Atlanta to Grand Canyon with 10 days

[PMike]

My wife and I are celebrating 30 years of marriage on December 1. We would like to take a memorable trip, and would like some assistance from those who have made this trip before with the planning (i.e. where to stop along the way, sites to see, etc.). We will be pulling a travel trailer and plan to stay at least 3 days at the Grand Canyon. Will this even be possible?

We would be leaving the Friday after Thanksgiving and returning on Sunday, December 6.

I realize it is a long trip, but I am willing to drive. BTW, I am a novice RVer. Any help with the planning would be appreciated!

[wowens79]

If you could stretch it out to 13-14 days I'd say go for it.

[ReneeG]

Can you extend your trip? We live in Idaho and we took two weeks to travel and stop from here through Utah to the North and South rim. It may work out for you, even in that timeframe depending on the way you like to travel.

[ksg5000]

As others have said/implied - that doesn't sound like an enjoyable trip to me. Too much driving and not enough time enjoying. Nice thought but I suspect your won't remember the trip fondly.

[wildtoad]

Celebrating a 30th anniversary inside a truck for three straight days each way will truly be memorable. You may not need to get a card for your 31st!

[rctaw]

The first time we went to the Grand Canyon we did it in 10 days. From South Mississippi it took 2.5 to 3 days of driving to get to Williams, AZ. This was with no stopping at attractions. While there we spent one day taking the train from Williams to the south rim. We took one day to drive to the south rim and then two days seeing the surrounding National Monuments (Sunset Crater, Wupatki, Walnut Canyon, Petrified Forest/Painted Desert). We then spent 3 days driving back home. It is a major "driving" vacation when done this way, but we don't mind driving long distances.
With that being said, we have since returned to the Grand Canyon three more times. We now take more time getting there to do all of the Route 66 towns and attractions and other things like El Morro National Monument for example. All of our trips have been in the summer in good weather and thankfully have been trouble free. My worry for you is winter weather. I would think that it could make this trip much tougher no matter how long you take to do it. There are stretches of I40 with very high winds during the summer and I'm not sure if that gets better or worse in the winter.
So bottom line: I would do a 10 day summer trip. I don't think I would try a 10 day winter trip unless the weather was really good. (I will say that I have no idea what the weather in that area is like in early December but I'm sure that you would have to be ready for anything from warm temps to freezing with snow)

[BurbMan]

We took the the TT to Asheville NC for our 25th. We regretted not having enough time to explore Smoky Mountain NP more. Easy a couple days in Asheville, a couple in Gatlinburg and then SMNP.

I know it's close to home for you but was a fun trip if you haven't done it. Also Florida panhandle (Destin, Pensacola) is nice.

We have been wanting to go out West with the RV for years but 10 days just not enough time to do it. Member @crappiefisherman did it from Ft Wayne IN with the kids years ago towing the TT. He had 3 weeks and the itinerary was 3 days of 16-hour driving days followed by 3 destination days. He covered the Grand Canyon, Zions, Yellowstone etc.

[agesilaus]

I would have suggested the Keys as an alternative except that Thanksgiving is the starting point for the 'season' down there and RV spots are all booked up months ago. Unless you find a cancellation. And if you did find a spot it would probably be at least $100/night range.

When we were under time pressure I'd drive long distances for the first couple of nights to get to interesting country for us. But slow down to 350-400 miles a day on travel days. Now we aim for 200 miles max, but we are retired. I had more vacation time where I worked tho, threes weeks and up.

[rlw999]

I've done San Francisco to Seattle many times by car, it's around 800 miles which is less than half the distance you're looking at.

By car we can do the trip in one long 14 hour day, but when we take the RV we always spread it out over 3 days since we drive slower in the RV, and it takes more effort.

You're going to be really hard pressed to do this trip in less than 10 days and still be able to call it a relaxing "vacation", you're going to feel like a long distance driver for most of the trip.

Plus in late Nov you have shorter days so it's going to be dark when you stop for the night, and you'll likely hit rain and maybe even some snow/ice if you're unlucky with bad weather.

Unless you really enjoy driving long distances (like, really enjoy it, not just tolerate it), I would find a closer spot to visit, add more time to the trip, or fly out to the Grand Canyon.

[wowens79]

PMIKE, I feel your pain, my wife and I live in ATL also, and have wanted to do a cool western trip. The dang midwest is the problem, we just can't see driving across all of that to get to the destination, and we are like you, and could only get away for 10-14 days.

Have you thought about the Florida Keys?? It's an easy but long drive from ATL. It is really beautiful, and lots of things to do. We've done it twice from Newnan (already south of ATL), and it is 2 manageable 6-8 hour days, or one really long day.
I'd recommend splitting it into 2 days on the way down atleast, and explore some of the springs in central FL if you have never done that, it is amazing.

Good luck planning a special trip, and congrats on 30 years!

[BB_TX]

Only you can decide how many hours you can stand traveling. But I agree with above. You really are looking at three 12 hour travel days each way. Travel time means time driving, fuel stops, rest stops, food stops, etc. One 12 hour travel day gets long. Two will get really old. And three straight I can’t imagine. And there is always the possibility of winter weather delays in December that could stop you a day or two to really throw a kink in your schedule.

[Lwiddis]

Even when younger I wouldn't make that drive in 10 days for fun.

[valhalla360]

If you are dead set on the Grand Canyon, fly out and rent. Car/Hotel or an RV depending on how bad you want to RV.

You are basically looking at 3 - 12hr driving days out, 4 days at the canyon and 3 - 12hr driving days back.
- Don't forget, those 12hr driving days have an extra hour on each end for tear down and set up of the RV...so more like 14hours.
- Who's making breakfast and dinner after a 14hr day?
- Carve out 3hr for a sight seeing stop and you are tearing down at 6am and finishing setup at 9pm each day.

With 10 days, I would put 1000mile range as the upper limit. That would give you 2 - 500mile days out, 6 days at the destination and 2 - 500 mile days back. You would also have options to do shorter travel days with a 2-4 hr stop for sight seeing or have an off day between travel days to stop at other destinations.

PS: Keep in mind, if you have any sort of break down, now you will be under tremendous pressure to get it repaired quick (paying big premiums to do so...if it's even possible) and then potentially dangerously long driving to make up for lost time.

[midnightsadie]

x2 this is a all drive no fun time trip.

[GordonThree]

I spent Christmas at GCNP, south rim, 2017. It snowed some, it was cold, but still remarkable. Water was turned off at the sites in trailer village.

I would consider flying to Vegas, renting an RV and driving it to GCNP, rather than trying to tow a rig cross country.

Alternate ideas; fly to Vegas, rent an RV and drive to Zion NP, or Death Valley NP, both closer and much warmer.

[agesilaus]

Are you planning to drive from Atlanta to the South Rim of Grand Canyon, spend 3 days there and drive back in 10 days?! That is a bit over 1800 miles. Assuming you will be driving or pulling an RV at an average speed of 50 mph, that is 36 hours of driving. So four 9 hour days of driving. 60 mph is generally considered to be the safe speed for RV travel, especially for towing. And that means about 50 mph on average including gas and other stops. Also especially for a new RVer, RV driving is a lot more stressful than driving a car.

Even if you drive at 70 that would give you a 60 mph average speed and a 30 hour drive.

You won't have time for any stops along the way, an exhausting drive out, three days at GCNP and the long drive back. Not much fun in my book. We've done drives like that before, 4 1/2 days from N. Florida to Yosemite, but we didn't turn right around and go back.

Also you should consider the weather at GCNP in late November, snow on the ground is very possible. Looking at the history, last year saw a high in the mid 30's and a low around 0 at that date.

My advice, in the words of the song:
"Turn back, Oh Man.
Forswear thy foolish ways."

Pick somewhere warmer and closer.