took time to stop and visit one or two interesting places each travel day. It was easier then, because there were no Interstates, everything was advertised right alongside the road, and we were moving most of the time at 45-50 mph rather than the 70-80 people move today.I suggest your trip be planned as a loop, coming back a different way than you go, particularly since one of your interests (Grand Canyon) is on the I-40 route following old Route 66 which is wealthy in natural, historical and tourist attractions, and the other (San Antonio) is on I-10 which has long "empty" stretches if you don't know what attractions to seek. If you can work it into your route, I suggest a visit to the meteor crater site east of the Grand Canyon. As an earth feature, this is really more important to the interaction between man and Earth than a canyon that took millions of years to carve.Renting a RV for the trip is a good idea, since you are not sure you'll like that mode of travel. It is not really camping, unless you want to make it camping, as you take a house with you. But you may not find that house as comfortable as your own home, and only by trying it at least once will you know whether or not it is comfortable enough. That's a lot better than buying one to find out that you don't like the lifestyle; I got my RV at a good price from a family that bought, made one trip, and decided they just couldn't live that way. You just won't know until until you try.

Sorry, I would never do the trip you have planned. You have too many issues to begin with - smells, cleanliness, noise.You are considering a 25' which is small for that long and fast of a trip. Also, I assume it would be in the coming months and you are going to have triple digit temperatures in Arizona.Also, since your husband has to be there on a certain day, what if you have repair problems or medical problems enroute. You don't have the extra time to deal with it. Also, are you willing to help drive? That's a long way for one driver in a short time.By all means rent and go someplace closer to your home. You will all enjoy it much more.

You can do it, but it's such a waste. It will be like an 8 hour plane trip every single day. 8 hours in a tin can, and very little time outside of it. It will be hard on the kids and they will fight. Plus, you don't like bad smells and you want 4 people in that tin can for a week?I think you would be much wiser to limit the driving to something like 3-4 hours every 3 days. For a 6-day trip, pick one destination, 3 hours away, go there, stay two nights, go to one more place, then home. Obviously, that would not coincide with hubby's work trip, but it could be a different time.

Are we Nuts? Travel cross country in 7 days? | Good Sam Community

66 Replies

Tenn_blue59
Explorer
May 15, 2015
As a long time resident of Florida, I understand wanting to get out of the state, even though there are lots of varied places to go
Couple suggestions;

Go up into the panhandle - It's not "typical Florida" - You could go to the capital (Tallahassee) and then go west to the Pensacola NAS Air Museum - cheap fun and the kids (especially boys) love the air display!

Go north into the mountains - We used to take a lot of long weekends up into Georgia for cooler weather and to see some piddly little thing to "justify" the trip. We eventually got a place in Tennessee and live between the two states. Lots of beautiful places to see and experience within a long day's ride (two days by RV with a stop somewhere).

One final one would be Patriot's Point in Charleston SC., a great trip for the boys both young and old - The WW2 carrier Enterprise and several other war ships are on display there. Good camping at lots of spots between you and there.

Take a few small trips fairly close to home and see if RV'ing is for you!
colliehauler
Explorer III
May 15, 2015
Actually Gary had a good idea. You might fly to Phoenix rent a RV and have time to see the Grand Canyon and explore the West. This would give you a chance to get your feet wet so to speak. With limited time you would not be as rushed as a cross country trip.
garyhaupt
Explorer
May 14, 2015
You guys will do fine...super, even. Go research...then just go have fun. Renting one is the best. Tell you what...fly to the west coast..Seattle, rent something and drive south to San Diego. No..no...fly to Phoenix, rent that thing and go drive about the South-West..Grand Canyon...and Sedona and Sante fe. No..fly to Anchorage Alaska and go explore.

geeeez.....see? And hey..thanks for taking the time to drop the note.

Gary Haupt
lovetoskiflorid
Explorer
May 14, 2015
TOTALLY CHICKENED out, guys!! I would say the responses were 90% "no way", and 10% "to heck with it, just go!", and I'm not a gambler..... in fact I'm mostly a scared little girl!! So now I'm sitting here chomping at the bit to do SOMETHING in an RV! We have some extra money right now to buy one but we need to rent first to avoid making a first class mistake. I do think we would have made a good movie, I'm a pretty unique individual and my husband (bless him) says I should have my own reality TV show. Yes, be glad you aren't married to me. But the one thing I am good for is sacrificing for those little boys of mine to not grow up as sissies, so I am looking to jump as soon as we figure out something. I just wish we lived out West, so that way we could bring things from home on our trip rather than fly out there. And I find the East so BORING, only bec I grew up here. Thank you for all your replies, I can't wait to become one of you and join the club! I'm thinking within the next month, somehow, some way! I'm taking all of your replies and studying them, love the ideas for motion sickness and where to go, even if we just do Florida.
PA12DRVR
Explorer
May 10, 2015
Orlando to Phoenix: 2,150 miles round up to 2400.....means that you have to average 40 hours of rolling at 60mph...and it means rolling at 60mph for 6.6 hours per day of your 6 days. With the stops you've mentioned, I think you'll have to assume that you're rolling at least 10 hours/day.

No float in your schedule for errors, sightseeing, frequent potty stops whatever..you have no float. I'd suggest flying for this trip and taking a more leisurely RV trip close to home.
John_S_
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
Do it, it is a great trip. Just driving across our country is great. I have driven to Mesa AZ from VA in 5 days with no problems. I just did 500 miles a day in about 10 hours. I stayed in rest stops and no campgrounds and it was an easy trip. It is no different then me driving to work and working all day and then driving home. I would do it. Lots of people say they only die 200-300 miles a day. I can do that or 600 and sometimes even 900 but now that I am older, I try to limit to 600 max now. At 500 miles a day, I was rested when I arrived too. it was just a work week.
jplante4
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
Whatever you decide, please come back here and let us all know how it went. It will be a valuable thread for future reference.
okhmbldr
Explorer
May 09, 2015
DO IT! It's called making memories. It's something you've never done before, and after the trip you may decide to never do it again.....but you'll never know until you do the trip.
Just keep us posted on your big adventure!
Me_Again
Explorer III
May 09, 2015
Someone has to replace Robin Williams! Make a movie of the trip! Chris
4X4Dodger
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
lovetoskifloridian wrote:
You guys are the best, really. My husband and I are reading and laughing. It was just so cheap! He is kind of wanting to go with the few positive replies on here, because he is a very manly man and thinks he can conquer any adversity....he says. "well....I'm very resourceful and if a problem hits I can handle it!".....lol.....I'm disagreeing there. Yes, he's a very manly, handy man at the house and can do everything....but something tells me RVs are a little different. And I don't want my babies to hate driving all that time...I failed to mention the 11 year old gets motion sick. LOL.

Ok, so this may have to go on a separate thread.....we live in Central Florida. Nothing sounds fun (not knowing much, btw)....to do over this way if we rented a bigger class A and just did a few states in the same time. So maybe we should just fly out west. But then I won't be able to have fun making some meals and freezing them and bringing them (stuff I've read off some blogs, lol...). I don't know.

Was wanting to do something in May before all the other kids got out of school. And rates are cheaper right now. You kind of burst our bubble, but it is only for our own good. :) :)

This is a no brainer. 7 days ONE WAY is easily doable with kids with dogs, take them all.

The bottom line is this: this kids will love it. You will likely not. From your post I see you as the major obstacle. However you will never know unless you try it. Go for it. Keep an open mind, and allow yourself to change your plans on the fly if the situation dictates.

If your husband is a handy guy in the house all those skills are applicable to an RV. Likely nothing will come up and he will only add to his store of experience and knowledge.

Go. Have fun. Ignore the Naysayers.