Must see places

[Chowan]

When we start plans for rving there are a few must sees for me. I know what I want to see but I know too that there are many more places I know nothing about. I am hoping you guys and gals can help educate me with sites you have seen and should be on everyone's must see list. Here is my list:
Yellowstone,
Tetons,
Yosemite,
Red Woods
The Monument
Grand Canyon
The Arches
Mt Rushmore
And ALaska...but not sure what to do or where to go
My list is mostly National Parks but you fine folks who have been around the block a number of times please share places you now have on your must see list or have seen list. Thanks

(I did try to search for such a list but could not find one.)

[OutdoorPhotogra]

My mother died of Leukemia at 49. There are different types of leukemia with some acting quickly and others that are much slower. Thankfully treatments have improved greatly since my mom was diagnosed. She and my dad intended to travel in retirement that never happened. One reason we've tried to travel during our working years, although military moves have greatly aided us in seeing the four corners of the U.S.

[ReneeG]

Chowan - live life to the fullest and enjoy it as you go. I'm so sorry to hear of your recently retired friend and his wife. I just hope that it's not serious and it was caught in time. I hear of adults getting leukemia and surviving it for many years, and somewhat healthy too.

[Chowan]

FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:
Chowan,

During our child rearing and heavy working years we drove like crazy to get a taste for oh so many provinces, territories and states (over 40+ states alone!). Ironically the most enjoyable and memorable places were the small "old americana" type places we visited coupled with less populated areas of natural beauty, especially when kayaking and rafting through canyons and mountainous terrains. We kept a wonderful journal and now as we head into retirement aim to stop and smell the roses more and revisit.

We personally vote mainly for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, due to the fact that the South Rim has become too busy and commercialised for our preference (we don't go there for McDonalds!), but there are many things to do from the South Rim and experience in all fairness. Best thing we ever did was take a Maverick Helicopter sunset picnic to the Grand Canyon, setting down by the Colorado river to enjoy it = unbelievable experience, worth every penny that will last for ever in the memory banks of us and our children. The Snake River in Hells Canyon rafting is another unbelievable experience taken slowly and embracing it.

There is so much to see do and enjoy Chowan in N.A. It would be impossible to see it all in several lifetimes. We are all so truly blessed 🙂

Thanks for the advise. I know there are so many things to see out there. We will not be driving like bats out of hell. We plan on going as long as our health is good...or until we get tired of it.
Health will probably be the real issue. We are reconsidering our time line. We have a close friend who retired last Friday and on Monday his wife was taken to Duke with leukemia. So sad. I hear of this so often.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Chowan,

During our child rearing and heavy working years we drove like crazy to get a taste for oh so many provinces, territories and states (over 40+ states alone!). Ironically the most enjoyable and memorable places were the small "old americana" type places we visited coupled with less populated areas of natural beauty, especially when kayaking and rafting through canyons and mountainous terrains. We kept a wonderful journal and now as we head into retirement aim to stop and smell the roses more and revisit.

We personally vote mainly for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, due to the fact that the South Rim has become too busy and commercialised for our preference (we don't go there for McDonalds!), but there are many things to do from the South Rim and experience in all fairness. Best thing we ever did was take a Maverick Helicopter sunset picnic to the Grand Canyon, setting down by the Colorado river to enjoy it = unbelievable experience, worth every penny that will last for ever in the memory banks of us and our children. The Snake River in Hells Canyon rafting is another unbelievable experience taken slowly and embracing it.

There is so much to see do and enjoy Chowan in N.A. It would be impossible to see it all in several lifetimes. We are all so truly blessed 🙂

[Busskipper]

4runnerguy wrote:

vermilye wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
While in Monument Valley, visit Goosenecks State Park and spend the night there. Drive your toad or tow vehicle up the Moki Dugway and go to Natural Bridges National Monument.

And while in the area catch the late morning light on "House on Fire" in Mule canyon, and Fallen Roof Ruin in Road Canyon. Directions

House on Fire


Fallen Roof Ruin

Moderator:

Please delete this post as we don't need any more people going to these places! 😉

He does take a really GOOD picture.

My thought is to show more and just overwhelm everyone.

:R

[4runnerguy]

vermilye wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
While in Monument Valley, visit Goosenecks State Park and spend the night there. Drive your toad or tow vehicle up the Moki Dugway and go to Natural Bridges National Monument.

And while in the area catch the late morning light on "House on Fire" in Mule canyon, and Fallen Roof Ruin in Road Canyon. Directions

House on Fire


Fallen Roof Ruin

Moderator:

Please delete this post as we don't need any more people going to these places! 😉

[D_E_Bishop]

"Q" is Quartzite AZ on I-10 and Hwy 95 not to far from the California boarder. I listed it mostly as a joke, I think it is the single largest gathering of RVs in the west. There is a big RV show in January along with a really big Gem and Mineral and Jewelry Show and about 100 swap meets.

One of the largest BLM camping areas too. 18,000 acres or there abouts. It is just a fun time with a lot of RVers and a huge number of Snowbirds.

Glad you like the list, it is what I could think of off the top of my head. Another NP in the East is Isle Royale. It is an island in Lake Superior.

Some years ago, an ice bridge formed and IIRC Elk migrated to the island. Bridge melted and herd increased. Ice bridge formed again and some wolves went to the island. It became sort of a Galapagos Island in a lake. Biologists have been studying for decades. Herd is now waning as are the wolves. Both may disappear soon.

[Chowan]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Okay here are a few, mostly out West but little on Pacific Coast states. You might want to have a USA map handy tp locate these places.

Yellowstone - Early Spring for Wildlife
Winter for a Fairyland experience

Olympic Penn. - Summer/Fall
Hurricane Ridge
Hoh Rain Forest
Kala Loch

Gettysburg - Anytime
Battle Field
Cyclarama
Museum
National Cemetery(Old and New)

Red Rock Country - Spring/Fall
Arches
Bryce
Zion
Canyonlands
Island in the Sky/Winter Too
Needles
The Maze
Grand Staircase/Glen Canyon
Antelope Canyon
Dead Horse Point

Mesa Verde - Spring/Fall
Four Corners - Spring/Fall

Mount Rushmore - Spring/Fall
Needles Hwy
Nighttime Light Show

Crazy Horse - Spring /Fall

Grand Canyon - Spring/Fall
Train from Williams
North Rim
Pipe Spring Wells

“Q” - January

White Sands
Sand Dunes
Missile Range/Nuclear Test Site

Great Sand Dunes - Summer

Red Rocks - WPA Amphitheater

Black Canyon of the Gunnison/Ouray/Leadville/Wolfe Creek Pass with snow

Carlsbad Caverns

Saguaro NP

I’m sorry about bouncing around but I couldn’t remember your parameters from last night so here is a very small list of what I feel are must see. This does not cover a large area, it takes a whole day to list all the must sees that we have found. If you want some in a particular area PM me and I’ll try to accommodate. I can list places to drive like the Saint Laurence Seaway, BRP, Skyline Drive. Individual campgrounds would take forever.

Buy maps, books, travel guides and read, read, read.

Of course I would include almost all National Parks but there are a million books on those. The ones I did mention and absolute must see places and I skipped most of them. I didn't list much back East but it doesn't mean we aren't on our way back to see so much more than our first ten week trip back there.

Disclaimer: We are not destination travelers, we are see all you can and make a must return list for the spectacular locations. As my tag line says, "The Great Affair is To Go".

thaks for taking the time and sharing with me your must see list. Whar is Q?

[Chowan]

Veebyes wrote:
Pick any state official website. Click on attractions. Pick out what is of interest & off you go. Look out for scenic routes & byways. Stay off the interstates, except where they cannot be avoided, & use what used to be the primary roads before the interstates were built.

Thanks for sharing. I will use those tools.

[Chowan]

path1 wrote:
Finally found the pic I was looking for...check this out.

NOw that is like a 7 year plan. Thanks for the map.

[Chowan]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
OP, great list and I've hit all of those except Monument and Alaska. Without making your list too long, I'd add Great Smokey Mt NP and VT in the fall. Not sure where you are in the East so those may not be new to you.

As for as scenic drives, Pacific Coast Hwy between Monterey, CA and Morro Bay, CA and Beartooth Hwy are must do's but NOT in driving/towing a big rig.

I am from NC. But the rides in the fall are still very nice. Thanks for the list.

[Chowan]

michigansandzilla wrote:
From the point of view of someone raising children and someone that's never driven west of the Mississippi, my must see places would be:

The Statue of Liberty, from inside the crown.
Touring inside Mammoth Cave.
Assateague Island, MD.
Sand Dunes on Lake Michigan
Smoky Mountains
Niagara Falls

thats a good list

[D_E_Bishop]

I don't think I mentioned that I had not read all the posts up to when I posted and I just went back and read them. There isn't much of anything listed that I would say skip to. In fact I added a few to our must return to list.

Good luck with the retirement plans, I hope nothing interferes with them. We are retired too and now we are ready to retire the Bounder and start to fill in a new USA map on the side. We're twenty years into retirement and in our seventies. Our k\Kids and Grandkids keep asking us when we'll get out of Dodge again, they love our logs which we send to them by email.

Get Going!!!!!

[D_E_Bishop]

Okay here are a few, mostly out West but little on Pacific Coast states. You might want to have a USA map handy tp locate these places.

Yellowstone - Early Spring for Wildlife
Winter for a Fairyland experience

Olympic Penn. - Summer/Fall
Hurricane Ridge
Hoh Rain Forest
Kala Loch

Gettysburg - Anytime
Battle Field
Cyclarama
Museum
National Cemetery(Old and New)

Red Rock Country - Spring/Fall
Arches
Bryce
Zion
Canyonlands
Island in the Sky/Winter Too
Needles
The Maze
Grand Staircase/Glen Canyon
Antelope Canyon
Dead Horse Point

Mesa Verde - Spring/Fall
Four Corners - Spring/Fall

Mount Rushmore - Spring/Fall
Needles Hwy
Nighttime Light Show

Crazy Horse - Spring /Fall

Grand Canyon - Spring/Fall
Train from Williams
North Rim
Pipe Spring Wells

“Q” - January

White Sands
Sand Dunes
Missile Range/Nuclear Test Site

Great Sand Dunes - Summer

Red Rocks - WPA Amphitheater

Black Canyon of the Gunnison/Ouray/Leadville/Wolfe Creek Pass with snow

Carlsbad Caverns

Saguaro NP

I’m sorry about bouncing around but I couldn’t remember your parameters from last night so here is a very small list of what I feel are must see. This does not cover a large area, it takes a whole day to list all the must sees that we have found. If you want some in a particular area PM me and I’ll try to accommodate. I can list places to drive like the Saint Laurence Seaway, BRP, Skyline Drive. Individual campgrounds would take forever.

Buy maps, books, travel guides and read, read, read.

Of course I would include almost all National Parks but there are a million books on those. The ones I did mention and absolute must see places and I skipped most of them. I didn't list much back East but it doesn't mean we aren't on our way back to see so much more than our first ten week trip back there.

Disclaimer: We are not destination travelers, we are see all you can and make a must return list for the spectacular locations. As my tag line says, "The Great Affair is To Go".