November Honeymoon trip suggestions

[RoyBell]

I got the go-ahead to plan a honey-moon camping trip. We get married Nov 1, and would like to travel west for 2 weeks.

Home base is Chicago. We should have our new Momentum 320G by October which will give us a month to make sure it's ready for the haul.

We have never done much more than a 250 mile trip so looking for some suggestions on how to do this as efficiently as possible.

Option 1 is to travel 200-250 miles a day, every day. That would get us to about Utah and back over 2 weeks. Easy drives, but packing up 14 times over 2 weeks is a lot of setup.

Option 2 is to travel 400-500 miles a day and spend a day in key cities for exploring. This gives us 7 whole days for exploring and not worrying about packing up and moving every day if we plan it correctly.

Option 3 is to put some serious miles in and stay for longer or mix it up. 800 miles one day, 200 the next, etc.

I will keep this post going as a log of where we plan to visit. Any suggestions on scenic sites to visit that will accommodate a 36' 5th wheel?

[RoyBell]

So with the help of everyone here, we have planned our trip...for the most part. 1 day everywhere, minus traveling time and 2 days in Gatlinburg.

Mon-Weds Louisville, Kentucky
Weds-Fri Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia
Fri-Sun Roanoake, Virginia
Sun-Weds Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Weds-Fri Nashville, Tennessee
Fri-Sun Mark Twain National Forest, St. Louis

Next step is to pick the campsites!

[4runnerguy]

RoyBell wrote:
We always go to FL over the holidays to visit my parents. We always stop in TN and GA, so not looking forward to going east in November, just to go that way again in Dec.

How about heading south and west?

Springfield IL the first night. (200 miles, 4 hours) See the Lincoln Museum, etc. if you haven't already.

Eureka Springs, AR. (400 miles, <7 hours). A very romantic little town with lots to see and do. Great restaurants, too. Did I mention that it is romantic?

On to Hot Springs AR or somewhere around Lake Ouachita (200 miles, 4 hours). If history is an indication, the leaves in northern Arkansas should be near their peak in early November.

Austin and/or San Antonio, TX (500-600 miles, 8-10 hours) Austin is the hip, younger city with lots of nightlife, music, etc. San Antonio is more historic. There are several other missions besides the Alamo and all are worth spending time at. The River Walk is quite romantic also.

Big Bend NP (450-500 miles, 7-8 hours). November is an ideal time to visit Big Bend. While we go to Utah quite frequently, Big Bend really surprised DW with its beauty.

Leaving Big Bend, head north to Carlsbad Caverns (240 miles, 4 hours). Been in lots of caves, and as they say, there's only one Carlsbad Caverns.

Then off to Palo Duro Canyon out of Amarillo (300 miles, 5 hours).

At that point, you're around 1000 miles from home. Pick the fastest route, drive it in two days and parks your rig.

If that seems like too much driving, cut the trip off at San Antonio and head east toward New Orleans. Maybe stop and see NASA Space Center near Houston. From NO, head north on the River Road through Vicksburg, Memphis, etc.

I've listed lots of ideas here so pick and choose which appeal to you most. For me, Eureka Springs and San Antonio would be highest on my list for romance. Big Bend and Carlsbad for wonderful outdoor experiences unlike anything around Chicago.

[donkeydew]

drive to ohara fly to destination of her choice.
a honeymoon should be relaxed and enjoyed,not what you are purposing

[padredw]

Here is a possible return trip (assuming Tyler State Park your farthest south)

Mountain View Arkansas 350 miles. Mountain View is down home Ozark country music. The Folk Folklife State Park is there with theatre performances and there is "pickin and singing" down around the courthouse.

Folk Life Center

An alternative to Mountain View is Branson, highly commercialized but if you haven't been there worth a trip--about 400 miles from Tyler.

By now your two weeks is just about up. An overnight in the vicinity of Springfield, IL (about 350 miles from Mountain View) would leave you only a bit over 200 miles back to Chicago.

This allows 2 nights at 3 of the stops and 3 nights at 2 of the stops with the one night in the Springfield, IL area. This time of the year you might "play by ear" and see how to allot those nights. I've just tried to plan an atual 2 week trip through the Arkansas mountains to beautiful East Texas. I can answer questions about every campground I've mentioned--we've been there.

[padredw]

We tend a lil bit different than your choices. About 300 maybe 350 miles and stop for at least 2 nites before moving again.
From Chicago, maybe to the Ozarks, down into hot springs Arkansas and further south if you wish.

November would be an ideal time to travel south. Here is one possibility:

Chicago to Land Between the Lakes (Kentucky/Tennessee)
We have stayed at several campgrounds here, most recently Canal COE. But also at Hurricane Creek COE. about 365 miles. At least 2 or 3 days here.

Land B. the Lakes to Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas.
About 360 miles. Arkansas has some great state parks, this is one of them.

You could also move on down to Hot Springs/Little Rock. Maumelle COE near Little Rock or Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Springs are good choices. About 60 miles from Petit Jean.

In November the leaves will start turning color (depending on the year the quality of the color will vary.)

You could even come on down into East Texas. Such as Tyler State Park or Caddo Lake State Park. ~ 170 to 225 miles.

These are just to get you thinking. The weather can turn quite cold even in November, but most years there are many day of pleasant temperatures in Arkansas and East Texas.

[jplante4]

On our retirement trip, we headed south from New England on Nov 1st. We did Myrtle Beach then Hilton Head Island in the first 2 weeks. Shorts and flip-flop weather.

A friend who travels extensively throughout the US and Canada recommended being out of the Rockies after Labor Day. Considering that you'd have to push it hard to get to Utah and back in 2 weeks, I'd suggest not doing that. Don't want to start off a marriage with a lot of stress.

We planned a leisurely intercoastal waterway in Pine Island Sound in Florida on a rented house boat for our twentieth. Boat broke down on the second day out, ended up getting Sea-Towed in and got off the boat. Couldn't get home (Hurricane Sandy). I had been planning the trip for 6 months. DW was very disappointed. I was crushed. Not the best memory.

[Crodad]

I would head to Gatlinburg and spend as much time there as you can. You can stay busy for days there. Many hikes in the park, Shopping and Dinner Shows in Pigeon Forge. Dolly World. Rafting(though maybe not in November).

[zcookiemonstar]

Not sure why your worried about going south west early November. I always wanted to check out Palo Duro canyon in Texas.

[djsamuel]

tracyb-oh wrote:
Head south to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It will be beautiful ready for the holidays, the mountains are majestic. Lots of things to do and see in the area. Could also visit places in Kentucky on the way south. The crowds should be a little less as you are behind the leaf peepers but before the Thanksgiving bunch. Weather should be crisp. Plus a pretty easy drive from Chicago. You won’t be spending all your time driving.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

If you want a peaceful stay, consider Townsend, just south of Pigeon forge and Gatlinburg, although any of those locations would be great. You could spend a ton of time enjoying the Smoky Mountains National park.

[mgirardo]

RoyBell wrote:
OK so if we head EAST instead, I am thinking the following.

Option 1:
Chicago IL
Kentucky Bourbon areas KY
Nashville TN
Charleston SC
Jacksonville FL
Tallahassee FL
New Orleans LA
Memphis TN
St Louis MO
Chicago IL

That is 7 stops @ 2800 miles. Average 300 miles a day traveling. Not sure if NO is our thing when camping? I imagine this is the warmest route.

This sounds like a good option, except I'd hit Jekyll Island, GA instead of Jacksonville, FL. It will only add about 75 miles to your Tallahassee leg. There's a lot more nature and history on Jekyll Island than there is in Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a nice city and there are some nice campgrounds nearby, but scenery wise, Jekyll Island wins hands down. That time of year it will be pretty quiet.

-Michael

[RoyBell]

OK so if we head EAST instead, I am thinking the following.

Option 1:
Chicago IL
Kentucky Bourbon areas KY
Nashville TN
Charleston SC
Jacksonville FL
Tallahassee FL
New Orleans LA
Memphis TN
St Louis MO
Chicago IL

That is 7 stops @ 2800 miles. Average 300 miles a day traveling. Not sure if NO is our thing when camping? I imagine this is the warmest route.

Option 2:
Chicago IL
Kentucky Bourbon areas KY
West Virginia
Cherokee National Forest TN
Charleston SC
Jacksonville FL
Nashville TN (long haul)
St Louis MO
Chicago IL

Same thing, 7 stops @ 2800 miles. Staying a little further north/east

Option 3:
Chicago IL
Kentucky Bourbon areas KY
West Virginia
Jacksonville NC
Charleston SC
Cherokee National Forest TN
Nashville TN
St Louis MO
Chicago IL

7 Stops 2600 miles so the trips are a little shorter. No southern states and going to east coast.

[RoyBell]

Dang, you all have me worried about heading west now. Is the weather more temperate in KY, TN, Carolinas instead that time of the year? Bourbon trail sounds appealing to me 🙂

Zcookie- I will be storing it at my office/warehouse. No more having to be in storage by november 1st and out by April!

[zcookiemonstar]

Figure out the farthest place south west you want to go and then drive as many hours as you can to get there. Then take your time working your way back. You will have the most driving energy the first day or two. Don`t waste your time stopping to see things close enough that you can do in short trips another time. Just wondering if you live in Chicago where do you plan on storing the trailer?

[bikendan]

Back in early November, 2006 from the SF Bay Area to Chicago and back, to pick up our brand new HTT.
Let's just say that weather turned on us, during the return leg and we almost crashed.
No way would I be heading to Utah, during that time of the year.