I am planning on heading off with the family (2 adults, 3 kids) for a 2.5 months of traveling in the middle of June. We are headed out from the DC area with an ultimate goal of ending up at Mount Rushmore, then meandering back before school starts in Sept. Instead of planning every single hour of the trip, I was hoping to keep it relatively low key. We like state parks over private campgrounds for cost, but the occasional KOA is nice if it has a pool for the kids. If we don't make it to Mt. Rushmore, then that's okay as well. We will be traveling mostly Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; and setting up camp Mon-Thursday (I do still have work to do). I have a lot of flexibility in my work so I could move that around, but my thought is that state parks should be easier to book Mon-Thurs than on the weekend. Are there any must see spots between DC and Mt. Rushmore, or any routes you recommend? I don't need a full length itinerary, but just personal experiences that I might not know about or see on a map. 36' Travel Trailer, so I know some places would be inaccessible due to lenght. We aren't really setup for boondocking, but with a generator I think we would be okay.

unless you have specific desires to see/stop at, I would do I-70 to I-74 at Indianapolis, to davenport I-80, to I-29 up to i-90 and across. bumpy

how old are the kids? interests? hiking, national parks, museums, etc?

I lived in NC for 2 years (many years ago), and I lived in the Washington DC area for about 5 years. My (home) is Indiana, I traveled back and forth a lot in those days. We've also traveled from Indiana to Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to Iowa several times as well. I will say, we have never stayed at a "bad" state park anywhere between Virginia and Iowa or Minnesota. Traveling that basic line, between DC to Indiana, then upward to South Dakota, just pick any State Park along the journey and you won't have a bad choice at all.FYI, we are going to Mount Rushmore in July for a 2 week trip. We're really excited about going too. We've never been there.

2chiefsRus wrote:how old are the kids? interests? hiking, national parks, museums, etc?10, 4, and 8 months (I know, I know). So hiking, biking (but not the mountain variety), swimming, kayaking, etc. Museums are okay, but they have to be kid oriented and really exciting (otherwise it won't captivate them for very long).

DutchmenSport wrote:I lived in NC for 2 years (many years ago), and I lived in the Washington DC area for about 5 years. My (home) is Indiana, I traveled back and forth a lot in those days. We've also traveled from Indiana to Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to Iowa several times as well. I will say, we have never stayed at a "bad" state park anywhere between Virginia and Iowa or Minnesota. Traveling that basic line, between DC to Indiana, then upward to South Dakota, just pick any State Park along the journey and you won't have a bad choice at all.FYI, we are going to Mount Rushmore in July for a 2 week trip. We're really excited about going too. We've never been there.I hear ya, I've never been either. I actually live in NC now, but we are hitting a pre-planned trip to Carolina Beach, then home outside of Elizabeth City for a few days for a family event, and then heading to D.C. I have a client to see on D.C. before we head off, so that's why we are leaving from there. Hoping for the best, but also open to heading back if everyone is miserable. We've never really stayed at a bad state or national park either, so usually things work out pretty well.

DC to Mount Rushmore | Good Sam Community

Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 23, 2017
unless you have specific desires to see/stop at, I would do I-70 to I-74 at Indianapolis, to davenport I-80, to I-29 up to i-90 and across.
bumpy
2chiefsRus
Explorer
May 23, 2017
how old are the kids? interests? hiking, national parks, museums, etc?
DutchmenSport
Explorer
May 23, 2017
I lived in NC for 2 years (many years ago), and I lived in the Washington DC area for about 5 years. My (home) is Indiana, I traveled back and forth a lot in those days.

We've also traveled from Indiana to Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to Iowa several times as well.

I will say, we have never stayed at a "bad" state park anywhere between Virginia and Iowa or Minnesota. Traveling that basic line, between DC to Indiana, then upward to South Dakota, just pick any State Park along the journey and you won't have a bad choice at all.

FYI, we are going to Mount Rushmore in July for a 2 week trip. We're really excited about going too. We've never been there.
peoples1234
Explorer
May 23, 2017
2chiefsRus wrote:
how old are the kids? interests? hiking, national parks, museums, etc?

10, 4, and 8 months (I know, I know). So hiking, biking (but not the mountain variety), swimming, kayaking, etc. Museums are okay, but they have to be kid oriented and really exciting (otherwise it won't captivate them for very long).
peoples1234
Explorer
May 23, 2017
DutchmenSport wrote:
I lived in NC for 2 years (many years ago), and I lived in the Washington DC area for about 5 years. My (home) is Indiana, I traveled back and forth a lot in those days.

We've also traveled from Indiana to Wisconsin, to Minnesota, to Iowa several times as well.

I will say, we have never stayed at a "bad" state park anywhere between Virginia and Iowa or Minnesota. Traveling that basic line, between DC to Indiana, then upward to South Dakota, just pick any State Park along the journey and you won't have a bad choice at all.

FYI, we are going to Mount Rushmore in July for a 2 week trip. We're really excited about going too. We've never been there.

I hear ya, I've never been either. I actually live in NC now, but we are hitting a pre-planned trip to Carolina Beach, then home outside of Elizabeth City for a few days for a family event, and then heading to D.C. I have a client to see on D.C. before we head off, so that's why we are leaving from there.

Hoping for the best, but also open to heading back if everyone is miserable. We've never really stayed at a bad state or national park either, so usually things work out pretty well.
DrewE
Explorer II
May 23, 2017
If your work requires internet access, take care to ensure you have plans in place for that wherever you stop for the week. In many campgrounds your best bet (though not always inexpensive or exceptionally quick) would be via the cell network; but not all state parks have great or any cell phone reception. That's just generally speaking, of course.

In terms of places to stop, St Louis comes to my mind. Several nice traditional museums, a good zoo, the arch, and the not-to-be-missed City Museum that I personally think is cooler and more fun than Disney...not that they're quite aiming at being the same thing.

As an 8 or 9 year old, I really enjoyed cavorting around the Badlands. Mt Rushmore, on the other hand, struck me (and still rather strikes me) as somewhat "meh," something I'm content to only see in passing.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 23, 2017
I can't imagine driving all that way with your intended stops being state parks, wall drug, the corn palace, etc., and not Rushmore.
seems like a waste of a trip to me. and some mighty boring scenery from here to there.
bumpy
2chiefsRus
Explorer
May 23, 2017
Badlands National Park is a great place to visit. We took the grandsons there when they were around the same age as your older two. High recommend the Junior Ranger Programs at the National Park. We stayed at Badlands NP in their dry camp campground. The grandsons really enjoyed visiting Bear Country USA in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Check out their website.
Corky12
Explorer
May 23, 2017
Story Book Island in Rapid City, Reptile Gardens south of Rapid on US 16, 1880 Train ride from Hill City to Keystone, the wildlife loop through Custer State Park, Mammoth Site at Hot Springs, hiking any or all of the Mikkelsen Trail which runs from Lead to Edgemont but has access points every few miles. Every state has entertaining and educational opportunities and sometimes they are discovered by accident. Enjoy your journey.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
May 23, 2017
kids might enjoy gunfights, etc. in deadwood.
bumpy