Planning an extended trip, looking for advice.

[mikakuja]

We are in the beginning stages of planning (more like discussing), an extended trip starting from our location just outside Vancouver BC Canada. Our furthest destination point would be the Florida Keys. We would like to do a circle route including some of the central states, East Coast and lower states. We are not looking to include the West coast on this trip. We are not new to travel with our truck and travel trailer however we have never traveled the US with one. We are looking for advice on the best routes, sights, camping, do's and don't, etc. Keep in mind that we are only in the planning stage and have not committed to dates or time frames yet. We do not have a specific route in mind at this time.

I should mention that our trailer will have a 400w solar system, inverter, etc and a back up generator. We are set up for boondocking, so full hookup sights will not always be a necessity.

Looking forward to your advice and comments...

[ORbiker]

I completely agree.

" Get off interstate, go through the small towns.

For us it is not what we are going to see, but what we will miss.

or really we missed that. "

I call it. "Stop and smell the roses" Enjoy the sights and don't be in a hurry.

[stetwood]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Not trying to "slam" anybody, but pick your destinations in the central part of the US. Mt Rushmore, the Black Hills and what ever else interests you. The rest is thousands of mile of corn or wheat !

I disagree with the old wizard or is the buzzard. There are lots of things to see, in June we spent a month traveling Iowa, Neb, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. We followed parts of the Oregon Trail and parts of the Lewis and Clark, saw the Flaming Gorge in Utah, Dinosaur National Park, Trinity Hill in Sioux Falls and and an old steamboat that traversed the Missouri and Mississippi, went to the Museum of Art of Nebraska in Kearny NE, went up Windlass hill and stayed under Chimney Rock, stopped in Scotts Bluff, saw fossils in Agate Fossils NM, watched buffalo at Ft Robinson and rode a jeep up the bluffs, had steak under the bluffs and went to a rodeo, saw wagon wheel ruts near Guernsey WY, photographed graffiti from the 1850's, saw one of only two natural bridges,saw a Foucault Pendulum and looked for wild horses near Rock Springs WY,and stopped at Story Land in Aberdeen SD. We've seen Billy Clocks in Iowa, battleships made of matchsticks near Grundy. Walked in tulips in Pella, gone through John Deeres museum, looked at old cars, old tractors, looked at old guns at some of the forts.

The thing is you need to search for these places. Use tripadvisor, or the state tourist sites for ideas. Pick a destination, and find out what is in between. Get off interstate, go through the small towns. For us it is not what we are going to see, but what we will miss. Often when comparing notes with friends they say, Oh you should have seen.... or really we missed that.

[DrewE]

mhcompserv wrote:
As for the east coast area, around NY/NJ/CT, they have roads marked as parkways (pkwys). Stay off of these. They are marked as passenger cars only and clearances are very often low. If you use a gps system, set it on truck vs car when in this area to avoid parkways. You'd be surprised how many truckers make the wrong choice to enter these.

Just to add to the confusion, there are some parkways that are perfectly suitable for RVs (and trucks) and legal to drive on. Many, probably the majority, are indeed restricted to autos only with good reason, but there are some exceptions to this general policy.

I think all the CT parkways are auto only. The vast majority of NY ones are as well, especially the ones downstate in and around New York City. There are a couple of roads called parkways upstate that are legal for RVs, at least in portions, such as the Robert Moses parkway near Niagara Falls and the Lake Ontario Parkway near Rochester. (The latter you do probably want to avoid as it is in very poor shape, but that's a different issue.) In New Jersey, the Garden State Parkway is a major route and is entirely suitable for RVs.

As a general rule, most numbered state highways are also OK for RVs and trucks, although occasionally there are low clearances. A few are definitely not suitable. Vermont route 108 through Smuggler's Notch is a great example of the latter; every year, despite prohibitions and very clear signs, a few misguided trucks get wedged in between the rocks and block the pass until they can be extricated (at no small expense).

[mikakuja]

Thanks for all the great advise and tips everyone. I apologize for not responding sooner. We have had a family emergency and my mind hasn't exactly been on travel much over the past week. I will be resuming my planning soon and will take some time to answer some of the questions asked at that point..

Hope everyone has a safe Christmas and holiday season..

[mhcompserv]

In reference to roadways, US numbered highways are different from our Interstate highways. Most US# highways are suitable for rv travel and pass through picturesque parts of the country. But they also pass through towns so you will have slower traffic and traffic control lights and signs. As for the east coast area, around NY/NJ/CT, they have roads marked as parkways (pkwys). Stay off of these. They are marked as passenger cars only and clearances are very often low. If you use a gps system, set it on truck vs car when in this area to avoid parkways. You'd be surprised how many truckers make the wrong choice to enter these. US Route 30 runs west/east through our mid-section, coast to coast. I lived on it in Wyoming and now live only a mile from it in Pennsylvania. It also passes near Gettysburg, mentioned elsewhere. Good travels. Enjoy our country. I recently visited your area early in 2016(Vancouver).

[myredracer]

We'll be doing a long circle trip around the US after DW retires in a couple of years. Not a whole lot specifically for RV-ers travelling around the US as far as books go. I bought these general purpose ones and found them to be reasonable: NatGeo USA 101 A Guide to America's iconic places, events and festivals; Insight Guides United States on the Road; and NatGeo Guide to Scenic Highways & Byways, The 275 Best Drives in the US. The latter two have lots of color photos which is nice. I also have the small book on driving Route 66. While you may not travel on any of it, it is an interesting read. Have had a number of folks tell us to do it sooner than later because there won't be much left before long.

Curious as to what CGs or RV parks you'll be staying in. I'd like to go freewheeling style but DW insists on pre-booking everything way in advance. We now have a membership in Thousand Trails and can stay at any of them in the US but they don't have anything in the middle area of the country.

If you end up going in that direction, "camping" in Vegas is an interesting experience. There's a few CGs close to the strip. I understand it's best to avoid the southern/eastern states in the summertime due to high humidity and temps.

On roads, I enjoy towing both on interstates and slower/secondary routes - it's all good. Some interstates are quieter and easier to drive on. Some of the interstates can be clogged with semis and a bit tiring and around major cities can be rather stressful with all the heavy car and truck traffic. I'd suggest looking online for videos of the actual routes you'd be on so you won't have surprises or be caught by construction, forest fires, etc.

Gotta have good access to the internet while on a trip to check on road conditions, etc. and check CGs, attractions and the like. We've been using Verizon 4G mifi on a pay-as-you-go plan but may switch to creating a hotspot on DW's smartphone or possibly use both. In a few places so far we couldn't get a signal on either. A good GPS will help a lot but don't rely 100 percent on it. Good to use paper maps and google to compare. If something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.

Make sure to post highlights of the trip and have fun! 🙂

[ORbiker]

mikakuja wrote:
We are in the beginning stages of planning (more like discussing), an extended trip starting from our location just outside Vancouver BC Canada. Our furthest destination point would be the Florida Keys. We would like to do a circle route including some of the central states, East Coast and lower states. We are not looking to include the West coast on this trip. We are not new to travel with our truck and travel trailer however we have never traveled the US with one. We are looking for advice on the best routes, sights, camping, do's and don't, etc. Keep in mind that we are only in the planning stage and have not committed to dates or time frames yet. We do not have a specific route in mind at this time.

I should mention that our trailer will have a 400w solar system, inverter, etc and a back up generator. We are set up for boondocking, so full hookup sights will not always be a necessity.

Looking forward to your advice and comments...

What months are you thinking?
The USA has a wide variety of weather; depending on the time of year. Snow in the Rocky and northern areas, tornadoes east of the Mississippi, HEAT in the southern half, high humidity in the south, flash floods etc.

If you are going early in the year, think about circling to the south first (Utah) and then East to Florida (?). Then you can wonder around the east for an bit, then head to the Dakotas and MT.

[portliz]

Before you get too deep into the planning, make sure that you have emergecy medical travel insurance. Don't even consider travelling without it. Read your stability clause carefully and make sure you understand your policy. Know if you have any preexisting conditions. They must be stable. Have fun and safe travels.

[RGar974417]

I agree on Yellowstone.We were there in May and it was the best trip we ever had. We were in the park for 4 days but could have easily done 6. There is so much to see and it's huge. We stayed in Madison Campground. No hookups. Mammoth Campground looked like the sites were a little more spread out. Madison was more centrally located but there was nothing close to the campground. At Mammoth you are right outside the Village of Mammoth Hot Springs which has a few places to eat,a visitor center and gas. You are also close to Gardiner Montana for groceries,gas and dining.
Black Hills area is nice too. Custer State Park is nice. Several campground some with electric hookups. Not too far from The Badlands and Wall Drug. We also liked Bear Country USA and The Cosmos.
From there I would head east.Many nice state parks to camp along the way. Most have electric hookups some as low as $16 a night. Each state is different as to their campgrounds but most are nice. We stayed at Waubonsi SP in Iowa for $16 a night with electric.Also Pershing State Park in Missouri for $19 a night with electric. Pershing is located on Missouri Rt 36 which is a great alternative to I-70.4 lane and 65 mph. We also stayed at Buck creek State Park just east of Dayton,Ohio off I-70. Beautiful park with electric and swimming beach. You are close to the Air Force Museum if you like planes. Keep going east to Gettysburg. We like Pine Grove Furnace State Park, about $26 a night with electric about 25 miles from Gettysburg.From there I would go to Assateague National Park. No hookups but the wild horses will come right into your campsite. Go to as many ranger programs as you can. From there head south to Shennadoah National park. Stay at either Big Meadows of Loft Mtn. The head south on Blue Ridge Parkway. I would recommend Sherando Lake, a national forest campground with electric hookups. Keep heading south to Goose Point Campground. They have some nice sites in loop C, some right on the water. From there I would head towards Myrtle Beach and stay at Huntington Beach State Park. Most sites are water and electric with some full hookups. Short walk to the beach.Visit Attalaya which is where the Huntington's lived who the park as named after. They also have great nature programs there. You are close to Murrels Inlet where you have some good restaurants like Drunken Jacks.
From there you can head to Florida and the keys. Curry Hammock State Park is nice with sites on the water with water and electric hookups.Have a great time.

[theoldwizard1]

Not trying to "slam" anybody, but pick your destinations in the central part of the US. Mt Rushmore, the Black Hills and what ever else interests you. The rest is thousands of mile of corn or wheat !

[theoldwizard1]

donn0128 wrote:
... Ford Museum, Greenfield museum, ...

Technical it is call The Henry Ford and it includes the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village (an outdoor museum), an iMax theater and the starting point of the Ford Rouge Factory tour (where they make F150s). You could easily spend a day touring the museum and another day in Greenfield Village. There are special events there every weekend during the summer. It is probably the BEST tourist stop in SE MI.

If you are into Music, don't miss the The Motown Museum, Home of Hitsville, USA It is going through a major renovation in the next couple of years.

[mikakuja]

Hey everyone, thanks for the input so far!!! Leaving things soooo wide open you've already given me more ideas than I had thought of.. I realize that this is an extremely ambitious plan involving a lot of miles and options, and no, we don't have any unrealistic goals of seeing everything we want to see on this trip. What I do expect will happen is that we will learn enough to know where the next trip will be and what to expect along the way..
As far as time frames, we were looking at a 3 month round trip, give or take. We don't want to be in Florida during Peak tourist times, so we would plan as best we can to avoid that.
We are not planning to visit places like Disney World or any of the big theme parks, etc, did that when the kids were younger. I am thinking that this trip will be just my wife and I, so a much slower pace. We are more interested in scenic routes but am not opposed to putting a few miles on the Interstates to get to where we need to be.

To narrow things down a little bit, hmmm, that's hard... I left that open intentionally to see what others have done, like to do, etc, in hopes of finding places or things that to do that we would never think of... That being said, there are some things that are pretty much out of the question. For example, we like to hike but can no longer adventure very far due to my wife's physical limitations, so this limits us to short relatively easy sightseeing type hikes.
We will definitely take in the historical stops and museums along the way, and we love a good cup of coffee. Ghost towns are a must, at least for me. We also like to do the touristy things in resort towns or parks checking out the little shops and scenery.

I had also mentioned that we are set up for boondocking. To clarify on that a little, this is only to open up options in what type of camping we can do. We are not looking to strictly boondock, we love a good full hook up site with a pool and amenities.

I will spend a bit of time using some of the info provided in the above posts to narrow down a couple potential routes. This should make things a bit easier.

Thanks again for your input

Mike

[4runnerguy]

Pretty wide open question. We don't know your interests, whether you like to hike or fish, visit scenic or historic locations. Even without a specific time or place, you'll get a lot better answers with more info.

Some things to consider:

Many places in the central and eastern parts of the US get pretty hot and humid in the summer. OK to sightsee from the comfort of a vehicle, but can be stiffling to get out and walk around much. Spring means blossoms, fall means trees changing.

June through August is very busy as schools are out and families are travelling.

When looking for places to stay, don't forget to look into state parks, Corp of Engineer parks, and National Forest CG's. Compared to the west, many more of these parks have partial or even FHU and typically have more scenic settings and more space between sites than private CG's. Here is a list of the state park websites I put together a few years ago.

Check out the National Park Service website. Look at each state you might want to visit. Of course the big NP's are listed, but there are many smaller, quieter parks and monuments that can be every bit and scenic and interesting.

Some highlights we really like:

Big Bend NP in west Texas in Feb and March.

Carlsbad Caverns, NM

The Ouachita Mountains of Ark.

Take in a parts of the Great River Road along the Mississippi. Different look and society depending on where you are along it.

The Blue Ridge Parkway from Great Smoky Mountains NP all the way up to Shenandoah NP's. Of course if you take that, you miss the interest drive up along the coast through places like Charleston, Savannah, and the Outer Banks of NC.

Washington DC. I know you are from Canada, but there's so much to see and do there that is beyond just US history. Art museums, the Air and Space Museum, etc. One can spend weeks exploring. We spent six days last time we went.

Acadia NP in Maine is well worth the trip.

Fall colors in the NE. Vermont and NH have lots of backroads through their mountains.

There are great museums all across the country. The Greenfield Museum near Detroit is interesting. Colonial Williamsburg is a historical town preserved and recreated. Even small places like Minden NE has a great little museum in the Pioneer Village.

Give us more info on your likes and we'll give you more ideas.

[padredw]

OK, I'll make an assumption that this really will be an extended trip--at least a month and probably more; and that this trip will be in Spring or Summer. In this post I will simply sketch out one of many, many possibilities. From your starting place you will simply have to cross some of the western US states and some of the most impressive sights of the US. So I will give this as one possibility, just mentioning the major stops:

West Glacier (Hungry Horse for example and Mountain Meadows Campground) -- about 675 miles from your start, but you can plan intermediate overnight stops.

Yellowstone (West Yellowstone campgrounds abound) about 400 miles

Rocky Mountain National Park (Estes Park, many choices) 550 miles

Santa Fe, NM (for example Santa Fe Skies RV Park, a good choice) about 465 miles. In my opinion a must on this route.

Fredericksburg, TX and the surrounding Hill Country, especially if your trip is in the Springtime and the bluebonnets are in bloom--about 675 miles and you should probably plan an intermediate overnight. (maybe Carlsbad Caverns that would make it 400 miles to Fredericksburg.)

New Orleans at 580 miles. Maybe a stop in the Houston/Galveston area as an intermediate stop. I'm trying to keep this simple.

Now along the coast (yes, I'd stick with I-10 until past Pensacola) then to follow the west coast of Florida with a stop around Carabelle Beach --350 miles.

Staying on the west coast to Mykka River State Park 360 miles

And only 375 miles on to Key West.

Let's call this the Highlights of the Rocky Mountains and Dive South to the Coast Route.

To do any justice to these great areas of interest would be close to a month, but would make a great RV trip.

I'll leave you in Key West! But I have some great ideas for a return up the Atlantic coast and across the Midwest if you are interested.

Just a note: I've visited every one of these areas and routes I've mentioned in our fifth-wheel--but NOT on the same trip--many different trips.