Colorado to Philadelphia... and everything inbetween!

[Jandy2015]

Hey guys,

So ive popped up here with a few questions kn our trip and had great help which we've gone onto book.

We're now onto the final plan of our US trip..

Our final leg is from Colorado, April 23rd, arriving in Shenandoah, April 25th. Its a drive through Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

We are looking for 2 stops along the way. Any interesting stops, camping (electric hookup) we have a pop up camper.

Thanks in Advance

[Busskipper]

Jandy2015 wrote:

Thom02099 wrote:

Jandy2015 wrote:
Hey guys,

So ive popped up here with a few questions kn our trip and had great help which we've gone onto book.

We're now onto the final plan of our US trip..

Our final leg is from Colorado, April 23rd, arriving in Shenandoah, April 25th. Its a drive through Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

We are looking for 2 stops along the way. Any interesting stops, camping (electric hookup) we have a pop up camper.

Thanks in Advance

So it would appear that you are under a time constraint and need to get there rather quickly. One thing I would recommend is taking US 36 from outside of Denver all the way across Kansas and Missouri, and then drop down to KCMO. By my calulations you'll be driving a good 8+ hours a day.

Along the above route, there's a good place to stop in Seneca KS -- H E R E - Bailey's RV Resort. Best you'll find along that route and puts you about 1/3rd of the way to VA.

A good place to stop and stretch your legs is outside of Lebanon KS -- The Geographical Center of the Contiguous USA. Well marked to get there, just a few miles north of US 36. Nice rest area, a marker, some picnic tables and a tiny chapel. A "bucket list" location 😉

Lovely post. Thank you.

All others, we appreciate the heated debate between 70 and 36. It really is a get home, with one last stop in Shenandoah, end to the trip. We we look into the two routes, I wonder if they change over to change things up over the two and a half days

While we may slightly disagree with the time savings on the drive on RT 36 vs I-70 I think you can easily see we ALL Use IT (Might even say we all recommend it) - so the proof is in the Pudding as they say. Much of the drive is still on a divided Highway - when you get further out west the towns tend to be small and usually just short of an Hour apart 😉 so the inconvenience is very slight. Less traffic - fewer trucks - just a pleasant drive.

Might just have you drive each and get back with your recommendation on the prefered route. 🙂

Enjoy your trip,

[Jandy2015]

Thom02099 wrote:

Jandy2015 wrote:
Hey guys,

So ive popped up here with a few questions kn our trip and had great help which we've gone onto book.

We're now onto the final plan of our US trip..

Our final leg is from Colorado, April 23rd, arriving in Shenandoah, April 25th. Its a drive through Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

We are looking for 2 stops along the way. Any interesting stops, camping (electric hookup) we have a pop up camper.

Thanks in Advance

So it would appear that you are under a time constraint and need to get there rather quickly. One thing I would recommend is taking US 36 from outside of Denver all the way across Kansas and Missouri, and then drop down to KCMO. By my calulations you'll be driving a good 8+ hours a day.

Along the above route, there's a good place to stop in Seneca KS -- H E R E - Bailey's RV Resort. Best you'll find along that route and puts you about 1/3rd of the way to VA.

A good place to stop and stretch your legs is outside of Lebanon KS -- The Geographical Center of the Contiguous USA. Well marked to get there, just a few miles north of US 36. Nice rest area, a marker, some picnic tables and a tiny chapel. A "bucket list" location 😉

Lovely post. Thank you.

All others, we appreciate the heated debate between 70 and 36. It really is a get home, with one last stop in Shenandoah, end to the trip. We we look into the two routes, i wonder if they change over to change things up over the two and a half days

[Veebyes]

We have made the trip from MD to Boulder, CO quite a few times. 36 is the route of choice. Simply find that it is a much more civilised stress free route to take. The occasional slowing down for some little no light or 2 light town is no big deal at all.

If you are pressed for time & need to cover hundreds of miles a day that is what 70 is for.

[Wadcutter]

Busskipper wrote:
Not to be argumentative but I still try to do I-70 every couple of years and Have always either had construction or Rush hour or and Accident that has always made me go back to RT 36, and My Times are normally the same if not faster on RT36, might just be lucky 🙂 (I drive the same speed on both - 62) We will pick it up at Hannibal, MO and it is great till you get to Colorado - Roads are not the Best - but still good enough.

Well then if you want to consider construction on I-70. :R Guess they've never had construction on US 36? If you hit US 36 with construction and no construction on I-70 then what? Or hit wheat harvest on US 36?
60 miles shorter over a 1000 miles at 62 mph is 1 hr less driving if all things else are equal (excluding all this construction you always hit on I-70). US 36 is a limited access highway so the traffic flow can vary a lot with local traffic.
We usually take US 36 but it's not quicker than I-70, unless you are so unfortunate that you always hit that terrible construction on I-70.

[Busskipper]

Wadcutter wrote:

Busskipper wrote:

We still Make Great time on RT 36 as it's 60 miles shorter, to Denver than I-70, and Avoids Big Cities/Rush Hours, has much less Traffic and Trucks - It is still a Good Option with very well placed Wal*Mart's along the way:)
JMHO,

For the last 50 years we make a trip to CO and farther west every few years from central IL. We almost always use US 36 across. We did take I-70 this past August simply because we hadn't been on it for a while. US 36 is shorter by a few miles, better scenery, and slower paced but it's not quicker than I-70.

Not to be argumentative but I still try to do I-70 every couple of years and Have always either had construction or Rush hour or and Accident that has always made me go back to RT 36, and My Times are normally the same if not faster on RT36, might just be lucky 🙂 (I drive the same speed on both - 62) We will pick it up at Hannibal, MO and it is great till you get to Colorado - Roads are not the Best - but still good enough.

And as you say while. US 36 is shorter by a few miles, better scenery, so I can also drive a little longer each day as it is just an easier drive than the Fast Paced, Crowded I's 🙂

JMHO,

Just an added side - I always take RT 6 out of Golden to I-70 at Idaho Springs - Beautiful and while mabe 5 minutes slower - well worth the Effort 🙂 Sure beats having an 18 wheeler push you up or down the Mountain for a few miles.

[Wadcutter]

Busskipper wrote:

We still Make Great time on RT 36 as it's 60 miles shorter, to Denver than I-70, and Avoids Big Cities/Rush Hours, has much less Traffic and Trucks - It is still a Good Option with very well placed Wal*Mart's along the way:)
JMHO,

For the last 50 years we make a trip to CO and farther west every few years from central IL. We almost always use US 36 across. We did take I-70 this past August simply because we hadn't been on it for a while. US 36 is shorter by a few miles, better scenery, and slower paced but it's not quicker than I-70.

[Busskipper]

Veebyes wrote:

Wadcutter wrote:
If you're talking Shenandoah, PA, starting from the eastern edge of CO and routing thru KY that's over 1600 miles in 3 days. You're not going to be stopping to see much of anything but gas stations and rest areas to make over 500 miles a day. Starting in CO you're going to lose 2 hours driving time just with time changes.

Agree. It looks like a gas station & Walmart overnight stop type trip. No time for any attractions along the way. Averaging something like 500 miles per day is more than 10 hours on the road per day. That says interstate all day every day. No time for doing the much more interesting routes like using 36 as suggested.

We still Make Great time on RT 36 as it's 60 miles shorter, to Denver than I-70, and Avoids Big Cities/Rush Hours, has much less Traffic and Trucks - It is still a Good Option with very well placed Wal*Mart's along the way:)

JMHO,

[Veebyes]

Wadcutter wrote:
If you're talking Shenandoah, PA, starting from the eastern edge of CO and routing thru KY that's over 1600 miles in 3 days. You're not going to be stopping to see much of anything but gas stations and rest areas to make over 500 miles a day. Starting in CO you're going to lose 2 hours driving time just with time changes.

Agree. It looks like a gas station & Walmart overnight stop type trip. No time for any attractions along the way. Averaging something like 500 miles per day is more than 10 hours on the road per day. That says interstate all day every day. No time for doing the much more interesting routes like using 36 as suggested.

[Wadcutter]

If you're talking Shenandoah, PA, starting from the eastern edge of CO and routing thru KY that's over 1600 miles in 3 days. You're not going to be stopping to see much of anything but gas stations and rest areas to make over 500 miles a day. Starting in CO you're going to lose 2 hours driving time just with time changes.

[Thom02099]

Jandy2015 wrote:
Hey guys,

So ive popped up here with a few questions kn our trip and had great help which we've gone onto book.

We're now onto the final plan of our US trip..

Our final leg is from Colorado, April 23rd, arriving in Shenandoah, April 25th. Its a drive through Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

We are looking for 2 stops along the way. Any interesting stops, camping (electric hookup) we have a pop up camper.

Thanks in Advance

So it would appear that you are under a time constraint and need to get there rather quickly. One thing I would recommend is taking US 36 from outside of Denver all the way across Kansas and Missouri, and then drop down to KCMO. By my calulations you'll be driving a good 8+ hours a day.

Along the above route, there's a good place to stop in Seneca KS -- H E R E - Bailey's RV Resort. Best you'll find along that route and puts you about 1/3rd of the way to VA.

A good place to stop and stretch your legs is outside of Lebanon KS -- The Geographical Center of the Contiguous USA. Well marked to get there, just a few miles north of US 36. Nice rest area, a marker, some picnic tables and a tiny chapel. A "bucket list" location 😉

[Matt_Colie]

If you are a fan of history and interesting things and are going east on I-70, try to make time for the Steamboat Arabia Museum in KC-MO. It is not cheap, but you won't want your money back either. Parking an RV there can be a trick.

Matt

[Dick_B]

For questions like this I always recommend doing a Google search for `________ tourism' and put the State, City or Area in the blank and read what the specialists suggest as highlights for their location.